Action Comics #818

August 7, 2004

Quick Rating: Below Average
Title: Enemies as Numerous as Grains of Sand

An army of bad guys is after a weakened Superman – can he take them out?

Writer: Chuck Austen
Pencils: Ivan Reis
Inks: Marc Campos
Colors: Guy Major
Letters: Comicraft
Editor: Eddie Berganza
Cover Art: Arthur Adams
Publisher: DC Comics

There are a lot of things to like about this issue. Ivan Reis is quickly solidifying his position as one of the best Superman artists in years. The character is bold and proud, the action scenes are great. He may look a little blocky at points, but it’s never too bad to get around and the title is a real joy to look at, from the fantastic pages to a really great cover by the legendary Arthur Adams.

But none of this art will help the story in this issue.

Superman, having been shot with Kryptonite, heads out in the streets to fight an army of superpowered thugs who heard of his weakened state and want to take advantage of the situation to, hopefully, take out the man of steel once and for all. Most of the issue is a fight scene, which is often where Chuck Austen shows his strengths. Not this time.

The version of Superman in this issue is so cocky as to be completely unbelievable. As he’s being shot (not shot at, shot, with actual holes and wounds appearing in his body), he’s standing there cracking jokes. He appears out of nowhere, delivers powerhouse punches, and basically stands around looking tough. It goes way too far. Clearly, the intent here is to make Superman look like a real contender, a bit grittier than the “boy scout.” Instead, it’s just impossible to swallow.

The worst comes as he’s hovering above the villains and talks about “you human beings.” It’s condescending. It’s belittling. It’s the speech of a man who considers himself above other people. It’s not Superman.

Then, as the dust settles, we take a left turn from the fight scene right into the soap opera, with Superboy asking probing questions of Wonder Woman, delving into issues that were settled years ago. And then we get a surprise last-page “shocker” which – again – digs up issues that were settled years ago.

There’s nothing new in this issue, and the stuff that is here was mostly put to rest a very long time ago. It’s not working. The artwork is the real saving grace of this title – I’ve become a big fan of Ivan Reis and Marc Campos. Right now, they’re the best thing Superman has going for him.

Rating: 4/10

Donald Duck and Friends #348

December 5, 2009

Donald Duck and Friends #348 (Boom! Kids)
By Fausto Vitaliano, Marco Bosco, Alessandro Freccero, Vitale Mangiatordi, Saida Temofonte & Magic Eye Studios

Donald Duck is reintroduced to his secret life as a secret agent, and his first mission should be simple enough: retrieve a briefcase from the 35th floor of a skyscraper. And he’s got plenty of awesome spy gear too, like… um… a cell phone. With enough juice to make one phone call. As Donald realizes this operation isn’t exactly MI6, Double Duck springs back into action. Donald is one of the few Disney characters that works as a comedic lead and as an adventure hero, and this story marries the two genres wonderfully. It’s funny and exciting, with great artwork and coloring. This comic legitimately has the whole package. Out of the classic Disney relaunches we’ve seen so far, this is easily the best.
Rating: 8/10

Cable and Deadpool #40

May 15, 2007

Quick Rating: Good
Title: Fractured Part One
Rating: T+

As Cable’s war with the Hecatomb continues, Deadpool considers his next move.

Writer: Fabian Nicieza
Pencils: Reilly Brown
Inks: Jeremy Freeman
Colors: Gotham
Letters: Dave Sharpe
Editor: Nicole Boose
Cover Art: Skottie Young
Publisher: Marvel Comics

After so many issues with virtually no Cable at all, this issue does a complete 180, reducing Deadpool to the recap page and a dream sequence, while the bulk of the issue deals with Cable’s battle against the invading Hecatomb on Providence Island.

Your enjoyment of this book will depend on a few things: which of these characters you’re interested in and whether you’re reading current issues of Uncanny X-Men, where the Hecatomb storyline is currently running. Out of the two, I find Deadpool the more interesting character, and while I’ve followed Uncanny, I haven’t particularly enjoyed the story, so it’s hard to really feel much enthusiasm for this issue. Still, there’s good stuff here. Cable’s self-examination, particularly the way different facets of his subconscious manifest themselves, is pretty interesting and says a good bit about the character. For the most part, though, the issue reads as a sidebar to Uncanny X-Men, and it will be of most interest to readers of that issue.

Brown and Freeman’s artwork isn’t too bad. The inks are a little heavy, but the storytelling is strong and the visuals on the Hecatomb work quite well.

This book, overall, feels a bit like an editorial-driven issue, like the Cable story had to be addressed since it’s so important in the other book, but Nicieza gives us a decent story despite that. It just isn’t as good as this book can be.

Rating: 7/10