Last Week’s Comics 8/17/2011
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X-Men #15.1
(Marvel – writer: Victor Gischler; art: Will Conrad)
Marvel Comics explains the purpose of a .1 issue as such: “Select Marvel comic series marked with a ‘.1’ after the issue number feature full-length, self-contained stories by Marvel’s top creators, laying the groundwork for the next year of storylines [. . .] Point One issue of the associated series not only begin major new storylines, but also seamlessly introduces new readers into the dynamic Marvel Universe and its popular superheroes.” So after reading X-Men 15.1, I can say, with certainty, Marvel failed on this book.
If you’ve been reading my other reviews, you’ll know I praised Chris Yost’s “From First To Last” X-Men arc. And while I’ve got nothing against Gischler (I enjoyed his “Curse of the X-Men” story line), this issue is not a good jumping-on point for X-Men fans. In fact, it does very little to seamlessly introduce new readers.
The issue is about Dani Moonstar, a Native American mutant with the ability to project images of people’s fears, or something. According to different sources (cough, Wikipedia, cough), Dani has an array of psionic and energy manipulation powers, none of which appear in this issue. I would not have known about this from reading X-Men # 15.1.
Also, the new Ghost Rider appears. I would not have known about this change either had I not just read Ghost Rider #1. I fail to see how this .1 issue “seamlessly” introduced readers to the X-Men while also unveiling a new storyline because while I appreciate the stand-alone issues, most times they’re pretty uninteresting. It’s like nowadays, comic writers are only good telling stories in arcs.
Lastly, if I were to review this issue as a stand-alone issue, I’d still take umbrage with its plotting. The story gives a quick exposition, then dives into the action when a group of demons escapes from the holding cell in which they were imprisoned – Dani’s grandmother. When she dies, she releases the demons back into the world. We’re given a quick resolution that involves Ghost Rider and Dani venturing into hell (which we never see). When they reappear out of a fiery hole in the earth, it’s sealed with bricks and a spell. Then we learn the shocking truth of the origin of the demons!
Sigh. I found the dialogue to be a bit too stereotypical for believability. I understand the villains are demons, but I always cringe when someone says, “Fool!” because, really, we’ve moved past that. Imagine if the Joker in The Dark Knight turned to Batman in the interrogation scene and said, “Fool! I’ve trapped both Harvey Dent and your beloved Rachel Dawes! Now, you’ll have to choose which one to save!!” Follow this with evil laughter, and you’ve gotten pretty close to the dialogue in this issue.
I expect better from Victor Gischler. He seems constrained by the single-issue storyline, and it’s as if his lack of comfort led him to rely on hackneyed dialogue and rushed resolution to tell a story. Maybe I’m also still on a high from Chris Yost’s arc, and coming down to this is like falling out of a tree and landing on a jagged rock.
Luckily, this is a stand-alone issue, and things get back to normal next week. From the cover of issue #16, it looks like the X-Men are going to be battlin’ Victor Von Doom, my favorite fictional egomaniacal malcontent. I look forward to seeing how things play out. But with a character like Doom, Gischler has to be extra careful not to resort to clichés. Doctor Doom seems ripe with them.
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Fly #3
(Zenescope – writer: Raven Gregory; art: Eric J)
Bannen’s Book of the Week: I’ve read only one other series released by Zenescope, and that was The Waking (which I loved), so I had no trepidation going into a new series by Zenescope’s Raven Gregory. Turns out, I’m not the only one that’s loving it.
Fly is based on the idea that a drug can give normal people superpowers – including the ability to fly (hence the title). But, to steal the tagline for the series, what if you found out that superheroes weren’t really that super at all?
First off, look at the amazing cover drawn and colored by Darick Robertson (one of five variants, by various artists, available for this book). If this doesn’t hook you immediately, you have no eyeballs. (I’m kidding – I need you to have eyeballs to read this review.)
The story utilizes two different types of artwork to show readers the past and present, and this helps readers understand where they are in the story. While the “now” art is graphic and heavily realistic, the “then” art is more cartoonish, a decision that might have been made to lessen the distress readers might feel as they uncover the history behind Fly.
The past two issues introduced us to Eddie Patron and his friend Francis Keiser. Francis has a drug that gives people the ability to fly, and he’s decided to share it with Eddie. Eddie has met a girl named Danielle, and Danielle’s father seems to be the asshole/abusive type. That is until Eddie carries him into the sky, and drops him to the Earth.
The first issue ended with Eddie’s old girlfriend, Danielle, returning for some payback. Clearly, she’s gotten hold of the drug too, and she has some deep-seated hatred for Eddie (which may have to do with what he did to her father). That’s probably why she beats the shit out of him and leaves him for dead (hence the cover).
In this issue, the present is doled out in tiny pieces while the major focus is on the past, and how Eddie and Francis were introduced to the drug. We’re given a bit more of a backstory too, and readers will learn that Francis’ father, Michael, had something to do with its creation because while the drug initially gives people the ability to fly, it also seems to provide them with much, much more.
There’s a lot to like about this series, particularly the characters. Raven Gregory writes believable interactions between his three main people, and while the villain in the series says and does very villainous things, it doesn’t come across as banal or unoriginal. In fact, the villain is one of the best parts of the issue because of how terrifying he is. His powers, and who he was, are only hinted at in this issue. But I’m hooked, and I want to find out how this all ties into each other. And while I want to know soon, I hope Gregory dispenses the story in tiny pieces so as not to give away the history between all the characters, but instead to let that be an organic part of the storytelling. It’d definitely keep readers on board. But even when we find out how the characters got to where they are, it’ll be interesting to see where they go.
I can’t go into too much story detail without giving away a lot of plot, so you’ll have to go out and pick up a copy of Fly. I will, however, leave you with this very cryptic explanation of things that occur in this issue: man on fire, waving hello with a human spine, and “the sins of the father must be paid by the son.” Remain grounded no longer, readers. Fly is out there for you to discover.
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