Superman (1987 Series) #201

January 1, 2004

Quick Rating: Good
Title: Strange New Visitor Part Three

With Superman missing, will the dimension-tossed Mr. Majestic save Metropolis… or destroy it?

Writers: Dan Abnett & Andy Lanning
Pencils: Karl Kerschl
Colors: Tanya & Richard Horie
Letters: Nick J. Leighpez
Editor: Eddie Berganza
Cover Art: Ed McGuinness & Dexter Vines
Publisher: DC Comics

A quick recap for those who came in late: last issue, Superman was lost in time. Over this month’s issues of Action Comics and Adventures of Superman, Metropolis has been under assault by a time storm as Superboy, Steel, John Henry Irons and the Eradicator try to stop it — when Wildstorm’s Mr. Majestic comes tumbling out of the time storm and starts picking up Big Blue’s slack.

This issue — Majestic is convinced that the plan concocted to save the city will only make things worse, so to get him out of the way, the Eradicator has tossed him into the Phantom Zone. Now it’s a race against time to save Metropolis — but who’s going about it the right way?

This isn’t a Superman story, you’ve got to understand that, this is a story about how his allies and his city cope without him, and taken in that context, it’s quite good. I suppose it was only a matter of time before one of Wildstorm’s characters came tumbling over to the DC Universe, and not reading Wildcats I really don’t know if Majestic has been used much lately or if his presence here disturbs anything. What I do know is that he works — dropping a Superman surrogate into Metropolis gives the other characters a great chance to flex their respective personalities, treating him with hope or skepticism as is appropriate, and it’s far more effective to use an established character than it would be to just whip up a new Superman clone and drop him in instead.

Two things about the ending surprised me, neither of which I can really discuss without spoiling it, but I will say this much — the explanation of the time storm and the resolution of that story arc left me very satisfied, and where the characters wind up at the end could lead to some very interesting stories in the future if done correctly.

Karl Kerschel has outdone himself on the artwork for this story arc. Granted, he probably worked on this for months in advance, but in an era where it seems most artists can’t even turn out one quality comic in a month, it’s great to see a man who did three. He’s got a great look to all of his characters — the men are strong, the women are beautiful, the Eradicator is imposing and Mr. Majestic is… well… majestic. If this man doesn’t have any regular art assignments at the moment, Eddie Berganza should try to get him on a regular Superman book as soon as possible.

Overall, this was a very entertaining arc, but the absence of our main character made it feel very much like a fill-in… an enjoyable fill-in, but a fill-in nonetheless. In the next Action Comics, it will be time to begin unravelling the mystery of what happened to Superman, and for fans of the character, that can’t come soon enough.

Rating: 7/10

Exiles (2001 Series) #47

May 16, 2004

Quick Rating: Good
Title: Earn Your Wings Part Two

With Namora in the Fantastic Four’s custody, the Exiles try to break her out.

Writer: Tony Bedard
Art: Mizuki Sakakibara
Colors: JC
Letters: Dave Sharpe
Editor: Mike Marts
Cover Art: Mizuki Sakakibara
Publisher: Marvel Comics

Tony Bedard’s second issue of Exiles is mine too, and I’m more impressed with this one than last issue. With their new member Namora being held captive by Namor and the Fantastic Four, the Exiles and Beak sneak off to the Baxter Building to bust her out. What follows is the standard superhero misunderstanding and major throwdown as the Thing and the Human Torch find a bunch of strange mutants hanging around on their roof. Since the Exiles are strangers, though, the scene doesn’t seem quite as clichéd as it usually does, and the whole thing works pretty well.

We also get Namora’s rundown on the history of her own universe, which gets into the alternate reality concept that really appealed to be about the book in the first place. It’s a classic science fiction concept that seems to have found a great home in this title.

Beak’s inclusion in the series is working really well. He’s a character whose storyline in New X-Men had run its course, but he meshes pretty well in this series – so well, in fact, that one not only suspects, but hopes that when the Exiles leave the mainstream Marvel Universe, they take him with them as their new member instead of the spiteful and angry Namora

Sakakibara’s artwork is another strong suit. He has a soft style that’s pretty unique in the universe of superhero artists, but he doesn’t lose any of the strength that the characters need. His fight scenes work well too – I can’t imagine that it’s an easy task to depict Sasquatch throwing the Thing around like a rag doll, but he manages it.

I decided to give this series a try when Tony Bedard took the helm. As of last issue, I was still undecided, but this middle part of the storyline has moved me closer towards being a regular reader. I’m enjoying it, and that’s what I go to the comic book store for.

Rating: 7/10

PVP (2003 Series) #6

April 11, 2004

Quick Rating: Great

Skull wants to be a comic book artist, but he’s not very good. No problem – he’ll just do alternative comics!

Writer: Scott Kurtz
Art: Scott Kurtz
Letters: Scott Kurtz
Cover Art: James Kochalka
Publisher: Image Comics

This issue of PVP presents the most controversial, and most entertaining, storyline the to date. Innocent little Skull the Troll wants to be a comic book artist, but his artistic skills match his childlike mindset. Brent Sienna has a solution to the problem, though: “Fold it in half, staple it and call yourself an alternative comic book artist.” Skull makes a splash on the alt comic scene with “Graphamaximo”, and hilarity ensues, building to a head at the Tiny Press Expo.

When Kurtz did this story on his website, there was a livid, angry reaction from the alternative comics community, whereas just about everyone else found it pretty amusing. Frankly, I think the reason the strip provoked such an angry response is because it was right on the money. Kurtz clearly believes that most so-called “alternative” comics are garbage and he doesn’t mind saying it, even if the creators are ready to lynch him for it. It’s a classic case of the emperor having no clothes, and it’s the PVP reader that benefits from it.

Kurtz fills out the issue with some strips about his father and a storyline about Cole Richards going nuts over the release of an Indiana Jones videogame, all fun stuff, but it’s the “Graphamaximo” storyline that sells the book.

As always, Kurtz’s cartoony artwork is cute and funny. Artistically, though, the coup of this issue is getting alternative comic creator James Kochalka to do the cover. It’s a bit of vindication for Kurtz, as though a member of the alt community is telling the rest of them to lighten up and have a sense of humor, something few alternative comics really do. This was a fun storyline and the perfect comic to give to any art snob who takes comic books too seriously. It’ll really cheese them off.

Rating: 9/10