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Tag Archives: Fantastic Four

I&N Store 9/12

13 Thursday Sep 2018

Posted by ScottNerd in I&N Store

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Tags

aftershock comics, Ales Kot, Ann Nocenti, berger books, Catwoman, Cemetery Beach, christopher cantwell, crossed +100: mimic, Daredevil, Dark Horse Comics, David Aja, DC Comics, Detective Comics, eliot rahal, Fantastic Four, hot lunch special, I&N Store, Image Comics, Images and Nerds, imagesandnerds, Jason Howard, jorge fornés, mage: the hero denied, martin morazzo, Marvel, Matt Wagner, moth & whisper, oblivion song, previews, she could fly, Superman, the amazing spider-man, The New World, The Seeds, The Wicked & The Divine, Tradd Moore, volition, Warren Ellis

Sorry if I don’t hit all of the notes you’ve come to expect.

Bachelor in Paradise–final two episodes of the season–

And I just can’t.

I mean, come on: Kendall and fucking Grocery Store Joe!  I was like Nooooooooooo

And Kevin and Astrid. Goddamn it, Kevin, ya big, dumb dope!  80% this plus 20% that equals 100% stupid.

Am I right?

  • Cemetery Beach #1 (Image): I&N Demand Warren Ellis and another out-of-this-world premise–a sci-fi twist on Papillon, perhaps?–that’s good enough for me.  Plus: any time I see a title that’s Fill-in-the-blank Beach, I’m taken back to Matthew Arnold’s “Dover Beach,” and I’m filled with a kind of curdled joy, which is burdensome, sure, but is satisfying, too.  The “generations of lunatics,” a phrase borrowed from the Cemetery Beach preview on PreviewsWorld.com reminds–loosely yet lovingly–of the “ignorant armies clash[ing] by night” in Arnold’s lovely yet melancholy lyric poem–an invitation, a commentary, a warning–from 1867.  So, yeah: looking forward to this one–even if “Warren Ellis” is, ultimately, the only legit reason for my forward looking.

ellis

  • Mage: The Hero Denied #12 (Image): I&N Demand Well, look at that: I referenced in my write-up for Batman #54 the glorious green bubbles that caught my eye thirty or so years ago–that drew me to Mage: The Hero Discovered and the adventures of Kevin Matchstick–without having seen the cover to this issue.  Now that’s magic.

mage12

  • The New World #3 (Image): I&N Demand #2 was fun, fun, fun!  Aleš Kot kicked the conflict into high gear; he pushed the peril to the metal: struck by something undefinable while in the midst of a televised takedown, Stella decides to take a risk, trading a seemingly cushy future for, well, a seemingly mushy fugitive.  Isn’t that how all great love stories begin?  Shifting: Now, I’m not an artist, still I find Tradd Moore’s art humbling.  (Heather Moore’s colors are there to rub it in, ain’t they though?  They force the eyes wider, and, along with the mister’s living, breathing lines, create an immersive experience that is absolutely exhilarating!)  See: each page turn is bigger than the next; and there I am, bearing the weight of the lines and the colors, which support gloriously Kot’s big ideas, and I’m just like Wow.  That’s some spinning-in-your-bed while spinning-some-Floyd-vinyl shit going on.  “Legendary,” indeed.  You know what I need?  I need to see this as a cartoon.  A big-screen motherfucking cartoon movie.  Please make this into a cartoon movie.  Thank you.  Next up: a little surgery.  Goin’ to the scalpel of love…

tnw3

  • Oblivion Song #7 (Image)
  • The Wicked + The Divine #39 (Image)
  • the seeds #2 (Dark Horse/Berger Books): I&N Demand Loyal readers might remember: I celebrated #1 with a 22 I&N 22; and looking back at the post–proud of that one, for sure!–and at the issue, I’m reminded of the perfection–as seen in the hive, in the perfect-every-time hexagon of the humble honeybee–of the initial offering.  Ann Nocenti’s writing is stinger sharp, piercing the part of us that reads and feels and thinks and looks to connect with another afflicted soul–one driven deeper into the comforting yet conflicting chasm of conspiracy, colored, unfailingly by David Aja, a loud khaki green. Fuck.  I can’t wait to get my hands on this one.

theseed

  • She Could Fly #3 (Dark Horse/Berger Books): I&N Demand She Could Fly #2 moves– it flies at a pace that reflects well Luna’s undeterred descent into madness, her succumbing to the stressors that surround her, including family, mystery, and–ceiling the deal–gravity.  But she’s not the only one falling: oh no: see, everyone around her–and a significant one who was above her–has fallen or is falling in some way, be it morally, mentally, physically, interpersonally.  Yup: lots of falling.   Any surprise that the issue wraps up in a basement?  Christopher Cantwell’s driving home the point–and is driving it down, down, which will make the rise–there’ll be a rise eventually, right?–that much more satisfying, I’m sure.  Add to the mix the discomfort drawn into the narrative by Martin Morazzo’s hectic panel work, and the result is a trap that, even in the freedom of chaos, feels increasingly claustrophobic.  Bill and Luna might “need to talk,” but, damn it, I need to read.  Gimme #3!

scf

  • Catwoman #3 (DC)
  • Detective Comics #988 (DC)
  • Superman #3 (DC)
  • The Amazing Spider-Man #5 (Marvel)
  • Daredevil #608 (Marvel)
  • Fantastic Four #2 (Marvel)
  • Crossed +100: Mimic #5 (Avatar)
  • Hot Lunch Special #2 (AfterShock): I&N Demand Well, wasn’t Hot Lunch Special #1 just the biggest surprise?  Hell yeah, it was!  I ate that shit up and loved every crumb.  I was moved to write an inspired 22 I&N 22, and I hope pray expect that Eliot Rahal and Jorge Fornés will move me in much the same manner with this second helping of sandwiches and sumbitches, trucks and ho-lee fucks!

hls

  • Moth & Whisper #1 (AfterShock)
  • Volition #2 (AfterShock)

What are you looking forward to this week?

If you were looking forward to Kendall and Grocery Store Joe getting back together–and, why not, while you’re at it, to Astrid and Kevin getting back together–well, then, fellow citizen of Bachelor Nation, you got your wish.

Turning pages,

Scott

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I&N Store 8/8

13 Monday Aug 2018

Posted by ScottNerd in Uncategorized

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

Abstract Studio, aftershock comics, Amazing Spider-Man, berger books, black badge, boom studions, Catwoman, christopher cantwell, clankillers, Dan Slott, Dark Horse Comics, DC Comics, eternal empire, Fantastic Four, farmhand, hilary jenkins, hot lunch special, Image Comics, Images and Nerds, in demand, Joelle Jones, Jordie Bellaire, Kyle Higgins, Laura Allred, martin morazzo, Matt Kindt, Miroslav Mrva, NCBD, oblivion song, previews, reviews, sandman universe, she could fly, Stephen Mooney, strangers in paradise xxv, Superman, Terry Moore, the dead hand, Tom King, Tyler Jenkins, unnatural

I was on a frame vacation–which is a vacation within a vacation, of course–and didn’t have time to flesh out my previews for 8/8’s books.  So, for you Images and Nerds completists out there, here’s a quick rundown.  This go-round, said rundown will be more re- and less pre- as I’ve read all of our I&N Demand books.

Thanks for your understanding.

  • The Dead Hand #5 (Image): I&N Demand I’m loving this series.  Haven’t heard much buzz about it, but it’s really good.  Kyle Higgins is doing great work here, playing with paranoia, with isolation, with existentialism and with an external existential threat, which, at this point, has found its way into Mountain View, a community essentially built upon a cleverly conceived existential threat of its own–one that wears the face of and, more important, particularly as it pertains to the development of the pervasive danger in the book, exhibits the mental and emotional capacity of a child.  (Parents: hits pretty close to home, no?  Ha!  Another fine twist!)  Stephen Mooney’s artwork, accentuated by Jordie Bellaire’s colors, helps to stretch the tension from panel to panel, page to page, issue to issue.  Sure, the Cold War might be over, but there are bombs still waiting to go off–and a shit ton of them are planted in the pages of The Dead Hand.

dead

  • Eternal Empire #10 (Image)
  • Farmhand #2 (Image)
  • Oblivion Song #6 (Image)
  • Unnatural #2 (Image)
  • She Could Fly #2 (Dark Horse/Berger Books): I&N Demand The first issue was a promise; and with #2, Christopher Cantwell, Martin Morazzo, and Miroslav Mrva delivered on it.  For one, the book moves at a decapitating pace; yeah, the narrative threads–see, they’re piano wire, and the quick cuts’ll leave your head in your hands.  (The cover’s got that covered, yo.)  The madness that fuels the frenzy is manifested meticulously, which may seem contradictory in reflection, but instead makes sense–which, considering the nature of the creator-reader relationship, in the end, makes all the sense in this mad, mad, mad, mad world.  Cool touch: Luna’s barrettes look like devil horns.  You know, once I noticed that, I couldn’t not see it and was like Wow, cool touch.  I even showed my wife.  She said, “Oh, yeah” and then went back to her phone–on Pinterest or Etsy or Instagram or Match or whatever the hell it is she spends so much time on.  She could swipe, that one.  But She Could Fly, if it keeps up this level of storytelling, will touch the fucking sun.

she

  • Catwoman #2 (DC): I&N Demand Joëlle Jones has brought her sexy lines and lots of leather together to give us the solo Catwoman we knew we needed and have desperately wanted, especially since the Tom King proposed the whole Bat-Cat thing.  #1 hit a lot of great notes writing-wise and art-wise.  Some of those notes were echoes of Jones’ terrific Lady Killer, which was, in retrospect, the perfect audition for Catwoman.  This second issue didn’t scratch the same spots as the first, but Jones whipped up a solid issue nevertheless–particularly in the portrayal of Cat’s angst over the big Bat break up and the development of the mystery surrounding Lady Creel’s plan for Selina; and, again, with the lines and the leather–and the Laura Allred’s luscious colors–all of it justification for my objectification of the femme feline–it’s damn easy on the eyes.

STL088823

  • Sandman Universe #1 (DC/Vertigo)
  • Superman #2 (DC)
  • Amazing Spider-Man #3 (Marvel)
  • Fantastic Four #1 (Marvel): I&N Demand The First Family is back!  Well, they’re almost back–and that, kids, is your hook.  But could their return be Doom-ed from the start?  Can’t wait to see what Dan Slott’s got in store for comicdom’s most indispensable four.

STL096763

  • Black Badge #1 (BOOM!): I&N Demand I’m kind of a Kindt junkie, and, logically, following with more figurative language, Black Badge is my next fix–oh, and how satisfying #1 was.  Exploiting the same chemical formula that worked so well in the intoxicatingly agitative Grass Kings–Kindt+Jenkins^2=masterfully mature storytelling and a well-deserved Eisner nom–Black Badge bursts onto the scene like a nostalgia bomb with a perfectly-paced adventure that calls to mind the ubiquitous kidventure movies of the ’80s (Stand by Me and The Explorers were two of my faves) and mirrors those games my friends and I used to play on the farm, as we’d battle imaginary Nazis or Russians a la Where Eagles Dare or Red Dawn.  These kids, however, aren’t playing a game–and neither is the creative team: this is some dark stuff; and like good little scouts, we best be prepared for more.  See: “Nobody can do what [they] can do.  No one can go where [they] can go.”  (Hey! you say?  “They”? Doubled for your pleasure, fair reader!  OK, you got me: mostly for mine.)  For the week, Black Badge #1 is #1 with a bullet drone strike.

black.jpg

  • Clankillers #2 (Aftershock)
  • Hot Lunch Special #1 (Aftershock)
  • Strangers in Paradise XXV #5 (Abstract Studio): I&N Demand Terry Moore’s return to Paradise has been exhilarating, with familiar faces and events unfolding, particularly around Katchoo, at a breakneck pace.  #5 slows things down a bit a lot to offer a history lesson, which is meant to make the mystery lessen a lot a bit, which it does–though not before Moore uses Katchoo–and her big ol’ yawn–to let us know that it’s OK that we got a bit–yeah, a bit–beaten up by Tambi’s walking like an Egyptian through her explanation of the situation that plagues them both.  In the end, however, Katchoo faces defeat her feet and realizes that she’s got to change her attitude–and her longitude–if she’s going to get to the truth.  Another black and white beauty from Mr. Moore.

strange

 

Thanks for reading!

Turning pages,

Scott

 

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What’s I&N Store (3/12)

11 Tuesday Mar 2014

Posted by ScottNerd in What's I&N Store?

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Tags

Ales Kot, All-New X-Men, Astro City, Avatar, Brian Michael Bendis, CAFU, Canaan White, comics, David Lapham, DC Comics, Death Sentence, Dynamite, East of West, Fantastic Four, Fred Van Lente, Garth Ennis, Hawkeye, IDW, Image, James Robinson, Jonathan Hickman, Kevin Eastman, Kieron Gillen, Kurt Busiek, Leonard Kirk, Magnus: Robot Fighter, Manifest Destiny, Marvel, Matt Fraction, Matt Kindt, Michael Walsh, mike Dowling, Monster & Madman, Montynero, Nick Dragotta, Red Team, Rob Williams, Ross Campbell, Royals: Masters of War, Secret Avengers, Si Spurrier, Simon Coleby, Steve Niles, Stray Bullets, Stuart Immonen, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Titan, Tom Waltz, Uber, Unity, Valiant, Vertigo, X-Force

My work here is done.  Time to get to work.

  • Astro City #10 (DC/Vertigo): Busiek’s Winged Victory tour has been a revelation!  Hope it soars right to the end.
  • Royals: Masters of War #2 (DC/Vertigo): #1 was a jolly good show!  Rob Williams’ characters were instantly engaging; and Simon Coleby’s art was terrific, like Jae Lee with more detail and without the reliance on silhouettes.  Together, they’ve delivered a well-rounded opening salvo filled with “awe,” “exhilaration,” “excitement,” and “fear.”  Has a depth that separates it from the very similar Uber, which just so happens to be on tap this week, as well.
  • Monster & Madman #1 (IDW): Frankenstein’s monster and Jack the Ripper together in the same book?  Oh, and Steve Niles as the facilitator?  Yes, please!
Monster & Madman #1

Monster & Madman #1

  • Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #32 (IDW): Ross Campbell’s surprisingly strong run on the post-“City Fall” arc comes to an end.  Good news, though: one of our favorites, the terrific Mateus Santolouco, is back with #33!
  • East of West #10 (Image): A compelling read that has really started to take off.  It’s a solid showcase for Hickman’s serious side, which is a nice counterpoint to his maniacal The Manhattan Projects.
  • Manifest Destiny #5 (Image): I’m just about done.  It’s a shame, really: #1 promised so much–maybe too much.
  • Stray Bullets: Killers #1 (Image): Gonna have to stick this on the ol’ Catch Up pile because…
  • Stray Bullets Uber Alles Edition (Image): I recently read the first four issues of Stray Bullets on Dave Lapham’s website.  Have been waiting for this bad boy ever since.  Thanks to my man Derek for pointing me in this direction.
Stray Bullets

Stray Bullets

  • All-New X-Men #24 (Marvel): I’m a sucker for the Shi’ar Imperial guard, so…
  • Fantastic Four #2 (Marvel): I’m a fair fella. I put The All-New Invaders out of my mind–only after a bit of a purple purge–and jumped into James Robinson’s reboot of The World’s Greatest Comic Magazine with the optimism of an innocent.  As it turned out, it wasn’t bad.  It wasn’t fantastic, but it wasn’t bad.  Robinson–one of our favorite writers of 2012–set the terms of his take on the cosmic quartet–with fine art from Leonard Kirk–and did so well enough for me to follow along.  4 Now! anyway.
  • Hawkeye #17 (Marvel): Sure, we’re bee-bopping around a bit, but it doesn’t matter much: wherever Fraction fires his arrows on Hawkeye, they hit the mark emphatically.  This departure from the deafening events of #15 promises to be “a raucously adorable and hilarious animated adventure.”  Sock it to me!
  • Secret Avengers #1 (Marvel): The secret’s out: Ales Kot and Michael Walsh are teaming up again (see Zero #1 or the recently released Zero TP) for an Avengers title that I’m really looking forward to.  No, really.
Secret Avengers #1

Secret Avengers #1

  • X-Force #2 (Marvel): I didn’t really love #1.  Heck, I barely liked it.  But I’m going to give it another issue because Si Spurrier has earned my not-so-easily-earned loyalty.  (Yes, I’m still riding the high of the meticulously meta Six-Gun Gorilla, one of our favorite books of 2013.)
  • Death Sentence #6 (Titan): No hyperbole here: this is one issue away from cementing itself as the mini to beat for 2014.  Writer Montynero’s made himself a must-read–the result of his brilliant storytelling, his unforgettable characters and his insightful back matter.  Mike Dowling’s art–which calls to mind the fabulous Sean Phillips–is the perfect complement to Montynero’s wild, wild words.  If you foolishly missed out on this rocking good time, fret not: there’s always the trade.
Death Sentence #6

Death Sentence #6

  • Red Team #7 (Dynamite): Wow.  Forgot this was a thing.
  • Magnus: Robot Fighter #1 (Dynamite): Fred Van Lente’s bringing Magnus back, and, I’m like a groupie, so, yeah, I’m going to pick this up.  Don’t have any experience with the character, so, yeah: groupie.  Oh, c’mon: you know you’re down with FVL.
  • Uber #10 (Avatar): Still solid.  Wondering how long Gillen’s going to go with it.  Wonder how long he can go on with it.  Fair or not: I’m going to be holding it to Royals: Masters of War.  It’s the nature of the business, ain’t it?  Yeah, comics are hell.
  • Unity #5 (Valiant): Looking forward to the new arc, which has not been billed as Kindt, CAFU, and you.  Man, it should’ve been.

What are you looking forward to this week?

Turning pages,

Scott

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What’s I&N Store (2/26)

24 Monday Feb 2014

Posted by ScottNerd in What's I&N Store?

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Alan Moore, Brian Wood, Cary Nord, Dark Horse, David Aja, DC Comics, Dead Boy Detectives, Deadly Class, Doc Savage, Dynamite Entertainment, Ed Brisson, Fantastic Four, Garry Brown, Hawkeye, Howard Chaykin, IDW, Image, James Robinson, Johnnie Christmas, Jonathan Hickman, Jordie Bellaire, Kevin Eastman, Kieron Gillen, Kurtis J. Wiebe, Leonard Kirk, Marvel, Matt Fraction, Matt Kindt, Mind MGMT, Miracleman, Nick Pitarra, Pariah, Rat Queens, Rick Remender, Robert Venditti, Roc Upchurch, Ross Campbell, Satellite Sam, Scott Snyder, Sean Murphy, Sheltered, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, The Manhattan Projects, The Massive, The Wake, Three, Valiant, Vertigo, Wes Craig, X-O Manowar

A nice list of books to round out the month.

  • The Massive #20 (Dark Horse): #19 struggled a bit to to rise to the level of “Longship.”  It was to be expected, I suppose, even as expectations were expectedly ramped up as a result of the exquisite study in tension that was the showdown between Cal Israel and Bors Bergson.  In general, there is something magical about how Brian Wood gets more out of simmering than most get out of boiling.
  • Mind MGMT #19 (Dark Horse): Matt Kindt is working at a completely different  level; and, in that, he’s competing against himself–and winning, wouldn’t you know!  Oh, you know–because you’re a regular reader of Mind MGMT, right?  If you’ve been a regular reader of our humble blog, then you know that #16 was our favorite issue until #17 came along and earned our coveted Best Single Issue of 2013 award.  #18–our #1 book of January 2014–has trumped #17 as our favorite issue of Mind MGMT to date; so you know what we’re expecting: #19 is going to be better still!  It’s going to be magic!
Mind MGMT #19

Mind MGMT #19

  • Pariah #1 (Dark Horse): Sounds interesting enough; has me thinking Gravity, obviously, but that’s OK.  The creators–Aaron Warner, Phillip Gelatt, and Brett Weldele–come with some impressive credits, so I’m going to give it a try.
  • Dead Boy Detectives #3 (DC/Vertigo): A unique narrative with a decidedly Vertigo vibe.
  • The Wake #6 (DC/Vertigo): According to Scott Snyder: “#5 [was] the big game changer.”  If that means that the series is suddenly going to get interesting, a bit more challenging, then terrific.  If it simply speaks to the leap forward in time that we’ve been hanging onto since #1, then I’m bored already.  Aside from some Snyder-esque horror in #3, the series has been an absolute snoozefest.  This is a rep-read–did I just coin that?–if there ever was one.
  • Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #31 (IDW): I’m still marveling over the fact that I’m reading a Turtles book.  Thing is, it’s good.  The writing’s solid, and Ross Campbell’s art is terrific; it suits the situation in which the Turtles find themselves perfectly.  And it certainly doesn’t hurt that Mateus Santolouco’a return to the title is just around the corner.  Sweet!
TMNT #31

TMNT #31

  • Deadly Class #2 (Image): I’ve about reached the end of my Remender rope.  But I have just enough left for this one.  I hope I get a bit more than recycled schemes, though.
  • The Manhattan Projects #18 (Image): Clinically insane, historically hilarious.  Engaging despite its evolving at a Darwin-esque clip.  #17 ends on a Hickman high note: a heavily armed General Westmoreland flips off Einstein–easily one of my favorite characters–and fires, “F&@% your science, Doctor…I’ve got a machine gun.”  Genius!
  • Rat Queens #5 (Image): It sure as hell ain’t high art, but who gives a rat’s ass?  Wiebe and Upchurch are spreading a plague of royal merriment!  Catch it as quickly as you can!
Rat Queens #5

Rat Queens #5

  • Satellite Sam #6 (Image): All I remember of #5: lots of below the belt lip service.  Now, with the oral stage set, what’s to come, Sigmund Fraction?  I hope we get back to business–before the afterglow turns totally to aftergloom.
  • Sheltered #7 (Image): #6 offered up an interesting angle: the adult as the innocent.  Derek and I talked about it here: I&N the Gutter with…Sheltered.  I’m hoping that this series stays tight and doesn’t get tedious–like Revival, for instance.
  • Three #5 (Image): #3 was great.  #4 didn’t quite have the same impact but was a damn fine follow up with an edge of your seat cliffhanger.  Can’t wait to see how it plays out here in #5. Kieron Gillen’s got something really good going with Three. Looks like when he’s doing his own thing, as with Uber, he’s much more effective and, ultimately, more engaging. He grabs his angle, does his research, and soars.
  • Fantastic Four #1 (Marvel): James Robinson’s The All-New Invaders has been a major disappointment.  In fact, we called out #1 as our Biggest Dis(appointment) of January.  We all know that Robinson’s capable of so much more.  Well, I hope he brings that more to Fantastic Four–and I hope what he and Leonard Kirk bring together as a team to “The World’s Greatest Comic Magazine” justifies the reboot.
  • Hawkeye #15 (Marvel): Wouldn’t you know: a filtered Fraction is a much better–and certainly sexier–Fraction. But Fraction’s only half of the team that’s serving up the second best hero book–after Daredevil , of course–in the Marvel Universe: David Aja has a hand–a very active hand, sexually actually–in the sexification of Clint Barton, as well. Hey Derek!  Smart move jumping onto Mind MGMT–finally. Now it’s time to set your sights on some super hero action. What are you waiting for?  I’ll even lend you my trades!
Hawkeye #15

Hawkeye #15

  • Miracleman #3 (Marvel): I’m hooked on Alan Moore’s Miracleman! Gosh, I wish I had read these stories back in the day, though. But thanks to Marvel for giving me an opportunity enjoy them now.  Could do without all of the ancillary material, however.
  • Doc Savage #3 (Dynamite): On the strength of Derek’s recommendation, I’ve picked up the first two, but I haven’t gotten around to reading them yet.
  • X-O Manowar #22 (Valiant): A reliable read, though rarely remarkable.  Aric, however, remains one of my favorite characters.  I wonder whether or not Aric’s involvement in Unity will bring a little something extra to this book.  We’ll see.

What are you looking forward to this week?

Turning pages,

Scott

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Back & Forth: Hail the Future Heroes of Yesteryear!

26 Tuesday Mar 2013

Posted by dmainhart in Back and Forth

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Tags

2001: A Space Odyssey, 48 Hours, Adventure Time, Archer & Armstrong, Betty Page, Bravest Warriors, Buddy Cops, Chris Samnee, Cliff Secord, Dark Horse Comics, Darwyn Cooke, Dave Stevens, Dirty Money, Emanuela Lupacchino, Eric Stephenson, Evan Shaner, Fab Four, Fantastic Four, Fonografiks, Fred the Clown, Fred Van Lente, Guillermo Ortego, IDW, Indiana Jones, J. Bone, Jack Kirby, Jeff Smith, Joey Comeau, Jonathan Hickman, Jordie Bellaire, kaboom!, Lethal Weapon, Lisa Moore, Mark Waid, Michael Caine, Mike Holmes, Nate Bellegarde, Nate Crosby, Nick & Nora, Nowhere Men, Robert Osborne, Roger Langridge, Rush Hour, Ryan Pequin, Snarked, Stan Lee, Stanley Kubrick, Starsky and Hutch, TCM, Terry Pratchett, The Beatles, The British Invasion, The Da Vinci Code, The Rocketeer, The Rocketeer: Hollywood Horror, The Rocketeer: The Cargo of Doom, The Thin Man, The Thing, Uranus, Valiant, Wu-Tang Clan

Derek Mainhart: Friends, mutants and aliens, lend me your ears! Join us as we travel back to the future, to a time when heroes roamed the sky and science paved the way for a better tomorrow! A time of ancient robots and futuristic gladiators! Atomic monkeys and electric guitars! Beckoned by the spark of a holographic welder’s torch, we hurtle forward into history to meet our retro-destiny! Like sands through the hourglass, so are the Days of Our Future Past…

A 1930s pulp hero created in the 1980s and revived in the 2000s? Who better to exemplify nostalgia for an innocent era that never was than The Rocketeer? Like his contemporary Depression-era adventurer, Indiana Jones, Dave Stevens’ legendary creation peddled in, and paid homage to, the wanton exuberance of classic B-movie serials. Stevens’ buoyant, uncynical cliffhangers (hell, the lead character’s name is Cliff) combined with his lush illustration (its classic draftsmenship itself like a relic from a bygone era) to inspire a devoted cult following. And let’s not forget his masterstroke; making pin-up queen, Betty Page, Cliff’s girlfriend. Stevens’ work was so accomplished, it seemed superfluous for anyone else to try their hand at the character, even after his untimely death in 2008.

Some characters however, are simply too good to fade away. Happily IDW has relaunched The Rocketeer, giving the hero his due: first in an anthology series featuring top-flight creators, then in a four-issue mini by creative team par excellence, Mark Waid and Chris Samnee. Now we have Roger Langridge and J Bone on The Rocketeer: Hollywood Horror. Folks, this may be the best new Rocketeer yarn yet. The previous stories tried (and succeeded to various degrees) to recapture the inherent nostalgia of the character via an innocent, never-say-die tone indicative of 1930s and ’40s Americana, perhaps casting it against a major historical backdrop like, say, WWII. Well Langridge goes five steps further and fully immerses him in the era. This should perhaps come as no surprise from a writer whose past work has encompassed everything from the slapstick of early cinema (Fred the Clown, hysterical) to Carrollian nonsense (Snarked!, inspired) to his current work, the vaudevillian, high-seas adventures of Popeye (a gift to anyone with an appreciation for the history of the medium). For The Rocketeer, he’s not satisfied to present his tale in a typical one-size-fits-all B-movie slang; rather he seems conversant in a variety of era-specific patois and idiom. Further, he entangles our hero with fictional characters specific to that time: first, the minions of Doc Savage (that greatest of pulp heroes), and then, seemingly apropos of nothing, Nick and Nora (and Asta!) from the venerated Thin Man film series. Between this and the multitude of references to old movies and forgotten actors (the narrator himself seems to be one), this book is a dream for lovers of pulp and classic Hollywood. It would be right at home being introduced by Robert Osborne on TCM. And let’s not forget J Bone’s pitch-perfect art. His bold, cartoony rendering immediately cues dirigibles, De Soto’s and dames. His work stands well with Darwyn Cooke and Jeff Smith (one wishes he was handling the covers as well; nothing against the legendary Walt Simonson, but his style, all harsh angles and frenetic line, is simply a poor fit – my one quibble). All in all Langridge and Bone are crafting a Rocketeer comic that is not only worthy of its legacy, but builds on it. Somewhere, I daresay, Dave Stevens is smiling.

Scott Carney: Geez, yeah, all that and–  OK, who am I kidding?  I’m not as tuned  into the history of The Rocketeer as you are.  (Is anyone?)  In fact, my first experience with the character was The Cargo of Doom.

DM: Oh, trust me; there are people who know way more about The Rocketeer than I do. What about the movie? Ring a bell?

SC: There was a movie?

DM: I can’t even.

SC: No, really, I liked what Waid and Samnee did in their mini.  If I’m being honest, I bought the series for them; and for the most part, I wasn’t disappointed; but I wasn’t all of a sudden a Rocketeer fan.  As far as I was concerned, it was an act of loyalty–to the creators; and if they were to take on the character again, I’d be there.  Wasn’t planning on ever following the further adventures of Cliff Secord.  In fact, I passed on this one–initially, anyway.  You recommended it–emphatically, if I’m remembering correctly–so I picked it up.  Dude, you were so right.  What a good time!  Through two, I’m thinking, like you, that Hollywood Horror is at a whole other level, thanks to Langridge’s vision and Bone’s fleshing it all out.

DM: Next up in our Canyon of Heroes is Archer and Armstrong #8 (Valiant). Their centuries-spanning pseudo-epic is rich in taste but refreshingly light in calories. Part buddy-story, part sibling-rivalry, part worldwide-conspiracy, this frothy fable features improbable adventure and high satire. It’s like The Da Vicni Code as written by Terry Pratchett. Writer Fred Van Lente (with solid art by Emanuela Lupacchino and Guillermo Ortego) garnishes the high-octane action with Big Ideas and comedic flourish, never failing to entertain. His one misstep here though; in an attempt to counter the usual lighthearted tone with some emotional heft, he has the villain speak of his role in an event that is very like a recent national tragedy. My immediate reaction, for what it’s worth, was a discomfiting “too soon.”  Again, this is a quibble, lasting as it does for all of one panel. Month in, month out, we write about the pleasures delivered by Van Lente & Co.’s work on this book. So pick the damn thing up, if you haven’t already.

Scott Carney: I know you’re glad I picked up Buddy Cops (Dark Horse) for you after your initial pass.

Buddy Cops #1

Buddy Cops #1

DM: Yeah it was all right I guess…

SC: “All right”?  That’s quite an understatement, my friend!  Sure, Buddy Cops–an hilarious one-shot from a publisher that has been making its name seem more and more ironic with each passing week–seemed to come out of nowhere.  In fact, it was an “Oh, and by the way” recommendation from one of my shop guys.  (That’s right: I have more than one.)  There was room enough in my bag and a few bucks still smoldering in my pocket, so I went for it; and I was not disappointed.  As promised, Nate Crosby and Evan Shaner deliver “da muthaf***in’ ruckus” in this crack-a-panel homage-slash-send up of the buddy cop genre.  The ready-to-rumble, Wu-Tang spoutin’ Uranus and the electrode-in-the-mud T.A.Z.E.R. are on the case–three of ’em, in fact–and take on outrageous creatures (including, a ninety-foot-tall orangutan in a monk’s robe, who professes precariously, “da lord iss my sligshot,” while sitting atop a church) and social issues (Gay marriage!  Arbortion!) in one giant “monsterswat!”  They are Riggs and Murtaugh from Lethal Weapon; they are Carter and Lee from Rush Hour; they are Hammond and Cates from 48 Hours; they are Starsky and Hutch from, well, Starsky & Hutch–the T.V. show, dammit!  But despite their being so obviously and so proudly derivative, they’re the freshest pair to hit the funny pages in recent memory.  I laughed out loud and profess my love for this book even louder!  And, borrowing from George Costanza, I say this with an unblemished record of staunch heterosexuality: I hope this isn’t the last I’ll get to see of Uranus.

DM: Ok, ok, it was funny. Yeesh!  Even so, it wasn’t even the funniest book this week, at least for my money.

SC: Keep your dirty money!

DM: Would that I could. But the biggest barrel o’ laffs this week was Bravest Warriors #6 (kaboom!). This time out, our future science heroes are knee-deep in bazookas, beauty pageants and brain transplants; and that doesn’t even scratch the surface. Joey Comeau’s story takes beloved sci-fi tropes and makes mincemeat out of them. And having his hysterically depraved scenarios drawn by Mike Holmes in the faux-naive, child-friendly style of Adventure Time (saturated in pretty, pretty colors by Lisa Moore)  just makes the whole thing seem so, so wrong. (Ditto Ryan Pequin’s giggle-inducing back-up story). The absurdity in this book is so ridiculous, it’s almost profound.

Of course the book that did more than any to bring science adventurers to the modern era was Jack Kirby and Stan Lee’s Fantastic Four. Emphasis on mod. After fifty-plus years of history, it’s easy to forget that these staples of the spinner rack were once downright cutting edge. As Pop Art was breaking the boundaries between ‘fine’ and ‘low’ art, Kirby was exploding the restrictive design of the comics page. In the midst of the Space Race, the costumed quartet were frequent fliers. And at the height of the British Invasion, Lee and Kirby gave comics its own Fab Four. Those early issues still crackle with energy and freshness. As the years wore on however, FF inevitably transitioned from zeitgeist to nostalgia, revolutionary to venerable.

Now Eric Stephenson and Nate Bellegarde have dusted off the elements that made FF great and reconfigured them (along with a whole bunch of other stuff) to create Nowhere Men (Image), a decidedly 21st century comic. The story (with the tagline ‘Science is the New Rock-N-Roll’) concerns four celebrity scientists (bearing more than a passing resemblance to The Beatles) who banded together in the ’60s, forming a mega-conglomerate called World Corp dedicated to the betterment of mankind. In the present however, they’ve long since gone their separate ways, due to ego clashes, differing visions, (sound familiar?) as well as mysterious circumstances that haven’t been fully revealed yet. One or all of them are also somehow involved in the fate of a space crew whose mission has somehow gone seriously awry.

Here the comparison to FF is particularly instructive: where Kirby and Lee, reflective of their age, presented a utopian faith in scientific progress, Stephenson and Bellegarde present a view that is, not cynical exactly, but knowing, tempered by an awareness of human weakness and fallibility. The innocence of scientific discovery for its own sake has been replaced by the reality of serving corporate profit. Technological advancement is understood as at least as destructive as it is creative. For example, in FF the group is testing an experimental rocket when they are struck by ‘cosmic rays’ endowing them with superpowers, which they promptly use to protect humanity (with the monstrous Thing serving as tragic, though still noble, counterpoint). In Nowhere Men, we have a group of scientists quarantined in a space station due to a ‘sickness’ they’ve contracted under mysterious circumstances. The effects of the sickness affect each individual randomly, even capriciously, as some are granted ‘abilities’ (as opposed to ‘superpowers’) while others undergo grotesque transformations that make the Thing look like Michael Caine in comparison. And some are in between (one of the more appealing characters seems to combine the brute strength and appearance of the Thing with the intellectual remove of Mr. Fantastic). Where one offered limitless promise, the other deals in disillusionment; even the title seems to suggest it.

This is far from a hopeless affair however. For one, the sheer inventiveness of the storytelling will not allow it. In addition to alternating between the past and present, Stephenson’s elliptical narrative is fragmented amongst various viewpoints. Only now, in this fourth issue, are its non-linear elements beginning to coalesce (I didn’t even feel comfortable reviewing the thing ’til now). But that’s not all. The very presentation of information is unorthodox. In the current issue for example, Stephenson thinks nothing of inserting three pages of prose – an excerpted ‘chapter’ from a tell-all history of World Corp – right in the middle of the action. This not only serves as a clever transition, but adds visual depth to the story, as the chapter is presented in a specific graphic style that convincingly suggests the late ’70s / early ’80s. Where FF‘s brash, boundary-breaking style was in keeping with the modern sensibilities of its era, Nowhere Men‘s approach is distinctly postmodern, befitting our own fractured time.

Which brings us to perhaps the most notable aspect of the book: its design. FF had the kinetic genius of Kirby’s art. Nowhere Men instead employs the principles of sophisticated modern graphic presentation. The clean, cold concision of Bellegarde’s art is impressive enough. But it is packaged, along with the aforementioned textual pieces, faux ads and information graphics, in a carefully considered manner that takes into account the comic book as an object. The refined aesthetic has been compared, aptly, to Stanley Kubrick’s 1968 masterpiece, 2001: A Space Odessey.  Fonografiks, the company responsible for the look of the book, is really to be commended; I only wish the name of the specific designer was credited. The inside covers, the selection of fonts, the credits; all act in concert to create a visually immersive experience that reinforces the incidents of the story. When was the last time the design of a comic played such a concerted, integral role in the narrative?

FF has had any number of interesting runs over the years (Jonathan Hickman just finished up a pretty good one at that). But the true successor to Kirby and Lee’s vision, innovation and cultural relevance is Nowhere Men.  Book of the Week.

 Turning pages,

Derek & Scott

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