Here In Bongo Congo
Good King Leonardo has decreed that we select for our reviews a variety of comic book genres this week. So let's check-out this eclectic mix of new comic book titles and see how they stack-up against each other:
Good King Leonardo has decreed that we select for our reviews a variety of comic book genres this week. So let's check-out this eclectic mix of new comic book titles and see how they stack-up against each other:
Fantastic Four #1
Publisher: Marvel Comics
James Robinson: Writer
Leonard Kirk: Art
Karl Kesel: Inks
Jesus Aburtov: Colors
Marvel Comics recently released issue #1 of yet another re-boot of its
Fantastic Four comic book line. This latest series is scripted by James
Robinson with art by Leonard Kirk, inks by Karl Kesel and colors by Jesus
Aburtov.
This comic book is Part One of a multi-issue story arc entitled "The
Fall Of The Fantastic Four." The tale begins with
a flashback narrative by Sue Storm/The Invisible Woman, in which she
first describes the team in a present-day total crisis with Reed Richards having
an emotional breakdown, Ben Grimm jailed on murder charges and Johnny Storm
running amok as a burnt-out New York social scene party animal. The
flashback then kicks into high gear with an extended action sequence in
which the team battles and overcomes their old dragon nemesis Fin Fang Foom.
After the battle, each Fantastic Four member gets a personal life scene: Ben
Grimm reunites with his old blind flame Alicia, Reed and Sue have a quiet
romantic evening together and Johnny Storm embarks upon a personal life career
as a rock star. But its all just the-calm-before-the-proverbial-storm, as
in a dramatic bridge to next month's issue #2, a portal located in Reed's lab
that leads to another dimension mysteriously unlocks and an endless horde of
reptilian demon creatures use it to invade Manhattan.
This is a pretty solid first issue re-boot of the iconic franchise of the
Fantastic Four. The team has been around for so long and has endured
so many make-overs, that any new success mandates some very fresh re-boot elements.
Here, the creative team gives us a mix of major and minor re-boot makeovers
that combine into a fresh and entertaining new series. The premise of the
team completely shattered gives us an entertaining new story concept and the
story lay-out approach of presenting a positive flashback sequence
nicely foreshadows the impending total doom hinted at by Sue's early
narration. While we still have no idea of the catastrophic detail's
events, there's a nice sense of dread that hooks the reader into wanting to
read next month's story segment for further enlightenment.
Among the minor makeover touches, I liked the redesign of the team's uniforms
to a red-colored skintight mode (Sue Storm looks better than most women half
her age in her sexy makeover design!), and the new soap opera elements of the
Ben-Alicia romance rekindling and Johnny heading toward rock star fame
add some nice detail elements of the team's personal life in
counterbalance to the expected superheroing of the plotline.
So all in all, a thumbs-up positive review recommendation is
well-deserved for the creative team managing to pull-off a fresh
and very entertaining kick-off story segment of the latest new and improved
version of everyone's favorite Manhattan-based Marvel Comics foursome of The
Fantastic Four!
Brain Boy #3
Publisher: Dark Horse Comics
Fred Van Lente: Writer
R.B. Silva: Pencils
Rob Lean: Inks
Dark Horse Comics is up to issue #3 of a series entitled Brain Boy. The
"Brain Boy" in question is Matt Price, the world's most powerful
telepath who has espionage action-adventures as a consultant to the U.S. Secret
Service on behalf of his corporate employer Albright Industries. Matt
also deals with a murder mystery regarding the unsolved deaths of his parents
back in his childhood. The series is written by Fred Van Lente with pencils by
R.B. Silva and inks by Rob Lean.
Issue #3 is the concluding segment of a kick-off multi-issue story arc entitled
"Psy Vs. Psy." The plot features a lot of action-adventure as Matt's
ongoing cat-and-mouse game with evil telepath Emil Ricorta comes to a head.
Interestingly, Ricota is the president of a South American country and is
visting the U.S. for a few evil reasons. Without spoiling any fun
details, Matt confronts Ricota as well as a mob of telepathically-controlled
innocent people manipulated by the bad guy. After some fantastic action among
the warring sides, Matt seemingly defeats Ricota and in a stunning reveal
we learn that there is actually an alien science fiction element behind
Ricota's ultra-powerful psychic abilities.
This is one very fresh and unique comic book take on the fiction genre of
psychic abilities. Writer Fred Van Lente does a masterful job of blending
the concept of telepathy with espionage adventure. The dialogue is also a
pitch perfect blend of drama and humor. Yet perhaps the best element of
this series is a weaving of intrigue throughout both the plot and the
general concept of Brain Boy. As in many quality espionage series, we learn
that nothing is at it seems. By issue's end, there are strong telltales that
Matt's trusted boss Georgina at Albright Industries knows the answer and may
actually be responsible for Matt's parent's deaths. There's also a really
neat fantasy element to Georgina which is reason enough on its own to
check-out this comic book.
I say it every once in awhile regarding a reviewed comic book and I'll say it
again for Brain Boy: this is one comic book series that would make a fantastic
television show, either on network t.v. or on cable. So by all means,
enjoy it now in comic book form so if and when it does hit the small screen,
you'll be able to tell all of your friends that you were a fan of Brain Boy
from the get-go! And by the way, Matt hates to be called "Brain Boy"!
Lords Of Mars #6
Publisher: Dynamite Comics
Arvid Nelson: Writer
Roberto Castro: Art
Alex Guimaraes: Colors
Another Dynamite Comics title that's currently up to issue #6 is Lords Of Mars,
one of several Dynamite titles published within the John Carter, Warlord of
Mars franchise. This is the final issue of a limited, six-issue mini-series.
I've reviewed a few of Dynamite's other John Carter Of Mars titles,
which are spin-offs on famed writer Edgar Rice Burrough's famous and popular
early-to-mid 20th century series of novels that feature Western adventurer John
Carter transported to a Pulp-Era fictional Martian society for many
action-adventures. Lords Of Mars explores a new premise of Tarzan and his
wife Jane subsequently also transported to Mars for adventures with John Carter
and the several different Martian alien races. The series is scripted by Arvid
Nelson with art by Roberto Castro and colors by Alex Guimaraes.
Issue #6 concludes a six-issue multi-story arc entitled "The Eye Of The
Goddess," in which John Carter, Tarzan and Jane struggle against the evil
intentions of Jagati Kehn, a fat Jabba The Hut-type evil leader of the Martian
race of Holy Therns. This issue focuses on climactic action, as its
revealed that Jagati Kehn and his army plan to use a weapons technology that
will destroy half of the inhabitants of Mars. Again without spoiling any
details, various action sub-plots come together in this issue, with the result
that in standard Golden Age pulp fiction style, our good guys win the
day. The key here is an end-of-story unexpected plot twist, in which
Tarzan and Jayne reveal that via Martian transported technology, there's a
secret Martian presence established back on Earth.
This is a series that deserves a positive review recommendation albeit in the
average decent-quality category. On the plus side, the weird mash-up
concept of Tarzan and Jane on Mars, of all places, hanging-out with John Carter
and fighting multiple Martian races actually works pretty well as an
entertaining storyline. The threesome are all Victorian/Pulp Era heroic
characters created by Edgar Rice Burroughs and have a compatible feel to their
personalities and mannerisms. So it is a pretty creative and neat
addition to the wide-rannging John Carter On Mars story franchise.
On the negative side, the artwork is disappointingly uneven, primitive and
sketchy at times and very good at other points in the issue. Its an
annoying pattern akin to trying to keep a t.v. picture in tune as it phases in
and out. In addition, the plot details at times are also too simple and
crude, also incorporating overly-graphic killing/gore scenes that
don't fit with the original writing style of Burroughs. The issue does
carry a mature reading warning on the cover because of the violence, but it
could have been toned-down to allow readers of all ages to enjoy this neat and
fun spin-off mash-up of John Carter and me Tarzan, you Jane.
But these issue flaws aren't serious enough to lower the good stuff in this
issue below the positive review radar. So a positive review
recommendation is well deserved for this unique and kind of funky combination
of the well-known storyverses of John Carter, Tarzan and Jane. If the
positve quality of issue #6 is any indication, the overall six-issue
mini-series is a worthwhile and enjoyable read.
The Twilight Zone #2
Publisher: Dynamite Comics
J. Michael Straczynski: Writer
Guiu Vilanova: Art
Vinicius Andrade: Colors
Our second Dynamite Comics-published comic book reviewed this week is
issue #2 of the new Twilight Zone comic book series. Last month,
I gave a positive review recommendation to issue #1. Unlike the television
series's stand-alone one-episode storylines, the comic book format presents an
ongoing multi-issue story arc, so I decided to also review issue #2 to see
how that structure does or doesn't meet the science fiction stylings of The
Twilight Zone. The series is written by A-list writer J. Michael Straczynski
with art by Guiu Vilanova and colors by Vinicius Andrade.
The multi-issue storyline is entitled "Lost." In the issue #1 plot,
Wall Street sleazeball Trevor Richmond is shown as a trainwreck in all aspects
of his sordid life, from embezzling from his Wall Street employer to being
emotionally-abusive to his beautiful girlfriend. As the law closes in on
his corporate theft, he uses the services of a mysterious company to completely
alter his physical looks and entire lifestyle, emerging as a new person among
the lower working class in New York. The issue ended in a dramatic bridge to
issue #2, as Trevor watches a t.v. press conference in which a person
appear in his old identity and confesses to his crimes.
Issue #2 expands that development and Trevor's reaction to it. Early in the
plot, we witness the new Trevor repenting, gaining public sympathy and gaining
back the love of his beautiful girlfriend. Old sleazeball Trevor returns
to the mysterious identity company and learns that they've plugged another
customer into his old identity. Powerless to stop it, dirtbag Trevor tries to
confront his replacement. Without spoiling any details, the effort goes
badly and old Trevor is on the run from the law through the underbelly of Manhattan.
The issue ends in another bridge to next month's story segment, as Trevor
begins stalking the new guy and the girlfriend as he plots a
yet-to-be-disclosed revenge.
I have mixed review feelings about issue #2 of this series. On the
positive side, its an excellent and absorbing thriller fictional tale scripted
by one of the best comic book writers in today's business. I definitely want to
see where this crumbling bizarre identity switch storyline takes both the story
characters and readers. But on the other hand, the story fails as a
Twilight Zone-style script, for at least two key reasons. First, its
just not that Twilight Zone-style spooky in today's world for a person to
pull-off an identity change in the manner presented. Given today's technology
and social structure, it actually feels kind of real world and routine.
Secondly, my fear expressed in my issue #1 review is confirmed in issue
#2: a multi-issue story arc format doesn't work for the Twilight Zone-style of
storytelling. Zone tales need to be compact, fast-moving and most
importantly, need to hit us hard with a surprise reveal that makes the
reader/t.v. viewer say "wow, I never saw that coming!" The
multi-issue story arc concept completely kills that rush as the story proceeds
at a routine pace through issue-after-issue. This story is very
interesting, but it lacks that zing and pacing required for the Twilight Zone
storyverse to be present and effective.
The creative team is still giving us a very high quality comic book series
that's well-worth reading for its mystery/thriller style of
entertainment. But if you're looking for a standard Twilight Zone style
of entertainment, I think that like me, you'll be left feeling
unsatisfied. So bottom line: by all means check-out and enjoy this comic
book, but a title such as "Tales Of Mystery" would be more
appropriate to the actual story in between the covers.
Contest
Winner Announcement!!!
Our latest contest came on the heels of the recent annual Oscar awards
for the movies, and challenged you to tell us what was the shortest acceptance
speech in Oscar history. And our contest winner is (drumroll,
please)...Chris Begley, who correctly identified actress Patty Duke who simply
said "Thank You" and then walked off the stage after winning her Best
Actress Oscar for her role as Helen Keller in the 1963 movie "The Miracle
Worker." Congratulations to Chris who wins our first prize
$10.00 gift certificate to That's Entertainment!
New Contest
Challenge!!!
The Bongo Congo Panel Of Contest Judges has an unusual trivia contest challenge
for you this week. We're all familiar with plastic gift cards, with over
50% of all Americans stating in surveys that they give at least one gift card
annually. But where did they originate? So your contest challenge
is to e-mail us at Gordon_A@msn.com no
later than Wednesday, April 2 and correctly tell us which company offered
the very first gift card in the U.S. and why did they start using plastic gift
cards instead of the traditional paper gift certificates? Hint: the year
was 1994. As always, in the event of multiple correct answers, the winner
of our first prize $10.00 gift certificate to That's Entertainment will be
selected via a roll of the dice. Please note that our $10.00 first prize
gift certificate to That's Entertainment is redeemable for regular retail
merchandise or in-store, ongoing specials, only.
That's all for now, so have two great red-hot winning Boston Bruins watching (Go
Broons!!!)and comic book reading weeks and see you again on Friday, April 4
Here In Bongo Congo!
