Comic Reviews 10/19/12

Here In Bongo Congo

     Good King Leonardo has declared that its once again Women In Comic Books Week here in Bongo Congo.  So let's get right to it and see how our four selected femme fatale comic book titles fare in this week's review process:

 

Grimm Fairy Tales Presents Robyn Hood #1

Publisher: Zenescope Entertainment, Inc.

Pat Shand: Writer

Dan Glasl: Pencils

Tom Mullin & Jason Embury: Colors

     Zenescope Entertainment has just published issue #1 of a 5-issue Robyn Hood mini-series as part of its multi-titled Grimm Fairy Tales storyverse.  This series began publication in 2005 and is similar to the well-known Fables series published by DC's Vertigo Imprint, in that it presents stories based on well-known fairy tales albeit with a modern twist.  As an inside-the-front-cover narrative explains, the stories and characters from the main title and its spin-off series interconnect our modern-day society with four fictional realms: Oz, Wonderland, Neverland and Myst.  The new mini-series presents the adventures of a modern-day, teenaged female Robyn Hood.  The comic book is scripted by Pat Shand with pencils by Dan Glasl and colors by Tom Mullin and Jason Embury.

     Issue #1 presents an origin tale for our young teenaged Robyn Hood, consisting of two sub-plots that alternate between both location and past versus present.  Without being a detail spoiler, we learn that Robyn was born in the mystical realm of Myst; when threatened by evil forces as a baby, her protectors hid her in our modern-day American society.  Our second plotline initially presents her rough inner-city upbringing, then details her modern-day problems as a high school student. Ultimately, her conflicts with the high school son of a wealthy local businessman erupt into a bloody, lifethreatening assault on Robyn.  Falsely accused as the instigator and facing serious jailtime, Robyn is suddenly whisked back to the realm of Myst.  The issue ends on a dramatic bridge to next month's story segment, as our dazed and confused young heroine immediately faces danger in her new enchanted environment.

     This new series is an interesting addition to the wide-ranging comic book genre of fairy tale fiction recast in a modern-world setting.  I'm giving issue #1 a mixed review, definitely a positive and worthwhile read, but with some constructive criticism mixed-into the works.  On the plus side, the general concept is an entertaining blend of old and new story elements.  I love the idea of taking the traditional Robin Hood fictional character and updating it into a modern American female teenager, one who's had a really rough inner-city American upbringing, then unleashing that hardened character back into the fairy tale world.  Robyn is so hard-core street tough in her American experience that I almost feel sorry for the old school baddies that she'll be confronting in the realm of Myst.

     On the minus side, I feel that the midpoint of the tale drifted too far away from the main plot focus into an over-emphasis on blood and gore.  The story segment of the rich kid assaulting Robyn to within an inch of her life is just too long and too violent.  You don't have to be squeamish to react to it as ridiculously over-the-top and setting a really bad visual example for both youngster and teenaged comic book readers.  And while it may ultimately provide the background motivation for Robyn's attitude and actions in upcoming story segments, its also somewhat illogical and ill-fitting for some of the story details within issue #1's tale.

     At the end of the day, when the various review points detailed above are weighed together, the review scale deservedly tips toward the positive side.  So by all means, take the time to check-out this entertaining remix and reimagining of the traditional tale of Robin/Robyn Hood in a new storyverse setting.  You won't be disappointed with the action and events of issue #1 and I think you'll want to stick-around for mini-series issues 2 through 5 to see the story direction taken by this interesting fantasy genre comic book title.

Womanthology: Space #1

 Publisher: IDW Publishing

Various Writers & Artists

     IDW Publishing has just released issue #1 in a new science fiction series entitled Womanthology: Space.  Each monthly issue will feature four or five science fiction genre tales scripted and drawn by women, ranging from well-known creators to newcomers.  The series is a follow-up to a successful 300-page hardcover anthology from IDW Publishing entitled Heroic: A Womanthology.

     Issue #1 presents five tales.  "Waiting For Mr. Roboto" is a humorous story set in a "space diner" in which both alien and robotic waitresses interact with the spaceship-faring clientele.  "Dead Again" is written by science fiction movie director John Carpenter's wife Sandy King Carpenter and centers on an abandoned space station demolition effort that's haunted by a female ghost.  "Scaling Heaven" is set in the year 2040 and features a space race between America and China in which female astronauts prepare for a return to the moon.  "The Adventures Of Princess Plutonia" is a female-based spoof on the old Buck Rodgers galactic adventure series newspaper comic strip and "Space Girls" is a primitive art/comic strip format riff on Star Trek-style outer space adventuring.

     Wether its intentional or not, it seems to me that the stories are presented in descending order from strong to weak quality.  "Waiting For Mr. Roboto" is a funny and high quality blend of 1950's Happy Days-diner and outer space jokes and humor.  In "Dead Again," writer Sandy King Carpenter presents a tale straight-out of husband John Carpenter's storybook, presenting a story that's cinematic in visual style and full of Carpenter-style "in space no one can hear you scream" creepiness.  While I enjoyed the space race concept of "Scaling Heaven," the story is inexplicably half a tale, abruptly ending in mid-telling with no plot conclusion.  "The Adventures Of Princess Plutonia" is a cute female-centric homage to all things Buck Rodgers that's strong on brief action but weak on plot.  Finally, while "Space Girls" is a cute femalecentric Star Trek concept, its primitive scibbling artwork and comic strip style limit both its storytelling ability and entertainment value.

     I really like the idea of this type of woman-power comic book anthology storytelling.  The mix of seasoned veterans and newcomers offers a nice variety of creative team storytelling approaches and the variety of outer space fiction themes also provides a nice contrast of reading selections.  Most importantly, the very strong quality of the first two stories outweighs the limitations and lack of plot detail mixed-into tales three through five.  On a final review note, a back-of-the-book ad promotes next month's issue #2 as featuring an entirely fresh group of story creators, thus setting-up this series as an opportunity for regular readers to check-out a wide variety of the genre's female creative talent.  So a definite thumbs-up recommendation for readers to check-out this entertaining new anthology comic book from IDW Publishing.

Fairest #8

Publisher: DC Vertigo

Lauren Beukes: Writer

Inaki Miranda: Art

Eva De La Cruz: Colors

      I referenced in the Grimm Fairy Tales review above that the other popular flagship in the Fairy Tale fantasy comic book genre is the Fables storyverse, published by DC's Vertigo imprint.  As most readers know by now, the Fables series follows the adventures of the traditional European fables characters (Snow White, etc.) as refugees who've fled to our world from an evil takeover of their traditional kingdom.  Some characters live incognito in New York City while those who can't visually pass in society (the three little pigs, etc.) live on a Fables Farm in upstate New York.  One of the newer Fables spin-off titles is Fairest, which introduces the long-haired character Rapunzel into our modern society.  The series is currently written by well-known science fiction author Lauren Buekes with art by Inaki Miranda and colors by Eva De La Cruz.

     Issue #8 kicks-off a new multi-issue story arc entitled "The Hidden Kingdom."  Set in 2002 prior to events since unfolded in the main Fables storyline, the story segment interweaves two sub-plots.  In the first we're introduced to Rapunzel's modern New York lifestyle and basic living situation.  Residing in the Fables's New York luxury apartment complex, she lives a secluded life with her hairstylist friend Joel Crow, who needs to continuously style her famous blond hair which grows at a rate of four inches an hour (even faster when she's upset!).  Our second sub-plot introduces mystery and adventure; without being a detail spoiler, Rapunzel receives a magical clue indicating that her supposedly deceased children are alive and well among those Fables who live in Japan.  So its off to Japan for our duo, accompanied by well-known Fables character Jack Horner.  The issue climaxes with a very unusual mystical attack on the traveling trio that occurs in the heart of Tokyo, setting-up next month's story segment for further Fables action-adventure in Japan.

     I've been a big fan of the Fables comic book franchise from its very beginning, one reason being that I'm continually amazed how DC Vertigo manages to keep this long-running series so fresh and entertaining.  Fairest adds another impressive accomplishment to that lineage, for several reasons.  I love the idea of Rapunzel making her way in our modern world yet still trapped in her fairytale world dilemma;  due to her rapid hair growth problem, she's literally still stuck in her famous fantasy world tower, unable to move freely in our world.  The temporary solution that allows her to hit the road for a Japanese adventure is ingenious and fun.  Secondly, I enjoyed the mix of story elements in this tale.  Accomplished science fiction writer Lauren Beukes creates a wonderful mash-up of European and Japanese fantasy elements, all of which further mix with both modern-day and old fable story details, resulting in an absorbing and entertaining fresh Fables storyline.  Last but hardly least, a positive review shout-out is well-deserved to the art team for presenting this tale in a strong visual style.  I particularly liked a two-page, single scene mid-issue spread in which Rapunzel and Jack move through the well-known neon-lit evening crowds of Tokyo.

     If you're a devoted Fables fan, you're going to be happy with this latest addition to the wide inventory of Fables comic book titles and if you're a Fables newbie, issue #8 of Fairest is a great launching pad for entering the Fables storyverse waters and beginning to enjoy this renowned fantasy comic book franchise.  So get on down to That's Entertainment and start enjoying Fairest right now!

Catwoman #0

Publisher: D.C. Comics

Ann Nocenti: Writer

Adriana Melo: Penciler

Julio Ferreria: Inks

     Yet another entry into DC's "Before The New 52" inventory is Catwoman#0.  The comic book is scripted by Ann Nocenti with pencils by Adriana Melo and inks by Julio Ferreria.

     The storyline is entitled "Zip Me Up" and alternates various past and present-day scenes in presenting a reinterpretation of the traditional Selina Kyle/Catwoman persona.  In the flashback scenes, we learn of Selina's tough, inner-city homeless childhood.  In the present-day segements, Selina is a young rising administrative assistant working the city hall bureaucracy of Gotham's mayor.  Mixed-into this scenario are scenes from one year earlier, in which a mysterious benefactor rescues Selina from her street life and installs her into the City Hall staff structure.  Its pretty clear that this benefactor will make Selina pay a price for his supposed helpfulness and sure enough, in the latter half of the tale the benefactor turns baddie, tossing Selina off a rooftop and triggering her metamorphosis into badgirl Catwoman.  The issue ends on a dramatic note as a rampaging Catwoman discovers that her civilian identity has been mysteriously erased from all computer databases, setting-up a mystery to pursue in upcoming Catwoman installments.

     I had a mixed reaction to this comic book that ultimately weighed my review recommendation into the negative review column.  On the plus side, its always fun to find a reboot of Catwoman; DC's come-up with some high quality and entertaining reinterpretations of Selina Kyle/Catwoman over the years.  Maybe existing in the shadow of those efforts, this current rewrite fell flat.  The art is kinda creepy, with a steady succession of panels that present a manic/nutso look on Selina's face that weirded me out after awhile.  But the major flaw here is the panel progression.  The present-day and various flashback periods are mashed together in a jarring way that makes it very difficult to follow the story progression.  Given that the tale alternates between at least three previous timeperiods plus the present-day, the herky-jerky story lay-out just makes for a jumbled mess of a tale.  The result is a heavy dose of confusion topped by a very thin layer of enjoyment.

     So unfortunately, a negative review recommendation is deserved to skip this particular Catwoman comic book effort.  If you're a casual fan willing to take a purchase risk then give this comic a risk and test-read it, but for true blue Catwoman/Batman storyverse fans will be very disappointed.

Contest Winner Announcement!!!

     Our latest contest challenged you to complete the following sentence: "I like to visit That's Entertainment because..."  And our contest winner is (drumroll, please)...Keith Martin who submits the following answer:  "I like to visit That's Entertainment because the awesome goodness awaiting never ceases to amaze me."  An excellent submittal that emphasizes both the fun and the continual new surprises and enjoyment found at our favorite home-away-from-home pop culture emporium.  Congratulations to Keith who wins our first prize $10.00 gift certificate to (where else) That's Entertainment!

New Contest Announcement!!!

     Prior to last Sunday's frustrating New England Patriots loss to the Seattle Seahawks (arghh!), the sportscasters mentioned quite a bit that Seattle's hometown Stadium was one of only three away game stadiums that our quarterback Tom Brady has not played in during his illustrious career.  Your contest challenge is to e-mail us at Gordon_A@msn.com no later Wednesday, October 31 and correctly tell us what are now the last two NFL teams that Tom Brady has not played against in their home stadiums.  Please note that our first prize $10.00 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 another two great Major League Baseball play-off/World Series-watching and comic book reading weeks and see you again on Friday, November 2 Here In Bongo Congo!

Comic Review 10/5/12

Here In Bongo Congo

     Good King Leonardo has declared that its yet again Eclectic Week here in Bongo Congo, so let's see what our wide-ranging variety of new comic books are all about:

Thun'da #1

Publisher: Dynamite Entertainment

Robert Place Napton: Writer

Cliff Richards: Art

Esther Sanz: Colors

     Dynamite Entertainment has published the first two issues of a new science fiction-themed jungle adventure series entitled Thun'da.  This is a reboot of the classic Golden Age title created and drawn by Frank Frazetta.  The original series featured WWII pilot Roger Dunn, who was shot-down over Africa and crashlanded in a lost valley, where he had monthly adventures with the lost land's dinosaurs, ape-men and primitive human tribespeople.  The comic book was so popular that in 1952 Columbia Pictures brought it to the silver screen in a serial starring Buster Crabbe.  The new Thun'da comic book is scripted by Robert Place Napton with art by Cliff Richards and colors by Esther Sanz. Naturally, in order to get a good feel for the concept of this series I decided to review last month's premier issue #1.

     Issue #1 presents a 22-page reinterpretation of the classic origin tale of Thun'da, followed by a back-of-the-book reprint of the Golden Age origin tale.  The remade origin tale sets a slower, more measured pace than the Golden Age classic.  In the first half of the tale, we witness three consecutive events:  Roger Dunn's modern-day military helicoptor crash into the hidden valley, his partial amnesia resulting from the crash and his discovery that he's somehow landed himself in the "land that time forgot" which is full of dinosaurs.  The second half of the storyline progresses Dunn into survival mode, as he struggles to understand and utilize partially-recalled memories of his survival skills and gains a sabertoothed tiger cub as a sidekick.  The issue ends on a cliffhanger as Roger and his new cat-buddy are attacked by (what else?) a rampaging Tyrannosaurus Rex.

     The genius of this new comic book is the publisher's decision to mix old and new into one feature presentation.  Regarding the new, we have a reboot of the origin tale of this classic adventure series told at a more measured modern pace, with 21st century story structure, action-adventure details and a solid artistic style very suitable to jungle adventure comic book storytelling.  Writer Napton successfully leads us along the first tentative steps of Roger Dunn transforming from 21st century chopper pilot into eventually becoming the prehistoric jungle king Thun'da.  By the end of the issue #1 story segment, he's still American military pilot Roger Dunn, but we can see the strength of character in him that will eventually help him transform into Thun'da, king of the jungle.

     As for the old element, the second feature story is a Golden Age delight, as writer Gardner Fox crams about three stories worth of plot progression into one frantic tale in which Dunn makes the entire transformation in one blurring 10-page story feature.  While it feels kind of jarring to read this overly jam-packed adventure, Frank Franzetta's breathtaking artwork and the entertaining particulars of Fox's classic pulp adventure plot make it the perfect accompaniment to the new re-telling.  In an oddly satisfying way, I felt as if I was reading an illustrated Wikipedia summary of the Thun'da origin adventure as a side reference to the new modern re-telling that was unspooling in the front of this comic book at a more measured pace.

     Most successful jungle adventure comics of the past few years have been re-tellings of familiar Golden Age jungle comic book characters (i.e., Sheena and Jungle Girl).  This strategy is again paying-off with this latest return of a well-known Golden Age jungle comic book character.  So a definite thumbs-up positive review recommendation to enjoy this new comic book title, which provides the double-treat of a solid new version of the origin of Thun'da combined with the reprint of a gem of a Golden Age origin tale from the classic Golden Age creative team of Gardner Fox and Frank Frazetta.

Fashion Beast #1

Publisher: Avatar Press, Inc.

Alan Moore: Writer

Facundo Percio: Art

     Avatar Press has published a new comic book series entitled Fashion Beast.  Marketing information promotes it as a "sequential adaptation," whatever that means, by British comic book writer Antony Johnson of a script by Alan Moore based on a story by Alan Moore and the late Malcolm McClaren.  McClaren was a well-known figure on the British arts scene, involved in music, film and fashion.  He's also known as the former manager of the music groups The Sex Pistols and The New York Dolls.  Fashion Beast is based on a movie concept of the same name that Moore and McClaren unsuccessfully tried to get produced back in the 1980's.  The art in this series is provided by Facundo Percio.

     Issue #1 presents an odd, fantasy version of life in London.  The reader is introduced to a series of unnamed characters whose lives revolve around The Celestine, a gritty London nightclub that seems more like a working industrial factory than a club.  We briefly meet a shadowy patron named Le Patron as well as a pair of creepy elderly women who run the place.  The bulk of issue #1 follows two plothreads.  In one, we follow a lengthy, panel-by-panel sequence of a bunch of local residents as they primp and dress for attending the club.  In the second sub-plot, we meet the transvestite club receptionist who also takes the club stage in a lengthy scene in which she vogue dances.  The issue ends with the receptionist having a weird altercation with an street person who tried to crash the club.

     This may be the most disjointed piece of fiction that I've ever read in any format, comic book or otherwise.  There's an interesting story seed buried somewhere in this unformed concept, revolving around both the gritty world of the 1970's punk rock and the glam rock scene that Michael McClaron personally knew very well.  But it never has the chance to flourish in the oddly disjointed presentation.  There's just too much meaningless primping here, with page-upon-page of folks getting dressed, admiring themselves and emptily prancing about the story panels.  In the end, what we're served is a series of visuals of a story idea in which no one made the effort to structure a real plot with actual story events proceeding forward.  Its appropriate that the big dance scene presents the anonymous receptionist voguing, an 80's dance style promoted by Madonna in a popular video in which the dancer strikes a series of poses.  That's all this comic book is, a series of meaningless visual poses with no accompanying story presentation.

    I can't wrap-up this review without also commenting on the weirdness of the writing credits.  I can only assume that the "sequential adaptation" credit for Antony Johnson means that British writer Johnson, known for his post-apocalyptic comic series Wasteland, was roped-into the task of dusting-off Moore and McClaren's 1980's movie idea and blew the assignment.  So I'll sum-up with two negative review recommendations.  First, a definite thumbs-down to avoid spending your hard-earned cash on this train-wreck of a comic book that presents unformed visual panels without a real story structure.  And secondly, its time to take a more cautionary approach to any new comic title that has Alan Moore's name attached to it.  While Moore will be forever be deservedly acclaimed as the co-creator of the classic Watchman series, I think we've entered "Stan Lee territory," with Mr. Moore, in which a lot of stuff with his name on it is a promotional affiliation or a dusting-off of a weak and/or faded idea with the intent of generating sales based upon the author's reputation for other and better comic book projects.

World's Finest #0

Publisher: D.C. Comics

Paul Levitz: Writer

Kevin Maguire & Wes Craig: Art

Rosemary Cheetham: Colors

     Included among the many titles in DC's new "Before The New 52" event series is World's Finest #0.  This latest re-boot of the iconic World's Finest title is up to its regular monthly issue #4; the multi-issue storyline pairs alternate Earth 2 heroes Supergirl/Kara Zor-El and the female Robin/Helena Wayne.  Now stranded in our Earth 1 in follow-up to the Earth 2 war with Darkseid, the pair battle all things bad wearing their new respective costumed identities of Power Girl and Huntress.  The issue #0 story is scripted by writer Paul Levitz with art by Kevin Maguire and Wes Craig, along with colors by Rosemary Cheetham.

     The issue #0 stand-alone tale is aptly entitled "Beginnings" and is set several years prior to the events of the ongoing monthly title.  While the central plotline portrays the first meeting of our duo in younger days, there are two interweaving sub-plots which fill-in the background bios of both characters.  In one bio-line, we learn that Robin/Helena is the daughter of Earth 2's Batman and Catwoman and we learn of the close relationship dynamics among the three family members.  In a parallel sub-plot we learn of the family/mentoring relationship of the Earth 2 Superman and his young cousin Supergirl.  Without spoiling any plot details, these background elements weave into the main storyline, which unfolds an early attack on Gotham by Darkseid's forces, resulting in Catwoman's death, the first public appearance of the heretofore reclusive Supergirl and the resultant initial bonding of Supergirl and Robin as close friends and future superheroing partners.

     I've been very impressed by the quality of the storyverse unfolding in the latest World's Finest reissuance and the creative team only adds in several ways  to that strong effort with this issue #0 prequel.  Writer Paul Levitz is in the midst of developing one of DC's finest-ever alternate world realities for DC's mainstream heroes, taking bold leaps of fictional faith that include killing-off the big three of Batman/Superman/Wonder Woman and providing fresh origin tales and interpretations for so many other A-list DC heroes.  The issue #0 flashback story enhances the already-established strong and effective personality details of both Helena and Kara.  The strengths of their respective civilian personalities carry this series moreso than their costumed personas, to the point where it doesn't really matter whether the girls are in their Earth 1 or Earth 2 hero personas.  Either way, they both work well together and support each other throughout their shared experiences between the two alternate Earth realities.

     An additional tip-of-the-review-hat is due to the creative team for the wonderful artwork.  And a final positive shout-out is deserved for the fresh and interesting interweaving of the Darkseid/Apokolips storyline with the mainstream DC superhero universe.  Since the late Jack Kirby created the Fourth World storyverse back in the 1970's, so many of the subsequent portrayals of that side of the DC line-up have felt flat and uninteresting.  Its a pleasure to witness Levitz and team finally breathing some solid storytelling life into the Fourth World elements on an equal par of quality entertainment with the early Jack Kirby presentations.

     So in sum, a very positive review recommendation is well-deserved for the "Before The New 52" issue #0 of World's Finest for a nicely long list of reasons, including its entertaining one-shot script quality, its contribution to the ongoing multi-issue story unfolding in this title and for the many beautifully-crafted alternate bio details and story elements that make this current Earth 1/Earth 2 storyline one of the most entertaining tales currently being published in the DC universe.

Wolverine and The X-Men #17

Publisher: Marvel Comics

Jason Aaron: Writer

Michael Allred: Art

Laura Allred: Colors

     Marvel Comics is up to issue #17 of its Wolverine & The X-Men title.  The premise of this series is that Wolverine and a handful of other X-Men have moved back to their old stomping grounds in Westchester, New York and founded a new academy for gifted teen mutants called the Jean Grey School For Higher Learning.  Wolverine himself is the school headmaster while Kitty Pryde shares administrative duties as the headmistress.  The current issue is scripted by Jason Aaron with art by Michael Allred and colors by Laura Allred.

     The issue #17 one-shot story is entitled "Wolverine's Secret Weapon."  The tale is a flat-out comedy that stars Doop, the weird green blobbed character that Mike Allred created several years ago with writer Peter Milligan.  For the uninitiated, Doop has many goofy abilities along with superstrength and superpowers, and speaks an indecipherable language.  Picture a green-blobbed alien Homer Simpson-type and you're in the Doop ballpark.  In this plotline, Wolverine has recruited Doop as a special security staffer for the school.  Two subplots alternate throughout the issue.  In the first, we're witness to all of Doop's gross and funny antics, resulting in both faculty and students constantly questioning Doop's worth to Wolverine.  Our second sub-plot answers the question multiple times, as behind the scenes Doop constantly foils threats to the school, ranging from the merely absurb to the completely nutty.  By issue's end, Doop receives a well-earned "keep up the good work" compliment from headmaster Wolverine.

      This is both the funniest comic book that I've read in a very long while and the most successful Mad Magazine-style comic parody that I've come across since DC's excellent Ambush Bug mini-series of a few years ago.  While both the single jokes and multi-panel wacky situations are fresh and over-the-top funny, the creative team never drifts away from the main goal here of using humor to prove the touching point that our green blob goofball friend is a true and worthy member of the Jean Grey School family.  Part of the joke is that he's likely the most important member of the group given his expertise in school security issues, yet ironically only he and Wolverine share that knowledge.  A review kudo is also directed to Michael and Laura Allred's particular artistic style; their format of oddly stiff, almost mannequin-like figures worked well in the I, Zombie comic title and is also weirdly perfect for the bizarreness and humor of this issue.

     Its clear from next month's issue #18 promo in the back of this book that this was a one-shot humor issue with the Allreds as guest artists.  That makes it even all the more important for readers grab onto this issue while its still available to enjoy one of the funniest comic books that you'll read all year!

Contest Winner Announcement!!!

     Our latest contest challenged you to identify who was the first character in the very first of the original Star Wars movies to utter a speaking line in the film.  And our contest winner selected via a roll of the dice from among several correct entries is (drumroll, please)...Mike Dooley, who correctly identified everybody's favorite Sheldon Cooper-like robot C3P0 as the first speaker in the Star Wars movie series.  Congratulations to Mike who wins our first prize $10.00 gift certificate to That's Entertainment!

New Contest Challenge Announcement!!!

     For our latest Bongo Congo contest challenge, your assignment is to e-mail us no later than Wednesday, October 17 at Gordon_A@msn.com with your completion of the following sentence: "I like to visit That's Entertainment because...(fill-in the rest of the sentence here)."  That's right, tell us why you like to visit our favorite Pop Culture Emporium home-away-from home, That's Entertainment!  Please note that our first prize $10.00 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 Major League Baseball (MBL) play-off watching and comic book reading weeks and see you again on Friday, October 19 Here In Bongo Congo!

Comic Reviews 9/21/12

Here In Bongo Congo

     Good King Leonardo has found four interesting-looking new comics on the That's Entertainment new issues shelves, so let's get right to it and see what these new titles are all about:
 

The Phantom Stranger #0

Publisher: D.C. Comics

Dan Didio: Writer

Brent Anderson: Pencils

Scott Hanna: Inks

Jeremy Cox: Colors

     DC Comics has just relaunched perennial mysterious favorite The Phantom Stranger into his latest title within the latest crop of New 52 storylines.  As all Good DC Readers know, The Phantom Stranger is an occult-based character with Silver Age origins who has been represented by many creative teams in many comic book titles throughout the years.  His origin has always been an intriguing point of mystery within the DC Universe, with many hints being given, most of which place him as originating back in Biblical times.  The current title is scripted by Dan Didio with pencils by Brent Anderson, inks by Scott Hanna and colors by Jeremy Cox.

     Issue #0 is a stand-alone prequel tale entitled "A Stranger Among Us."  DC has finally rolled the origin dice with this tale, presenting an actual detailed origin story for this long-lasting DC Universe figure.  The plot alternates between two storythreads.  One sub-plot expands upon one of the previously-explored origin possibilties; taking the Biblical route, its clear without actually naming him that the Phantom Stranger was originally Judas Iscariot, who for his Biblical transgressions has been judged by a powerful Council of Wizards to wander through time, attempting to make amends until a certain level of tasks is completed.  A second sub-plot focuses on the origin of The Spectre, providing a different perspective on the often-told origin tale of that superhero which reveals a major role for The Phantom Stranger as he unwittingly helps to create his fellow paranormal DC character.

     I was attracted to reviewing this comic book due to its scripting by Dan Didio, an A-list DC writing veteran and current DC co-publisher, and I wasn't disappointed in the resulting product.  Didio has done an excellent job in fleshing-out the previously referenced thin details of this occult character's background and more fully explaining his reason for existence.  There are also two very effective plot elements connecting the Stranger to additional characters for future story progression within this title.  The first obviously is the Stranger's connection to creating The Spectre, an act which The Spectre clearly resents.  The second element connects The Stranger to two other damned people who are judged along with him before the Council of Wizards, one being Pandora of the classic fable and the second rumored among fandom to be Victor Sage, the original Question.

     So for the strong plotting quality detailed above, combined with a well-paced sense of storytelling and an approriate artistic style, a definite thumbs-up positive review recommendation is well-deserved for this latest worthy addition to the lengthy publishing lineage of DC's The Phantom Stranger.

Steed And Mrs. Peel #0

Publisher: BOOM! Studios

Mark Waid: Writer

Steve Bryant: Art

Ron Riley: Colors

     BOOM! Studios has just released issue #0 in a new title based on the popular 1960's British television show The Avengers.  For those of you too young to remember, the show and this comic book are not based on the Marvel superhero team!  The Avengers was a very popular British spy thriller series, starring Patrick Macnee as the dapper British Gentleman spy/crimefighter John Steed.  While he had a string of co-stars come and go throughout the series, his most popular spy partner was the young and lovely Mrs. Emma Peel, played by Diana Rigg.  This latest comic book incarnation of the series is scripted by well-known writer Mark Waid with art by Steve Bryant and colors by Ron Riley.

     The issue #0 stand-alone introductory tale is entitled "The Dead Future."  Set in 1966 London, the plot centers on our duo investigating a science fiction-themed crime pattern.  When accelerated aged murder victims pop-up around London, Steed and Mrs. Peel's investigation leads them to The New Hellfire Club, an old British wealthy men's club that has been redesigned to promote a sci-fi decor and theme.  Steed quickly stumbles upon a club-based scam in which an accelerated aging formula is used on captured intelligence officials in an elaborate attempt to con them out of espionage information.  Without spoiling any details, action ensues as Steed becomes the latest target of the scammers.  With Mrs. Peel in the mix of the spy action all works out in the end, setting the stage for next month's kick-off issue #1 adventure.

      This new comic has several strongpoints which are unfortunately dragged down by horrendous artwork; Steve Bryant's primative visual style takes away from a lot of the fun and squanders the opportunity to provide a potentially impressive artistic depiction of 1960's British mod/pop culture.  Bryant deserves a lengthy time-out in the comic book artist's penalty box just for his unattractive and sloppy drawings of the beautiful Diana Rigg as Mrs. Peel. However, Mark Waid's impressive script saves this comic book from the negative review list and elevates it up into an average decent comic book read.  A-lister Waid has the skill and most likely a fanboy devotion to the original television series that helps him to capture onto the comic book page the balanced blend of dry, British drollness and interesting spy thriller mystery/action that made the t.v. series both a hit and a continual cult treasure with devoted fans through the decades. 

     Positive review points also are deserved for the details of 1960's-era science fiction culture depicted in this issue, from bulky analog computers that spit-out ticker-tape information to the campy futuristic depiction of the year 2000 utilized in the elaborate intelligence scheme.  Its also interesting that a back-of-the-book narrative reveals that the London mod-era badguy Hellfire Club at the center of the plot is the original inspiration for its namesake in X-Men comics.  So while the art is a disappointment, Waid saves the day in giving us a worthwhile and very high grade storytelling that is well-worth gritting one's teeth a bit and tolerating visual disappointment in order to savor a very well-written homage to one of the great series spy thrillers of the 1960's television era.

Hawkeye #1

Publisher: Marvel Comics

Matt Fraction: Writer

David Aja: Art

Matt Hollingsworth: Colors

     Marvel Comics is up to issue #2 of its new Hawkeye title, in which the bow and arrow-slinging Avenger member stars solo.  I decided to review last month's issue #1 to get a good feel for the title's particular concept from its kick-off issue.  The new series is scripted by Matt Fraction with art by David Aja and colors by Matt Hollingsworth.

     Issue #1 establishes an entirely fresh perspective on the solo lifestyle of Hawkeye.  The focus in this initial storyarc is on the civilian side of Hawkeye's life as he recuperates from serious injury sustained in a bad fall.  However, even in civilian guise our hero gets embroiled in conflict.  Here its in the form of a Russian mob landlord pressuring to evict Hawkeye and his neighbors from their New York tenement building.  The story alternates between present-day and flashback segments of the plot, with the pressure and heavy-duty threats ratcheting-up to the eventual, unavoidable violent confrontation between the bad guy landlord, his gang and Hawkeye.  Without being a detail spoiler, by issue's end Hawkeye not only adequately resolves the issue but gains a dog sidekick as well for further man-and-dog adventures in upcoming issues.

      While this is a highly entertaining plot, even more impressive is the creative team's very fresh new perspective on the well-known Hawkeye storyverse.  Writer Matt Fraction comes at this character from a groundbreaking new angle, presenting Haweye as a day-to-day New Yorker civilian who somewhere off-camera functions at other times as an Avenger.  I don't think I've ever read a comic book that succeeds as much as this one in humanizing a superhero; while efforts such as Tim Sale's "Superman For All Seasons" and xxx xxx's "Thor The Mighty Avenger" made some degree of progress down this storytelling road, Fraction and crew take us much farther along this path.  The result is an absorbing tale balanced with beautiful artwork, absorbing storytelling and an enchanting element of light humor that pops-up at unexpected but very effective story moments.  A final perfect brushstroke is added with the character of Hawkeye's new dog, who goes through his own trials and tribulations that by issue's end make him as worthy a superhero as his human sidekick Hawkeye.

      In sum, Hawkeye is one of those unexpected high quality surprises that seem to show-up on the new issues comic book shelves from time-to-time just when you least expect it.  So savor this treat right now, and hope that Marvel keeps publishing this wonderful new title on a monthly basis for quite a long time.

Doctor Who Special 2012

Publisher: IDW Publishing

Miscellaneous Writers & Artists

     IDW Publishing has previewed its new Doctor Who title by releasing a one-shot Doctor Who Special 2012 comic book.  The oversized edition features a sampling of four new Doctor Who tales, each produced by a different creative team.  For the uninitiated, Doctor Who is the very long-running BBC-syndicated Science Fiction television series, starring the good doctor himself as the last of an immortal race known as Time Masters.  For decades, the show has featured a string of actors taking turns playing the good doctor, who uses his time portal to have adventures across space and time accompanied by a few human friends.

     The first featured tale is entitled "In-Fez-Station" and actually takes place in the present day.  Scripted by veteran Len Wein, the tale centers on a plot uncovered by Doctor Who in which his reptilian alien enemies The Slitheen implement a scheme to destroy mankind using the Moroccan hat known as the Fez.  Without spoiling any details, the Doctor obviously prevents the bad aliens from obliterating mankind.  The next three tales follow the television show format of time-traveling adventures.  Accompanied by the human married adventurers Amy and Rory Pond, the Doctor sets his time portal in these stories for 1992, 1962 and 1936, respectively.  Each of these tales presents a plot that mixes interaction with aliens (both good and bad), action-adventure and the Doctor ultimately solving the mystery or resolving the plot conflict with the use of his handy sonic screwdriver, an all-purpose device that apparently is useful for many purposes beyond merely installing screws!

     This is a fun and entertaining compilation of Doctor Who tales that serves very well the purpose of kicking-off IDW's new Doctor Who title series.  I liked the variety of artistic story presentations; while the four tales present completely different visual styles, there's a common goal here of providing both new and old Doctor Who fans with the three basic elements of the television series: time-travel adventure, interaction with good and bad aliens, and accompaniment of the Doctor by a few trusted ordinary human sidekicks.  The characters of Amy and Rory are very well fleshed-out in all four stories, serving as equal partners in the Doctor's adventures as opposed to serving as background or supportive characters.

     As a final positive review comment, my favorite tale is the first story featuring the alien attack utilizing Moroccan hats.  The humor is cute and there's a nice twist to the story resolution.  On one negative note, there is a side to Doctor Who's personality in these stories in which he seems to behave at times as more befuddled and eccentric than the character from the television series.  It seemed a bit overdone in this issue and hopefully will be reduced in upcoming tales within the regular monthly title.  But all-in-all, a positive review recommendation is well-deserved for this well-crafted and enjoyable primer for the new Doctor Who science fiction adventure series from IDW Publishing.

 Contest Winner Announcement!!!

     Our latest contest challenged you to think outside the box and suggest an unexpected role for one of your favorite comic book characters that could be explored in the future.  And our contest winner is (drumroll, please)...David McBarron, who writes "I don't know if this has been done, but what if Daredevil finally snapped and turned bad and took out the King Pin.  At which point, he would take over as the new King Pin of New York."  I'm not a regular reader of Daredevil, but even if its been done, its an intriguing original proposal by David and worthy of our contest. We'll forward David's idea to Marvel Comics and see how they react.  So congrats to our winner of the first prize $10.00 gift certificate to That's Entertainment!

New Contest Announcement!!!

     In honor of the science fiction theme of some of this week's comic book reviews, the Bongo Congo panel of contest judges has decreed that we offer a science fiction trivia challenge this week.  So your challenge is to e-mail us at Gordon_A@msn.com no later than Wednesday, October 3 with the answer to the following trivia question: who was the very first character to actually speak a line of dialogue in the first Star Wars movie?  There's lots of well-known characters in that first movie and the rest of the series franchise, but one kicked it all off with the first words!  As always, in the event of multiple correct entries, our winner of the $10.00 first prize gift certificate to That's Entertainment will be chosen via a roll of the dice.  Please note that our first prize $10.00 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 Fall leaf-peeping and comic book reading weeks and see you again on Friday, October 5 Here In Bongo Congo!

Comic Reviews 9/7/12

Here In Bongo Congo

     Good King Leonardo has selected an eclectic variety of new comic books for us to review this week.  So let's get right to it and see for ouselves what these new issue titles are all about:
 

Before Watchmen: Dr. Manhattan #1

Publisher: D.C. Comics

J. Michael Straczynski: Writer

Adam Hughes: Art

Laura Martin: Colors

     DC Comics has expanded its stable of Before Watchmen titles by publishing issue #1 of a four-issue mini-series focusing on everybody's favorite blue-skinned scientist superhero, Dr. Manhattan.  For the uninitiated, we're currently in the middle of a DC mega-event which features a series of prequel comic titles to Alan Moore's acclaimed Watchmen comic series/graphic novel.  Each limited series centers on different characters from Watchmen, including Nite Owl, Silk Spectre, Ozymandias, Rorschach, The Minutemen and now Dr. Manhattan.  Again for non-Watchmen fans, Dr. Manhattan is scientist Dr. Jon Osterman, the victim of a 1950's science accident who can manipulate the laws of quantum mechanics to travel the timestream and to some degree manipulate probabilities and outcomes of events.

    The issue #1 storyline is entitled "What's In The Box?" and alternates between three sub-plots.  One storythread is a basic background primer on Jon himself, alternating scenes from various stages of his life, as such briefing the reader on the childhood, teen year and adult episodes of his life that molded the stoic personality that readers came to know in the original 1980's Watchmen series.  A brief second storythread connects this title to events also unfolding in the other Before Watchmen titles, as Dr. Manhattan slightly alters probability events to assure that his attraction to Silk Spectre blossoms into romance.  Our third sub-plot follows Dr. Manhattan in a risky experiment in which he timetravels back to observe the accident that created his altered state of being.  The issue ends in a surprise cliffhanger, as the good Doctor discovers a shocking difference in the accident completely at odds with his original experience.

     As a regular reader of most of the Before Watchmen titles, I've found the quality of those other titles ranging from average to above average, with none of them approaching the classic narrative and literary quality of Moore's original series.  But if anyone could near that level of storytelling greatness its A-plus writer J. Michael Straczynski and sure enough, he's pulled himself pretty darn close to Moore's writing level with this new series.  While the other series writers seek instead to add their own perspective to the Watchmen universe, Straczynski rolls the dice and immerses himself right into Alan Moore's take on Dr. Manhattan as a haunted and tragic story figure.  The same melancholy riffs on the nature of life and being are here, mixed-in with the soap opera issues that Manhattan, Silk Spectre and the rest of the Watchmen crew experience, all played-out against the tense, ticking backdrop of impending universal doom.

     Straczynski and the art team pull-off this Moore-like storytelling approach so well that in my opinion, one could read this issue and assume that Alan Moore himself had written this particular prequel.  While Moore most likely would be furious to read that observation given his well-publicized opposition to DC's prequel publishing event, that's a complement to this creative team that's very well-deserved.  Its also worth noting that of the four Before Watchmen titles that I'm currently reading, this series succeeds the most as both a stand-alone read and a component within the overall multi-title series narrative.

     So enough already with my praise!  Dr. Manhattan is by far the best piece of the Before Watchmen universe, so my review advice is to either focus on this title if you're selectively choosing among the series titles or alternately, savor this title amongst all of the titles as another major product from the keyboard of J. Michael Straczynski, proving once again that he's in a rare league of his own at the very top of today's comic book writing profession.

Young Justice #18

Publisher: D.C. Comics

Greg Weisman: Writer

Christopher Jones: Art

Zac Atkinson: Colors

     DC's Young Justice comic book title is up to issue #18 this month.  The series is a kid-friendly comic book counterpart to the Cartoon Network television show featuring a teenaged version of the Justice League.  The team make-up includes Superboy, Robin/Dick Grayson, Kid Flash, Aqualad, Miss Martian and a female teen Green Arrow-type named Artemis Crock.  The series is scripted by Greg Weisman with art by Christopher Jones and colors by Zac Atkinson.

     The current multi-issue story arc is entitled "Monkey Business" and features an ongoing confrontation between the teen heroes and The Brain, a giant villainous superbrain (naturally!) who's assisted in his bad deeds by a bunch of scientifically-enhanced, super-intelligent gorillas including our old Flash storyverse friend Gorilla Grodd.  After a three-page introductory visual summary of the story to-date, the superteens get into an issue-long extended jungle battle with the bad guys.  After much back-and-forth maneuvering, the supergorrillas manage to capture most of the team, with the exception of Miss Martian and Superboy's pet wolf (named "Wolf," of course).  The issue concludes in an interesting twist of a bridge to next month's installment, as it appears that there are cracks in the unity of the villains, with Gorilla Grodd unexpectedly attempting to ally with the on-the-run Miss Martian against The Brain.

     DC markets the segment of its title inventory which includes Young Justice as comic books that are kid-friendly yet entertaining for readers of all ages.  I agreed with this pitch when I previously reviewed the "Batman: The Brave & The Bold" title and I agree even more after reading Young Justice #18.  This title has a bunch of good stuff going for it.  First-up is the writing skill of Greg Weisman, who gives us a story with a pitch-perfect blend of teen humor and comic book drama.  The television cartoon visual style of Jones and Atkinson also fits very well to this type of young teen comic book storytelling.  I also was impressed with the seamless weaving of old and new DC storyverse elements into this tale.  Entertaining old-school story elements included the featuring of Flash storyverse supergorillas (for which I have a major fan weakness!) along with secondary character use of Batman and Captain Marvel as mentors to the team.  Regarding new elements, I enjoyed the prominence of Miss Martian and Artemis in this series, who as female teenaged heroes embodied more loose, realworld teenlike personalities than their stodgy male senior counterparts.

     So a double thumbs-up positive review recommendation for Young Justice, both as an excellent comic book series for younger readers and also for living-up to its expectations as a comic book that truly can be enjoyed by fanboys and fangirls of all reading ages, from young kid to old adult and everyone in between!

Phantom Lady & Doll Man #1

Publisher: D.C. Comics

Justin Gray & Jimmy Palmiotti: Writers

Cat Staggs: Pencils

Tom Derenick: Inks

Jason Wright: Colors

     DC Comics has just published issue #1 of a four-issue mini-series starring Phantom Lady and Doll Man.  Both characters originated back in the earliest days of the Golden Age of comics.   While there have been a zillion different versions over the decades of these two costumed heroes, its interesting to note that Doll Man was created in 1939 by the legendary Will Eisner and as such predated DC's The Atom as the first shrinking comic book superhero.  This latest title pairs the duo in a storyline scripted by the team of Justin Gray and Jimmy Palmiotti, with pencils by Cat Staggs, inks by Tom Derenick and colors by Jason Wright.

    The multi-issue story arc is entitled "Chasing Shadows" and alternates between flashback and present-day scenes to present the storyline.  Phantom Lady is Jennifer Bender, who as a child witnessed her parents murder at the hands of a Metropolis crime boss.  Now a young adult, Jennifer has infiltrated the ranks of the crime boss's family by dating one of his violently looney sons.  To make a long story short, Jennifer's cover is blown, whereupon her female best friend is badly beaten as a warning to her; Jennider flees to her male buddy Dane, who in this title is a loner scientist working to create his shrinking technology.  When the gangsters track down and retaliate further against Jennifer, Dan's shrinking machine accidentally works on him, with his newly-discovered ability primed and ready for use in next month's issue #2.

     My initial reaction to this comic was to consider giving it a mixed, albeit slightly positive review.  But after mulling it over for a day or so, I shifted to a more-deserved thumbs-down negative recommendation, for a few reasons.  My biggest peeve is the decision of the writing team to paint Jennifer as a weak victim in this storyline.  Here's a woman who demonstrates some real superpowers abilities, but consistently behaves in her personal life as an emotionally-abused, mousy victim of a gangster boyfriend.  It also creeps me out that she's willing to sleep with a murderer to get closer to avenging her dead parents.  Throughout the issue, there's an over-the-top, non-stop barrage of physical and emotional abuse of Jennifer and her girlfriend at the hands of these serial killers to the point where an eventual flowering of her superhero persona in upcoming issues just doesn't connect with the overall approach to this storyline.

     While I'm a fan of many comic books scripted by the Gray-Palmiotti writing duo, once in awhile the pair goes off the beaten path to pursue what they no doubt feel is dramatic storytelling edginess, but instead produces a product that tanks into a cheesy, flat story.  Mix into my criticisms above some unbearably flat dialogue between Jennifer and Dane in which he whines about wanting them to be more than "just friends" and you can sort this title into the cheesy-flat pile of the Gray-Palmiotti story inventory.  And that's a shame, because these two iconic, early-Golden Age superhero characters deserve better storytelling treatment than the third-rate dialogue and story convolution that's rampant throughout this latest Phantom Lady-Doll Man presentation.

Justice League #12

Publisher: D.C. Comics

Geoff Johns: Writer

Jim Lee: Pencils

Many Inkers & Colorists

     I recently read that Justice League is one of the most popular superhero comic titles currently being published, so I decided to review the current issue #12.  The latest team membership is fairly traditional and includes Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Aquaman, Green Lantern, The Flash and someone called Cyborg.  The current plot is written by Geoff Johns with pencils by Jim Lee.  Oddly, fourteen different artists share the credits for each producing a portion of this issue's inking and coloring.

     The current tale is entitled "Rescue From Within" and is being marketed as including a big first kiss in DC's long history between iconic A-listers Superman and Wonder Woman.  There are three sub-plots that weave around each other to move this storyline forward toward the conclusion's expected "super smooch."  Without being a detail spoiler, there's a battle scene and ongoing conflict between the Justice Leagers and an ordinary journalist who becomes possessed by evil spirits that empower him with superpowered abilities.  A second plot thread features Wonder Woman's former boyfriend Colonel Steve Trevor, who represents the team as their liaison with the media and the government.  A third sub-plot dominates the second half of the issue; after enduring public backlash against the team in follow-up to their most recent public battles, the League has a dramatic, multi-page meeting to hash-out their problems.  The issue ends on a double dramatic note, as one team member resigns as a public relations move to protect the team, while Superman and Wonder Woman feel lonely and have a bonding conversation that leads to that kiss.

     This is an interesting Justice League storyline.  While nothing classic or mega-event is going-on, there are three elements that make the issue a very solid read.  The first is the well-crafted dialogue and strong artwork; writer Johns and penciler Lee balance the story very well among all members of the League, giving us a tale that nicely features everyone dealing with the story situation as a working superteam.  Secondly, I liked the storythread in which the team struggles to deal with their rapidly declining image among the general populace.  There's an intriguing debate among the members as to whether superheros should just go about their world-saving business or prioritize improving their likability and comfort factor with the general population. 

     And third is the issue of "the big kiss."  While it might seem somewhat overblown in today's more explicit pop culture environment, it is interesting that as far as I know, there's never been any real romantic development between these two characters over the many decades of the DC universe.  It would be fun for this little plot element to grow into something more serious between the pair; I personally would like DC to throw the dice and echo the old Batman/daughter-of-Ras Al Ghul soap opera, a romance which produced the bratty Damian Robin.  Can you imagine a bratty Superkid as the son of Superman and Wonder Woman?!  Chances are this smooch ain't going anywhere in terms of major DC universe soap opera shenanigans, but its still fun to speculate and it adds a nice story element to this title. 

     On a final review note, there's a nice three-page back-of-the-book preview of upcoming story developments in this title, including a neat two-page spread introducing a rival Justice League that will challenge this traditional team make-up.  I was very intrigued by the make-up of the second team, which presents a nice mix of older and more recent DC superheroes, along with one well-known character who's often a villainess (guess who!).  So by all means check-out the many goings-on in this enjoyable latest issue of Justice League.

Contest Winner Announcement!!!

     Our latest contest was posted in light of our Red Sox missing this year's upcoming Major League Baseball postseason play-offs.  We challenged you to tell us what other MLB team you'd be rooting for to make the play-offs.  And our winner is (drumroll, please)...Gregory Goding, who tells us that he'd like the Washington, D.C.-based Nationals to win because "they've been miserable dating back to their days as the (Montreal) Expos.  Also, they built their team mainly through the draft which is more acceptable than buying a team like the Yankees and both LA teams have done."  Some good analysis and reasoning by Gregory as to why this non-Red Sox team deserves its turn at the championship podium.  So congratulations to Gregory who wins our first-prize $10.00 gift certificate to That's Entertainment!

New Contest Challenge Announcement!!!

     Its time to put our creative thinking caps back on with a new comic book-based contest.  So let's play "What If."  In the Justice League comic book review above, we mentioned that it would be fun for DC to roll the dice, having Superman and Wonder Woman's romance blossom to the point where they have a Superkid, a la the bratty Batman progeny Damien/Robin.  Your challenge this week is to e-mail us at Gordon_A@msn.com no later than Wednesday, September 19 and pitch to us your own idea for an unexpected comic book character/story development that you'd like to see.  Take a risk here, propose some hero or story character(s) unexpectedly dying, changing identities, behaving or doing something completely unexpected and out-of-character, etc.  Maybe you have an idea for a good guy to become a villain or vice-versa. You get the picture!

     We'll not only choose a winner of our first prize $10.00 gift certificate to That's Entertainment, but we'll forward any interesting ideas to the respective publishers and maybe you'll eventually see your creative idea in a published storyline!  Please note that our first prize $10.00 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 NFL watching (Go Patriots!) and comic book reading weeks and see you again on Friday, September 21 Here In Bongo Congo!

Comic Reviews 8/24/12

Here In Bongo Congo

     Good King Leonardo has decreed that its once again Science Fiction Week Here In Bongo Congo!  So let's see what this group of new comic books with Science Fiction storylines are all about:
 

Harbinger #1

Publisher: Valiant Entertainment LLC

Joshua Dysart: Writer

Khari Evans: Art

Ian Hannin: Colors

     Valiant Entertainment is up to issue #2 of a new science fiction thriller comic book series entitled Harbinger.  I backtracked to last month's kick-off issue #1 for this review, in order to get a better feel for the concept of this series.  The comic book is scripted by Joshua Dysart with art by Khari Evans and colors by Ian Hannin.

     Issue #1 kicks-off a multi-issue storyline entitled "Omega Rising." The plot introduces us to a story concept centering on psiots, rare humans who have both telepathic ability and can make people do whatever they want them to.  Our main character is Pittsburgh teenager Peter Stancek, on the run from bad guy forces who want to harness his abilities for their own unknown purposes.  The issue #1 plot is an orientation to Peter's difficult situation, in which he struggles with three challenges: staying ahead of his pursuers, stealing prescription medication to dampen the uncontrollable flood of random people's thoughts bombarding his brain and helping his buddy Joe, a mentally ill non-psiot teen who accompanies him on his desperate flight from evil.

     A second sub-plot develops mid-issue, introducing two additional characters into Peter's life.  There's Kris, a childhood crush upon whom the lonely Peter desperately uses his powers to falsely love him and there's middle-aged Toyo Harada, the head of a vast Asian business corporation and a fellow psiot.  Without being a detail spoiler, Harda reaches out via his powers to Peter from across the globe, educating both Peter and the reader regarding the scope of their abilities and the possibilities of Harada both helping Peter with his problems and partnering with him to do some good in the world.  The issue ends in a dramatic bridge to issue #2, as the bad guys seemingly corner Peter and Joe in a cliffhanger confrontation.

     Initially, I questioned whether the creative team could offer a fresh and entertaining spin on the oft-presented, well-worn theme of a teenager struggling to control telepathic powers.  Happily, the crew delivers that entertainment; writer Joshua Dysart weaves together several plotthreads that provide the necessary freshness, with two storylines particularly worthy of mention.  The first is the mystery of psiot Toyo Harada, who we learn about both in flashback and present-day scenes.  My guess is that he's a legitimate good guy and mentor to Peter, but there's an aura of mystery about him that could take his character over to the dark side.  There's also the theme of ethics here, as Peter has immorally used his powers to falsely make his crush Kris love him.  In issue #1, Harda confronts Peter regarding the sleaziness of this action and it should be interesting to see how the comic book addresses this weighty ethical issue in future story segments.

      In sum, a positive thumbs-up review recommendation is deserved of this new science fiction comic book, which succeeds in presenting both a fresh plot and entertaining approach to the theme of folks struggling to control and use their rare and special powers, not as costumed heroes but rather in the context of the everyday world.

Planetoid #1

Publisher: Image Comics, Inc.

Ken Garing: Story & Art

     Image Comics has released two issues so far of a new comic book entitled "Planetoid."  As with the Harbinger title reviewed above, I reviewed issue #1 in order to get the best feel for the concept of the title.  The new series is the creation of Ken Garing, who apparently worked for years creating this title as an independent project, then pitched it at a comic book convention to Image Publishing and was accepted for publication.  This is a great story reaffirming that one should always follow their dreams and creative aspirations, for you never know just how and when your efforts will succeed.

     Planetoid is a traditonal hard science fiction outer space adventure series.  The plot centers on space voyager Silas, a space military deserter who crashlands on a small planet (planetoid) after his attempt at space piracy goes awry.  The story begins cloaked in mystery, as Silas explores the weird environment of vast technological debris and wreckage littering the entire landscape of the small world.  In the midst of some heavy duty action-adventure, Silas is rescued from harm by Mendel, an elderly fellow castaway who explains that the junk world is an abandoned industrial colony.  Mendel also reveals that there's no way to leave or communicate off of the planetoid, due to its odd electromagnetic atmosphere, whose radiation interferes with all such attempts.  By the end of issue #1, Silas is determined to try to reach other humans whom Mendel indicates live on the planetoid and to find a way off of the small planet.

     I'm always leery of comic book products that begin with an unknown creator plucked out of the convention attendee ranks for a rare chance at professional achievement (see my review of Captain Marvel #1 in last week's review column).  So its always a pleasure to come across the unexpected effort that produces such a top notch product as Planetoid.  Quite simply, newcomer Ken Garing has produced a comic book with the skill of a seasoned comic book industry pro.  The story structure and characterization is the equivalant of the better written science fiction magazine short stories. Garing shows a strong skill in detailed storytelling, deftly utilizing narrative and visual flashbacks to fill the reader in on backstory elements that are important to the plot situation. The artwork is both beautiful and the perfect visual style suited for this type of outer space sci-fi adventure telling.

     This new comic book just brims over with storytelling potential, ranging from hints of artificial intelligence lurking deep within the depths of the planetoid's junkpiles to Silas's upcoming interaction with his fellow castaways and his only friend Mendel.  So whether you're a hard science fiction fan or just looking for entertaining comic book storytelling (or you're looking for a combination of both!), don't miss-out on the chance to be entertained from the very beginning of this excellent new comic book adventure series.

Dial H #4

Publisher: D.C. Comics

China Mieville: Writer

Mateus Santolouco: Art

     DC Comics is up to issue #4 of its "Dial H For Hero" reboot that's being published as part of the second year of the New 52 rebranding of their comics line.  For the uninitiated, the series originated in the Silver Age House of Mystery title.  That version starred Robby Reed as a teen who discovered a mysterious phone dial that transformed him into a different superhero everytime he dialed the letters HERO. Robby is replaced in the title reboot by an overweight and unemployed character named Nelson Jent.  The original series was popular for Reed transforming each time into a fresh hero whose identity, costume and powers had to be created with each new monthly issue.  The reboot shortens the series title to simply "Dial H" and is written by well-known British science fiction author China Mieville with art by Mateus Santolouco.

     Issue #4 is the latest installment of a multi-issue story arc that has a very strong science fiction theme.  The story initially focuses on Squid, an alien unstuck in time who is adrift through various timelines and dimensions until corralled into our timeframe by a supervillain.  To make a long story short, Squid is psychically tied to a weird being of immense power.  When our bad guy attempts to control this powerful being, Nelson Jent steps-in with the assistance of a female character who also has her own Dial H device.  Without being a story spoiler, everyone invlolved in this situation battles through various ups-and-downs, with the story segment ending in a battle cliffhanger to be picked-up and continued in next month's issue #5.

     I'm giving this comic book a well-deserved mixed review.  On the negative side, the first half of the story segment is incredibly muddled, to the point where a reader who hasn't read the previous title issues has no idea what is going on.  While China Mieville is an acclaimed science fiction author, he's also known as a proponent of a new subgenre called "Weird Science Fiction," and the abstractness of his unique narrative approach is disastrous for the reader to figure-out what's going on here.  On the plus side, the story narrative clouds suddenly dissipate mid-issue, and for the second half of the tale we have a somewhat understandable and interesting story sequence.  I particularly enjoyed Nelson Jent's ability to improvise and prevail in a tough situation when denied access for a time to his superpower dial.  Its clear that given enough time and monthly issues, some of the storytelling in this title could effectively explore the transformation of Nelson from his life of Everyman failure to actually succeeding in his non-superpowered life.

     In the end, the out-there writing style of China Mieville just doesn't sync well with the concept of Dial H, as evidenced by the disconnection of the first half of the tale with understandable comic book storytelling.  So I'd urge readers interested in judging this series for themselves to gain some semblance of plot understanding by starting with issue #1 of this series.  And my review advice to DC Comics is two-fold: first, add a brief narrative story-to-date summary to the start of each monthly issue and secondly, ditch the high concept/attempt-to-be-edgy writing approach by replacing China Mieville with a writer who can provide this series with the much-needed comic book storytelling quality that the rich history of Dial H For Hero, as well as its old and new fans, rightly deserve.

Resurrection Man #12

Publisher: D.C. Comics

Dan Abnett & Andy Lanning: Writers

Javier Pina: Artist

Jeromy Cox: Colors

     Another science fiction-themed comic book within DC's New 52 inventory is Resurrection Man.  The series is a reboot of the initial 1990's title run.  It features Mitch Shelley, a South Carolina lawyer who has nanotechnology called tektites injected into him by a mysterious group known as "The Lab".  The technology allows Mitch to repeatedly rise from the dead with a new superpower with every experienced mortal incident.  The current series is scripted by original series creators Dan Abnett and Andy Lanning, with art by Javier Pina and colors by Jeromy Cox.

     Issue #12 is the latest installment of a multi-issue story arc entitled "The Reborn Identity."  At this point in the series, Mitch has been kidnapped by The Lab and forced to undergo a brutal series of virtual reality deaths to analyze the nature of his tektite-fueled power.  We learn that The Lab is filled with various employees who also are Tektite-infested but who each manifest various afflictions caused by the nanotechnology.  The plot shifts mid-issue into high action, as a pair of employees sympathize with Mitch's predicament and attempt to rescue and release him from captivity.  Without being a detail spoiler, the issue ends in a dramatic cliffhanger as the identity of the mysterious leader of The Lab, who also initially created Mitch's condition, is dramatically revealed.

     This is a very intriguing science fiction comic book concept presented in a very entertaining manner.  I thought of the concept as a spin-off from the Dial H plot idea reviewed above, albeit with the hero's repeated deaths triggering the random superpower guises instead of the simpler act of dialing a phone.  The creative team's product is strong and effective, with excellent artwork suitable to the thriller/action nature of the story and gripping action plotting from the team that created this character back in the 1990's.  There are two particular surprise plot twists that are outstanding: the presentation of Mitch's virtual reality plight, which is initially presented as a real world scenario and unexpectedly revealed to be fictitious, and the cliffhanger reveal of the chief villain behind all that is happening in the Resurrection Man storyverse.

     The ultimate complement to this issue is that its quality made me, the first-time reader, want to backtrack and read previous issues to enjoy the story progression leading-up to the details presented in issue #12.  So an obvious thumbs-up positive review recommendation is deserved for all Good DC Readers to do the same, enjoy issue #12 and if you haven't already done so, backtrack your way through the That's Entertainment inventory to check-out the previous issues, as well as issues from the initial 1990's title run.

Contest Winner Announcement!!!

    Our latest contest challenged you to tell us what you would purchase with our $10.00 prize gift certificate to That's Entertainment, if you were chosen as our winner-sort of a contest about our contest!  And our winner is (drumroll, please)...Erin O'Connor, who tells us that she would use the prize to purchase "those cool (model) insects" currently available at the store.  She's hoping that a butterfly is available for purchase.  An interesting choice, taking advantage of one of the many fine offerings at That's Entertainment beyond the comic book inventory.  Congratulations to Erin and hope you buy that butterfly real soon!

New Contest Challenge Announcement!!!

     The Bongo Congo Panel Of Contest Judges announce a baseball contest for this week.  As you know, our poor Red Sox are most likely not going to make the postseason play-offs this year.  As such, your new contest challenge is to e-mail us at Gordon_A@msn.com no later than Wednesday, September 5 telling us which major league team you're rooting for to make the playoffs and ultimately win the World Series.  Also pitch to us why you feel they deserve to be the big postseason winner this season.  For instance, my favorite non-Red Sox team for the postseason are the Pittsburgh Pirates.  I'd like to see them win it all because they're having a great year and they haven't been champions since they won the 1979 World Series when they were led by Willie Stargell, in the memorable "We Are Family" season.  Please note that our first prize $10.00 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 NFL preseason watching and comic book reading weeks and see you again on Friday, September 7 Here In Bongo Congo!