Waited for Trade

by Matt


Another Waited for Trade column? I cannot believe it either but I managed to crank out another batch of trades. In this column I will be reviewing IDW's new G.I. Joe trade, Boom's Irredeemable, Green Lantern: Revenge of the Green Lanterns, Annihilation Book 3 and Excalibur Visionaries: Alan Davis Volume 1.

Once again I have to warn you. I do feel like I am getting better at writing reviews but I still feel like I struggle at describing events and putting down in words what my brain is saying. I will try to avoid spoilers as much as possible but I offer no promises. If you are looking for an in-depth review about a trade, this is probably not for you. At best you will get an honest review from someone who absolutely loves comics. And of course I will use the Official Bad Genious Rating System(tm).

A = Astonishing, Truly Bad Genious
B = Brainy, Brilliant
C = Commonplace
D = Dunce, Dumb, Don't Buy
F = Freakin' Crap in a Hat

Gosh, another splurge. I have a problem folks. I cannot stop buying trades! If you click on the title of the trade, it will take you directly to its listing on Amazon where you can check out prices and more reviews.

Excalibur Visionaries: Alan Davis Vol. 1
It is no secret that I love Alan Davis's work. Excalibur was my favorite comic when it came out and I was so sad when both he and Claremont left the book. Thankfully, Marvel got him to come back and not only draw, but write the book as well. This was the first major work that Alan wrote and it didn't disappoint and I didn't miss Claremont at all. This trade reprints Excalibur #42-50 and Alan solved a ton of old storylines. He gave Phoenix an official origin, explained the Captain Britain Corps and finished all of the lingering plots that Claremont left behind. He also brought in new characters such as Micromax, Cerise and Kylun and reformatted Widget. If you liked Claremont's run on the book, you HAVE to have this run. The sad thing about this run (and most of the rest of Alan's run) is that most of the origins given here have been ignored. This book is fun, Alan throws everything at you. The unique humor that Claremont established continues here, there is excellent characterization and the art is strong. There is also a feel of finality too, the whole trade is one large story that has a nice payoff at the end.
Final Word and Grade: While the stories are old and some of the plots here have been ignored, this trade is still worth getting, especially if you read and liked Claremont's run. I am also pleased to report that Marvel is publishing another volume. A


Annihilation Book 3
I finally finished the first Annihilation saga and they saved the best for last. This is not your typical Marvel cosmic story, this is war. The cosmic stuff is merely the backdrop, the war is at the forefront and we get front row tickets. I knew I was in for a treat after seeing the full splash page of Galactus battling Tenebrous and then losing! And it didn't let up from there. Griffen writes a terrific story in bringing all the major players together and giving them their own moment to shine. Ronan stands out as the breakout star of this event, we see how driven he is to uphold the Kree culture and how unwavering he is. I don't want to spoil anything major here but he has a couple of very cool moments that solidify him as a major player in the Marvel Universe. The solid art for the main Annihilation series is done by Andrea Di Vito, who is quickly becoming one of my favorite artists. Unfortunately, the Heralds of Galactus issues that follow the main Annihilation series are not as strong and more than likely it is because the main series was that great.
Final Word and Grade: Excellent stuff. You don't have to have knowledge of the cosmic Marvel stuff to really enjoy it. It is a war story at heart, the cosmic stuff is mostly put in the background. B


Irredeemable: Volume 1
Mark Waid is Evil! At least that is what this book tells us. I have heard excellent word-of-mouth about this book and for $9.99 how could I resist? And I am so glad that I am a sucker for cheap trades! It only took me three pages to grab me and boy it grabbed me by the throat! The story is about the Plutonian, a super hero basically like Superman or Marvelman that has become jaded and has gone bad. Now this isn't a new idea and has been done to death before, but what makes this intriguing is how former teammates, enemies and the rest of the world deals with it. Waid can pull out all the stops with this character and does an excellent job at showing how brutal a character like Superman can be if he did go bad. The art is adequate and I am sure Krause will improve as the comic continues. I am also sure Waid has some neat tricks up his sleeve and I am looking forward to the ride.
Final Word and Grade: While it doesn't tread on new ground or bring anything new to the table of a good guy going bad, it is certainly well written and the best part is that you can see the potential. And I cannot wait to see what happens next. A-


Green Lantern: Revenge of the Green Lanterns
I almost purchased something else but I thought I would give Green Lantern another try. I was surprisingly impressed with Rebirth but the last trade, No Fear was disappointing. It was okay but I expected more. I am glad that I gave Green Lantern another chance because this was really good, probably the best so far of the new series. What I like about Geoff Johns is I think he does a real good job at handling heavy continuity and giving readers just enough to understand what is going on. He also gives me enough that I want to check out the old stories too. Another one of John's strengths is that he handles small moments and makes them big. And this trade was loaded with them. From funny stuff like GL's ring has the ability to block communication from other GL's ring (much to Guy's chagrin) to serious stuff, like when he had Batman put on the ring. That moment when Bruce confronts his fears with the ring is perhaps the moment I loved most. The latter half of the trade was fantastic. Hal finds that the new GL Corp are not fans of Hal even though his name has been cleared, there is some clear resentment by the newer GL Corp members that plays off well. Hal then discovers that some of his closest GL friends that he battled when he became Parallax are found to still be alive and he goes against orders to rescue them. While it does bug me that things are being returned to status quo, at least Johns provides a creative way to bring them back and that satisfies this reader. And like the trades before, I am enjoying how the seeds of the Sinestro Wars and the Blackest Night are being foreshadowed.
Final Word and Grade: This has to be the strongest of the three GL trades so far. Lots of neat moments, nothing that made my jaw drop but was a solid superhero read from cover to cover. And that is good enough for me. C+


G.I. Joe Volume 1
I am a sucker for G.I.Joe, pure and simple. I was a fan of the old Marvel series and I rejoiced when Image revived it. But it has not been the same to me. I tried the Reborn series and the other Devil's Due series but I found it lacking. It just wasn't the same. And when I heard Chuck Dixon was rebooting the Joe franchise at IDW, I was curious but decided to wait for trade because the last few reboots were not as fun. This was probably the best out of the bunch and I am looking forward to seeing what comes next. This trade introduced the smaller Joe team with some minor changes to the original characters. Cobra is not even a force yet, it is merely a ghost organization. We hear whispers of this terrorist organization but we don't know who or what they are. This makes them even more mysterious and much more dangerous. Only a few Cobras are introduced, but sadly no Storm Shadow, Zartan and even Cobra Commander do not appear. And this adds to the intrigue. The Joe team seems still too bland but Dixon does give them some life. And the subplot of Snake Eyes being AWOL is one that does interest me. While the book doesn't offer anything really new or mind-blowing, it does scratch my Joe itch and I will get the next trades and try out IDW's other Joe books.
Final Word and Grade: This is the best and strongest Joe book in years and I am looking forward to seeing my old favorite characters slowly get introduced. If you like G.I Joe, you should get a kick out of this. If you like Dixon's writing, you will like this too. It is more serious than the Marvel run but looks like it will still have some of the more unbelievable aspects of that same run. C+


Next time will be all about one of my favorite properties, the Guardians of the Galaxy. I will review Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 1, Guardians of the Galaxy: Earth Shall Overcome and The Power of Starhawk Hardcovers. In addition I will look back at Jim Valentino's run on the book in the '90s.
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Panelology

by Brandon

"More ranting and raving on comic book collecting?" you ask. Yes! I can deliver on that. It's free and a renewable resource. Just don't abuse my cantankerous attitude for your own benefit. My targets this week include Kingdom Come, Ultimatum, Back Issues, and The Spirit movie. Enter all who dare.

Give DC a Chance, pt. II
I talked about wanting to try out some Dc titles in my last article. This promise did not come from a lack of knowledge of DC, just a lack of appreciation. I think DC is largely boring. Could an old, tried and true, corn-fed Marvel zombie like myself actually enjoy an iconic DC title like Kingdom Come? Could I actually appreciate a book from a company I have little love for? Could I overcome my personal bias against these boring characters that are about as lifeless and uninteresting as Superman or Flash? Actually, no. I could not like.

I loved it.

While I may sound a bit like a teenage school girl when I say that, I really did love it. I thought it was entertaining and thoughtful. The commentary on the short-term gains of the 1990s superhero excesses. My love is born out of a certain ignorance of the DC universe. Mark Waid's scripting and Alex Ross' art were perfectly conjoined. Thanks to all who suggested it to me. Who knows what I will read next, but I will definitely poke my head around the rest of the DC universe.

Back (issues) to the Future
The economic situation sucks. That's not real news or anything earth-shattering. At least I hope that isn't real news to you. Comic fans are bemoaning the fact that some titles are edging closer and closer to $3.99. Now that really sucks. It seems like more and more, some comic fans are looking to trim their comic book diets in order to tighten their belts up some.

Might I offer you an alternative? Of course I can. Try back issues. I have been buying more and more back issues. I can get around 40 issues for $50-$60, roughly equivalent to the purchase of around twenty books on the shelves now. That is assuming that the books are all $2.99, which, again, they are not. I've enjoyed going back to check out all the titles I may have missed over the years at dirt-cheap prices. Earth-X, Grendel, Ghost Rider volume 2, Savage Dragon, Grim Jack, Jon Sable, Justice League, Dakota North, Azrael, Elementals volume 2, Rising Stars, and Queen & Country are just a few of the titles I've been able to indulge in on the cheap. Not bad.

How does this help the economic situation in a struggling economy? Well, it doesn't help Marvel, DC, or any other comic book company for that matter. However, it does help out the small businesses I buy these back issue books from. And to be honest with you, I would rather line their pockets with money than the pockets of Marvel and DC. Maybe I'm wrong. I probably am, but I like having lots of great books that don't cost four bucks each.

Ultimate Suckage
Um, do you think Ultimatum sucks? Me too. Do you think the new plans for the Ultimate Universe are kind of dumb? Ditto. Aside from killing off practically everyone in the Ultimate Universe, Ultimatum has been a sputtering turd of a comic, the epitome of the slide in quality for this line of titles. The plans for the future of the line coming out of New York a couple of weeks ago were also yawn inducing. Why do the Ultimate title need their own imprint? Maybe I'm reading too much in Brian Michael Bendis' reaction to the change, but I don't get the impression is terribly impressed with this retooling of his baby.


The Spirit Sucked Too
I watched the Spirit movie last week at a $2-theater. Yeah... that was awful. It was quite possibly the worst comic book adaptation ever committed to film. What the hell was Frank Miller thinking? I know a lot of people have asked this lately, but seriously, does anyone have an answer? The acting and story was so over the top that it completely removed me from the experience within the first five minutes. I'm not a huge fan of the golden age, but The Spirit happens to be one of the few titles that I enjoyed. If Eisner's stories weren't so damn good, Frank Miller may have ruined the character for me.
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Remembering Mike Wieringo

by Liana

If you're reading this blog, the reason for today's posts needs no explanation. Today, the Bad Genious takes a break from celebrating Star Wars Week to remember artist Mike Wieringo, who died one year ago. For my part, this means taking a look at his work with Mark Waid on Fantastic Four, which many (myself included) consider one of the best runs on any comic book ever.

It's pretty hard for me to talk about a comic book and not focus on the writing. Art has always been secondary to me. Usually, I only really notice it when it's going all wrong (Greg Land, Humberto Ramos). When it's all right (Gary Frank, Steve Epting), it just blends seamlessly into the story and appreciation comes second to enjoyment. 'Ringo changed that for me. Well, he didn't change it, because I still do it. But his work on Fantastic Four did not go unnoticed or unappreciated by me, not then and certainly not now.

And still, I find it hard to talk about this without focusing on the writing. I mean, Mark Waid told amazing stories. His grasp on the characters was incredible. Indeed, he brought the fantastic back to our four favorite imaginauts. So if Waid did all this, what exactly did 'Ringo do?

He brought it all to a level rarely reached in comics. He took what was bound to be a classic run and made it legendary. How do I know this? Because those issues that used fill-in artists just weren't the same. No offense to the other artists, but there was always a little sigh of disappointment when you picked up that month's issue and didn't see 'Ringo's name on the cover. They were all capable artists, but none of them could match the style, the energy, the life 'Ringo brought to the book.


I don't know how you determine what an artist comes up with on his own and what a writer instructs him to draw without seeing the scripts, but I feel comfortable giving credit to 'Ringo for imaginative details like Franklin casually blowing square bubbles (FF60) and the Thing wearing a lame Human Torch costume for Halloween (FF517). Sure, maybe Waid had the ideas, but 'Ringo put them on the page with such conviction, such wonder, that you can't help but smile.

But he didn't just do awe. 'Ringo was so great with all kids of expression. Be it shock and creepiness, like Doom presenting Reed with a freaky bugged out vision of Valeria (just before the FF's trip to H-e-double-hockey-sticks; FF61), or profound sadness, when Johnny reminds Reed (while in Heaven! FF510) that he misses Ben too.

One of 'Ringo's most amazing spreads also comes in the "Unthinkable" arc, when Doom locks Reed in an infinite library, books about magic stacked high and forever, and tells him, "This door can be opened by an enchantment a four-year-old could learn. Whenever you think you're ready to face me, come find me. Take your time. Though were it my child burning in the fires of Hell....I'd hurry." Now, I know from the extra bits at the back of the hardcovers that Waid requested Reed standing "inside a staircased, torchlit library of near-infinite size that seems to go on forever in all directions, filled to the hilt with moldering books and scrolls, dwarfing Reed in its enormity." My scanning skills (and my scanner) leave much to be desired, but I think you can get the idea from this image (FF70), even though I couldn't get the full two-page spread and had to resort the mini-image in the back of the hardcover.


Could anyone else but 'Ringo have met Waid's request? Probably. But how many of them would have done it this well? Not many.

There's one image, or sequence of images, that has stuck with me from the time I first read it years ago until today. In fact, as Dan was reading the run for the first time over the weekend, I tried to describe it to him so he could flag it for me when he came across it. It was so powerful to me that even though I can't remember what I had for lunch yesterday, I can never forget the impact those panels had on me, a girl who barely knew at the time that comic books had things like writers and artists. For me, these images capture so much of what made 'Ringo one of The Greats. The sorrow, the confusion and despair on Reed's face is so....I don't have the words to finish that sentence. I'm trying, but nothing's coming. The Thing has a hole the size of Gibraltar blown into his chest. He's dead. Reed is trying frantically to revive him.


Others (cheap Bendis joke here) try the repeating panels thing, often to no effect. But here, well, it still blows me away. You can feel Reed's devastation sink in. It's powerful, and it's my favorite 'Ringo panel ever. Who else can grab a pencil and show you that? Mike Wieringo is in a very small club. And he is missed. Read more!

Trades Wait for Me – Filthy Painkillers

by Dan

Before I decided to re-read New X-Men in order to give my Unpopular Opinion a couple weeks ago, I was in the middle of a very different Morrison title, The Filth. Throw in Dynamite’s Essential Painkiller Jane collection and I’ve got myself a couple trades that waited for me.








The Filth - Once I got my Unpopular Opinion written, I finished this 13 issue maxi-series. One thing I quickly realized is that I don't dislike Morrison's writing as much when he's just doing his own thing and not trying to squeeze familiar characters into his unfamiliar, and sometimes out-of-character, plots. Overall, I liked The Filth and the fun and twisted stories. Of course, what’s not to like about Communist talking chimps, microbiotic Teletubbie-like civilizations and a porn star with super-potent black jizz? Unfortunately, those are only subplots and when the book is focused on The Hand, the wacky government organization that deals with horrible things the world doesn’t need to know about (see super-potent black jizz), the story gets lost and Morrison seems to have a lot of disconnects in his scripts. The art by Chris Weston, Gary Erskine and Matt Hollingsworth is fantastic. Every character is completely unique. Every face is expressive. And every page pops with color. Nothing I'd really read through again, but worth it for the hardcore Morrison fans or those that like twisted, adult content in their funny books. B-



Essential Painkiller Jane - To be completely honest, I have no idea why I bought this six-issue collection of the original Event Comics series. I have the comics in the basement. I could break them out whenever I want. I could savor the awesomeness that was any Event comic’s “back matter” - Cup O’ Joes, Jimmy's Box, Ads for the fan club....all that fun stuff that a huge JoeyQ & JimmyP fanboy like me loved. Oh, and a fun story too.

Speaking of which, the story here holds up better than I would have ever imagined. Mark Waid and Brian Augustyn spin three very good plotlines over five issues, with pitch perfect art from Rick Leonardi and Jimmy Palmiotti. The zero issue that leads off the collection--and muddies the waters of Jane’s origin more than it clears them--would be a decent capper to the series if it was actually at the end of the book instead of the beginning. Overall, I’m thrilled that these stories still hold up and, while I prefer the issues to the trade, would recommend this to anyone who digs action or crime comics. A- Read more!

Patrick's Hat Trick: Samuroids, Sightings, and... Justice League goes CONDITION AMBER?!?

By Patrick

Have you spent your week wondering if The Brave and the Bold #13 was any good? How about that issue of Justice League with that big "SIGHTINGS" banner and the menacing looking villains on the cover? And even though the countdown ended a month ago, we are all wondering if Final Crisis #1 can live up to the hype. Well, wonder no more true believer!

Click the link and the knowledge you seek shall be yours! (This knowledge does contain some spoilers, so consider yourself warned.)

BRAVE AND THE BOLD #13: Last month I complained that Jerry Ordway was no George Perez. But by no means is he a bad artist. Last issue just didn’t play to his strengths. This month, we have no such problem, as Jerry Ordway is one of, if not THE, definitive artist of Golden Age DC characters. And Mark Waid finds a really cool hook for this issue, comparing and contrasting at Batman and Jay Garrick as mentors. Who would have thought that two pages of Bruce Wayne and Jay Garrick in the Batcave talking about protégés would be such good reading? Also, it has bio-electric Ninja Samurai robots (AKA Samuroids) that are powered by a hybrid strain of bacteria. And all good fanboys and fangirls know that ninja robots rock! GRADE: B+ If you are a fan of the characters, you’ll really enjoy the issue, and there is enough meat there for the rest of you as well.

JUSTICE LEAGUE OF AMERICA #21: We start off with the “trinity” getting together for a little secret meeting to discuss the happenings of the JLA and the DCU. Meanwhile, Hawkgirl and Red Arrow get taken down by Libra while trying to defeat The Human Flame. This book would have been a much better DC Universe #0 than the book they published a few weeks ago. Another thing I didn't quite get about the book: It had this big "Sightings" banner on the book, but I was not all that clear on what I was suppose to see. Grade: C+ If you want to get every beat of the coming crisis, or you are a Carlos Pacheco fan grab this, but otherwise, keep your three bucks in your pocket.

And that leads us to DC's "BIG BOOK" of the week...


FINAL CRISIS #1: Grant Morrision and JG Jones are out to give the DCU the ultimate bad day. And how does the bad day start? The skies are turning red…again. New Gods are being found dead… still. Villains are uniting under a common banner…again! A lot of the beats of this story felt like repeats from other storylines. These events have become so everyday in the DCU, how does the Justice League respond?





JUSTICE LEAGUE CONDITION AMBER! What the hell is that?! Are they going to go around looking for rocks with flies in them? Are they going out looking for missing children? If so, John Walsh will be so pleased. And I'm sure the Question will be happy to have some help, since one of the subplots seems to be her looking for missing super-powered kids.

Final Crisis is a great looking book, but like last week's Justice League, the story is missing some punch. I have faith in Grant Morrison's storytelling that this will end up being a heck of a read, but the first issue left me a little underwhelmed. But I will channel my inner Randy Jackson and say JG JONES could draw the phone book and it would still rock. GRADE: B- For a big event and the extra dollar in price, I want a bit more bang for my buck.

That's all I have today friends. Thanks for reading. Let me know if you like my title for my three pack of reviews, "Patrick's Hat Trick," if you think it sucks, or any other thought you'd like to share in the comments section. Thanks again!

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