Flashpoint: Emperor Aquaman #1

July 12, 2011

Title: Emperor Aquaman Part One

Writer: Tony Bedard
Pencils: Ardian Syaf
Inks: Vicente Cifuentes
Colorist: Kyle Ritter
Letterer: Jared K. Fletcher
Cover: Ardian Syaf
Editor: Eddie Berganza    
Publisher: DC Comics

Like many of the Flashpoint spin-offs we’ve been following, Emperor Aquaman seems dedicated to showing how the past of the Flashpoint universe differs from the DCU we know, leading up to the point of the Atlantis/Amazon war that’s currently threatening the world. Emperor Aquaman, however, seems to be one of the few books showing both the past and the present. The book brings us up to date on the past year’s worth of activity, including Aquaman’s attempt at a treaty with King Brion of Markovia (Geo-Force of the Outsiders in the main DCU), the destruction of Rome, and a tragedy that is probably driving him harder than anything else that’s happened in this altered timeline. This is most definitely not the Aquaman we’re used to. He’s militant, angry, and violent, and while I’d never like to see him take this path in the core DC Universe, it makes for an interesting counterpoint. All of those snobs who crack jokes about Aquaman’s effectiveness really need to crack this book open to see what he’d be capable of if the surface world pissed him off enough. Ardian Syaf, one of the best guys working at DC these days, continues doing that great work in this issue. Underwater scenes can be difficult to pull off, but he captures the different physics and staging of the scenes well, and Kyle Ritter’s shift in color palette from Atlantis to Markovia helps the scenes stand apart from one another and really pop on the screen. It all works for me, and works pretty well.

Rating: 7/10

The New Warriors (2007 Series) #2

July 2, 2007

Quick Rating: Very Good
Title: Defiant Part Two
Rating: T+

Night Thrasher has a proposal for Sofia – can the ex-X refuse?

Writer: Kevin Grevioux
Pencils: Paco Medina
Inks: Juan Vlasco
Colors: Marte Gracia
Letters: Joe Caramagna
Editor: Axel Alonso
Cover Art: Nic Klein
Publisher: Marvel Comics

The first issue of New Warriors was quite a pleasant surprise. This issue continues that trend – as one of the New Avengers sees something familiar in the New Warriors, Tony Stark puts forth an offer to the teen heroes. Sofia, meanwhile, ponders the offer made her by the mysterious new Night Thrasher.

There are a lot of theories flying around about just who these New Warriors are and what their true purpose is, and this issue gives a lot of evidence towards some of those theories without giving any definite answers. Regardless, it makes for an intriguing, compelling story against the backdrop of the whole Initiative program. Kevin Grevioux has taken some liberties with Sofia’s established characterization from New X-Men, but it fits well enough in the context of this story. Paco Medina’s art, meanwhile, is just what one would want in a book like this one.

There are a lot of things being thrown around in this title – pieces of other comics that have gone by the wayside, ideas pulled from disparate sources (even a dose of Les Miserables, with the subplot about the cops trying to hunt down the kids). And while this book doesn’t tell us for sure what we’re dealing with, it definitely is feeling like the spiritual home for fans who were disenfranchised with New X-Men after House of M made that title unrecognizable. This book is a surprise treat.

Rating: 8/10

The Phantom (2003) #17

July 13, 2007

The Phantom #17 (Moonstone Publishing)
By Mike Bullock & Silvestre Szilagyi

In the nation of Uganda, a brutal dictator is kidnapping children, torturing them, and brainwashing them to an indoctrination that makes them worship HIM as a god. And that isn’t just the story of this comic, folks, that’s the truth. I’m not usually a fan of real-world politics leaking into comic books, but this is the sort of story where it works. For one thing, Uganda is part of the Phantom’s usual African stomping grounds, so it makes perfect sense for him to address the issue of these “Invisible Children.” For another, this is a more clear-cut sort of issue than the divisive politics that usually make it into politics — the Middle East can be debated to death, but there can be little doubt most thinking people would condemn these actions. And third, this is a comic that puts its money where its mouth is. For every purchase of one of the “B” covers of this and the next two issues, Moonstone will make a donation to an organization dedicated to ending this travesty. Add on the fact that it’s your usual great story by Mike Bullock, and there’s more reason than ever to check out The Phantom this month.

Rating: 8/10