Adventures in the Windy City: Nightwing volume 4 Second City

 

Review:

This TPB could be a photo album too - it collects memories and key moments of Nightwing's trip to Chicago. Dick Grayson sublets an apartment for his short-term stay, a quest to track down Tony Zucco, the man who killed his circus performer parents. In his efforts to bring Zucco to justice, he must first battle an environment that has turned hostile to "Masks" - costumed vigilantes.

Brett Booth's covers and action spreads make this worth the trip. The covers are dramatic snapshots of the conflicts. Most pages are artistically straight-forward, but Booth excels at showing the jaw-dropping moves, poses and hand-to-hand combat abilities of Nightwing, and he strings them together into amazing collages.

The story itself feels a bit derivative and repetitive of common superhero tropes, especially in the Batman family tree. A hero is driven to do what he does by the murder of his parents. A recurring villain with a name inspired by tricks and practical jokes - in this case, The Prankster. High-level police and political figures messing with the very edge of ethics and morality. It all combines to feel like a low-budget Batman, in this case so low-budget that Dick needs roommates to help meet rent, and needs to stitch and patch the rips in his suit between battles.

I could stare at the pages showing the battles and rescues for hours, and the occasional recognizable Chicago landmark is fun. But much of the book is a second-rate second city story. Chicago deserves better.

Description:

After the Joker's attack on the Bat-family, Nightwing finds himself in a new setting with an unlikely ally, The Prankster. Together they are being hunted by the mysterious Mask Killer while Dick tries to find the man who killed his parents, Tony Zullo. Twists and surprises are at every turn in this exciting new chapter of Nightwing!

Collects: Nightwing #19-24

Authors: Kyle Higgins
Artists: Brett Booth
Published By: DC Comics
Published When: July 15 2014
Parental Rating: Teen
ISBN: 978-1401246303
Pages: 144 pages

A Superior Definition of Team-Up? Superior Spider-Man Team-Up volume 2 - Superior Six

 

Review:

Comics fans have a certain range of expectations in a hero team-up tale. The heroes meet - they may start in conflict with each other, before making common cause against another foe. The four tales and 8 issues in this collection defy these expectations at nearly every turn.

The three-part story that gives the set its title teams Superior Spider-Man with the Superior Six - Electro, Sandman and other Sinister Six villains turned heroes. But their virtue is driven by Superior Spider-Man's mental control over them; when it slips, they turn on him with a vengeance.

Issue 8 brings Namor to Superior Spider-Man. They fight. They rest and talk. They fight some more. The end.

The next team-up, with Punisher and Daredevil, comes closest to expectations. But it turns out Punisher and Daredevil were just play-fighting to get Spider-Man's attention. They then work together to retake control of the base on Spider Island.

The fourth and final story pits Dr. Octopus and Green Goblin in a battle of frenemies. Will they work together? Kill each other? It's a roller coaster ride of manipulation and power games, with life and death hanging in the balance, theirs and others.

The rotating art teams make the collection visually unsettled, if usually dynamic and absorbing. With heavy inks and dark tones, the panels often feel under-exposed and in need of some color highlights.

Little stands out as especially strong or weak in these tales, so they earn a middling grade of 2.5 capes.

Description:

The Superior Six are here! Spider-Man has captured the members of the Sinister Six...and now he has formed them into his own Superior super-hero team! But can Spider-Man trust his new team, aka his greatest enemies, when a reformed Masters of Evil come calling? As everything begins to go wrong, Spider-Man learns that with great arrogance must come great consequences. Now, every single person in New York City might die at the Superior Six's hands...and it's all Spider-Man's fault! Everything has been building to this! Humbled, the Superior Spider-Man must grapple with self-doubt for the first time! Can guest-stars Sub-Mariner, Daredevil, Punisher and Cloak & Dagger help him overcome it? And can any of them help stop the Green Goblin from conquering the New York Underworld in an all-out gang war?

Collects: Superior Spider-Man Team-Up 5-12

Authors: Christopher Yost, Kevin Shinick 
Artists: Marco Checchetto, Will Sliney
Published By: Marvel 
Published When: July 8 2014
Parental Rating: Teen
ISBN: 9780785189794
Pages: 184 pages

It's you: Superior Spider-Man volume 6 Goblin Nation

 

Review:

Green Goblin has taken over New York City. After hacking the spider-bots as well as Mayor Jameson's Spider-Slayers, he and his army of other goblins have run wild and declared the five boroughs "Goblin Nation." 

Spider Island, Parker Industries and any friends and family of Peter Parker all come under assault. Worse, with Carlie Cooper infected by the Goblin Serum, after she figured out about Otto as Spider-Man, now Green Goblin knows all Otto's secrets.

Even as the Superior Spider-Man's world crumbles around him, and he struggles with his failures, internally the last remnants of Peter Parker's mind struggles for the surface, buried deep inside Otto's formative childhood memories.

Artist Guiseppe Camuncoli's double-page spreads of these memories and internal battles are superb, powerful statements of these characters. The final nod to old-school Marvel comics as Peter emerges is brilliant. His Goblin battle scenes pale in comparison, especially with his propensity to throw in gratuitous spread-legged crotch shots of Goblin Carlie.

The climax comes when Peter Parker retakes control of the body, just in time to save Otto's girlfriend. His cheeky man-purse insult sparks Green Goblin's hilarious, understated "it's you." reaction. And the difference is stark, the creative, reactive bravery replacing the cocky, reflective arrogance.

Unfortunately the denouement is long, slow and talk-filled, not a lot of drama or visual interest and a let-down after a solid-plus collection.

Description:

The so-called Superior Spider-Man has failed. Under his watch, the Green Goblin took control of New York's underworld. This is all Otto Octavius' fault...and now it's his responsibility to take the Goblin down. Win or lose, this will be Otto's greatest battle. But when Spiderlings, goblins, super villains and giant robots clash in a violent assault on Spidey's home base, Spider-Island, will Otto be able to regain his footing and prevail? Whatever you do, don't miss the biggest event in the entire Superior Spider-Man Saga! The End starts here, as Spider-Man takes on...the Goblin Nation! If you want to see people standing around talking, read another comic. If you want to see heroes having a fist fight, go somewhere else. You are in the Goblin Nation - and this is all-out war!

Collects: Superior Spider-Man 27-31, Annual 2

Authors: Dan Slott, Christos Gage
Artists: Giuseppe Camuncoli
Published By: Marvel 
Published When: July 1 2014
Parental Rating: Teen+
ISBN: 9780785187974
Pages: 168 pages

Pepper Power: Superior Iron Man v2 Stark Contrast

Review:

In this powerful conclusion to the Superior Iron Man saga, Pepper Potts joins with an old-Tony AI to battle the sinister new Superior Tony. She even dons armor herself in the confrontation.

It's a struggle for control - of a media empire, of Tony's public image, of old armor vs symbiote-enhanced new. And while Superior Tony turns the tables and escapes, it comes at a high cost, and with Pepper's powerful, series-closing promise / threat. If she can't save Tony, she will save the world from him, open their eyes and ensure he will be without friends or, more importantly, admirers - broken, unloved, alone in his power.

The series is filled with twists, strong characters, relational drama and is well worth the time. But Tony Stark, in his superior form, is repulsive, nothing but hyper-intelligence, cocksure arrogance and self-focus.

The TPB ends with a reprint of Iron Man #182, the climax of the critically acclaimed Tony Stark alcoholism stories by Denny O'Neil. Its inclusion is a stroke of genius, kudos to collection editor Jennifer Grunwold or whoever thought of it. After nine issues in two volumes of the worst of Tony Stark, this reprint reminds us of the glimmer of humanity, the innate heroic nature and spark of self-giving at the core of Tony Stark. An appropriate, timely counterpoint and satisfying end.

3.5 capes out of 5 to Tom Taylor and this series, for once again making me hate one of my favorite Marvel characters with some strong stories.

Description:

Pepper Potts has had enough! As Tony Stark's wealth and influence increase across the globe, he prepares to unveil a new Stark world. Pepper alone knows the extent of his "superiority," and she's determined to prevent him from slipping even further. But she'll need help. As Tony is left reeling by shocking revelations, doubt begins to creep in, and his future looks uncertain. Who or what lurks in Tony's old armor - and can Pepper trust it? Iron Man clashes with Iron Man in an epic battle that could mean the death of the Tony Stark we know and love. The Superior Iron Man is dead -long live the Superior Iron Woman? Plus, Tony struggles with sobriety in a seminal story from his classic years!

Collects: Superior Iron Man #6-9, Iron Man (1968) #182

Authors: Tom Taylor, Denny O'Neil
Artists: Laura Braga, Yildiray Cinar
Published By: Marvel 
Published When: March 29 2016
Parental Rating: Teen
ISBN: 9780785192503
Pages: 136 pages

Tony the Pusher - Superior Iron Man volume 1 Infamous

 

Review:

"I'm not playing God. All this time I've been playing human." In this one brilliant line, Tom Taylor captures the full arrogance of Superior Tony Stark. It is not an attractive look.

Who is Superior Iron Man? Psychic fallout from an Avengers battle with Red Skull has altered Tony's personality. The result is a more self-centered (if that was even possible) and sinister Stark. Any altruism is gone, replaced by a laser focus on his own wealth, power and pleasure.

He uses a widespread distribution of Extremis 3.0 to turn all of San Francisco into addicts who will pay any cost - do anything - to recapture that short-lived taste of perfection. When Daredevil tries to stop him, Tony hits back with the ultimate temptation: temporary restoration of Matt Murdock's sight. Will Daredevil fight for his principles or be seduced by a beautiful sunset and the faces of his loved ones?

Yildiray Cinar dazzles throughout a range of demands on his artistic abilities. The forced perspectives, the fluidity of Stark's symbiote-infused armor, the panels showing us Daredevil's radar sense, then his vision gradually fading back to radar - all are well done and enthralling.

The fifth chapter is the origin story of the unfortunately named Teen Abomination. It is a superb bridge from these stories into the main story arc of volume 2, and gives us a glimpse of humanity still buried in Superior Iron Man.

This superior being is not a likeable character. A repulsive anti-hero you will root against. It is to Tom Taylor's credit to be able to turn us against such a well-known character and hero.

Description:

What is the price of perfection? How much would you pay for beauty? Immortality? Tony Stark has what you want - but at a terrible cost! The Axis effect has left Tony a changed man: He's more stylish, more confident and more cunning than ever before. And he's ready to lead San Francisco into the future with the widespread release of a remade version of Extremis - the virus that once nearly destroyed Tony! Daredevil isn't down with Stark's new vision, but can the Man Without Fear lead the rebellion against the Superior Iron Man? How far will Tony go to keep the secret of his success private?

Collects: Superior Iron Man #1-5

Authors: Tom Taylor
Artists: Yildiray Cinar
Published By: Marvel 
Published When: Jan. 19 2016
Parental Rating: Teen
ISBN: 9780785192497
Pages: 136 pages

The End. Captain America and the Mighty Avengers volume 2 - Last Days

 

Review:

The thread running through the three stories collected here is that they are all endings written by Al Ewing.

The title tale, Captain American and the Mighty Avengers comes from issues 8 and 9, the final two of that very short regular series. It is linked to the larger 2015 Secret Wars crossover, and the reset that it produced in Marvel's lineup of titles. This story definitely deserves pride of place in the collection, as it is the strongest of the group. A poignant and touching story, it conveys how differently people would react to the knowledge of the exact date and time of the end of the world. From caped heroes to EMTs to Soraya's overtime shift on the crisis helpline phones, it is fascinating, well balanced and emotional.

Luke Ross' visuals display an almost traditionalist mindset, with simple stacks of wide panels or grids. The reader's eye has no trouble flowing from one scene to the next, giving a subdued, resigned mood to the pending cataclysm. Well done!

Ewing's second story in this collection is the complete two-part Captain Britain and the Mighty Defenders tie-in with the Warzones Secret Wars crossover. Dr. Faiza Hussain wields the sword of Excalibur and the mantle of Captain Britain, and must rally the Mighty Defenders to protect against Boss Cage and the overly goofy War Machine, with its constant refrain, "Look at all my guns!" With a plot filled with surprises and twists, and Alan Davis' surprisingly muted and subdued visuals, it is a quick read. The Big Boss / Thor of Mondo City turns from enemy to friend astonishingly quickly; it must be Captain Britain's charm while wielding her sword.

The third and final story is mostly forgettable. While memorable perhaps for the transference of the Captain Britain role from Brian Braddock to Faisa Hussain, the UK based battle in the Age of Ultron feels too bleak and hopeless for a satisfying standalone story. Butch Guice has fun slipping in some old-fashioned 8-bit Atari-game era graphics as they bring the battle inside Ultron. And even as London burns and countless Avengers fall, it ends on a tiny glimmer of hope and healing.

For one solid Last Days tale and an otherwise scattershot collection, I give it 2 capes.

Description:

These are the stories of the end of the world, and of the people who faced the end together. Some of them wore costumes, and some of them didn't. Some had super-human powers, and all some had were each other. They were the Mighty Avengers. And this is what they did on the last day. Plus: The AGE OF ULTRON hits Britain, and Captain Britain hits back with a little help from his friends - including a vacationing Captain Marvel!

Collects: Captain America & the Mighty Avengers #8-9, Captain Britain & the Mighty Defenders #1-2, Avengers Assemble 15AU

Authors: Al Ewing
Artists: Luke Ross (Captain America), Alan Davis (Captain Britain), Butch Guice (Avengers Assemble)
Published By: Marvel 
Published When: Nov. 3 2015
Parental Rating: Teen
ISBN: 9780785198031
Pages: 112 pages

Ally, Opponent or Other: Astro City: Victory

  

Review:

This collection of the Eisner- and Harvey-award-winning Astro City series spotlights Winged Victory. This mighty warrior-woman, whose power channels the strength of all other women, is famously and fiercely feminist and women-first in her heroics. So when her mysterious opponent seeks to subvert her work and turn her own sisters against her, her sense of betrayal is a psychological and existential blow as much as physical.

She must clear her name, and restore her good work with women in trouble or need, all while wrestling with her very calling and need to solve her own problems vs bringing in allies (including men!) to her battle.

Heavy with themes of patriarchal oppression, sexual violence and personal integrity, this tale by Kurt Busiek at times struggles with a coherent narrative. The first half in particular feels scattered, with too many unfocused ideas in such a limited space. One wonders if the medium is not appropriate for the material?

By the second half, however, he hits his stride and the elements converge into a gripping finale, with Winged Victory battling not only Karnazon and his Iron Legions, but also E.A.G.L.E and even her power-giving Council of Women.

Artist Brent Eric Anderson fills each page with drama and emotion,  and excels at the human face. The Council of Nike - the women who channel the energy of the females of the world into Winged Victory's powers - are depicted as floating heads, each a very ordinary-looking but recognizable and different face. Eyes, lips, cheeks, it is a clinic in sketching facial structures. A highlight of a thoroughly well-drawn series!

The bonus "Visitor's Guide" is also charming, showing the Tolkien-esque depth of back-story to the characters and places in this world. Adding to the delight of this guide is the gallery of heroes, with each drawn by a different artist, a virtual Who's-Who of late '90s comic artists.

Description:

A major new epic begins featuring Winged Victory, Samaritan, and the Confessor, three of Astro City's most popular heroes. When criminal charges are brought against Winged Victory, the Confessor must investigate and it leads to open combat with Samaritan! Can Astro City's three greatest heroes find a way to work together against this mystery threat? Plus, Winged Victory's origin is revealed at last!

Collects: ASTRO CITY #7-10 and ASTRO CITY VISITOR'S GUIDE #1

Authors: Kurt Busiek
Artists: Brent Anderson
Published By: Vertigo 
Published When: Sept. 23 2014
Parental Rating: Teen
ISBN: 9781401250577
Pages: 176 pages

So Reasonable and So Deadly - Tangent: Superman's Reign volume 2

 

Review:

This book collects the conclusion of the Tangent: Superman's Reign limited series, wrapping up the Dan Jurgens story of a powerful hero forcing peace on two worlds. The Tangent Universe is a fascinating corner of the larger DC Universe, so similar yet so different from the mainstream Earth or even Earth 2. Flash is a woman made of pure light; Green Lantern is a hooded, mystical woman; Batman is a hollow suit of armor dating to the days of King Arthur, a literal Knight.

But the biggest difference is The Superman, a Zen-like figure who floats more than flies, and who exudes tremendous mental powers. A man who, having saved his world from certain disaster, then took control of that world, and who rules it with an iron fist hidden in the velvet glove of his calm exterior. Now, he is after our world too.

He easily brushes off our Superman and Power Girl, and abducts all of the world's leaders to force them to do his will. It takes the combined might of the Justice League, plus a half-dozen heroes from the Tangent world, to finally defeat him.

The overall narrative is intriguing, filled with fascinating parallels and contrasts, but Dan Jurgens does struggle at times with the large cast of characters. As a result, several (see Black Canary) fade into the status of backup singers in this larger chorus. Visually the action is page-filling and enthralling, although plagued by minor inconsistencies.

The collection also includes the backup story "History Lesson" by Ron Marz and drawn by Andie Tong. It is a surprisingly intense and sexy, if talk-heavy, tale. Tong's visuals occasionally fall flat, but he finds a good balance between the action sequences and the stretches of static conversation.

Description:

In the 1990s, DC Comics created a line of DC TANGENT comics where only the heroes' names remain the same -- everything else was changed. In this graphic novel, the heroes from Tangent Earth and the DC Earth are about to collide! In the years since the Tangent world was last seen, a mind-reading, telekinetic Superman has taken control and brought peace, but at the cost of the world's freedoms. And as the walls between the Tangent Earth and the DC Earth being to fall, the Tangent Superman's visions are about to get even grander.

Collects: Tangent: Superman's Reign #7-12

Authors: Dan Jurgens, Ron Marz
Artists: Andie Tong, Carlos Magno, Wes Craig
Published By: DC Comics
Published When: Sept. 15 2009
Parental Rating: PG
ISBN: 9781401224745
Pages: 144 pages

A Sketch of a Story - Marvel Knights X-Men

Review:

The creator of this book, author and artist Brahm Revel, is not a widely known name in comics and graphical literature. He is most famous for his odd but critically acclaimed Guerillas series, published by Oni Press, about a squad of elite chimp-soldiers in the jungles of Vietnam.

His unique, off-the-wall, independent-press influences and storytelling sensibilities peek through here, even within the constraints of mainstream Marvel (or at least the mainstream-adjacent Marvel Knights line) and these well-established characters.

Consider the elements in this collected limited series; a mutant with the ability to give physical form to memories; another with a mind-control power of compelling suggestion; both hunted by the hippy / hillbilly clan the Cooks, who literally cook psychedelic drugs from the secretions of a spooky green mutant.

It is truly a dizzying ride. Whenever the story's pace starts to flag, one or the other of our young, untrained new mutants slips their control an a new lethal twist takes the plot careening in a new, usually violent direction. Cris Peter's colors (and it is not often that a Colorist gets their name on the cover) add to the psychedelic feeling, jumping from monotone beiges on one page to pops of greens, pinks and yellows on the next.

Revel's images and visual style ultimately fail the story. It's a sketchbook, resembling a film storyboard more than a finished comic. Flat faces, roughed-in figures, outlined poses all feel incomplete. So when the narrative falls apart under its strangeness and the compounding out-of-character actions and decisions, the visuals are unable to cover for the weakness.

This wild ride rates 1.5 capes out of 5.

Description:

It's a gritty mutant murder mystery! Wolverine, Kitty Pryde and Rogue travel to a backwoods town to save new mutants' lives. But their help may not be welcome - and the murderer may be closer to them than they think. In a small cabin in the woods, the X-Men find a young mutant learning to control her powers...but she's not alone! As the X-Men are ambushed by a horde of supervillains and two new mutants' powers begin to spiral out of control, can the X-Men save an entire town? Or, as infighting threatens to pit teammate against teammate, will the scattered and manipulated X-Men fall to an army of foes ripped from their own minds? What happens when your past comes back...to kill you?

Collects: Marvel Knights: X-Men #1-5

Authors: Brahm Revel
Artists: Brahm Revel, Cris Peter
Published By: Marvel 
Published When: July 10 2014
Parental Rating: Teen
ISBN: 9780785185468
Pages: 112 pages