In our media-saturated
contemporary world, separating the good from the not so good is fast
becoming a task too great for each of us to handle individually. In
this section Pulp Fiction Comics' growing army of reviewers tell you,
straight up and uncensored, what they thought about what they bought
-- comics, graphic novels, movies and more.
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Other review sections: MOVIES MANGA COMICS
GRAPHIC NOVEL REVIEWS
Essential Godzilla TP
Writer: Doug
Moench Penciller: Herb Trimpe Publisher: Marvel
Reviewed by Jess
What stands over twenty feet
tall, breathes fire and causes mayhem and destruction eveywhere he
goes? No, this isn't the opening line of a joke, it's the description
of the king of all beasts, our favourite lizard known as Godzilla.
Way back in the late 70's marvel published a 24 issue series featuring
this lovable lizard and now those issues have been collected into
one huge book as part of Marvel's ever growing Essentials program.
In these stories you will see Godzilla battle it out with S.H.I.E.L.D,
the Champions of Los Angeles, the Mega Monsters and even the Fantastic
Four, before the climax which in itself is heartbreaking. Writer Doug
Moench, the man responsible for writing issues of Werewolf by Night
and Moon Knight weaves a magical tale of a misunderstood lizard who
simply wants to be left alone. Due to licensing issues, Marvel will
only print this book once and these stories are really a lot of fun
so make sure you don't miss out.
10 out of 10
Excalibur:The Sword is Drawn TP
Writer: Chris Claremont Artist: Alan Davis Publisher: Marvel
Reviewed by Jess
To coincide with the release
of the first issue of Chris Claremont's New Excalibur title out this
month, the fine folks at Marvel's collection department have released
the first volume of classic Excalibur tales written by Claremont and
drawn beautifully by Uk artist Alan Davis.
The first five issue plus the bookshelf edition 'The Sword is Drawn'
are included in this book and it's really a fun ride from beginning
to end. The formation of the team right through to their battle with
the Warwolves and their first encounter with the Crazy Gang are told
in these tales, which at times veer from highly entertaining to painfully
embarassing.
The dialogue from Claremont almost at times makes you cringe, but
thankfully that's only for a few instances and the artwork of Alan
Davis really makes this book. If you pick up New Excalbur #1 and after
reading it find yourself curious about the old team then give this
book a try.
Rating: 8 out of 10
Black Widow: Homecoming TP
Writer: Richard
K. Morgan Artists: Bill Sienkiewicz & Goran Parlov Publisher: Marvel
Review by Christopher
Franks
The original Black Widow, Natasha
Romanova, has an eventful history but only recently has enjoyed significant
portrayal as a character in her own right, rather than an archetypal
leather-clad femme fatale and foil for prominent male characters such
as Daredevil. In partnership with a strong art team award-winning
science fiction novelist Richard K. Morgan makes an impressive comics
debut, crafting not only a cracking six-issue spy tale but an intelligent
new reference point for the character.
Morgan is one of a number of
novelists to recently make a successful transition to writing for
comics, underscoring the universal nature of good character-based
storytelling. In his hands Romanova is a little older than we're used
to, retired and content to live out her days rock-climbing in Arizona
until a knife attack and a mysterious murder draw her (not entirely
reluctantly) back into the spy game. The tightly plotted story is
set against the backdrop of a changing contemporary world in which
old-school intelligence operatives like the Widow, friend and ex-SHIELD
agent Phil Dexter and even Nick Fury are being pushed to the margins,
replaced by a younger generation who sell their services to corporate
interests. This quality of subtext and social commentary is far too
rare in mainstream comics writing, and indicative of a writer used
to defining his own worlds rather than relying on guest appearances
by the X-Men. Only a female hitchhiker picked up by Romanova early
on and used mainly as a sounding board for feminist ideas is a little
cheap.
Art for the series is a tandem
effort, with Goran Parlov's layouts finished by the legendary Bill
Sienkiewicz. The first issue and a later dream sequence, in which
the latter artist handles all of the duties himself, are the strongest;
Parlov's breakdowns are functional but a little conservative, and
the unconventional scratchy style of Sienkiewicz seems a little muted.
Still, there are few artists who can match the level of kinetic energy
he brings to each panel. Dan Brown's colours are also effective, highlighting
the sweltering heat of the Arizona desert and the rainy streets of
a collapsed post-Soviet Russia.
Projects such as this tend to
become lost amid the hype for higher profile books and creators, but
away from the spotlight Morgan and company have masterfully continued
the revival of the Black Widow as a strong, independent character
worthy of A-list status herself.
Rating: 9/10
Batman: Hush Volume
1 & 2 HC
Writer: Jeph Loeb Artist: Jim Lee Publisher: DC
Review by Jess
A few years back now Jeph Loeb and
Jim Lee were offered a years run on Batman, to tell their own tale
of the Dark Knight himself. Needless to say their time on the book
was deemed a complete success, and while the story was enjoyable it
doesn't have much substance. When Batman encounters one of his deadliest
foes, Killer Croc, he doesn't realise that there's something sinister
going on. When other old enemies such as Poison Ivy, the Joker and
Lady Shiva show up Batman begins to suspect someone knows his secret
identity, but when he begins to fall in love with Catwoman, can he
trust her enough to reveal his greatest secret. If you go into reading
this story as a fun, action/adventure tale with no deep or hidden
meanings then you'll really enjoy this 12 part story. It's not the
most interesting of Batman stories, but it's a nice thing to read
on a lazy afternoon.
NB: This story is
also available in two trade paperbacks.
Rating: 7 out of 10
Planetary
Vol 1: All Over the World and Other Stories TP
Writer: Warren Ellis
Artist: John Cassaday
Publisher: DC/Wildstorm
Reviewed by Christopher Franks
The Wildstorm series Planetary, the first six issues of
which are collected in this volume, sees acclaimed writer Warren
Ellis and artist John Cassaday chronicle the exploits of the eponymous
team of three 'mystery archaeologists' dedicated to uncovering the
secret history of the twentieth century. It is notable for its uncommon
format of single-issue, self-contained stories; unfortunately, it
is this ambitious approach that proves the series' undoing.
The book opens with
the introduction of inscrutable Elijah Snow to the equally mysterious
Planetary organisation and its investigation team, which he has
been approached to join. Snow is the acerbic, misanthropic loner
that turns up with remarkable frequency in Warren Ellis projects.
His teammates are similarly unimaginative takes on the archetypal
leather-clad, Emma Peel-esque female leader and hyperactive, eccentric-to-weird
technology expert. While all three characters are lacking in originality,
their familiar nature allows an entertaining group dynamic to be
established quickly and efficiently.
However, things fall apart shortly after. Upon encountering a Doc
Savage analogue and a computer capable of affecting the structure
of reality, the Planetary team -- and the narrative -- stands still
while they and the reader are fed dull exposition about these concepts,
rather than a story being constructed around them. This flawed formula,
incapable of generating any dramatic interest, is repeated in subsequent
chapters. In a telling piece of metacommentary Snow wonders aloud
in the fourth issue why he and the team never get to see anything
as it happens, rather than uncovering it after the fact. By this
point in the book the answer is apparent: within the constraints
of the single-issue format there is not enough space to tell the
stories of mystery and wonder the series is ostensibly about, only
flat executive summaries that are not even a poor substitute.
The excellent art at least provides something interesting to look
at. John Cassaday's precise pencils and unobtrusive inks craft scenes
rich in detail without becoming bogged down in fussy intricacy,
and know when an economy of linework can be more expressive than
an abundance of it. He also demonstrates an impressive ability to
handle the broad range of subjects and settings required, ranging
from the crash-landing of a gigantic spaceship to Hong Kong action
film-style shootout sequences and all manner of technology and built
environments both familiar and alien.
Laura Depuy's dynamic palettes justify an uncommonly prominent credit
for her role as colourist.
Planetary is an occasionally entertaining but ultimately unsatisfying
reading experience. Each episode features a setting and premise
that promise much, but what is presented are notes, sketches, trailers,
opening chapters for potentially excellent stories that lie frustratingly
out of reach. Unlike the comparable example of Grant Morrison and
his wildly creative epic The Invisibles, Ellis seems uninterested
or unable to develop the many intriguing ideas of Planetary into
a series with any real story, drama or other hooks to maintain the
reader's interest.
Rating: 4 out of 10
The
Punisher MAX Vol 1: In the Beginning TP
Writer: Garth Ennis
Artist: Lewis Larosa Publisher: Marvel MAX
Explicit content: recommended for mature readers
Reviewed by Christopher Franks
Since his introduction in 1974 the Punisher has been a consistently
popular but frequently misunderstood character. Garth Ennis is one
of few contemporary writers to demonstrate a grasp of the complex
dynamic of Frank Castle, the decorated soldier and Vietnam veteran
whose young family was gunned down before his eyes, and the brutal,
uncompromising killing machine he became to exact vengeance on the
world.
In yet another relaunch of the series, this time under Marvel's mature
readers imprint, Ennis and a talented art team present what is already
hailed as a classic take on one of comics' most enduring and endearing
antiheroes. Ennis' reputation for darkly humorous and frequently violent
and amoral stories tends to overshadow his mastery of the craft of
writing, exemplified by the near-flawless scripting of this volume.
The critical first issue makes highly efficient use of its pages to
restate the Punisher's origin and highlight the idiosyncrasies of
this version of the character, while also setting up many of the plot
threads and supporting characters that propel the book's straightforward
but involving plot.
The action sequences are brilliantly choreographed, and take advantage
of the book's 'explicit content' advisory (this is
certainly not a book for kids) to show the carnage in full blood-splattering
glory. On a few occasions, however, this freedom to show pretty much
everything is taken a little too far; as proved by the infamous ear-chopping
scene in Reservoir Dogs, sometimes the most effective visual is one
the audience provides themselves.
Such a strong story needs equally strong visuals to bring it to life,
and penciller Lewis Larosa delivers with distinction. His decision
to employ a realistic, detail-intensive approach for most framing
shots and splashes and a looser line for more dynamic sequences is
a functional one, although at times the disparity between the two
styles is enough to slightly disrupt the flow of the visual narrative.
The polish and finishing provided by Tom Palmer's dramatic inks and
Dean White's moody colours should also be noted, with their combination
particularly effective in the long interrogation sequence of issues
three and four.
On the surface this book delivers exactly what fans have come to see:
large quantities of people and infrastructure being 'punished' in
a more bloody and spectacular manner than ever before. However, interspersed
with the considerable mayhem is an insightful study of a man who has
devoted twenty years of his life to killing because he cannot move
on from one critical event in the past. Both a highly accessible introduction
to the character and an excellent Punisher story in its own right,
on all levels this is comics storytelling of the highest order.
Rating: 9 out of 10
Sleeper Vol 3:
A Crooked Line TP
Writer: Ed Brubaker
Artist: Sean Phillips
Publisher: DC/Wildstorm
Reviewed by Jess
The stories of Holden Carver, Miss
Misery and Internal Operations continue in this the first trade collecting
Sleeper season two #1 through 6.
In the last series we saw Lynch was (finally) awakening from his coma,
and at the start of this series he's already making trouble for Holden.
This is a great spy series and it was a friend of mine who put me
onto this. I did have my hesitations but after reading the first two
trades collecting season one I was instantly hooked.
Do yourself a favour and pick up these trades as they are a fantastic
read.
Rating: 9/10
Superman:
The Man Of Steel Vol 1 TP
Writer &
Artist: John Byrne
Publisher: DC
Review by Jess
This trade paperback reprints the
mini series written and drawn by John Byrne, retelling in a more
modern way the story of Superman's arrival from the planet Krypton
to the planet Earth. These six issues tell self contained stories
but at the same time one complete story of what happened during
Superman's first year on Earth. You feel as if you are watching
Superman's rocket leave the dying planet Krypton, to the day his
alter ego Clark Kent meets the woman who will become his greatest
love, Lois lane. Villain fans don't worry- it's not just romance!
There's plenty of evil plotting from the villainous Lex Luthor and
the cunning woman named Magpie. While this book started off a little
slow, it didn't take long to pull me in and hook me completely.
A totally enjoyable read from start to finish.
Rating: 8 out of 10
Wildcats
3.0 vol 1: Brand Building TP
Writer: Joe Casey
Artist: Dustin Nguyen
Publisher: DC/Wildstorm
Review by Christopher Franks
Wildcats may never shed the stigma
of being at the forefront of the guns and boobs fixation that all
but consumed mainstream comics during the early 1990s, but the cult
favourite third volume was critically acclaimed as one of the most
intelligent titles on the stands during its brief run. Always interested
in what the cool kids are up to behind my back I investigated the
first Wildcats 3.0 trade paperback, collecting the
initial six issues of the series, and found a highly creative and
ambitious book that falters in its inability to leave behind certain
tropes of a genre it seeks to transcend.
The third iteration of Wildcats
wastes no time outlining how it will be different to its straight
superpowered action predecessors. Jack Marlowe, the human guise
of 'alien biosynthetic humanoid warrior' (!) Spartan, has taken
control of the Halo Corporation and revolutionised western consumer
living by introducing a range of batteries that last forever, while
behind the scenes employing agents such as Wildcats
mainstay Grifter to protect and advance Halo's interests. The superpowered
individuals exalted as heroes in other titles are here reduced to
mercenary agents for hire, employees of multinational corporations
(the real superpowers) alongside accountants and janitors, just
doing their job. For writer Joe Casey to have come up with a genuinely
new angle on an increasingly tired genre, and a worthy stablemate
of other post-superhero Wildstorm titles such as The Authority
and Sleeper, is a significant achievement.
Unfortunately even this bold new direction
for the title can't completely escape its past, and habitually continues
the Wildcats trademark of an excess of over-the-top
action scenes that overwhelms attempts to construct a coherent story.
There is so much teleporting and rapid travelling between a colourful
variety of locations and the ensuing shootouts that the Marlowe/Halo
plot must scrabble for space at the margins, with too many details
lost amid the gunfire. It's a critical flaw in the structure of
the book and quite unnecessary, as on the few occasions the hyperactive
narrative takes a breather Casey's writing proves itself more than
capable of sustaining the reader's interest without resorting to
set pieces of masked assassins blasting each other.
The abundance of action scenes at least provides
plenty of money shots for the fantastic art team to shine. Rising
star penciller Dustin Nguyen builds on the best aspects of previous
Wildcats artists, combining Jim Lee's kinetic pacing
and Travis Charest's detailed rendering with his own distinctive
angular style and linking well with Richard Friend's unobtrusive
inks and the bold, varied palettes of Wildstorm FX's colourists
to vividly realise the many spectacular and bloody shootouts. Nguyen's
strong design sense also finds a range of interesting perspectives
on relatively mundane office settings and other familiar urban locations.
Although falling frustratingly short of greatness
in its execution due to a fixation with largely unnecessary (if
brilliantly executed) action sequences, as a concept Wildcats
3.0 pushes the envelope of the superpower genre and looks
to its future, rather than wallowing in nostalgia by regurgitating
its past.
