Discount Bin Finds: Wetworks v.2

Comic book fans of a certain age most likely remember Wetworks, Whilce Portacio's supernatural-themed Image title.  More accurately, most remember the title's enormously delayed launch.  Initially supposed to be part of the inital Image launch, Wetworks was continually pushed back and put off -- the delay beginning due to Portacio mourning the death of his sister and growing from there -- until it became a common joke in the pages of Wizard.  "Will Marvel ever get their act together?  Sure, right after Wetworks #1 ships."  

The series eventually did launch in 1994, two years after it's first solicitation, and had a respectable if unremarkable run of 43 issues before it was cancelled in 1998.  The title lay dormant for nearly a decade until being revived under the WildStorm imprint once more, this time at DC.  This is the series will be looking at here.  

The basic gist of Wetworks betrays its 90's origins.  The Wetworks team, lead by the towering Colonel Dane, is a para-military strike force who became bonded to golden symbiotes which protect them from damage.  Dane and his crew use their considerable arsenal of heavy weapons to battle against non-human foes, including the various Vampire Nations.  In practice, this usually translated to Dane (and other tough-sounding soliders such as Grail and Dozer) getting into firefights with monsters.  Fun stuff, if not exactly "top shelf" comics.

The new series picks up some time after the old series ended.  Dane is still fighting monsters, but with a new crew: the reformed vampire Persephone, AKA Red, who uses her sword with deadly efficiency, the mysterious Ab-Death, a strange, golem like being, and the returning Mother-One, the team's cybernetic co-ordinator.  They initially have to deal with the invasion of Vascar, an uber-vampire who has escaped from Thea Mater, an alternate world populated by fantastical beasts.  Vascar is not only more powerful than any vampire the team has ever faced, but his presence threatens to upset the uneasy truce between humanity and the Vampire Nations and plunge the Earth into unholy war.

Much like the original series, Wetworks is a fun action title but otherwise nothing all that special.  Portacio's art has a high energy, highly cross-hatched 90's style, but he really seems to be in his element drawing his own creations.  Unfortunately, he is not on the series all that long, leaving at issue #6 (though he does handle the covers for a while longer).  Similiarly, Carey's handling of the characters is more grounded and less mega-macho than the older book, but he too leaves, after issue #9.  The team who comes on after that point, DeMatteis and Gomez, have an interesting take, with an entire city taken over by a vampire army, but the writing apparently was on the wall at that point.  The main problem the title has is a lack of reader engagement; it's well written and fun as far as the action goes but it doesn't make much of an impression.  The second volume of Wetworks is a great example of a modern take on a 90's action property, and has plenty of gunplay and setpieces to keep you entertained, just don't expect to remember all the details when it's finished.

What I Read This Week

House of Mystery #3 -- Fig discovers that there is a reason why all of these strange folks are hanging out in the House of Mystery, while gangster Joey Spats tells us a story about how there is always a way out of any situation.  Sturges and Willingham are building to a resolution of the first mystery very nicely, while exploring the dissimilar cast of characters in a very appealing manner.  There's some really obvious photo-referencing of King Kong Bundy in the short, but that's okay: it's King Kong Bundy, after all.  Overall this series reminds me of the "old days" of Vertigo when I was a younger man, and that's a good thing.

Storming Paradise #1 -- Chuck Dixon and Butch Guice take a look at a world which was only one misplaced decimal point away, as the Manhattan Project blows up in the US's face (literally), the Allies are forced to undertake the unthinkable invasion of Japan.  A straight-forward historical story, there is a sense of dread looming over the entire proceedings as we know that bad stuff looms on the horizon for pretty much all involved.  Dixon's flexibility shines in this "fictional non-fiction," and Guice's pencils look right at home.  Fans of War comics, or WWII in general should definitely check this series out.

Tor #3 -- Tor finds himself with a band of similar outcasts, and finds companionship for the first time that he can remember.  But a trip into a dark, dank cave finds something much more evil.  Kubert's work has a sort of washed out look to it which suits the prehistoric landscape perfectly.  (In a classy move, DC back-loaded all the ads, so the narrative is not interrupted at all.)  It's simple tale of survival and loyalty, but it's so elegantly handled (and has such a kicking cliffhanger) that you wind up drawn into it; Kubert's world is pretty darn-well realized, and populated with visually interesting flora and fauna.  It is odd, though, that this comic contains a topless woman for almost the entire length, but carries no warnings or anything.  It's not dirty, but still surprising.  If you are looking for something off the beaten path, then check this one out.

The War That Time Forgot #3 -- As the Volcano tribe sets out to rescue the Colonel, they pick up a new ally, but also face new and deadly peril.  Meanwhile, back at the home camp, someone is not showing all their true motivations to the others.  This issue just rocks it from beginning to end, with an exciting mix of humans fighting each other, humans fighting dinosaurs, and intriguing new developments behind the scenes.  This series, like Tor, seems to have nothing to do with anything, and is substantially stronger for that; it's a one-off tale filled with a mishmash of characters from different periods, all working together in a fun and interesting way.  Very fun comic.

The Phantom #24 -- With Bangalla tearing itself apart due to the introduction of the drug Manic into the air and water, the Ghost-Who-Walks tracks down the drug's creator, Ortega, to shut him down.  The biggest Phantom story Moonstone has ever told continues to get bigger here, as the Phantom confronts the first member of the conspiracy which has been destroying his life.  How exactly all of this is going to wrap up in the next issue is anybody's guess, but the adventure has been top-notch so far.

The Pick Of The Pile is The War That Time Forgot, which mixed history and dinosaurs and action and even a little intrigue.  But as a whole this was another great week, with every purchase being very enjoyable to read!  

What I Read This Week

Tiny Titans #2 -- Finally got this one, which is good, since the third issue comes out pretty soon. Like, this week. Anyway, it's more adorable adventures from the Tiny Titans, including meeting up with those bullies the Fearsome Five, "mean girl" Terra, and the hot-headed (literally speaking, of course) Kid Devil. Too cute for words, this is more good clean fun that is fun for kids and fanboys alike.

Freddy vs Jason vs Ash #6 -- Got this one as well, apparently it was delayed by a week locally. Much like the film that this is a sequel to, the final setpieces are gruesome and over the top, with a crazy back and forth bloodbath of a fight between our three principles. Craig's art is good, but you can see the toll his health problems have had on his work. It's disappointing, but you can't do anything about it, and frankly it still looks good. As a follow-up to Freddy vs Jason, I think this satisfied everything I was looking for, so I am calling it a success.

Project Superpowers #3 -- Krueger and Paul's rendition of the return of the Golden Age takes a bit of a turn here, with a little action up front but then a more staid approach for the balance of the issue, which works pretty well. Black Terror's bloodlust is tempered a little bit, and then we get a peek inside, and things make a little more sense. We also get the return of the Death-Defying 'Devil, The Flame, and Samson, and nifty concepts such as the F-Troop and the modern hero the Scarab. There's a lot of interesting ideas kicking around in here, and things gel somewhat better this time out, but I am still waiting for this series to fire on all cylinders.

Trials of Shazam #12 -- The finale and blowoff to the long quest for knowledge and power plays out here, with Freddy Freeman facing down his rival Sabina for the power of Zeus. Cascioli's psuedo-painted style is put to good use here, as we get a large brawl between the Justice League and the Shadowpact and a legion of demons. And Winnick delivers the goods and ties up Freddy's new status quo nicely enough, leaving it open for whomever wants to take the reins from there. All in all I enjoyed this series, depite it's flaws. It's a different kind of Captain Marvel story, admittedly, but the vitriol directed at it is excessive. The DCU has a new magical protector, and his name is Shazam. Whether we see much more of him or not, however, remains to be seen.

The Pick Of The Pile is Tiny Titans, because it made me smile and laugh, and I really needed that. The other comics were good, but nothing was great.

So what did YOU read this week?

What I Read This Week

Well, I managed to get the Weekly Dose and Links posted (early, even!) but a mix-up at work left this post unfufilled until today. What a revoltin' development.

Tiny Titans #2 -- Started to get annoyed now, as Borderlands still has not received copy one of this title.

Freddy vs Jason vs Ash #6 -- This one was not on the Diamond list for last week, nor did I see it, but evidently it was released. Hopefully I can find it this week.

Batman And The Outsiders #5 -- Moving on to comics I actually did manage to purchase, we catch up with Batman's covert crew in the South American jungle, trying to prevent the mysterious Mr. Jardine from making his space shot. A lot of action this time out, as the Outsiders have to deal with Jardine's mercenaries, including the heavy hitter, Militia, and the trigger happy Gunhawk and Gunbunny -- luckily they get a timely assist from an unlikely duo. Dixon is working on his own pace here, and it's a pretty enjoyable read for it. Lopez's pencils remain eye-pleasing and solidly rendered for the action sequences, although Katana's torn costume -- revealing juuust a bit of cleavage -- was a little gratuitous. I do have to wonder how the team is going to get out of this cliffhanger, and that's a sign of a good team book, I think.

The Flash #238 -- New series writer Tom Peyer joins Freddie Williams II to introduce the newest member of Flash's Rogues Gallery -- Spin, who is able to amplify the public's fears into a mind-numbing paranoia and terror. And a slip of the tongue by Wally West is poised to make him Public Fear No. 1. Peyer impresses in his debut, both in his ability to pick up the strings of Waid's arc (Keystone City's infastructure is in danger due to the removal of water content thanks to the alien invaders, the kids' aging dilemma) and even Keith Champagne's fill-in (Wally is unemployed) as well as writing a true Flash story. I mean, there's a guy with a costume and a super-power stealing something! And then using his power to put the Flash in a bizarre bind! That's Flash comics, people! Williams' art shines; he's a really good fit on this title. And Spin himself is a very interesting villian, from his visual to his powers to his voice, he has the potential to cross over into the DCU at large in addition to giving the Scarlet Speedster headaches. If you were not thrilled with either The Fastest Man Alive or the Waid relaunch, then you should definitely pick up this series again. And if you liked them, well, then you are already reading.

Futurama Comics #36 -- The Planet Express crew travels to the planet of New England, populated entirely by robots (no, it doesn't have oceans of clam chowder, that's New New England!) and gets embroiled in the mystery of the notorious Jak The Deleter! Meanwhile, Amy, Hermes, and Dr. Zoidberg try to have an adventure of their own, without much luck, sadly. Silly and enjoyable Futurama-y goodness, although the art is a little iffy in places. The wide range of British jokes alone makes this worthy of pick-up.

The Phantom #22 -- Without time to mourn from the events last issue, the Ghost-Who-Walks throws himself headlong into the investigation of the terrorist attack on Bangalan soil. As the Phantom works on one end, we see the machinations on the other, as all sorts of bad people are involved in a scheme which threatens far more than the Deep Woods, or even the African continent. The pace slows down here as Mike Bullock sets up the big conflict, which draws on a lot of the last few years of Moonstone Phantom stories. It's a different place for this title, which normally goes pretty all-out -- due, in no small part, to the fact that this is the first 5-issue story for the title. As such, it's a bit of a letdown from the normal jaw-smashing action. There's just not that much for Szilagyi to draw. Still, it's a good read, and there is the always popular sense of impending doom hanging over the entire affair, which is good, and the cliffhanger promises more chin-checking next time out.

The Pick Of The Pile is a title which hasn't gotten that honor in some time, and that is The Flash. Peyer's debut is a fresh read, with script that manages to be clever without being cute (a rare trick indeed). Combined with Williams' continuing on pencils, the title has been given a shot in the arm, and, retroactively, "The Wild Wests" now looks more draggy than it was.

What I Read This Week

Freddy vs Jason vs Ash #5 -- I don't think I need to say that the spit really hits the fan here. Freddy Krueger is able to create "waking nightmares," Jason Voorhees has gotten an "upgrade" of sorts, and little Ashley Williams is stuck in the middle of it all. More violence and mayhem, and the The Good, The Bad, And The Ugly-esque showdown is set up for the finale next time. I am really enjoying this series, but if you haven't jumped on by now, just wait for the trade, seriously.

Justice Society of America #13 -- It's the Reign of the Supermen all over again! Okay, maybe not quite that drastic, but this issue does chronicle the meeting of Superman (of Earth-1) with Superman (of Earth-22, late of Kingdom Come). We also get some background on the big bad, get a little more information on the new Mr. America, and see firsthand the housing crisis at the JSA Brownstone. There's still a whole lot of characters here, and too many of them simply fade into the scenery (Power Girl, Liberty Belle, Hourman, most of the younger set). But In Johns I Trust (tm), so I am sticking with it. The art is by Fernando Pasarin, who has done some work on the title before, and it's not a huge departure from Eaglesham's work, but unique in it's own right. I enjoy this title consistantly, and suspect that Johns is building to something big (you heard it here: the "Justice Society Infinity" that has been bandied about is going to the international version of the team, and will feature most of the new guys).

The Pick of the Pile is Freddy vs Jason vs Ash. It was a light week (Borderlands got shorted on Project Superpowers), so it's literally only a two-horse race. And while I enjoyed the various goings-on at casa-de-JSA, the mayhem quotient in FvJvA proved too much to overcome.

So what did YOU read this week?

What I Read This Week

Trials of Shazam #11 -- With two Trials remaining, Freddie Freeman must race against the clock to reach the god Mercury before his rival Sabina finds him and takes his power for her own. A bit of a let down after a pretty snazzy issue with #10. The art remains nice, but the story runs into a bit of a pacing problem as the Mercury issue is resolved too quickly in order to set up the final showdown with Zeus. Disappointing for the penultimate issue of a maxiseries.

Captain America: The Chosen #6 -- Morrell and Breitweiser's tale of heroism in the face of steep odds and unyielding opposition closes here, in a tale that starts out quiet, then turns with a bang, and ends with a certain uplifting feeling. I'm not a huge Captain America fan, but this miniseries has really made me take another look at the character and what he represents. From start to finish Morrell has impressed me with his ability to tell a story with both his words and the action, and Breitweiser's art is harsh and horrific and beautiful all at once. Cap may be in something of a personal rennaisance under the pen of Ed Brubaker, but fans and non-fans should definitely check out this series in trade form if you missed it as singles.

Project Superpowers #0 -- After being delayed a few weeks with a bit of a dispute over the title (annoyingly), the Golden Age revival masterminded by Alex Ross and implemented by Jim Krueger and Stephen Sadowski bows, and oh boy, was it worth the wait. Starting in the present day and then flashing back to World War II, the costumed adventurers of yesteryear -- including the Fighting Yank, Black Terror, the Death-Defying 'Devil, Green Lama, The Flame, and others -- defend America and the world from the Nazi threat. But what is the cause of this Great Evil that has been unleashed upon the world, and what does it have to do with these heroes who fight against it? Krueger is game, and have crafted an exciting, intriguing look at the nature of heroism and hope in the face of the most unspeakable evil. It ties into a lot of Ross's previous work, thematically, and I am left truly wondering where things go from here. And Sadowski's pencils bring these mostly-forgotten heroes to life, with all their bright colors and vivid period costumes. For a buck, you really can't go wrong -- definitely check this one out.

Iron Man #25 -- This Double-Sized issue continues the clandestine Iron Man vs. Mandarin arc, as Tony begins to put the pieces together about what Mandy is up to, and what Maya Hansen has to do with it. The feature is normal length, and is (as usual) excellent. The Knaufs have "gotten" Tony since their shot back in issue #7, and have continued to portray Iron Man as a complex character with both admirable ideals and humanistic flaws. De La Torre's pencils have grown on me as his stint has gone on -- normally I perfer a cleaner style for Iron Man (given to my entusiasm for Bob Layton, no doubt), but his gritty, expressionistic pages fit the storyline and the characters very nicely. There's a plethora of bonus material here which should keep Iron Fans happy -- a six page preview of the upcoming John Favreau/Adi Granov Shellhead mini Viva Las Vegas, a reflection on some past armors by Layton, a little preview of the movie, and a reprint of a short, 3 page retelling of Shellhead's origin, from Iron Man #1, by Archie Goodwin and Gene Colan. All in all, a really solid main story paired with some really nice extras makes for a great pickup for anyone who likes to have Iron in their diet.

Freddy vs Jason vs Ash #4 -- Act 2 comes to a close, and you know what that means: yup, our heroes are in it, and deep.Freddy possesses the Necronomicon, and Jason... well, let's just say that Jason is not so much of a dope anymore. And stuck in the middle is Ash , who's up against a bit more than your average Deadite. The art is better this time out, although Jason Craig is still only doing the layouts, but it's not nearly as weird as last time. Plenty of great setpieces this time out, including a pair of Evil Dead/Army of Darkness homages sure to bring a smile to the face of any Raimi fan. Fun, gory horror romp which accurately captures the "party film" atmosphere of the film it is sequelizing.

The Pick of the Pile is a two horse race this week. On the one hand, Iron Man continues to be a fantastic read, easily the most under-rated superhero title on the market. On the other hand, Project Superpowers exploded out of the gate and looks to have a ton of upside. In the end, I have to go with Superpowers. It's a great introduction to this new heroic world, the art is great, and it's only a buck. You can't beat that.

So what did YOU read this week?

What I Read This Week

Iron Man #24 -- Fitted with a dampener device which prevents him from using his Extremis powers, and officially told by the CSA that his investigation in Omaha is finished, what is Tony Stark to do? The same thing as you or I -- fake an exotic vacation while smuggling in the classic Red-And-Gold armor in order to dig deeper. But the Mandarin does not approve of snooping from his Western enemy! A nice mix of action and machinations this time out, as about half the page count is devoted to a struggle between Iron Man, Captain Ultra, Doc Samson, and Mandarin's super-powered goon, and the other half fleshes out not only what Mandy is doing, but Tony's realization about how he is tied into all of this. The Knauf's continue to examine not only the poltical ramifications of Tony's position, but the pyschological effect it is starting to have on him -- and it doesn't look like things will be letting up for the Golden Avenger any time soon. Abd what can I say about Butch Guice, who continues to offer an off-beat but very raw and powerful rendition of Iron Man. Fans may be turned off to the character but should give this series a shot, because I can't imagine anyone not being impressed with this story. Also, the cover features a cute homage to two Shellhead creators on a t-shirt I am considering screening.

Flash #235 -- In the frontend, Wally West leads a trio of Justice Leaguers (Wonder Woman, GL John Stewart, and Black Lightning) to the home planet of the undersea invaders who have been plaguing Keystone City. But it seems that not all is as it seems for the Scarlet Speedster! The backup story features Wally and Impulse visiting the Flash planet, where Bart apparently saves the day and dooms tomorrow at the same time. Williams' art remains bright and interesting, with a sort of Kollins vibe to it, but Waid's work in the features is lacking. This is a filler piece, designed to push "The Wild Wests" to 6 parts. It's draggy and uninspired. The backup is better, with Rogers tapping into (ironically) Waid's work from the 90s in writing Impulse, and Braithwaite's lush pencils, which remind me in their style of Alex Ross. Mediocre issue all around.

Freddy vs. Jason vs. Ash #3 -- The biggest horror crossover in the history of New Line Cinema rumbles towards the halfway point as Ash and Jason come into conflict, and then S-Mart becomes a slaughterhouse. Freddy gets what he wants, but how will this effect Mr.s Voorhees' baby boy? Suffers from being part of the middle act -- there's a good set piece in S-Mart, but we know the result of it because it's a predictable twist required for the story. More disappointing is the art -- I'm not sure if Jason Craig just did layouts and someone else finished, or what, but the art takes a noticeable downturn this time out, and looks all herky-jerky and with none of the smooth linework of the last two issues. The story is still involving for a horror fan, but the art was a major turn off for me. Bleah!

The Pick Of The Pile is an easy choice this week. Iron Man has been a very strong title since the end of Civil War and that does not change any here. Intrigue, mystery, action, and a bigger plot all combine to make a very enjoyable modern superhero comic book story.

What I Read Last Week Part 2

Supergirl and The Legion of Superheroes #36 -- Finally, my boy Lightning Lad goes to town on some poor schmuck! Well... kinda. Ah well, plenty of time for that now. Calero and Bedard finish their transitional storyarc as things get setup for Jim "The Shooter" Shooter to retake the reins next month. And considering the "fill-in-y" nature of the story, they do an admirable job shifting from the "Supergirl and..." bit back to the regular Legion, wrapping up the three-pronged story admirably and enjoyably. While I would have very much liked to have seen these two really have a shot at creating adventures for the Legion long-term, they did very well in the short term, and nothing will change that.

Freddy vs Jason vs Ash #2 -- The main thrust of the three-way horror crossover begins here, as the story shifts into gear and starts to pick up some steam (if you'll excuse my triple-mixed-metaphor). As Ash rants to anyone who will listen (and a lot of people who won't) about the Deadites and the Necronomicon, a certain Mr. Voorhees is on a quest to find the Book of the Dead as well. And woe to anyone stupid (and nubile) enough to get in his way! There's gore galore and not one, but two couples attacked mid-coitus, and while in any other setting that would be questionable, it's the exact level of gratuitousness needed here. In a series featuring the main characters from three different horror franchises, calling something over the top is superfluous. Jason Craig's art shines in this issue since he gets to draw more blood and dismemberment, which seems to be his forte (not a bad thing). And Kuhoric's dialogue rings true for established characters -- Freddy's snake oil salesman routine is nice, as is Ash's never-ending self narration and aggrandizment. Fans of these franchises will want to buy this, but non-gorehounds will be turned off to it.

Superman Annual #13 -- "Camelot Falls: The Finale!" Yeesh, it's about time. No matter how enthused I have been over the actual fill-ins, the fact that there have been so many fill-ins has caused the main thesis to become so elongated and stretched out that some elements of it need some serious refreshing. (The fact that since the last installment of "Camelot Falls," we have also had the complete "Third Kryptonian" story doesn't help matters either.) Anyway, after some future-time pep talking with the Phantom Stranger, we return to the present where Superman brings the fight to Arion's undersea doorstep. Can the Man of Steel overcome the Atlantean sorcerer's magicks? And more importantly, can he prove that his deeds are not bringing about the doom of the entire human race? Busiek and Pacheco do their level best here, but overall the lead story is somewhat underwhelming -- as Arion says, it's not a problem you can solve with punching. The climax is nicely handled, but it's that old-style Marvel "resolution without a resolution," which I saw coming but still am not happy with. Readers who haven't been following this story will also be mostly lost, too, unfortunately. I'm happy to read the end, but it would have been more impactful a few months ago, honestly. The backup details a day spent on an unihabited alien paradise by Clark, Lois, Kara, Chris, Jonathon, Martha, and Krypto. It's a sweet story, very quiet; Nicieza and Busiek offer little character moments which are familiar to Superman readers but not unwelcome. Of note is Renato Guedes' portraly of Supergirl -- she has knees! And a stomach! And, most bizarre of all, normal sized breasts for a teenager! I'm completely taken aback by this development. This is also the most interesting I have ever seen this Supergirl written. We also get profile pages of Subjekt-17 (am I the only guy who likes him?) and Khyber, who apparently Busiek has more plans for. Casual Superman readers can safely pass this one, but if you have been following "Camelot Falls" then grab it.

Trails of Shazam! #10 -- With two challenges remaining, Freddy has to come to terms with the fact that his rival Sabina is now nearly on equal footing with him -- and this is a situation which puts a lot of people in a lot of danger. Meanwhile, Sabina, on the hunt for Mercury, runs across someone a little more feline who wants her stopped. Lives up to it's rep of being dark and gritty (moreso than the vast majority of the rest of this series, despite what bloggers who don't read it would have you believe), new artist Mauro Cascioli's work retains Porter's painted look but is decidedly more severe. Winnick's script is pretty good for that is essentially half a book of setup and half a book of a brawl; his new take on one Mr. Tawky Tawny should please fans with it's Narnian aspects, but won't because it was thought up by Winnick. Two issues, two trials, and I'm looking forward to see how it plays out.

The Phantom #20 -- One of the main strengths of the Phantom property is that our hero, Kit Walker, is not the first man to don the purple and black. Being the 21st Phantom, it allows for stories like this, which can take place historically without being an "Elseworlds" or "What If?" style -- they are just memoirs of Walkers past. Taking a breather after the intense "Invisible Children" arc, Kit reads to his children from the Chronicles of the 13th Phantom, and his battle against a trio of Musketeers (but not that trio of Musketeers!) who have stolen a certain priceless treasure, The Heart of Lafitte, to regain the favor of King Louis XVIII. I dig the pacing of this series, as scribe Mike Bullock takes a story which would have been two parts from creators and effectively tells in it one. The pencils are by Zeu, an artist who's work I have never seen before but now want to see more of -- the only work of his I recognize is Infiniteens. He does great fisticuffs, and has a handle on the female form that is beautiful without being the typical ghastly combo of giant boobs, wasp waist, arched spine and permanantly swiveled hips. And, this issue is totally appropriate for All Ages readers, to boot -- I just wish it was easier to find on the rack!

THe Pick of the Pile has got to go Phantom. LOSH made a play at it, but the Ghost Who Walks takes it this time, with a solid mix of action, history, and romance, all told in a done-in-one which the whole family can read and enjoy.

What I Read This Week

Iron Man: Enter The Mandarin #3 -- I'm convinced that Joe Casey's flashback minis -- including this title as well as Avengers: World's Mightiest Heroes I and II -- are primarily designed to be read with the relevant Essentials trade paperback at your side. This issue is the perfect argument for that theory. After all, who really remembers Marvel's Scarecrow, let alone the nature of his encounter with Iron Man from the old Tales of Suspense besides those of us who have read Essential Iron Man v.1 more than once? The increased backstory does flesh him out a bit, enough that a neophyte could at least understand who he is and what his motivations are, but I imagine that for a non-hardcore Iron Fan, this wouldn't hold as much weight. Of course, I doubt many non-hardcore Iron Fans read this title. Anyway, Casey introduces a modern-age character into this Silver Age flashback, and as a fan of this character I'm rather pleased by this development. Eric Canete's frentic, slightly cartoony pencils continue to impress me, despite it being a real "change of pace" type of rendering for the character.

Freddy vs Jason vs Ash #1 -- Most folks who know me know that I grew up on a steady diet of horror movies. As such, one of the few things I mark out for more than comic books remains, to this day, horror movies of all types. And so this series, an adaption of the script to the never-going-to-be-made sequel to Freddy vs Jason, was right up my alley. I cut my teeth on modern horror (well, it was modern when I was a kid) with the NOES series, have always been a fan of F13, and honestly, who doesn't like Ash at this point? Anyway, this issue serves primarily as a "pre-credits" prologue and the very beginning of the first act, tying up the loose ends from FvJ and establishing Ash's role in the conflict. Craig's art is good but not great; his facial work runs hot and cold, but his draws the gore quite nicely and things never get too confused or cluttered. Campbell's covers are all pretty, well, Campbell-esque, but the Jason cover, which I chose, looks pretty nice. A very interesting set-up for what hopefully will be a worthy followup to one of the best horror "party" movies of the last decade.

Annihilation: Conquest: Star Lord #4 -- It's all out, guns-ablazin' action in this, the final prologue to A:C, and Giffen, Green, and company do not disappoint. With Peter Quill and most of his team captured, it's up to Mantis and the wounded Captain Universe to shut down the Phalanx's nanovirus before it enslaves the remainder of the free people of Hala. But they were warned that this was a suicide mission, so even if they succeed, who will survive? I say if a concept sounds fun, then run with it, and that's what Giffen has done with this series. It doesn't really matter that this is a motley crew of loonies and wierdos, because the action is exciting, the dialogue snappy, and the overall presentation solid and entertaining. I am very much looking forward to seeing more of the "Suicide Squad of Space" in the upcoming issues of...

Annihilation: Conquest #1 -- With the situation and challenges established by the Prologue and the four lead-ins, the stakes have been set for the second Annihilation. DnA's story is epic and sweeping, and they have assembled a cast of heroes who run the gauntlet from the majestic (Quasar) to the ordinary (Star Lord), the noble (Ronan) to the brutish (Blastaar), and the driven (Wraith) to the reluctant (Adam Warlock). And in the best tradition of the space opera, they throw them against seemingly unsurmountable odds and a foe who not only has enough power to take down them all, but is so much of a surprise that I doubt anyone could have seen it coming. Tom Raney's pencils are lush and weird, matching the alien landscapes and armies populating the universe. Annihilation may not be high art, or even deep and meaningful, but what it offered (and continues to offer through Conquest) is true escapism fantasy, a relief from the crushingly depressing mainstream Marvel Universe, where supposed "reality" has replaced imagination and creativity. You may not be a fan of cosmic-style superhero antics, but if you are a fan of exciting adventures (preferably in space), then this is the series for you.

Superman #670 -- The story which (apparently) Kurt Busiek wanted to tell over a year ago bows here, in the double-sized conclusion to "The Third Kryptonian." The fact that in the interim, Johns and Donner introduced a fourth Kryptonian doesn't help matters, but at least Supes himself recognized that and acknowledged it himself a few issues back. The story at hand plainly was supposed to be in the Annual, as is evidenced by the chapter breaks, but it works just as well here. Alien hunter (in that he is an alien who presently is hunting different aliens) Amalak has tracked his prey to Earth, and now he and his crew -- armed with anti-Kryptonian weaponry -- are going to exterminate all remnants of the planet Krypton, including the great city of Kandor. So it's up to Superman, Supergirl, Powergirl, and Krypto (plus an assist from the Dark Knight) to stop him. Personally, I'm supportive of any story which features Batman driving Superman's battlesuit and commanding an army of Superman Robots, but beyond that, I really enjoyed this story. This is the kind of thing I thought DC was supposed to be moving to in the wake of Infinite Crisis. Nevermind that Busiek has been doing that, but with "The Third Kryptonian," he not only makes it easily accessible to the reader but also ties it up without any delays or distractions. There's plenty of action but not a whole lot of violence; there's nothing depicted on Leonardi's powerful pages which I would have balked at giving to a younger reader (tween-aged). Even the big tragic moment, while powerful and shocking, is bloodless, and does a good job of raising more questions rather than simply expressing rage. I know I am frothing at this point, but I am a sucker for Superman stories like this, which show how hard a beating Big Blue can take, and the lengths to which he will go to achieve justice.

The Pick of the Pile this week is really, really tough, as both Annihilation: Conquest and Superman are very strong candidates. On the one hand, A:C is the kickoff to what promises to be a great series, with a last page reveal which comes completely out of left field. On the other hand, Superman delivers on everything I could want from a DC title, and fires on all cylinders in doing so. In the final tally, though, I have to give the nod to Superman by the tiniest of margins -- with the tipping point being no fault of A:C's at all... namely that it is the start of a story, while Superman is the finale. A:C leaves me intrigued, but Supes left me satisfied.

So what did YOU read this week?

What I Read This Week

Detective Comics #835 -- I remember when Scarecrow was redesigned on Batman: The Animated Series, Bruce Timm talked about finally making him look scary and not just lumpy. This issue (part 1 of a 2 part "fill-in" by John Rozum and Tom Mandrake) translates that attitude to the printed medium. Dr. Crane has never been freakier.

All-New Atom #14 -- Easily the best story I have ever read starring Jason Todd. Even without that dubious distinction, this is a fun little tale which features Barry Allen, Ted Kord, and Jetpack Hitler, so that's pretty much a "thumbs up."

Acton Comics #853 -- Jimmy Olsen is MISTER ACTION! I guess it's appropriate that he's the star in this title. Very traditionally written and paced -- I'm a mark, so I wouldn't mind if all my superhero comics read like this. The last page arrival cracked me up. Also; Tobias Whale!

Outsiders: Five of a Kind #3 -- Thunder and Martian Manhunter, woo! At first I didn't like Thunder but she has grown on me, and J'Jonn seems to be back to his old self (with a new costume). The art is very "90's dynamic" but I like Bedard's scripting, leading me to think I will enjoy the new series.

Outsiders: Five of a Kind #4 -- Is it bad that my main complaint for this issue was that Aquaman had the wrong color eyes? Or that this had a lot more Metamorpho, who I can take or leave, than it did Aquaman, who is awesome? Good solid little story with pretty art and a nice epilogue.

Supergirl and the Legion of Superheroes #33 -- I liked the action quotient in this issue, and Brainiac 5 being a smartass, but the payoff doesn't jive in my mind. What was the motivation of the bad guys to take over the planet with mind control? What were they hoping to achieve? Disappointing after the last issue.

Superman #666 -- "Superdickery" gets taken to new heights of depravity as Superman gives in and cuts loose on every little annoying thing in the world. Simonson's art is the perfect match for this tale of temptation and corruption by Busiek, who is fast becoming a Super-Scribe. The prologue, featuring Hawkman, Animal Man, and Aquaman, was a nice extra.

Annihilation: Conquest: Star Lord #2 -- It's the Suicide Squad... in space!!! Not as wacky as the first issue but overall almost as fun to read, and with a development which makes readers of the first Annihilation sit up and say "why didn't I think of that?" Very much looking forward to the main series.

Annihilation: Conquest: Quasar #2 -- The energy-sword wielding space lesbian battles alien bugs and a giant robot on a remote world before discovering her psionic-powered lover has turned into a dragon. I feel the need to once again state that no, this comic book is not Japanese.

Iron Man #21 -- Has Shellhead ever been shown in Omaha before? The Legions of Iron Fans in Nebraska finally have their dreams come true as Tony must investigate why Graviton attacked the Initiative's team in Husker Country. Machinations upon machinations as the Knaufs ignore World War Hulk and get back to the actual story. You know. With Iron Man.

Aquaman: Sword of Atlantis #55 -- There's only 2 issues left after this one, but that's not stopping Tad Williams from introducing new concepts, catching up with old threads, making threats to the world, and bringing in guest stars! How can there only be 2 issues left?!

Justice League of America #12 -- Probably the best issue of Metzler's run, and no, I am not just damning him with faint praise here. The plot points are driven home with a sledgehammer, but its the framing story which has me more interested. Just what is going on there?!

CLASH #1 -- The concept -- that superheroes have taken control of the world and instituted a "utopia," and are opposed by regular citizens -- appealed to me, but the execution of it is confusing and unsatisfying. Hard to follow, with a lot of characters, but not a lot of character, if you follow my meaning. Still, I'm going to stick with it, partially to see if it improves, and partially to support Moonstone, who puts out some quality stuff (see: The Phantom).

Flash #231 -- Some things annoyed me (why, when talking about how Wally vanished, is there absolutely no mention whatsoever of Bart?!!) and some things took some getting used to (the kids, the art), but overall a fun return for Wally and Waid. Doesn't seem to be taking itself too seriously, and that's a good thing.

Friday the 13th: Pamela's Tale #2 -- The previous issue was pretty neat, showing Pamela's backstory, but this one, which essentially fills in some gaps from her origin around the flashbacks in Friday the 13th, is less interesting. I liked how the end tied back into the film (a wink to hardcore fans), but overall I felt let down.

Terror, Inc. #1 -- He's missing the thingys on his face, but he is called Schrek, so that says TERROR, INC. to me! I know this is MAX and thus might not be in continuity, but if this is Terror's current status in the MU, consider me pumped. Really, really fun stuff if you can deal with the horror-esque content.

Booster Gold #1 -- I like Dan Jurgens work as a general rule -- I got into Superman when he was the head Super-Guy. And this story, wherein Booster can finally do some good and make a difference, reaffirms that. Ranks right up with Justice Society of America and Nova as a launch issue in the past year.

Pick of The Pile is Superman. Yeah, its probably cliched of me to say that, but I really enjoyed reading it and I think it's got a very timeless sort of feel to it which will give it legs. Second place is Iron Man, which shows the right way to tell political-style stories at Marvel.

What I Read This Week -- DC

(Okay, there's a Wildstorm in there, too.)

Detective Comics #834 -- Wrapping up Dini's little two parter Joker/Zatanna story, one gets much more of a "Joker" vibe here than from Morrison's recent take on the character in the junior title. There's no way to rectify the two that I can think of, but you know Morrison, he gets a free pass. Be that as it may, this comic is quite nifty, with Batman using his detective and punching skills, Joker concocted a depraved and insane plot, and Zatanna casting spells and wearing a top hat -- so pretty much everyone is covered. While the deal with the Joker was entertaining (including revealing how he got from here to there, so to speak), the more interesting aspects of this story to me was the damaged relationship between Batman and Zatana. As I said about the last issue, whatever you may think about Identity Crisis, I really like seeing the fallout from it being directly dealt with, rather than just through subtext and innuendo which less-intense fans not scouring boards and blogs would miss. Here, Dini lays it all on the line, and more over, even lets the characters grow from the betrayl and start the healing process. All in all a very solid Batman story, and if Dini wants to stay on here (even with the fill-ins) for the long haul, I for one will be a happy reader.

The All New Atom #13 -- Sword of the All-New Atom? Why not! I mean, Bug-Eyed Bandit showed up last issue, so all bets are pretty much off. As Ryan Choi gets dumped off by Chronos in the deep, dark, and undeniably tiny section of the South American rainforest which hosted Sword of the Atom, he becomes embroiled in a political and spiritual crisis made all the more difficult by the fact that he has no idea what anyone is saying. Amidst the natives, fantasy weapons, and "giant" repitles, is there any chance of, you now, actually finding Ray Palmer? A lead-in of sorts to "The Search For Ray Palmer" proper, I have a sneaking suspicion that this was more entertaining than the actual "event" will be. Simone continues to weave the Atom's (dubious) history into these new tales, creating a sense of depth to the stories which helps the reader identify more with Ryan. The fact that this is also a very funny comic book works in its favor, too. Hopefully the upcoming Countdown tie-in/crossover won't hurt the momentum too much, though I am torn as to whether I would prefer the plotline about Palmer to be resolved over in Countdown, which I don't read, or here. On the one hand, it would be nice for Countdown to truly be the "spine" of the DCU, but on the other hand, I actually would like to read the story and see how it plays out in the title which is most effected by it.

All-Star Superman #8 -- A Bizarro Bizarro? That's just one of the problems Superman has to deal with while stuck powerless on Bizarro-World. Nevermind the Injustice League of America, or trying to get the masses of this strange backwards world to even understand what he is saying! Pretty enjoyable, but not as fun as early issues in this series. The reader has to work too hard to comprehend what any of the Bizarros are saying to really ever get into the story, unfortunately. Quietly does a good job rendering this backwards and backwoods planet, but I have maintained from the start that his people are too poofy (a criticism I leveled at his work waaay back when New X-Men was first being hyped all those years ago). If you're collecting A-SS, then by all means pick this one up, but if you're just casually into it, then you can pretty safely pass on it.

Justice Society of America #7 -- First all the uproar was because, ohmygod, Citizen Steel has a penis! And we all know that comic book superheroes cannot have penises. It's not allowed. So the issue finally hits the stands and now the brougha is, ohmygod, "They" got rid of his penis! "They" are always doing things like this, you know. In any event, it's not true; the only difference between the piece of artwork solicited and the cover is the lighting. The colors on the cover seem darker and more muted compared to the art DC originally provided, but the shape and form are identical. So yes, Citizen Steel still has a penis, as do the majority of people freaking out over it. Your penis is your friend, folks.

Anyway, with all that said, this is a pretty righteous piece of comic book fiction right here. Johns gained some notireity during his run on Flash for breaking up his bigger arcs with single-issue "Rogue Profiles" focusing on characters like Captain Cold and Mirror Master. He takes the same approach here, only focusing on a hero for a change. The two previous Steels (before John Henry Irons, anyway) had pretty crummy lives, and this one is no different, but in the span of 22 pages Johns makes us feel for the isolation and pain of young Nate Heywood, then shows us that deep down he is a lot braver than we all figured. Power Girl shines, too, and it's not for her cleavage this time, either. Eaglesham's art is uneven; at one point while reading this issue I thought there were two pencillers. A rush to make the deadline perhaps? In any event it's not too distracting and doesn't take away from a very solid and very well-constructed story. All this, plus Johns also follows up on "The Lightning Saga," and lays the groundwork for upcoming stories in other series, namely Action Comics. All in all a real pleasure.

Friday the 13: Pamela's Tale #1 -- Take a stroll down memory lane, as we visit the time around the very first Friday the 13th -- and earlier. Turns out that Pamela Voorhees, who we all thought was just Froot Loops from the "death" of her son Jason, had a little help before that. It's not canonical, but it's pretty fun for the old school F13-heads out there like myself. Honestly, I have no idea why this was spun into a miniseries instead of being ongoing, unless the issues were in the can when the decision was made and this is just a way to get the material released. Which, now that I think about it, is probalby pretty accurate. This is the kind of stories I thought we should have gotten in the ongoing: shorter tales exploring different corners and aspects of the F13 world (same goes for NOES, which did a better job of it). I'm always on the lookout for horror comics, and while this licensed fare is not perfect, it's satisfying enough for 4-color gorehounds.

Pick of the Pile for the DCs is Justice Society of America. Between the great insight and origin of one Citizen Steel to the setups for the future to Starman and Superman eating sloppy joes, this comic book has it all. Highest recommendation.

What I Read This Week

I'm so far off my normal weekly reading schedule. The holiday this past week threw a monkey wrench into things, as did my parents coming to visit me and my fiancee for most of the week. I'm mostly caught up, though, so here's a smattering of comic books for your perusing pleasure.

Wonder Woman #10 -- I was never much of a Wonder Woman fan until Justice League began airing. Sure, I liked the old TV show when I was younger, but I never knew much about her or had all that much interest in the character. After JL, as well as her little appearance in Countdown to Infinite Crisis, she started to interest me more. Jodi Picoulot's arc, despite taking place smack-dab in the middle of Amazons Attack! and re-using Circe, is actually pretty darn good. It's interesting for an outsider (not an Outsider, they're coming up later) like myself to read these self-questioning thoughts WW is having, since they echo what the new reader is asking. This issue is mostly a running fight, a given considering the events of the previous. But by the climax, there's an interesting character twist between Diana and Hippolyta which brings to the forefront a trait which was key to Wonder Woman's original creation: compassion. Very enjoyable overall, even with the art being a little varied for my taste. I never thought I'd read Wonder Woman, much less enjoy it. Worth checking out. (And no, I cannot believe that this is how Picoulot's run is ending. The mind boggles...)

X-Men: First Class #1 -- The lone Marvel I read this past week, at least it was a good one. Fresh off the surprising miniseries and entertaining special, Jeff Parker and Roger Cruz return with more old-timey stories about the most forgotten era of X-Men history. This particular issue is a fangirl's dream: Marvel Girl, under the isolating and harsh pressure of being the only female at Xavier's School, is arranged to be a "shadow" to the Invisible Girl! Not only does this setup allow Parker to explore young Jean's personality and sense of isolation, but it also is a perfect excuse to have him write the Fantastic Four, which is worth the purchase price alone. The original X-crew was an odd bunch in an odd time, struggling to find their footing amongst the supremely more popular FF and Avengers. But with this series, they come to life in relatable and fun ways. This remains the best mutant comic book on the shelves, and one which even burnt-out former X-Fans like me can enjoy without worry.

Outsiders #49 -- The finale of "Checkout" happens here, proving that 6 part storylines play better in 3 months than in 6. Anyway, while the Royals of Checkmate move their pieces around the board, its their agents and the Outsiders who are in harm's way. It's more of the same as previous installments, as the field team gets to fight with Chang Tzu's defense systems, but now with the added threat of the fact that everyone's now sitting in North Korea. *gulp* I'm a bit annoyed that DC decided to spoil the outcome of next month's Five of a Kind miniseries with the house ad revealing the new lineup. I mean, that pretty much answers who Batman chooses, doesn't it? And on the same track: Catwoman? Huh? At least Martian Manhunter is in there, and let's face it, J'onn J'onzz rocks the party which rocks your body. As to this comic itself, pretty fun Outsiders tussle, with a nice advertisement for Checkmate in there as well. A nice crossover which didn't challenge the brain too much, but provided plenty of brawling and posturing -- typical when you have so many Type-A's kicking around. Should be interesting to see where Outsiders goes from here.

A Nightmare on Elm Street #8 -- It's been a while since the last issue of this came out (that whole Aztec dream-demon story), but as this is a one-shot before the book goes into "specials only" mode that's not a problem. Our tale focuses on a young man who spends entirely too much time working at Burger Heaven, a fast food restaurant with a weird religious theme to it. In fact, he's even started dreaming about the place! Needless to say, as this is a NOES book, that's a bad sign. Anyone who has ever worked fast food (like me) will get a kick out of this gory and funny story. This is what I was expecting when Wildstorm initially anounced the series -- short, self-contained horror with a little Krueger touch. The nature of the Nightmare franchise allows for that, but I guess the appeal of such a series was limited at best, especially in this day and age. Still, horror fans should be satisfied. The last panel is gruesome and hilarious all at once.

Aquaman: Sword of Atlantis #53 -- Finally! A big shout-out to the crew at Borderlands (Hi, Stan!) who tracked this down for me despite Diamond doing their best to make sure it didn't happen. Tad Williams' old school-meets-Infinite Crisis story rolls on, with Artie Joe and Cal Durham being held prisoner by Black Manta. I'm inclined to give the thumbs-up to any comic book which stars Black Manta, but he really does shine here; Manta takes the role of the audience, blasting "Aquaman" any chance he gets and constantly reminding him that he's not the "real deal." His Ozymandius-esque comment about not giving away his master plan was great, too. McManus's art remains cartoony but at this point it has grown on me, and it reflects the tonal shift following the writer change. This title remains fun and vibrant, moving from one plotline to another as quickly as the shifting tidal waters. I literally have no idea where we're going next. I am not as turned off by SoA as some other bloggers, but I have to admit that if this series starred the original Aquaman, it would be even better. The last page provides some hope, maybe?

Supergirl and the Legion of Super-Heroes #31 -- I picked this one up on a whim. Blame the cover, with it's "everybody flying at ya" imagery and "The Quest Starts Here!" copy, coupled with a lot of LOSH exposure for me over the last few months, what with "The Lightning Saga" and the cartoon and what-have-you. This is a good "jump-on" point, as the team reloads following the Dominator War and things get geared up for the next story. There are some confusing bits, but with any team book that is bound to crop up, so I can't hold that against this comic too much. No real action, but there's some good setup for future action, which hopefully will come to fruition very soon (preferably with Lightning Lad going to town on some poor sap). Time will tell if the series can build upon this foundation, but this issue was interesting enough for me to check out the next one at the very least.

(Also be sure to check out Matthew's Legion Abstract!)

I also picked up, but did not get a chance to read The Collected Normalman. Wow, I go years with only a smattering of Shadowhawk, then two Valentino strips in less than 2 months. Its like I'm in a funhouse mirror or something!

Pick Of The Pile: Some really good comics this week. Wonder Woman had action and pathos, and was kind enough to save me from having to spend money on Amazons Attack!, but Aquaman was more fun to read overall, so it gets the nod this week. Williams is telling an interesting "fish story" there, and if it goes where it looks like it might go, we're all in for something very interesting in the next few months.