Trade Paperback Reviews - Mike Tells It Straight - Comic Books

Happy 2016 Free Comic Book Day!

2016-05-07T16:11:00.001-07:00

Wildstorm! Mini-Series Review

2015-01-20T22:40:00.000-08:00

Wildstorm!
Image Comics - Wildstorm
Comic Book Mini-Series
32/ea. = 128 pages (1995)
$2.50/ea. = $10.00

Published: Wildstorm! #1-4 (of 4)

Contributors: Aron Wiesenfeld, Walt Simonson, Louise Simonson, John Workman, Joe Chiodo, Mike Heisler, Simon Furman, Allen Im, Dan Panosian, Richard Starkings, Wendy Fouts, Mark Pacella, Wildstorm FX, Mike Zeck, Scott Beatty, Randy Green, Bob Wiacek, Bill Oakley, Byron Talman, Quantum Color FX, Drew Bittner, Jeff Johnson, Scott Kolins, Ominious, Brad Vancata, Nathan Lumm, Michael Friedman, Ryan Odagawa, Mark McKenna, George Davis, Merv, Tom Raney, Randy Elliot, John Tighe, Gina Going, In Color, Sarah Becker, Rick Ketchum, and Tony Kelly

Synopsis: Anthology series with short stories starring:

Gen13's Roxy and Grunge save a little boy and his parents from two kidnappers at the airport
A mysterious naked man wanders into a museum and dons a set of armor from several hundred years ago. He doesn't speak English, is covered in what appear to be mystic tattoos, and is unusually strong. Then he leaves the museum into a bustling metropolis and begins wreaking havoc. He makes one big mistake by crossing paths with Deathblow.
Spartan is on a solo mission to investigate a suspicious shipping facility. He runs into the Black Razors from International Operations ("I/O"), but will they trust a covert team's android leader? It may mean the difference between life and death when a group of Hunter/Killers show up.
Taboo remembers her harsh training under the lethal Pike of The Cabal. He gives her a mission to assassinate a scientist and if she fails - death to all quitters. When the scientist turns out to be linked to her past can she still carry out the task?
Union patrols the city and seemingly discovers a runaway alien riding a cybernetic gorilla. He naturally steps in, but something seems wrong with the scene.
Nautika and Sunburst of Stormwatch are on an ocean cruise discussing their future. Nautika is trying to convince Sunburst to rejoin the team after he was paralyzed in a battle. The two are suddenly attacked by a group of masked terrorists.
Strafe, better known as Malcolm King, is Jackson King's younger brother. Jackson is the field leader of Stormwatch. Malcolm was recently released after his father, the villain Despot, tried to destroy the team and used Malcolm as his pawn. Malcolm is feeling guilty for what he's done under the influence of his father and goes to a bar for some down time. Too bad there's always some knucklehead trying to start something. Well, you really shouldn't try it with a telekinetic.
Fahrenheit is a strong member of Stormwatch, but we learn her tragic origin and how her powers were originally a curse.

Pros: Detailed art and covers by Wiesenfeld, spotlight on some peripheral characters from the Wildstorm universe

Cons: Terrible stories, worse dialogue, lame characters, and mostly awful (amateur) art

Mike Tells It Straight: I found this series in the quarter bin and thought it would be wizard to check out some pre-DC buyout Wildstorm stories from the retro 1990s. Ouch, this series is terrible and reminded me of all the things I tried to forget from that infamous time period. Wildstorm Studios attempted an anthology book (similar to the long-ish running Marvel Comics Presents) which usually had a veteran artist anchoring each issue to allow features from young artists or stories starring peripheral characters. It was supposed to be an ongoing, but lasted only four issues for reasons I will spell out below.

The book was anchored by rising star Aron Wiesenfeld who gives the best art performance by far, but his story lacks any real emotional maturity or appeal. It looked kinda neat - that's all. The rest of the art is terrible. Even veteran star Walt Simonson's art looks like crap when applied to Gen13. The writing is also really bad and this short series is best left forgotten (whatever happened to Aron Wiesenfeld anyway? - find out here).

TO BUY and Recommendations:

Planetary Vol. 4 Spacetime Archaeology Hardcover Review + Final Series Thoughts

2015-01-04T23:46:00.004-08:00

Planetary Vol. 4 Spacetime Archaeology
DC Comics - Wildstorm
224 pages
$75.00 (2014) Omnibus
$75.00 (2010) Absolute Edition Vol. 2
$24.99 (2010) Hardcover
$17.99 (2010) Trade Paperback
ISBN 9781401223458

Contributors: Warren Ellis, John Cassaday, Laura Martin, and Richard Starkings

Reprints: Planetary #19-27 (of 27)

Synopsis: Elijah Snow started out as a mysterious recluse who was recruited into the Planetary organization, a semi-covert group of modern archaeologists focusing on uncovering the history of the world. He began as the third member of Planetary's field team including Jakita Wagner, perpetually bored superwoman, and The Drummer, technology savant and grunge rock burnout. Snow has uncanny abilities to reduce temperatures, is a rare 'century baby', born on January 1, 1900, and ages at a decreased rate. Planetary's greatest adversaries in their mission to gather secret knowledge is the clandestine superhuman group called 'The Four' who are the unknown manipulators of the world. They have a history with Planetary, but Elijah's memory has artificial holes and he's been struggling to find out.

Snow begins to pull long buried resources

Now that Elijah's memory blocks are loosened 'the game is afoot' as a particularly renowned Victorian detective would say (who was also Elijah's mentor in the early part of the century). He's no longer an unwitting pawn, but starts putting the Planetary organization's surprisingly vast resources to use in devising a plan against the Four. It's time for the final reveals as we learn the secret history of William Leather, what Jacob Greene really looks like, Randall Dowling's frightening power, and what price the Four paid to get their abilities.

Even while new mysteries are uncovered, such as a derelict space vessel which apparently transported a god-like being, Snow lays his traps. Using secret technology, like a trio of cosmic recorders called 'angels' as bait, he prepares for a final confrontation with the Four. It includes calling in favors from past allies such as John Stone, the ultimate secret agent. When he comes in from the cold, whose side will he really be on?

Elijah goes to a magician (or maybe a shaman) to get a reading on what the outcome will be with the Four. He goes on an impossible journey through the inner workings of the universe and comes out the other side with a new perspective. We finally learn the origin of the Drummer and how he ended up with Planetary. Just as Snow gets serious, the Four respond in kind. They're not above using an orbital death ray to vaporize Planetary's field team and they don't care who gets caught in the crossfire. Prepare for the ultimate showdown with the planet's fate hanging in the balance!

Pros: Cassaday's art at its peak - highly detailed yet very stylized, Ellis writes some complex and intriguing plots with heavy science fiction concepts, the series wraps up and answers all the questions, issues #19-20 were nominated for Eisner award in 2005 for best story, Cassaday won Eisner awards in 2004 through 2006 for best penciller/inker, awesome covers as always, we finally get a Drummer origin and he doesn't seem like such a one-dimensional character anymore

Jakita Wagner takes on John Stone

Cons: Long delay between third volume and this last collection loses some impact to the story (like get it over with already), final confrontation with the Four was somewhat disappointing, science fiction elements are just thrown at the reader and it gets confusing at times

Mike Tells It Straight: It took a long time for this final volume of Warren Ellis and John Cassaday's Planetary to get published (issue 27 came out 3 years after issue 26). See reviews of the first 3 volumes + crossovers here - Vol. 1, Vol. 2, Vol. 3, and Crossing Worlds. It's a larger collection than previous volumes (9 issues vs. 6 in each of the first 3 volumes) and I'm really glad DC didn't try to publish this in two volumes (especially considering how long between publication of later issues). Cassaday's art is at its peak in these issues and he was recognized as best penciller/inker for three years in a row (he worked on other series during this time as well including Astonishing X-Men with Joss Whedon). Ellis writes some great plot points, fun mysteries, and exciting science concepts. He wraps up the series nicely with a few big reveals and origins along the way.

First off, we get a two-part space mission which is utterly fantastic. Ellis writes an amazing science fiction tale which ends up just being a coincidence of Snow's revenge mission against the Four. It's beautifully illustrated by Cassaday and colored by Laura Martin. Just amazing stuff and nominated for an Eisner as best serialized story. Then things get weird as Snow visits a mystic who sets him on a bad acid trip. He seems to learn some unknown truth of the universe (a common side effect of psychotropic drugs) and continues his mission with greater resolve. We learn the secret origin of William Leather and the line Snow is willing to cross in order to accomplish his task of ridding the planet of the Four. Meanwhile Jakita and Drums are getting worried Snow is changing for the worse. Who wouldn't worry if your associate is doing drugs and torturing people?

A fallen god drifting in space for eternity?

Ellis finally gives us the origin of The Drummer and it's a fun tale. He's not just a one-dimensional sod who Snow often kicks in the ass. Things get serious in this final volume as Snow reveals all of his secrets to his team and the Four perpetrate a heinous act of terrorism which the global governments/media completely ignore. Seems John Stone knows a lot of vital information and doesn't want to share it. How do you take down Nick Fury/James Bond? Not easily. We also learn the secret origin of the Four and it's appropriately evil. Snow is armed with enough knowledge to confront the Four and it's an intense showdown. One ingredient is missing and his name is Ambrose Chase. Wait, Ambrose is dead, killed years ago by one of Dowling's henchmen. How can he possibly be involved in the final tale of Planetary?

Cassaday's art is extremely detailed!

This final volume is a must-read for anyone who has been following the series. I really liked that Ellis gave answers to all of the secrets and subplots he presented in previous issues. Everything wrapped up nice and tidy at the end. Cassaday's art keeps getting better (possibly owing to the length of time between issues). Ellis writes some awesome science fiction and references different theories which sets him apart from other writers. He typically throws a lot of jargon at the reader without much explanation, but we're talking comics here and your standard superhero story doesn't get half that much.

Alternate universe Planetary!?

My biggest complaint with this ending is the showdown with the Four and their final reveals. William Leather gets the most 'screen-time' during the series and seems like a perfectly wicked version of Johnny Storm, the Human Torch. He's super-resilient and very powerful. We see Jacob Greene for the first time and he's a wonderfully twisted version of Ben Grimm, the Thing. Kim Suskind was shown in the last volume as having invisibility and force field powers just like Susan Storm, the Invisible Woman. Although Kim can't see while invisible and has to wear specially designed goggles (nice touch). Randall Dowling himself we expect to mimic Reed Richards as Mr. Fantastic with stretching powers, but Ellis gives us something similar yet very different. It's an interesting twist, but the final confrontation seemed too quick and highly improbable. Too much buildup for what eventually happens.

Final issue wraparound cover

The series is still one of my all-time favorites and gets a very high recommendation. It's one of those series which crosses outside of the typical superhero genre. It started out as a Wildstorm book, but never really got involved with any of the lame crossover stories and kept to itself. At first I thought it was just a pop-culture rip off, but it evolved into something more after gaining its own voice (at the end of the second volume). No one draws ominous face-shadowing like John Cassaday and nobody can throw more confusing pseudo-science at a reader than Ellis. Elijah Snow reminds me of a grown-up Little Nemo as drawn by Cassaday (must be the baggy suit). I suggest picking up the recently published Omnibus edition which offers the perfect format to enjoy Planetary - binge reading it without any pause to reflect on the actual science behind it.

It's a strange world. Let's keep it that way.

TO BUY and Recommendations:

Happy New Year 2015!

2015-01-01T10:52:00.001-08:00

It's a new year and I can't wait to see what changes happen in the comics industry this year! Even more great collections are coming out and I look forward to reviewing them.

Best,
Mike & TPB Reviews

Planetary: Crossing Worlds Trade Paperback Review

2014-12-28T22:52:00.001-08:00

Planetary: Crossing Worlds
DC Comics - Wildstorm
192 pages
$75.00 (2014) Omnibus
$14.95 (2004) Trade Paperback
ISBN 9781401202798

Contributors: Warren Ellis, John Cassaday, Phil Jimenez, Andy Lanning, Laura DePuy, Ryan Cline, David Baron, Jerry Ordway, Wes Abbott, and Michael Heisler

Reprints: Planetary/The Authority: Ruling the World; Planetary/JLA: Terra Occulta; Planetary/Batman: Night on Earth

Synopsis: The Planetary organization is a mildly covert group of mystery archaeologists focused on uncovering the secret history of the world. Their field team consists of Jakita Wagner, indestructible and perpetually bored, the Drummer, techno-shaman and grunge rock burnout, and Elijah Snow, reclusive adventurer with holes in his memory. These three pursue an altruistic mission to wrestle secrets from the covert organizations, both private and public, in order to place them in the hands of humankind for a better tomorrow. Let's just say they're not very popular around town.

The Authority show up to deal with a massive monster terrorizing
a small American coastal town. Guess who's already on the scene?

While they seek to uncover the truth about our world and the universe in general, sometimes they cross paths with other clandestine groups with similar yet vastly different purposes. Three of these tales are presented here:

Ruling the World - The Planetary field team investigates a strange object in a small town and accidentally unleashes a monster. It draws the attention of The Authority who are a group of superhumans who have proclaimed themselves stewards of humanity and act above the law to punish those perpetrating evil upon their fellow being. They are incredibly dangerous and not the sort of people you want to mess with. Perfect targets, according to Jakita, to have their secrets stolen by Planetary. The Authority are led by Jenny Sparks who has something in common with Elijah Snow - they are both Century Babies. Born on January 1, 1900 they age slowly and have incredible powers - Sparks electricity and Snow temperature control. The field team attempts the impossible and assails The Authority's massive craft which traverses extra-dimensional space. Seems like a really bad idea!
Terra Occulta - The Planetary organization rules the world from the shadows. They have provided amazing technology to advance humankind including Bleed teleportation for public transit and anti-grav cars. Despite these advances, Planetary holds the best technology for themselves and crushes anyone who opposes them. Their base is a citadel built on the surface of the Moon. Three individuals have comes together in secret to oppose them, but will this coup be any different. They are Bruce Wayne, playboy heir to a billion-dollar fortune in Gotham City, Diana Prince, beautiful scientist who is secretly from a technologically advanced island of women, and Clark Kent, Kansas-born big-city reporter who possesses incredible superpowers. Can these three take down Elijah Snow and his crew of super-powered henchmen?
Night on Earth - The field team arrives in Gotham City to investigate a series of grisly murders perpetrated by someone with trans-dimensional capabilities. When they finally encounter their suspect they are taken on a journey through dimensions with one unsettling constant - a strangely dressed vigilante who is vehemently determined to bring this murderer to justice. Our unwitting group may have met their match!

Batman takes on Jakita Wagner, get ready for a serious battle!

Pros: Some great artists - Jimenez is highly detailed, Ordway is a great storyteller, Cassaday is an impresario, Ellis writes some interesting stories with a few good plot twists and quirky dialogue, I liked seeing the Big Three (Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman) as the underdogs with Planetary as Earth's overlords, Cassaday's portrayals of Batman were great, funny past meeting of Elijah Snow and Jenny Sparks

Three clandestine heroes meet to defy the
oppression of the Planetary organization

Cons: Planetary never actually meets The Authority in their crossover, ending to JLA crossover is a little too neat (plus what happens to Superman), plot for Batman crossover is really simple (could be a good thing), 'villain' in Batman crossover has a slightly goofy character design

Mike Tells It Straight: I've reviewed the first three volumes of Planetary here (Vol. 1, Vol. 2, Vol. 3) and decided to take a break before tackling the final volume. I read this collection of crossovers which were all written by Ellis, but had a pair of different artists (Jimenez and Ordway) along with co-creator Cassaday. The three stories were vastly different and of varying quality. The first story is a crossover between two of Ellis' most successful creations which I expected to be a grand slam. Oddly enough it was a flop with too much going on in the plot and the two teams never actually meeting. Planetary started out as a typical in-universe Wildstorm title and it was important they operated completely under the radar from the line-leading The Authority. While the art by Jimenez was detailed, it just didn't stand up to Cassaday's groundbreaking work and the book was mediocre. Some good dialogue, but too much crap thrown in to be taken seriously (like what happens to the extra-dimensional Jenny Sparks).

Elijah Snow comes face-to-face with an alternate dimension Batman
(looks pretty similar and just as deadly as a certain Returned Dark Knight)

The next story was an unofficial crossover with the biggest DC title at the time - JLA (Justice League of America). It was branded an Elseworlds tale (outside of continuity) and gave Ellis a huge sandbox to play in. He reimagined the Big Three (Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman) as underdogs with Planetary taking the place of The Four, lording it over humanity. I loved the character redesign of Elijah Snow to look more like Lex Luthor. It was an engaging story because the reader doesn't know what will happen next and Ellis makes a few bold moves. I didn't like the neatly wrapped up ending, but Ordway did a great job visually telling the story.

Ellis writes some funny dialogue

Our final tale is considered a classic as it's just received a deluxe hardcover reprint (similar to Batman: The Killing Joke a few years ago). This story is drawn by Cassaday and excels because it's such a simple, straightforward tale. Cassaday's art is amazing and he's really at the top of his game here. The different renditions of Batman are great. Ellis tells a simple story which works really well with all of the characters. I don't think it's a true classic because nothing really changes for any of the characters, but it's a good read. This collection is decent, but you won't lose anything by not reading it with the main Planetary series. The stories are included in the omnibus and I suggest buying that book if you like the series.

TO BUY and Recommendations:

Merry Christmas 2014!

2014-12-25T17:14:00.001-08:00

Wishing everyone a great holiday with family and friends! Hope you got lots of trade paperbacks, hardcovers, and omnibuses under the tree this year!

Best,
Mike & TPB Reviews

Planetary Vol. 3 Leaving the 20th Century Hardcover Review

2014-12-20T00:25:00.001-08:00

Planetary Vol. 3 Leaving the 20th Century
DC Comics - Wildstorm
144 pages
$75.00 (2014) Omnibus
$75.00 (2010) Absolute Edition Vol. 2
$24.95 (2004) Hardcover
$14.95 (2004) Trade Paperback
ISBN 9781840239768

Contributors: Warren Ellis, John Cassaday, Laura Depuy (later Laura Martin), Richard Starkings, and Bill O'Neill

Reprints: Planetary #13-18

Elijah Snow assails the summit of a creepy castle

Synopsis: Elijah Snow was a mysterious recluse until he was recruited into the Planetary organization as the third man on their field team. Snow has uncanny abilities and is a rare 'century baby' born on January 1, 1900. That makes him...really old, but surprisingly spry. He was an adventurer in his younger days and has significant, unknown memory gaps. Jakita Wagner, perpetually bored superwoman, personally recruited Snow and the other member of the field team is The Drummer, technology savant and grunge rock burnout. Planetary is a semi-covert group of modern archaeologists focusing on uncovering the secret history of the world. They seek to wrest knowledge from clandestine organizations coveting alien technologies, extra-dimensional objects, ancient supercomputers, and more. The organization is funded by the anonymous Fourth Man.

Snow visits a certain address on Baker Street in London

Planetary has run afoul of the Four, the most powerful superhumans on the planet and the secret manipulators of the world. They enjoyed toying with Snow before his memories returned, but now he knows who the Fourth Man is and nothing will ever be the same. We learn of Planetary's history with the Four and what really happened to Snow's memory. The Four are brutal adversaries and willing to commit genocide to further their goals (or store their weapons), but not above playing with their food.

Snow's memories have started surfacing and we learn of his first encounter with Sherlock Holmes. The famous detective was embroiled with a group calling itself the Conspiracy. They ran the 18th century as the Four run the 19th century. In a modern adventure the Planetary field team interferes with an experiment to access the Dreamtime by the Four causing some spectacular results. Later Snow meets with the head of the Hark Corporation and wants to parlay a truce. We learn the secret history of the Harks.

In a secret jungle there exists somewhere the lost city of Opak-Re. Elijah Snow traveled there and became familiar with its citizens. A self-sufficient and ancient society, the natives were super-intelligent and highly protective of their ethnic purity. What happens when a young adventurer falls in love with a beautiful princess?

The Harks are a long family of martial arts masters

An object falls to Earth after 150 years in space. How did it achieve this incredible orbit 100 years before the invention of rocket propulsion? More importantly, what are the secrets of 'The Gun Club'? We see the past and present of the Planetary organization. They are running headlong into a monstrous confrontation with the Four, but the last scuffle ended in disaster years ago. Snow's memories are still jumbled and will this time be any different?

Pros: Cassaday's art continues to be wholly incredible, Ellis writes intriguing history and adventure pieces, more secrets are revealed (including Jakita's origin), we get some actual character development, Victorian group the Conspiracy were interesting, lots of cool homages to various pop culture icons/genres (each issue's cover theme and log change to match the different genres)

Cons: Resolution to the Dreamtime episode seemed unrealistic (I don't think the Four would actually tolerate Planetary's direct interference while they were present), final issue to this volume was bland ('The Gun Club')

Mike Tells It Straight: This third volume of Warren Ellis and John Cassaday's Planetary (here are reviews of the first and second volumes) is quite possibly the best yet for the series. It's difficult to top the second volume's reveal in the final issue, but the reader is treated in this third volume to quite a few important pieces of Planetary history. Art by Cassaday is top notch and Ellis puts in great writing as the main story progresses amid various flashbacks.

Elijah Snow cock blocks super-spy John Stone

One of the main themes of the series has been paying homage to various fictional pop culture genres (previous volumes covered Golden Age comic book heroes, Godzilla movies, and John Woo action films) and we're treated to a few in this volume. The Conspiracy are an homage to Alan Moore's The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen and Victorian age fictional heroes (Sherlock Holmes actually says the world 'extraordinary' when talking to Elijah Snow). Additionally we have a pulp adventure story (Lost City of Opak-Re) with the character of Lord Blackstock (a Tarzan ripoff) and medieval Chinese Kung-Fu movies (Hark).

I liked the balance of prior history mixed with current events in this volume. The reader gets to know Elijah Snow the adventurer and the events leading up to his memory loss. The Four play a pretty big role in these stories, but they're not the main focus. We finally get a little character development for Jakita Wagner and Drums. I'm not sure this trade collection fits the typical six-issue story arc from previous volumes since the final issue ('The Gun Club') was a filler issue. This series continues to be a great adventure and each issue is a new revelation. The art and writing are a perfect complement (although the characterization is pretty bland). Definitely looking forward to the next, final volume.

TO BUY and Recommendations:

Promethea Book Four Hardcover Review

2014-12-09T23:24:00.002-08:00

Promethea Vol. 4
DC Comics - America's Best Comics
183 pages
$24.95 (2003)
$14.99 (2003)
$99.99 (2010) Absolute Edition Vol. 2
$99.99 (2011) Absolute Edition Vol. 3
ISBN 9781401200329

Contributors: Alan Moore, J.H. Williams III, Mick Gray, Jeremy Cox, and Todd Klein

Reprints: Promethea #19-25

Synopsis: Sophie Bangs was a regular college student in a future New York City where technology has advanced at a faster rate due to the influence of science-heroes. Modern society prizes its sophistication, but Sophie learns of a deeper philosophy which has existed since the beginning of time - magic. She seeks information on a forgotten heroine and falls headfirst into the underlying tapestry of the universe by becoming that heroine! Now Sophie shares an existence with Promethea, a demi-goddess of imagination who lives in the Immateria. Many incarnations of Promethea have existed throughout history and their spirits educate Sophie in her newfound abilities.

Sophie and Barbara continue on to another plane of existence

Sophie left the earthly plane to pursue the spirit of her direct predecessor, Barbara Shelley, after she died. She drifted off into the afterlife instead of joining the other former mortal hosts of Promethea in the Immateria. Sophie finds Barbara in the lower planes of reality and the two go on a quest to find Barbara's long lost love who they suspect is on a higher plane. Meanwhile back on Earth, Sophie's best friend, Stacia, has been bonded with a former Promethea at Sophie's request to make sure New York is safe while she's gone. The problem is the former Promethea likes being back in a physical body too much.

The two come to a vast precipice and must choose to continue

Sophie and Barbara are near the top of the spiritual structure of reality, but dangers still lurk within its complexities. The pair must make a profound leap of faith in order to continue and their ordeals will be great. Will they ever finish their quest and what awaits Barbara at the top of the universal structure?

Meanwhile back on Earth the two FBI investigators interrogate
the Smee from the first issue

Sophie's Mom is worried sick about her and Stacia is running amok as Promethea. Can Sophie regain control of Promethea or will Stacia fight to keep it? What amount of collateral damage could two Promethea's battling with all their mystical might create? Get ready for a nasty fight and the aftermath!

Yet another beautiful and entrancing plane of existence

Pros: Great art by Williams, every issue has a cool new cover design, Moore packs every issue with high concept and metaphysical writing, Stacia's relationship to Promethea is pretty interesting, some great moments for both Sophie and Barbara

Things get really abstract the higher you go

Cons: A lot of spiritual/metaphysical themes from Moore, high concept and a lot of issues covering this story arc (continuing from the last volume), art by Williams is highly creative although sometimes harder to visually read

Two Prometheas spell trouble!

Mike Tells It Straight: Okay, we've got the fourth installment of Promethea by Moore and Williams. The pair continue their epic metaphysical tale through the myriad levels of existence. It's a lot of high concept stuff as Sophie and Barbara keep going up and up with each issue dedicated to one plane. I have to say the ideas are pretty interesting, but it's a lot of issues and a long journey. Impressive stuff and my hat's off to Moore/Williams for telling such a complex story, but I've got to say it can get a little tedious and I was happy to see the finale.

Trade paperback cover

Getting back to Earth was a nice treat and the reader knows the reunion between Sophie and Stacia was going to be explosive. The last two issues dealt with the resolution of having two Prometheas running around. It was a welcome change from the incredibly dense explanations of various aspects of spiritualism. Promethea is a unique book and transcends the comic book genre. It's not just about superheroes and exposes the reader to a whole new (for most) set of possibilities for how life works. It feels like a true labor of love for Moore and Williams is pushing himself to the absolute limit. No wonder this book got the Absolute treatment. If you've made it this far then only one volume remains and if you're reading this review before starting the series then go back to the beginning with Vol. 1 Vol. 2 Vol. 3. I'm looking forward to the final volume.

TO BUY and Recommendations:

Planetary Vol. 2 The Fourth Man Hardcover Review

2014-12-06T23:39:00.004-08:00

Planetary Vol. 2 The Fourth Man
DC Comics - Wildstorm
144 pages
$75.00 (2014) Omnibus
$49.95 (2004) Absolute Edition Vol. 1
$24.95 (2001) Hardcover
$14.95 (2001) Trade Paperback

Contributors: Warren Ellis, John Cassaday, Laura Depuy, David Baron, Michael Heisler, Bill O'Neill, and Ryan Cline

Reprints: Planetary #7-12

Synopsis: Elijah Snow was a mysterious recluse until being recruited into the Planetary organization to be the 3rd man on their field team. The other two members are Jakita Wagner, perpetually bored superwoman, and The Drummer, grunge rock burnout who talks to machines. Planetary is a semi-covert group of modern archaeologists focusing on the secret history of the world. They uncover the things governments and other clandestine organizations seek to suppress - alien technologies, extra-dimensional objects, and proof that magic exists. The organization is funded by the anonymous 4th man.

Who is Ambrose Chase, the Third Man before Elijah Snow?

Snow and crew have just gone up against a member of the Four - the most powerful superhuman group on the planet and the secret manipulators of the world. The group barely survives and the Four are apparently toying with Snow due to his lack of a complete memory. He's lived for almost a century, but only remembers patches of it. Who benefits from his loss of memory and what are his teammates not telling him?

Elijah Snow wants his memory back!

The field team attends the funeral of an occult detective named Jack Carter in London. They get a look at the dark superheroes of the 1980s who were friends with Jack. His death is not what it appears and Jakita is determined to find out the truth. Next they visit the abandoned Science City Zero and learn its secrets from a former citizen. The site was the dumping ground of malcontents in the US during the Red Scare of the 1950s. They were regularly experimented on and all of the horrors were under the guidance of Randall Dowling, a member of the Four.

The attendees of John Carter's funeral - anyone look familiar?

Flash back a few years as the Planetary field team interrupts an experiment by some of Dowling's team. They created an fictional world and sent in a manned probe to bring something back. What they bring back is more powerful and scary than they could ever imagine. The 3rd man at the time was Ambrose Chase, able to distort reality in subtle ways. He is no longer the 3rd man when Elijah Snow is recruited into Planetary nor does Snow remember ever meeting him.

John Stone, super spy!

We get a glimpse into the terrible acts the Four have perpetrated during their covert reign of terror. Killing an intergalactic policeman, murdering the last survivor of a doomed alien race, and assassinating the emissary of a secret society of women. Elijah has been trying desperately to remember something of his past and finally recalls a name - John Stone. The preeminent secret agent for the last 50 years, former agent of S.T.O.R.M., and unknown to the world at large. Snow pays him a visit and gets his memory violently jogged. It's a new day for Planetary, but can they survive the secrets bursting from the darkest corners of Snow's mind? Will the Four let them live long enough to find out?

It's about to get real!

Pros: Cassaday's art continues to be amazing in this series, Ellis writes a compelling conspiracy tale, more mysteries and adventures, homages to various pop culture icons/genres (each issue's cover theme and logo change to match the different genres), Snow gets even cooler (pun) as his past is revealed, best stories are the ones which advance the main plot (vs. the genre bits), great ending issue

Cons: Story still jumps around a lot, Ellis throws concepts out there without really fleshing them out, genre bits (particularly the 1980s) get a bit stale (too meta-fiction-y), while Snow's character develops a little we get almost zero development for Jakita and Drums

Mike Tells It Straight: This second volume continues Warren Ellis and John Cassaday's meta-fiction opus to comics and pop culture in general. The first volume (reviewed here) set the story with Elijah Snow coming aboard with Planetary and the greater mystery of his fragmented memory. Along the way we got treated to a homage of various genres - Golden Age superheroes, Godzilla/daikaiju films, Hong Kong action films, and a dark twist on the Fantastic Four (the big bad of the series thus far). We get more homages in this next volume and a big reveal to Snow's past.

The issue with John Carter (John Constantine) is a homage to Vertigo style comics and riffs on the 1980s. Superhero comics are the villain and Ellis portrays both Alan Moore and then Grant Morrison (Moore being supplanted by Morrison in mainstream US comics). The next issue is based on 1950s science-fiction films with giant ants, a 50-foot woman, and more. While both were clever I found these types of issues were less enjoyable than the ones which dealt with the real story.

Trade paperback cover

Snow trying to get his memory back was the main event. Ambrose Chase was a cool addition to the storyline and the issue where he's introduced was intriguing. John Stone was a riff on Nick Fury crossed with James Bond and also enjoyable to see. The issue where we get alternate versions of Superman, Green Lantern, and Wonder Woman all squashed by the Four was ironic. Overall I really liked this second volume and the series has been memorable thus far. I'm seeing Ellis' formula - genre issues as filler and then a strong finish with a big reveal. He definitely writes to fill a trade paperback (about 6 issues). Cassaday's art continues to be spectacular and the covers are great. Regardless, I give this series a 'must read' recommendation!

TO BUY and Recommendations:

Planetary Vol. 1 All Over the World and Other Stories Hardcover Review

2014-11-30T22:03:00.001-08:00

Planetary Vol. 1 All Over the World and Other Stories
DC Comics - Wildstorm
160 pages
$75.00 (2014) Omnibus
$49.95 (2004) Absolute Edition Vol. 1
$24.95 (2000) Hardcover
$14.95 (2000) Trade Paperback
ISBN 9781563896484

Contributors: Warren Ellis, John Cassaday, Laura Depuy, Bill O'Neill, Ali Fuchs, David Baron, and Wildstorm FX

Reprints: Planetary #1-6; Preview

Synopsis: Elijah Snow has been living in the desert for a decade and avoiding society. He gets recruited to join the Planetary organization by the beautiful and powerful Jakita Wagner. Planetary is a largely unknown and mildly covert group which function as 'mystery archaeologists'. They uncover the secrets of the world hidden beneath the surface of society. The ground team is always a three-person group which currently consists of:

Jakita Wagner - superstrong, superfast, and incredibly bored with regular society. She is the powerhouse of the team and can handle any situation with a cool head. Lives for a thrilling adventure or discovering an amazing secret.
The Drummer - fan of grunge rock, can talk to machines, and kind of a hipster weirdo.
Elijah Snow - newest member of the group, nearly one hundred years old (a century baby like Jenny Sparks born in 1900), can control temperature absolutely, and an utter grumpy bastard.

Elijah Snow is a cranky old bastard

Snow's first mission with Planetary takes the team to a secret base in the Appalachian Mountains which was home to a group of superhumans from the 1940s. The group included mystery men from around the world and remained completely undercover. The secrets uncovered in this long-forgotten base are startling and far-reaching. What tragic event happened to the members of this secret society to keep them forgotten?

The next mission takes the group to a remote Pacific island where a group of Japanese extremists are about to discover the astounding secret of Island Zero! We get a glimpse at the Tokyo branch of Planetary. Then they head to Hong Kong to investigate rumors of the ghost of a murdered cop. We see Planetary's Hong Kong office and the hidden secrets of the afterlife. Afterwards the team is investigating a strange object which was unearthed in an explosion beneath an office building of the Hark Corporation. What happens next is a tragic miracle linked to the Bleed (the space between dimensions of reality).

The final, secret fight of a group of mystery men from the 1940s

Between missions Elijah Snow talks with Axel Brass, the mystery man they found beneath the Appalachians. Both were born around the turn of the century and Snow finds a kinship with this displaced hero. They discuss the world and its secrets. One is cynical and one is a dreamer. We get to learn the secret origin of Brass, but also see glimpses of other enduring heroes like Jenny Sparks and The High.

The true enemy is revealed at last to Elijah Snow. A secret division of the United States government has been operating in the deepest shadows since the end of the second World War. Four individuals became the product of this covert exploration and usurped its power. These four are now puppet masters within modern society - suppressing knowledge, silencing dissension. The team storms one of their locations, but are they ready for what they find?

The true enemy - a group of superhuman adventurers manipulating
the world from behind the curtain. Look familiar?

Pros: Amazing art by John Cassaday, clever writing by Warren Ellis, big mysteries and exciting adventures, keen homages to many pop culture icons/genres (they change each issue's cover logo and theme to match the different genres), intriguing concept, Elijah Snow is a cool protagonist, despite biting off of many genres it feels original, final villain is really cool, introduction by Alan Moore, nominated in 2000 for Eisner Award as "Best New Series" and "Best Continuing Series", Laura Depuy won the 2000 Eisner for Best Colorist

Cons: Story jumps around a lot, nothing is explained and concepts are just thrown at the reader, practically zero character development, bites off of one pop culture genre to another

Mike Tells It Straight: I found this book to be intriguing and an interesting departure from the typical superhero genre. Both Warren Ellis and John Cassaday put in some of the best work in their careers in this series and it hooked me from the beginning. Overall it's a meta-fiction exploration of pop culture genres in both comics and movies. The biggest draw for me was Cassaday's art which put him on the map as a premier comic book artist. Ellis had been around for years and transformed Stormwatch (a soon-to-be-cancelled superhero book from Image which was known for flashy art and terrible writing) into The Authority, a genre redefining superhero book which brought widescreen cinematic sensibilities to a stale medium.

Trade Paperback cover

My main gripe about this first volume is the lack of characterization. We get a small glimpse into Elijah Snow's personality, but Jakita Wagner and the Drummer are both blanks. They feel like one-dimensional stick figures. Ellis jumps around with his plot and too many questions are left unanswered. That's a small list of complaints. Ellis focuses on several genres in this first volume starting with Axel Brass and his secret society of mystery men represent the Golden Age superheroes/literary figures (Tarzan, The Shadow, Doc Savage, Fu Manchu), then Island Zero gives us the giant monster/daikaiju genre (Godzilla and it's many sequels), the ghost cop of Hong Kong is hardboiled action films (most notably by John Woo), and four from the black government agency (are a twist on the Fantastic Four).

Despite its flaws I found this book to be a captivating read. It may be a bit stiff, but Ellis presents a neat concept and Cassaday's art is groundbreaking. The last issue when the team takes on a superhuman that can actually withstand them was epic. This collection sets up the rest of the series as Elijah Snow and crew work to find out the secret history of the world. Includes the preview story which mirrors the origin of the Hulk. Highly recommended!

TO BUY and Recommendations:

Happy Thanksgiving 2014!

2014-11-27T14:08:00.000-08:00

Wishing you a fun holiday with your family and friends! Don't forget to take a break and read some comics.

Best,
Mike & TPB Reviews

Red: Better R.E.D. Than Dead Trade Paperback Review

2014-11-08T22:12:00.003-08:00

Red: Better R.E.D. Than Dead
DC Comics - Wildstorm
Softcover Trade Paperback
144 pages
$14.99 (2011)
ISBN 9781401231972

Contributors: Cully Hamner, Val Staples, Wes Abbott, Erich Hoeber, Jon Hoeber, Gregory Noveck, Jason Masters, Carrie Strachan, Wes Abbott, Doug Wagner, Bruno Redondo, Pol Gas, Tony Avina, Saida Temofonte, Diego Olmos, Martha Martinez, David Hahn, and Jonny Rench

Reprints: Red: Eyes Only; Red: Frank; Red: Joe; Red: Marvin; Red: Victoria

Synopsis: The plot of the comic book: Paul Moses was once the deadliest black-ops CIA agent in the history of the organization. He perpetrated unspeakable acts all under the orders of his government and for the 'greater good'. He also got to do what 99% of black-ops agents don't get to - he retired. The official term was 'retired, extremely dangerous' (R.E.D.). Paul was content to live out the rest of his days in peace while suffering horrific nightmares of his evil deeds as a form of atonement. Things changed when a new CIA director was appointed and orders Paul Moses sanctioned. Bad mistake. Paul came out of retirement and killed his way to the top.

You do not want to cross paths with Paul Moses

The plot of the movie: Frank Moses was once the deadliest black-ops CIA agent in the history of the organization. He perpetrated unspeakable acts all under the orders of his government and for the 'greater good'. He got to do what 99% of black-ops agents don't get to - he retired. One day his retirement is cut short as a kill-squad raids his home and attempts to assassinate him. This old dog has plenty of tricks left in him and he escapes. Frank launches a mission to uncover the plot of his attempted assassination and pulls in some of his old colleagues including Joe (former intelligence mover and shaker), Marvin (paranoid former assassin), and Victoria (debonair British assassin). They kill their way to the top.

Eyes Only - Paul Moses was the most effective and deadly agent in the CIA's ranks. Then he decided to retire and got shunted off to a simple security detail for a political candidate. It's the 1970s and Paul Moses is head of security for Carver Hampton Jr., the first African American presidential candidate with a chance to win. On the eve of election night, Paul warns Carver that an assassination attempt will happen. Can Paul's expert training stop the assassin?
Frank - Frank Moses has survived in the business for 20 years through a combination of skill, luck, and paranoia. His latest mission in Cairo has him paired him with a green rookie named Jordan. The rookie has mad skillz, but doesn't know enough to stay free of any personal attachments. He's got a new girlfriend and Frank tells him to lose her quick. Will Jordan take his advice or is his girlfriend a 'spy like us'? They're about to find out the hard way.
Joe - During the harshest winter of the Cold War, Joe is on a mission to Russia to make contact with his most deep cover agents. He's a cool customer, but when things go pear-shaped he has to rely on his agents to stay one step ahead of the KGB. It's a game of cat-and-mouse with the lives of his agents hanging in the balance.
Marvin - Marvin Boggs is an expert assassin and agent for the CIA. He's starting to suspect something funny is going on when his bosses have him steal a pen. A plain and ordinary pen. The excessive amount of surveillance equipment in his apartment tips his mental balance and he starts to ask questions. When Frank shows up unannounced - is it a social call between two friends in the deadliest profession or is he there to eliminate Marvin?
Victoria - Victoria is MI6's best agent. When she goes on holiday and meets a handsome stranger - is it serendipity? The two lovers lose themselves in each other and then return to the real world. Things are much different when Victoria meets Ivan again, but will love conquer adversity?

Pros: Prequel stories for both the comic book and movie which add a little history to the characters, movie prequels are written by the movie screenwriters, fair art in a couple books

Cons: No Warren Ellis (he wrote the original mini-series), different artist on each issue and their styles vary greatly, the comic and movie are fairly different

You do not want to cross paths with Frank Moses

Mike Tells It Straight: Warren Ellis and Cully Hamner put out a short, violent mini-series called Red in 2003 which became a major action movie in 2010. I found the mini-series to be slightly entertaining, but mostly unremarkable. The movie was a hit thanks to an all-star cast including Bruce Willis (Frank), Morgan Freeman (Joe), John Malkovich (Marvin), Helen Mirren (Victoria), and Mary Louise-Parker (Sarah). The success of the movie prompted this series of one-shots which served as prequels for each of the major characters of the movie and one for the mini-series.

Cully Hamner did the story and art for the mini-series prequel which gave an idea of why Paul Moses retired. No Warren Ellis to speak of and the book was okay. The four character prequels were written by the movie screenwriters. That's pretty cool and the stories were decent spy fiction. Frank goes on a mission and is a consummate bad ass, Marvin's history is shown and his extreme paranoia is explained, Joe's story is surprisingly decent and shows him to be a tough customer, and Victoria's story was too simple although drawn quite well.

I'd say the book is an overall pass because the movie can stand on its own. It's mildly interesting, but only adds a small insight into the characters. I'm glad they showed some love to the original work by including a prequel to the comic, but the comic just wasn't that good. I guess it depends which version of the story you're a fan of - comic book or movie. This collection is definitely geared to pull in fans of the movie. Either way you may be disappointed.

TO BUY and Recommendations:

DC/Wildstorm: Dreamwar Trade Paperback Review

2014-10-25T23:56:00.003-07:00

DC/Wildstorm: Dreamwar
DC Comics - Wildstorm
Softcover Trade Paperback
144 pages
$19.99 (2009)
ISBN 9781401222031

Contributors: Keith Giffen, Lee Garbett, Trevor Scott, Randy Mayor, Rob Leigh, Andy Lanning, Mike McKone, Ivan Reis, Guiseppe Camuncoli, Dustin Nguyen, Gene Ha, Jesus Merino, and Carlos Pacheco

Reprints: DC/Wildstorm: Dreamwar #1-6 (of 6)

Synopsis: Several natural disasters simultaneously occur across the globe and The Authority takes notice. Strange new land formations and objects appear - a giant 'T' shaped building appears at Ryker's Island, a small island, and a downed space ship in Russia. Majestic is the first responder at the Ryker's Island location and encounters a powerful group of young superhumans who are completely unknown to him. He is overpowered and the group escapes into New York proper.

A group of powerful superhumans descend upon the Wildstorm Universe

Several unknown groups of superhumans explode into the Wildstorm Universe and wreak havoc! They strategically target the various superhero groups including The Authority, the Wildcats, Gen13, and the retired heroes in Tranquility. Each of these groups come under siege by a separate invading group - the Justice League of America, the Justice Society of America, the Teen Titans, and the Legion of Super-Heroes.

Majestic encounters a group of young superhumans
and is overwhelmed. Art seems somehow off...

Something is compelling these strangers to attack the heroes of the Wildstorm Universe and carelessly disregard any fallen in their ranks. The first casualty to the invasion is Green Arrow and no one in the Justice League sheds a tear. What is going on? Several of the Legionnaires fall in battle to Stormwatch, but the no one on the team pauses during the assault. Something is not right here.

We get to see incredible matchups - The Authority vs. the Justice League of America, Stormwatch vs. the Legion of Super-Heroes, Tranquility vs. the Justice Society of America, Gen13 vs. the Teen Titans, the Amazons vs.the Night Tribes, and Zealot vs. Batman. Who is Chimera and how is he controlling the heroes of the DC Universe to destroy the heroes of the Wildstorm Universe?

Then it gets ugly as villains appear to battle the heroes - Doomsday vs. Midnighter and Apollo, Qwardians vs. Stormwatch, the Legion of Super-Villains vs. Tranquility and Grifter, Joker vs. Midnighter, Starro vs. the Amazons/Kobra/ and the Night Tribes. The Doctor holds a desperate meeting with his former selves and uncovers the secret of the assault. Can he supply the Wildstorm heroes with enough information to keep themselves alive or will they fall to the overwhelming power of the DC Universe?

Midnighter meets the Joker!

Pros: Two universes collide!, some hardcore battles, edge is given to Wildstorm (since they're on home turf), lots of big action scenes, epic confrontations which sparked some controversy, competent art by Garbett who draws a pantheon of characters from both universes

Cons: Too crowded with characters on both sides, villain is one-dimensional and lame, implausible deaths, plot and dialogue are weak, convenient ending with events going back to 'normal', the battles are mostly big melees with no truly memorable matchups (aside from Zealot/Batman), art is fairly bland, too short to give any backstory on the characters

Mike Tells It Straight: Wildstorm was acquired by DC in the early 2000s and relaunched around 2006. The relaunch was mildly successful, but eventually lost steam. A line-wide crossover event began in 2008 with Wildstorm: Armageddon and eventually closed the universe down. Near the end of the run this crossover mini-series happened with the Wildstorm Universe battling the DC Universe. It was penned by veteran DC writer Keith Giffen (know for writing Justice League Europe/International and a slew of other books).

Get ready for war!

The art by Garbett is decent, but I found several scenes/portrayals to be lacking. The story was interesting, but ultimately disposable as with typical 'universe' crossovers. I expected a lot more from this series and it was advertised as much more. The status quo was not altered in the least which was disappointing. I didn't feel like Giffen 'got' the Wildstorm characters. The matchups didn't quite live up to the hype. The whole thing seemed rushed and the villain was utterly disposable. I don't recommend this series as a quality read (although somewhat compelling if you're a Wildstorm fan).

TO BUY and Recommendations:

Red Trade Paperback Review

2014-10-19T22:35:00.003-07:00

Red
DC Comics - Wildstorm
Softcover Trade Paperback
128 pages
$14.99 (2010)
$14.99 (2009)
$14.99 (2009)
ISBN 9781401223465

Contributors: Warren Ellis, Cully Hamner, David Self, and John Costanza

Reprints: Red #1-3 (of 3)

Synopsis: Paul Moses is a retired CIA operative who specialized in the most covert and violent black-ops missions. He's a force to be reckoned with and is currently Retired Extremely Dangerous (RED) after a long career of heinous wetwork. Now he just wants to live in secluded peace for the rest of his days. He is haunted by his past, but considers the suffering a kind of atonement for his sins. His only link to the outside world is the weekly check-in call with his retirement handler, Sally. She is an office worker who dreams of getting out an seeing the world, but Paul warns the world isn't as pleasant as it sounds.

Paul Moses is forced out of retirement

A new head of the CIA is appointed and every new director is shown the footage in Room R. This footage reveals Paul Moses and sets the tone for new directors to understand the history of the CIA. The latest director sees the footage and orders Moses dead. Too monstrous to live. It's a new millennium after all. A kill team is sent to Moses' house in an attempt to bury the CIA's secret. Ordering the kill on Moses is easier said than done and he comes out of retirement to punish the government agency which turned him into a monster.

Pros: Decent story concept and writing from Ellis, clean art from Hamner, violent with a suitably dark ending, pure action movie

Cons: Incredibly short read, flat characters, simple plot, not like the movie

Mike Tells it Straight: I haven't seen the movie based on this short mini-series, but it prompted me to check out the trade paperback. Fairly light read and extremely straightforward story. Nothing spectacular and certainly not a must-read book. I found it to be very simple, violent, and mildly interesting. Paul Moses is one bad mofo and he was better left alone. Makes me wonder if any real people exist with the same job descriptions. Okay, Ellis got lucky when this book was optioned for a movie which was much more entertaining (from the reviews I've read). The book is pure action without too much character development.

Paul Moses is a ruthless killer who just wants to be left alone

I'll have to check out the movie to see the exact differences, but the biggest one I can see are all the additional characters in the live-action version. Whereas the book has Paul Moses (played by Bruce Willis in the film), his retirement handler Sally, and a couple CIA higher ups. Oh yeah, and a ton of CIA agents who get killed by Moses. In the film we have Moses (renamed Frank) assailed by a hit squad without any explanation. He then gathers a team of ex-agents to discover the truth. None of this happens in the book.

The movie was completely different than the book

It's a blood bath for most of the three-issue series with a few minor character interactions (mostly ending in gunfire). Standard action fare with some glossy/cool moments and witty banter. The movie was popular (helped by an all-star cast including John Malkovich and Morgan Freeman). It even spawned a sequel - Red 2 (with rumors of a third installment). If you saw the movie first then don't bother reading the original story. The success of the movie spawned a series of five one-shot prequels starring the additional characters of the movie and later collected into a trade paperback. Look for a review in the next few months. Now I'll have to check out the movie to see if it's really better. What did you think? Leave a comment and let people know!

TO BUY and Recommendations:

Number of the Beast Trade Paperback Review

2014-10-16T22:30:00.000-07:00

Number of the Beast
DC Comics - Wildstorm
Softcover Trade Paperback
192 pages
$19.99 (2008)
ISBN 9781401219994

Contributors: Scott Beatty, Chris Sprouse, Karl Story, Neil Googe, Leandro Fernandez, Simon Coleby, Andy Smith, Drew Geraci, Brian Stelfreeze, Jonny Rench, Wes Abbott, Saida Temofonte, Mike McKone, and Darick Robertson

Reprints: Number of the Beast #1-8 (of 8)

Synopsis: A generation of heroes disappeared without a trace at the end of World War II. Rumors would have you believe they died when the bomb went off at Hiroshima. Some considered it a fitting end to the dangerous post-humans and vigilantes who fueled the war effort, but would be a liability back on domestic soil. Both heroes and villains were drafted into the war and they include:

The Paladins

The Redeemer - an immortal man who has walked the Earth for millennia, but still holds to himself and others to the highest standards of moral decency
Engine Joe - a massive cyborg made from tank and engine parts, he fights for the everyman
Mago - a mystic and premier magician, he rides a magic flying carpet
Black Anvil - a former football player who is now made of living iron
Aeronaut - uses a prototype jet engine on his pack and fights crime, full of himself
Thrush - she flies uses artificial wings
Falconette - the sidekick and daughter of the Thrush
Tumbleweed - a former army officer, he was changed from exposure to radiation at a bomb testing site, now he is covered in desert plants and has power over flora
Neandra - she is apparently a cavewoman with a big wooden club
Wallflower - has chameleon-like ability to blend with surroundings and can stick to walls
Midnight Rider - a leather-clad female vigilante who rides a motorcycle and beats people up
Johnny Ray-Gun - former ranch hand turned lazer pistol vigilante thanks to a pair of extraterrestrial pea-shooters
Honeybee - she has wings and a stinger, just like a bee and pretty good-looking
Mite - she can shrink to the size of a bug

The Crime Corps

Dr. Sin - genius-level intellect bent on world domination
The Stinkbug - wears a suit with a combination armor and terrible stink-smell producer
Hotfoot - youthful speedster with his eye on riches

The Changers

Eidolon - a spirit who glimpsed the world beyond, but was not allowed to pass on and is compelled to tell others of his experiences

The High - he was one of the most powerful superhumans on the planet, but went on a self-imposed exile. He returned and attempted to alter society by giving humanity all of the tools to either succeed or fail. His motto "Change or Die". His plans were stopped by Henry Bendix and Stormwatch before he destroyed himself by crashing into Skywatch's 'storm shield' barrier system.

The High comes face-to-face with the lost Paladins

What is the secret government program called "Number of the Beast" and its link to these forgotten superhumans? The elite Kheran warrior, Nemesis, was warned by extra-dimensional seer, Void, of the Wildcats, that an extinction-level event was going to happen in the near future. Nemesis was charged with trying to stop it. She enlisted help and was able to uncover one fragment of the secret, but the whole truth will be laid bare at last. Did the countdown to Armageddon just speed up?

We witness a seemingly endless loop of events as the heroes defeat the villains and avert the end of the world (again). What happens when a new element is added to the program - namely Eidolon and The High of The Changers? After the events of "Change or Die" the remains of the two superhumans were added to the Number of the Beast program, but their addition causes a massive instability. Will it trigger the end of the world?

Pros: Continues the Wildstorm Armageddon trilogy, some fun sci-fi elements (like when The High's liquefied remains get dumped into the Number of the Beast system), Chris Sprouse's art is slick as ever, seeing The High again was kinda cool, some mature themes and a suitably dark ending

Mago, Tumbleweed, and Engine Joe take a break from the Apocalypse
to have some breakfast

Cons: Plot is a bit scattered, The Paladins are all one-note characters, one scene where The High smashes a clone through the Moon is not done realistically, Reapers don't seem numerous enough to circle the globe, not as epic as I was hoping, inept government employees could not have kept the program secret for so many years

Mite is urged by Eidolon to reveal The High's deadly behavior

Mike Tells It Straight: DC Comics restarted the Wildstorm Universe in 2006, but by 2008 sales had waned and the idea for an epic, line-wide event was hatched. It began with Wildstorm: Armageddon as an impending apocalyptic event was revealed and heroes were charged with stopping it. Only one took the quest seriously and uncovered the first hint in Wildstorm: Revelations. Number of the Beast is the next chapter in the story and sees the full scope of Armageddon unveiled along with the fate of the lost generation of superhumans.

The High somehow manages to survive
being smashed to jelly attacking Skywatch

Scott Beatty does a decent writing job by infusing the story with humor, gore, and intrigue. The book reads like a '50s science fiction movie and was fairly entertaining. Chris Sprouse's art is slick and competent as usual (he was coming off of a great run on Tom Strong). Seeing The High again after his demise in Warren Ellis' classic Stormwatch: Change or Die storyline (which finished off that book and paved the way for The Authority) was welcome. Despite being a clear Superman knockoff, The High felt like an untapped character whose screen time was cut short.

This book was fun, but ultimately a disappointment due to a few key factors. The Paladins were all one-note characters and the reader doesn't get enough time to really care about them. The bumbling antics of the government employees in charge of watching the Number of the Beast program (which is supposed to be incredibly covert) was pathetic and there's no way could it have been hidden for so long. While I enjoyed the book after reading the first two chapters I'm not sure if it's a solid recommend. If you're a fan of the Wildstorm Universe and have followed the first two chapters then go for it. The events of this book continue in Wildstorm: After the Fall as John Lynch reforms Team 7 following the wake of Armageddon and also the separate World's End storylines in each Wildstorm title (Gen13, The Authority, Wildcats). I'll follow it to the inevitable conclusion and post upcoming reviews. The Wildstorm Universe officially ended and was later absorbed into the DC's The New 52 universe-wide relaunch.

TO BUY and Recommendations:

Why I Hate Saturn Graphic Novel Review

2014-10-05T23:19:00.000-07:00

Why I Hate Saturn
DC Comics - Piranha Press - Vertigo
Softcover Graphic Novel
208 pages
$17.95 (1998)
$14.95 (1990)
ISBN 9780930289720

Contributors: Kyle Baker

Synopsis: Anne is an insecure twenty-something living in New York City who manages to be a successful guerrilla columnist for an underground magazine named Daddy-O. You can usually find her bar-hopping with her best friend Ricky who is a serial dater. Anne drinks a lot (just like every good writer) and her life is full of angst. She doesn't feel pretty and is hopelessly shy around any guy she fancies. Most nights she drinks herself into oblivion yet manages to scrape together a column to keep herself afloat.

Anne and Laura don't exactly see eye to eye

Enter Anne's younger sister, Laura, who despite being taller and very fetching is apparently bat-shit crazy. She dons a garrish space-girl outfit and proclaims she's the "Queen of the Leather Astro-Girls of Saturn". Anne is too self-absorbed to question Laura's weird behavior or ask about the gunshot wound she had treated at the hospital (where Anne was concurrently being treated for alcohol poisoning).

Laura ends up staying at Anne's place and they're certainly an odd couple. Anne drinks constantly, is a complete slob, and never cooks her own food. Laura is a health nut, kind to others, an environmentalist, and doesn't really drink. If not for the nutty Saturn thing she'd be perfectly normal. Of course Laura drives Anne crazy and something has got to give sooner or later.

Anne's best friend Ricky is black and Baker offers a little perspective

Is there some truth to Laura's story? She seems convinced of her Saturn origins, but Anne is hardly buying it. When weird guys start appearing looking for Laura things get even more strange. Things start happening which prove Laura is in real danger (I guess the gunshot wound didn't really tip Anne off). Anne is left to decipher the clues and find out what's really happening. Does she even care?

Pros: Expressive art by Baker, interesting story with some good plot twists, lots of wry comedy, intriguing characters, witty banter, very New York/metropolitan, great period piece - it felt very late 1980s/early 1990s, won an Eisner award

How Laura met her second-to-last boyfriend

Cons: Black and white (with some grayscale, but not full color), pages/panels feel a bit repetitive, almost feels like the dialogue/story is stream-of-consciousness, last quarter of the book gets a bit silly and wraps up too easily

Laura manages to annoy Anne even from afar

Mike Tells It Straight: This graphic novel was completely different than I expected. The cover (Vertigo edition) had a goofy girl in a space suit vacuuming while eating an apple. The title letters are big and cartoony in bright colors. Nothing could be more different than the interior story and art. First off the book is black, white, and grayscale. No bright colors here. It's a story centered around dialogue and the characters riffing on everyday situations (think Seinfeld). It's an interesting and slightly perplexing read, but very hip (circa New York 1990) and has some great lines. I can't believe it's 20+ years old at this point and shows its age a little (good thing the '80s/'90s style is cycling back around nowadays). This graphic novel was Kyle Baker's major breakout work and earned him both an Eisner and Harvey awards. The original printing with Piranha Press felt gritty and underground, but Vertigo's version with the garish retro-1950s cartoon lettering screamed sellout. It's okay, Baker has earned it and he would probably agree.

I enjoyed Baker's art and story for what they were - comedy with a tiny hint of film noir. It would make a decent movie. Baker started in comics, but went off to Hollywood and did animation. He kept roots in the comic book world and added many great works (several one-shots for DC's Vertigo imprint, a run on Plastic Man, and Truth: Red, White and Black for Marvel which tweaked Captain America's origin slightly).

The original graphic novel cover

Why I Hate Saturn put him on the map and achieved critical acclaim. It's one of the best works from his early career and is a good read. The book is older and it's steeped in popular culture of the time which may cause a barrier for enjoyment today (no cell phones and Anne doesn't have a checking account, driver's license, or anything linking her to the grid). I grew up in the 1980s and had no problem following along, but younger audiences (i.e. millennials) may not dig it. Plus it's grayscale. Enjoy at your own risk.

UPDATE 8/13/2015: Kyle Baker is apparently planning to publish new chapters of Why I Hate Saturn! Exciting news as I would love to see an updated version for the present times. Read the article here.

TO BUY and Recommendations:

Wildstorm: Revelations Trade Paperback Review

2014-09-29T21:52:00.003-07:00

Wildstorm: Revelations
DC Comics - Wildstorm
Softcover Trade Paperback
144 pages
$17.99 (2008)
ISBN 9781401218676

Contributors: Scott Beatty, Christos Gage, Wes Craig, Jonny Rench, Web Abbott, and covers by Ivan Reis

Reprints: Wildstorm: Revelations #1-6 (of 6)

Synopsis: The Wildstorm Universe is headed toward an extinction level event caused by superhumans. Void is a reality warping member of the team Wildcats who warned several heroes in the past (our present) of the impending doom. She hoped one of them could stop the Armageddon from happening, but most blew off the warning as just another ordinary threat to the world. Except one hero named Nemesis who often stands at odds with ordinary heroes and lives in the shadows. She is a Kherubim born warrior and formerly of the Coda assassins (the same group Zealot was a member).

A brief recap of Wildstorm: Armageddon

Nemesis enlists the aid of Zealot's younger sister, Savant, and the new Backlash, Jodi Slayton (daughter of the original Backlash). Savant is another immortal Kherubim like Nemesis and possesses advanced scientific knowledge (including teleportation and a mind link). Jodi has superhuman speed and agility. Now the three women are risking their lives to find information on the coming Armageddon in order to defuse it.

This puts them at odds with the world's most powerful and secretive organizations. They must architect raids on Stormwatch (the UN-sanctioned superhuman organization), The Authority (sanctioned by no government, but taking responsibility for righting the wrongs of the world), the covert Department Psi of International Operations (of which Jodi's father Marc Slayton is the director), and Gamorra Island (the lair of the wicked Kaizen Gamorra).

The women must also sneak into a superhero planned community called Tranquility. Their searching draws the attention of Zealot and Grifter, sometimes of the Wildcats. Will the trio be successful in finding the cause of Armageddon? One thing is for sure - they just made enemies of practically the entire Wildstorm Universe! Of course Nemesis doesn't really mind...

Pros: Lots of action and intrigue, decent writing by Gage, great art by Wes Craig, nice covers by Ivan Reis, one big reveal concerning the relationship between Zealot and Savant, cool seeing Jodi one-up her dad (the original Backlash), the form of Armageddon is revealed (and it kind of makes sense), The Authority get served!

Cons: Only one major reveal that I could see (Zealot/Savant), the Welcome to Tranquility chapter feels a little out of place due to the tone of that series (less serious), Grifter and Zealot just sort of appear out of nowhere (like they're always hanging out fighting stuff together or something)

Nemesis is pretty tough if she can take on The
Authority all by herself

Mike Tells It Straight: Continuing from Wildstorm: Armageddon we follow Nemesis and her allies as they try to discover and stop the cause of Armageddon. I enjoyed both Gage's writing and Craig's art in this chapter. It was really nice to have one creative team after the multiple artists/styles on Armageddon. This book was non-stop action as the trio of women must snatch n' grab information from some of the most dangerous groups in the Wildstorm Universe. The big reveal about Zealot and Savant didn't seem new to me since I read it first in Majestic Vol. 3: The Final Cut. Not sure which books were published first, but this mini-series didn't seem heavy enough on the revelations.

I particularly liked the chapter focusing on Jodi manipulating her father (Marc Slayton, the original Backlash) to buy time while Nemesis infiltrated Department Psi. No Wetworks or Gen13 in this series, but it had enough going on without trying to cram more characters into the story. The overall story progresses as the form of Armageddon becomes clear. A superhuman apocalypse is on the horizon and seems pretty darn imminent. This series continues directly into Number of the Beast and then World's End. I've been a fan of Wildstorm since the beginning (Jim Lee was my favorite artists of the 1990s) and I enjoyed the DC revamp in the mid-2000s. Look for upcoming reviews of the next chapters in this saga.

TO BUY and Recommendations:

The Establishment Series Review

2014-09-13T21:56:00.002-07:00

The Establishment
DC Comics - Wildstorm
32/ea. = 416 pages w/ads (2001-2002)
$2.50/ea. = $32.50

Published: The Establishment #1-13 (of 13)

Contributors: Ian Edginton, Charlie Adlard, GH, Jenna Garcia, and Wildstorm FX

Synopsis: The British government has used a covert team of superhumans for well over a century. This group is known as The Establishment and protects Britain from all manner of impossible threats which conventional forces would be useless against.

The current group consists of:

Meet The Establishment (from left) - The Pharmacist, The Golden (3),
Jon Drake, George Bulman, Scarlet, and Raphe Equus

Jon Drake leads The Establishment and is a master tactician, but otherwise appears to be entirely human. Looks can be deceiving and he holds within himself an insane superhuman waiting to be let loose. He is a complex individual and sometimes rails against the orders handed down by the government.
The Pharmacist was a child prodigy and incredible intellect. His studies and self-experimentation while solving the riddles of the universe left him in dire physical distress. He was rescued from death's door by an all-powerful entity from a neighboring dimension. The extent of his abilities are unknown, but he is the most versatile member of the team. He can destroy and heal in equally vast measures while possessing the benign innocence of an emotionally stunted man-child. His hair is akin to The Bride of Frankenstein and he wears syringes on the tips of each finger. Both traits provoke it being hard to make friends.
The Golden are a trio of siblings who nearly perished in a plane crash in the Himalayas, but were rescued by a lost tribe of humanity. The children were given superpowers and mentally linked. Their powers include flight, energy projection, and the ability to creep people out.
Scarlet washed ashore on a beach with no memory of who she was or where she came from. She possesses immense strength, speed, and intelligence. Despite her seemingly capricious exterior she is a deeply caring person and married to another team member.
Raphe Equus is possibly the perfect human. He possesses great strength, speed, intelligence, and gorgeous wife (Scarlet). Highly capable, effective, and a snappy dresser.
George Bulman is a drunk. He usually hangs around The Establishment's headquarters either drunk or nursing a killer hangover before getting drunk again. He's a normal human with only one talent - to channel the spirit of a dead gay man.
Chris Truelove is a dead gay man who can be channeled by George Bulman. Truelove died because of Bulman and the pair are cursed to share a psychic link from beyond the grave. There exists a passageway for dead souls (called the "Dead Space" and actually the multi-dimensional corpse of a long-dead god) where Truelove inhabits. Many Earthly woes are caused by seepage of toxic creatures of the after-life from the Dead Space.
The Baron is currently a teen with the ability to summon hard light armor and weapons. All raging hormones and superhuman abilities.

The Establishment's latest mission includes repelling a Daemonite siege on a sleepy town where they discover a powerful metahuman named Charlie Arrows. Pre-cognitive with a mean streak, he's come home to die after being diagnosed with an inoperable brain tumor. Problems arise when an old schoolmate named Paul Frost appears and is definitely not what he appears to be (human that is).

The Pharmacist performs a quick diagnosis
of Charlie Arrows

Next they welcome the fine touch of publicity as the British government decides to debut them after The Authority hold the US government hostage. A group of decades-lost astronauts returns to Earth, but they brought something dreadful back with them. Only The Establishment can stop a takeover from little green men from outer space.

Something is rotten in Britain as the faces behind the manipulations are revealed on both sides. Dr. Orwell amasses a group of clandestine superhumans to pierce a hole in The Bleed, but the shadowy figure behind The Establishment's origins appears to stop him. Who is Mother? Can The Establishment rally in the eleventh hour to save the very fabric of space and time?

Pros: Edginton and Adlard write/draw every single issue together, some interesting and out-there story concepts, links up to greater Wildstorm Universe stories, very British, team has shown up (albeit rarely) in subsequent Wildstorm titles, massive homage to British pop culture and literary works

Cons: This series has never been collected and probably never will, art is decent although not flashy, plot and storylines tend to have convenient and outlandish endings, often more emphasis on witty banter than actual characterization

Mike Tells It Straight: This series was loosely spun out of the wildly popular series The Authority and was as similarly short-lived as the other spinoff, The Monarchy (which lasted 12 issues). Two Brits (Edginton and Adlard) are the duo behind the series and despite an obvious riff on the far more popular The Authority this series gives us some good science fiction stories. What I found particularly incredible is just how fucking British this series is. The amount of pop culture in-jokes and characters based as homages to other British television series/movies/novels was astonishing.

The Golden vs. an invading army from Venus

Listen, the art's not great, but Adlard went on to become the main artist on The Walking Dead (after Tony Moore evaporated following issue #6) and he can draw a story. He does some good work here and his art skills grow over the course of the series. Edginton is a solid writer and he writes some interesting stories. I really liked the fact he used dangling plot lines from other Wildstorm books as part of the stories. The most important one which ended this series was Alan Moore's Majestic at the end of the universe story from Wildstorm Spotlight #1 (reprinted in Alan Moore: Wild Worlds and Mr. Majestic).

The series is not the same caliber as The Authority (which had more flashy art, employed more widescreen scenes, and had better writing), but I found it rather entertaining. We get some interesting concepts and it links to the wider Wildstorm Universe in surprising ways. The ending felt a bit rushed, but was still good. I would recommend this series as an offbeat alternative to the mainstream (and quite frankly played out) The Authority books.

TO BUY and Recommendations:

Majestic Vol. 3 The Final Cut Trade Paperback Review

2014-09-07T21:56:00.001-07:00

Majestic Vol. 3 The Final Cut
DC Comics - Wildstorm
128 pages
$14.99 (2007)
ISBN 9781401212117

Contributors: Dan Abnett, Andy Lanning, Bruce Jones, Neil Googe, Josh Middleton, Diego Olmos, Kevin West, Javi Bit, Dan Davis, Philip Moy, Wildstorm FX, Carrie Strachan, Phil Balsman, Pat Brosseau, and Jared Fletcher

Reprints: Majestic #13-17 (of 17), Wildstorm Winter Special (2005)

Synopsis: Majestros is a Kherubim warlord who came to Earth millennia ago while fighting an interstellar war with another alien race called the Daemonites. Immensely powerful, he is the pinnacle of Kherubim physiology, mental prowess, and technology. In modern times Majestros has assumed the guise of a superhero and calls himself Mr. Majestic. The war with the Daemonites has ended, but Majestic remains on Earth to protect his adopted planet.

The battle heats up, but whose side is Helpsont on?

Majestic teamed up with his old partner Desmond (a genius-level tech geek) and Zealot to discover a secret cache of Kherubim technology hidden deep in the Earth. It predates his arrival and includes a fully functional planet-shaper core. The core is a hot commodity drawing Helspont into the open and even an envoy from Khera led by Majestic's old friend Javen. Majestic, Zealot and Helspont learn the dark secret of the Kherubim species and its link to life on Earth.

Javen explains the situation to Majestic and wants to enlist his aid in bringing the core back to Khera. He possesses a silver tongue and is an old friend, but can Majestic really trust him? Meanwhile Zealot locates Savant just in time to confront another Kherubim warlord - Imperator! He is teamed with Zealot's mother from the Coda and the pair have designs on the planet-shaper core as well. Can Majestic fight off Helspont and a rival Kherubim warlord?

Pros: Very exciting storyline to close the Majestic series, revelations about the relationship between Zealot and Savant (with a cool backup story), Neil Googe's art looks great, unique finish to the series

Cons: Several artists work on different issues (Googe only does about half the issues and not the final one) with varying art styles (from good to not so good), poor Desmond really gets mistreated in this series, a few highly convenient plot resolutions, font size used for Desmond's dialogue bubbles is too small

Does Majestic really die at the end?

Mike Tells it Straight: Abnett and Lanning bring their Majestic series to a close with this final explosive story arc. A major revelation drops concerning Zealot and Savant's origins amid the chaos. Helspont is put back in major league baddie status and Majestic has to take on an equally powerful Kherubim warlord named Imperator. The writers do a great job with pacing and ending each issue on a cliffhanger note. Googe's art was the highlight for visuals, but he's only around for half the issues and not the final one. The other artists are competent, but not nearly as polished.

Majestic faces one final threat with the world hanging in the balance. The series reaches its inevitable conclusion and I liked how the writers tie everything up. I guess all of the events here get retconned away in DC Comics New 52 version of Majestic which is a shame. You don't really need a Majestic when you already have a Superman. I enjoyed this series and Abnett/Lanning turned Majestic into a great alternative to the classic superhero with some good sci-fi stories.

TO BUY and Recommendations:

Wildstorm: Armageddon Trade Paperback Review

2014-09-05T23:08:00.004-07:00

Wildstorm: Armageddon
DC Comics - Wildstorm
Softcover Trade Paperback
144 pages
$17.99 (2008)
ISBN 9781401217037

Contributors: Christos Gage, Simon Coleby, Horace Domingues, Neil Googe, Dan Davis, Brandon Badeaux, Jonny Rench, Carrie Strachan, Jonboy Meyers, Tony Washington, Talent Caldwell, Steve Wands, Travis Lanham, Wildstorm FX and covers by Mike McKone, Randy Mayor.

Reprints: Midnighter: Armageddon #1; Welcome to Tranquility: Armageddon #1; Wetworks: Armageddon #1; Gen13: Armageddon #1; Stormwatch P.H.D.: Armageddon #1; Wildcats: Armageddon #1

Synopsis: The Wildstorm universe faces an apocalyptic event which threatens to destroy all life on Earth. Void travels back in time to warn a handful of heroes in an effort to avoid the tragedy. Her focus and powers are severely taxed. Does she choose the right heroes or will they be unable to avert disaster?

Midnighter is brought to a London in ruins where The Authority's carrier has crash-landed. Death is everywhere and Midnighter must find clues to what happened. Roving groups of superhumans scour the landscape. He assails the carrier's downed carcass to find clues to the whereabouts of his teammates and especially the fate of his lover, Apollo. Can the world's deadliest man play detective long enough to save the future?
Maximum Man has regained his powers and is reveling in the ability to transform from geriatric to invincible superman. He's getting lucky with the ladies (what else would you do), but coming under fire from attractive sheriff of Tranquility. Void appears and brings him to the future where Tranquility is in chaos. The community of superheroes are trying to keep the tide of evil superhumans from breaching the city, but are bearing the toll of their efforts. Can he figure out a way to stop the tragedy?
Jackson Dane and his Wetworks team are embroiled in battle with the Night Tribes. Void transports him to the future where the Tribes have gained the upper hand in Europe. They're using the remaining humans as cattle, but Wetworks is still fighting them from the shadows. The team has gained a few new members and hope still remains. Will Dane gain enough information to halt their rise to power before the Armageddon happens?
Caitlin Fairchild is tired of dealing with her immature teammates when Void sends her to the future. Amid the disaster she finds Burnout and Grunge. The pair have matured into true heroes and she helps them find Rainmaker who has been captured by a group of Coda. The sisters have established control over a town and are building a new sisterhood in the wake of Armageddon. Can Caitlin bring back enough experience to make a difference?
John Doran is a human cop enlisted by Jackson King to head up a new kind of Stormwatch to police superhuman threats. Void brings him to the future where he tries to find the remnants of his team. Some of them have disappeared, but a few fight for the safety of the powerless humans caught in the storm. Jackson King has reformed Stormwatch on a rebuilt Skywatch. He's seems highly unstable and Doran is fearful King will become just like his late father, the mega-maniacal Despot. Will John's police instincts glean enough knowledge from the future to avoid making it a reality?
Nemesis is a Kheran Coda warrior who trained under Zealot. She's an outcast by nature and has history with Majestic. When Void sends her to the future as her last ditch attempt at halting Armageddon she may have finally chosen right. She hooks up with what's left of the Wildcats and is shocked to witness Majestic actively fighting them! He's set up a utopian island in the midst of the carnage to try and restart society, but his ends don't justify the means. Will Nemesis be swayed to his cause or fight for independence?

Jackson Dane surveys the ruins of a future Europe

Pros: Great sampling of the Wildstorm Universe's characters/titles, interesting premise as a terrible cataclysm looms and heroes are given a glimpse - will they stop Armageddon?, some cool art, nice crossover of characters and a few new ones, unifying factor is one single writer in Christos Gage

Cons: Many different artists with jarringly different styles - some good and some not so good, might be overwhelming for readers unfamiliar with Wildstorm, Welcome to Tranquility issue felt out of place due to the vastly different look/tone of that series

Wetworks has gained a few new members

Mike Tells It Straight: The Wildstorm Universe was restarted by DC Comics in the mid-2000s with some degree of success. Armageddon was a sweeping crossover meant to generate buzz as sales began to wane. In a series of one-shots we're presented with an ultimate crisis happening in the future and Void trying desperately to avoid it. Her challenge is finding the right heroes who can bring back enough information to actually stop the atrocity. It doesn't seem very hopeful.

What I enjoyed about this book is the ability to glimpse each of the varying Wildstorm titles' art. I found Badeaux's art on Wetworks to be particularly detailed (followed by Talent Caldwell on Wildcats). Some of the art was weak (sorry Welcome to Tranquility). I think this series is a must-read if you enjoy Wildstorm and want to see where it goes (before the whole New 52 integration into the DC Universe). The follow-ups are Wildstorm: Revelations, Number of the Beast and the assorted World's End books. I'm planning to check those out next and stay tuned!

TO BUY and Recommendations:

Majestic Vol. 2 Meanwhile Back On Earth Trade Paperback Review

2014-08-16T00:03:00.004-07:00

Majestic Vol. 2 Meanwhile, Back On Earth...
DC Comics - Wildstorm
128 pages
$14.99 (2006) Trade Paperback
ISBN 9781401209896

Contributors: Dan Abnett, Andy Lanning, Neil Googe, Georges Jeanty, Scott Iwahashi, Carlos D'Anda, Richard Friend, Sandra Hope, Trevor Scott, Jonny Rench, Carrie Strachan, and Phil Balsman

Reprints: Majestic #8-12

Synopsis: Majestros is a Kherubim warlord who came to Earth millennia ago while fighting an interstellar war with another alien race called the Daemonites. Immensely powerful, he is the pinnacle of Kherubim physiology, mental prowess, and technology. In modern times Majestros has assumed the guise of a superhero and calls himself Mr. Majestic. The war with the Daemonites has ended, but Majestic remains on Earth to protect his adopted planet.

Majestic was shunted through the Bleed (an interdimensional passageway) to an alternate Earth where he briefly took the place of Superman when he disappeared from Metropolis. Eventually Majestic was able to return to his Earth with Superman's help, but he found the planet and humanity in great peril. He put things to rights and finally returns to an Earth in proper order, but he's been away for so long that things have changed.

Zealot shows up, but is she friend or foe?

His old partner, Desmond, a kid genius stuck in a wheelchair (a super-wheelchair at least), has used Kherubim technology to start a world-class cellphone company. Majestic stops an ancient Kherubim war-robot from killing Desmond, but how can there be ancient technology on Earth which predates Majestic's arrival? Can his former partner Desmond be trusted? A massive plot emerges which shakes the foundation of the origins of both humankind and Kherubim. This one's got it all - Zealot, Savant, Spartan, Majestic's old pal Javen from the Shaper's Guild, and even the return of the wicked Helspont!

Pros: Good follow up stories by writers Abnett and Lanning, art is fairly decent throughout, Majestic teamed up with some old allies (Zealot and Desmond), very nice use of bad guys - especially Helspont's return, very interesting origin for the Kherubim race and the war with the Daemonites

Cons: Majestic's new costume design is simplified...and boring, several artists work on this storyline with slightly different art styles, Desmond's character is mistreated

Mike Tells It Straight: The second volume of Abnett and Lanning's Majestic series started off very slowly and I thought it was going to a disappointment after the two thrilling stories from the first volume. Needless to say it delivered an interesting story with a major cliffhanger ending. I liked their reintroduction of Desmond (although why he was still young was a mystery) and the revelations of the Kherubim species' origin was well done. The writers made Majestic a true step forward for the character with this series and didn't hold anything back.

Who or what is Biomass?

DC purchased Wildstorm from Jim Lee (originally published with Image Comics in the 1990s when all the A-list artists at Marvel defected to start their own company). Lee stayed on as creative director for the publisher and DC allowed a bold crossover between Majestic/Superman in actual DC continuity (see Majestic: Strange New Visitor). This series spawned from the crossover which followed into a mini-series.
The art was very competent in this book, but several artists contributed and they had slightly differing styles. Neil Googe was the exclusive artists of the first book (he continued to improve), pencils the first issue in this volume and then is spelled by Georges Jeanty until returning for the final issues. Overall good art and no major complaints.

The final image of the book absolutely begs for the reader to continue to the next volume. I'll definitely bite and the third volume is the last of the series which seems like a shame. Majestic started out as a knock off of Superman and Abnett/Lanning make him a great alternative to the classic icon. More violent/mature, exciting, and with a less cumbersome history/supporting cast. Stay tuned for the final review to this series.

TO BUY and Recommendations:

Majestic Vol. 1 While You Were Out Trade Paperback Review

2014-08-09T23:05:00.001-07:00

Majestic Vol. 1 While You Were Out
DC Comics - Wildstorm
176 pages
$12.99 (2005) Trade Paperback
ISBN 9781401204839

Contributors: Dan Abnett, Andy Lanning, Neil Googe, Juan Santacruz, Sal Regla, Trevor Scott, Tony Avina, Randy Mayor, Carrie Strachan, Phil Balsman, Dexter Vines, Josh Middleton, and covers by Ed McGuinness

Reprints: Majestic #1-7

Synopsis: Majestros is a Kherubim warlord who came to Earth millennia ago while fighting an interstellar war with another alien race called the Daemonites. Immensely powerful he is the pinnacle of Kherubim physiology, mental prowess, and technology. In modern times Majestros has assumed the guise of a superhero and calls himself Mr. Majestic. The war with the Daemonites has ended, but Majestic remains on Earth. He has saved the planet many times over, but his methods are strategic and calculating.

He has never assumed a human guise until recently when he was shunted through the Bleed to another dimension's Earth. On this Earth he briefly took the place of another powerful hero named Superman and helped save a city called Metropolis. Majestic gained the respect of Superman and followed his advice to try living among the humans to gain a new perspective.

Superman and the Eradicator escort Majestic back to his home dimension, but things on Earth have gone awry. The entire planet appears deserted and a legion of mechanical automatons are hiding in the shadows. The three heroes confront them, but Superman and the Eradicator must return to their dimension before being trapped on Majestic's Earth. He bids them farewell and continues the search for the missing population. What could kidnap an entire planet's lifeforms and then disappear without a trace? The most powerful hero on Earth must solve the mystery. The faint trail leads him across the stars where he encounters a truly cosmic adventure. Will the reality be too big for even Majestic to conquer?
Majestic returns to a world where everything appears normal, but then a horde of Daemonites manifests from the onlooking crowd to attack him. Something is wrong, seriously wrong. The Daemonites have somehow taken over the world while he was gone and are using humanity as cattle (hosts). What happened to the heroes of the Wildstorm universe and how could this atrocity occur? Expect the worst. Now he's alone and hunted by an entire planet. Can even Majestic overcome these odds and how can he possibly salvage a situation at this scale?

Majestic builds a spacecraft using himself as the power source

Pros: Genuinely good stories by writing team of Lanning and Abnett, Majestic is truly put to the test, nice follow up to the two previous Majestic stories, Superman lends a little credibility to the title, decent art by Googe who gets better with every issue, Majestic's powers/capabilities get fleshed out some more (stealth suit and power damper)

Cons: Googe's art (particularly the faces) can be rough, some far-fetched sci-fi themes, convenient ending

Mike Tells It Straight: When DC first crossed Majestic into the mainstream Superman title (Majestic: Strange New Visitor) I thought it was a bold move and great way to maximize their acquisition of Wildstorm from Jim Lee a few years before. Having these two powerhouses meet and actually avoid the typical superhero misunderstanding brawl was a credit to the writing team of Abnett/Lanning. The pair of writers had a fantastic take on the character and were known for their cosmic adventures from Legion of Super-Heroes.

Majestic pulls out some Kheran toys to do battle

DC used the momentum from Majestic's Superman crossover to launch a new solo title for the character. The title featured multi-issue story arcs which differed from the original Mr. Majestic series by Joe Casey (which had one-shot stories strung together). I much preferred the longer stories as they built suspense from issue to issue.

Coming on board for this series was relative newcomer Neil Googe who started out rough with a lot of potential and improved with every issue. The art was detailed and competent despite having some initial trouble with facial expressions. Overall I enjoyed this book and recommend it if you like the Wildstorm Universe. The writers kept me guessing and I'm looking forward to the next volume.

TO BUY and Recommendations:

Ocean Trade Paperback Review

2014-07-17T15:08:00.000-07:00

Ocean
DC Comics - Wildstorm
Softcover Trade Paperback
176 pages
$14.99 (2005)
$19.99 (2009)
ISBN 9781401208493

Contributors: Warren Ellis, Chris Sprouse, Karl Story, Michael Golden, Tony Avina, Wendy Broome, Randy Mayor, and Wildstorm FX

Reprints: Ocean #1-6 (of 6)

Synopsis: In one hundred years humankind has begun exploring the interior of the solar system. The next frontier is interplanetary mining and of particular interest is the moon Europa orbiting Jupiter. This unique moon is covered in ice and is thought to have an actual ocean beneath its surface. The space station Cold Harbor orbits Europa in order to study its surface and interior. What they discover beneath the moon's surface is a secret so large it could destroy the entire human race.

Nathan Kane meets the crew of the Cold Harbor

Expert weapons inspector Nathan Kane is immediately dispatched to Cold Harbor orbiting Europa. His specialty is identifying weapons of mass destruction yet he abhors gun violence. An expert at hand-to-hand combat and master strategist, he narrowly survives an assassination attempt on Mars. Someone doesn't want him to reach Europa alive.

The Cold Harbor station is a remote outpost with a small crew of boring scientists. These include station commander Fadia Aziz, engineer Siobhan Coney, field scientist John Wells, and analysis expert Anna Li. The crew are completely freaked out by their discovery and the implications it has on the origins of human culture. Kane assesses the situation and comes to the conclusion that the entire human race is in grave peril.

The scientists are not alone in their orbit of Europa and another space station is run by the mega-conglomerate, DOORS. This company uses technology to subjugate the personalities of its employees into a hive mind during their lengthy work contracts for optimum efficiency and loyalty. The higher up the corporate ladder you climb the more draconian the upgrades. Commanding the DOORS station is a ego-maniacal corporate officer who prizes the capture of the alien technology over all else. His only thought is to gain this ancient race's secrets to further his own self-serving agenda and he doesn't care who pays the price.

Warren Ellis redefines 'corporate lackey'

Only Kane and the Cold Harbor's crew stand between the technology getting into the hands of those who would exploit it to the detriment of humanity. Can one skilled pacifist and a group of scientists repel the advances of a legion of corporate zombies? The human race stands upon a precipice of destruction as the secrets of our origin unravel.

Pros: Great sci-fi concept and setup, some interesting characters and personalities - Nathan Kane is a confident badass, lots of witty banter and one-liners, idea of a future corporation rewriting their employees' minds was absolutely spot on, a few clever tech advances to combat on space stations, very clean art by Chris Sprouse, and excellent covers by Michael Golden

Cons: Story resolution doesn't answer all the questions raised from the setup, things wrapped up a little too neatly, a few jokes that fell flat (burned food in the microwave on a space station, right!), they use a saucer-shaped shuttle to smash through the ice surface of Europa repeatedly - no way is that feasible, felt like a straight-up sci-fi comic book vehicle to get a movie made (which has not happened yet)

Mike Tells It Straight: Warren Ellis (Supergod, Switchblade Honey) writes an interesting sci-fi story with a really great setup. Chris Sprouse's (Tom Strong Vol. 1) art is superbly clean and he's a master of cinematic storytelling. These two are a great creative team and produce a solid story. Michael Golden provides some excellent covers. It felt like I was reading the storyboards for a movie and I could easily see this story being adapted to live-action (it's been optioned for a movie). I'd say the story would make a fairly good, mainstream sci-fi film.

Ellis writes the best witty banter

We get a cool protagonist in Nathan Kane with clever one-liners and a knack for always coming out on top (think Tom Cruise in Jack Reacher). Kane doesn't want to fight, but he'll kick your ass if you cross him. The crew had the stereotypical personalities of your cliche international scientist group and the ending was suitably exciting. Ellis and Sprouse add a few cool futuristic advances to technology (like guns that shoot special bullets on space stations) and the corporation that subjugates employees through technology was fairly brilliant.

Despite a neat setup I felt the second half of the book didn't deliver the goods. We get a frantic race between the two groups and an exciting confrontation in a unique environment (space station), but too few questions were answered about the discovery on Europa. The conflict wrapped up too easily as with most standard sci-fi movies. I'd say this book is a good, quick read which will peak your interest, but leave you a bit flat at the end.

A little sneak preview of what they discover beneath the surface of Europa

TO BUY and Recommendations:

Extinction Event Mini-Series Review

2014-07-14T22:43:00.000-07:00

Extinction Event
DC Comics - Wildstorm
Comic Book Mini-Series
32/ea. = 160 pages (2003)
$2.50/ea. = $12.50

Published: Extinction Event #1-5 (of 5)

Contributors: Robert Weinberg, Brett Booth, Sal Regla, John Layman, and Wildstorm FX

Synopsis: The contents of a secret tomb in Texas threatens to rock the world when proof of sentient dinosaurs is revealed! An unknown breed of technologically savvy dinosaurs is found in suspended animation amid the ruins of their incredible civilization. They apparently safeguarded themselves from the extinction level event of a falling meteor which wiped out all the other dinosaurs on the planet millions of years ago. Now a group of soldiers, scientists, and cowboys explore the silent halls of the dinosaurs ancient sanctuary.

The secret cave is located on the Double Bar Ranch owned by tom-boy heartbreaker Samantha Gonzalez. General Steele calls in two specialists for the operation including retired ace pilot Colonel Benson and computer specialist Lieutenant Cornelius. Alicia Vaughan is a reporter posing undercover to figure out the secret of the dig site and reveal it to the world. Chief paleontologist Dr. Melissa Cyre is the dinosaur expert, but her knowledge could be lacking when the dinosaurs are actually alive!

It becomes apparent the dinosaurs had an incredibly advanced civilization after examination of their machinery shows it to still be functional. Discovery of the creche triggers the process to awaken them and the dinosaurs are not impressed with the pathetic mammalian civilization which has supplanted their dominance over the planet!

When the dinosaurs awaken it becomes frighteningly clear the humans are not prepared for their arrival. Equipped with powerful technology and psychic abilities the dinosaurs begin their destructive assault. Only our intrepid group of specialists stand in the way of total dinosaur domination! Humans have enjoyed mastery over nature and the planet for millennia, but what happens when they become the next endangered species?

Pros: Reminded me of Jurassic Park crossed with Aliens, some decent and mildly inspired art by Brett Booth (he draws good dinosaurs), unique sci-fi story premise

Cons: Short mini-series at only five issues, ending begs for a sequel which will never happen, Booth seemingly excels at rendering humans with tiny bodies and overly extended appendages, overall weak plot

Mike Tells It Straight: I came across this set of books in a bargain bin and decided to try them out. The mini-series had a few interesting moments which mainly dealt with the discovery of the suspended dinosaurs, but was overall a mediocre book. Don't expect this to be collected anytime soon. While the premise seems mildly interesting and Weinberg does his best Jurassic Park interpretation the story ends up being far-fetched B-movie fodder.

Booth's art was a big draw for me since I was a child of the 90's during the formation of Image Comics. The character Backlash and Booth's early work on Stormwatch were particularly memorable to me. I'll always hold Backlash/Spider-Man in high regard, but it becomes obvious the artistic evolution of Image proteges doesn't include fundamental art principles when you get right down to it. Despite the flash and style, Booth's anatomy is wonky (disproportionately long torsos and limbs) and backgrounds are spotty. He's still a great artist with a lot of potential, but the art is awkward here.

I would let this one fade into obscurity. It will never be collected and that's a sign. I won't discount the obvious hard work involved in producing the series - the creators did a good job, however it's not a truly memorable story and won't be coming to a cinema near you.

TO BUY and Recommendations:

Mr. Majestic Trade Paperback + Series Review

2014-05-03T21:50:00.000-07:00

Mr. Majestic
DC Comics - Wildstorm
176 pages
$14.95 (2002) Trade Paperback
ISBN 9781563896590

Contributors: Joe Casey, Brian Holguin, Alan Moore, Ed McGuinness, Carlos D'Anda, Richard Friend, Mark Irwin, Jason Martin, Trevor Scott, Howard Shum, Dan Brown, Digital Chameleon, Richard Starkings, and Comicraft

Reprints: Mr. Majestic #1-6 (of 9); Wildstorm Spotlight #1

Synopsis: Mr. Majestic is a Kherubim Warlord, named Majestros, who came to Earth millennia ago during a war with the Daemonite species. In the modern era he is a superhero who protects his adopted planet and its natives. He uses a combination of extraordinary physical and mental exploits which make him one of the most powerful beings on the planet. His powers include flight, tremendous strength and durability, laser vision, and an advanced Kherubim intellect.

McGuinness' Majestic is an imposing figure

A deadly entity called the Cosmic Negator is going to intercept our solar system in fifty years and only Majestic knows of its existence. He rallies the most brilliant minds on the planet to devise a plan to save the world. Among these minds is the young cybernetic-powered genius Desmond who later becomes Majestic's partner. The group must figure out a way to disguise the solar system from the Negator's senses before it arrives while keeping the project secret to avoid mass-hysteria. Can Majestic and his covert group accomplish this monumental task in time? Watch as the decades tick by!

Subsequent adventures include a night on the town with fellow Wildcats member Ladytron. She has found religion in the Church of Gort, but will her fellow robots accept her when she still has organic parts? Majestic and Desmond must stop a space-time rift caused by an unlikely person. Will Majestic be able to stop the danger to the entire world by sacrificing the life of an innocent? Did you know Majestic had a son? Majestros uses a stolen piece of space-time material to reunite with his son, but the result is another deadly rift which threatens the planet. This time the stakes may be too high for Majestic to do the right thing. An intergalactic prison ship crash lands on Earth and Majestic must bring them back to justice before they wreak havoc on the planet. Majestic is ambushed by an interstellar gang of hot women who like to make powerful men their playthings. Meanwhile on Earth, Desmond must help the governments of the world survive the malicious Y2K crisis!

Casey throws in some fun sci-fi bits which were
sorely lacking from the Superman books of the time

The final story is a chilling time where entropy has finally consumed the universe. Only a handful of near-omnipotent beings have endured to witness this final passing. Among them is Majestic, but all organic life has perished, the stars have gone cold, and darkness becomes all. What awaits at the end of all things?

Pros: Joe Casey writes over-the-top super heroics, McGuinness pencils some solid art, Alan Moore story is pretty good, puts Majestic squarely in league with Superman in terms of power, each issue has a self-contained story, reminds me of the Silver Age Superman stories

Cons: Majestic is a knockoff of Superman, his supporting cast is woefully small (just Desmond apparently), short series, McGuinness is stolen away after only six issues, Casey's writing can be overly campy, final three issues of the series (not collected in this trade, thankfully) were pretty lame

Mike Tells It Straight: Mr. Majestic was introduced as an immensely powerful Kherubim in the pages of Jim Lee's Wildcats when it was still being published by Image Comics. The character became a Superman knockoff, but found some popularity under the pen of Alan Moore during his run on the book with up-and-coming artist Travis Charest. Majestic was portrayed as a stoic hero/warrior with no time for a personal life and consumed by the long war with the Daemonites. He was the perfect straight man for the team and proved to be an interesting addition. Most Image characters at the time were more flash than substance, but Majestic endured to become a recurring character in the series and eventually gained this solo book.

Majestic runs into an interstellar gang of
ladies who use men as sex objects (kewl!)

Joe Casey has become a prolific comic book writer and Ed McGuinness is one of the best modern artists today. These two future stars paired up on this book and deliver a good product. Casey's Mr. Majestic is a superhero who doesn't need a secret identity because he never has any down time, he performs impossible feats (like moving entire planets), and never lets any personal hardship or moral crisis get him down. Casey essentially delivers Superman stories reminiscent of the Silver Age (where grim and gritty never existed and no one questioned the scientific validity of superheroes' outrageous accomplishments) and McGuinness delivers his trademark style (a bit anime-inspired, mixed with some Jack Kirby).

What I found really interesting here is McGuinness and Casey both got moved to the main Superman titles after this short Mr. Majestic series. It became a stepping stone to much greater mainstream success with DC Comics. The title only lasted another three issues (one story arc) once McGuinness left. The final arc is not collected here and has never been reprinted. It's a good thing as the art style by Eric Canete and Juan Vlasco was too different from McGuinness' signature style. The story itself (which sees Majestic join an elite group of cosmic beings) seems to have been thankfully erased from the character's history.

Overall I enjoyed the first issue of this collection and the Alan Moore story. The rest of it was decent, but not particularly noteworthy. Joe Casey was filling a void at a time where the Superman titles were all convoluted messes. If you liked Godland (also by Casey) then you'll probably dig this series. I like where the Majestic character has gone since his beginnings in Wildcats and this first solo series may be interesting to others, but I don't highly recommend it. His supporting cast is weak and the stories have no lasting impact that I can tell. Check out Majestic: Strange New Visitor for his crossover with the DC Universe. I'll be reading the follow up solo series which came out of the crossover to see how it fares (it lasted twice as long as this series which is a good sign).

TO BUY and Recommendations: