Firestorm (2004 Series) #1

May 4, 2004

Quick Rating: Very Good
Title: Eye Contact

Jason Rusch just wants to keep his job, save some money and go to college. Fate has other plans…

Writer: Dan Jolley
Pencils: Chriscross
Inks: John Dell
Colors: Chris Sotomayor
Letters: Phil Balsman
Editor: Peter Tomasi
Cover Art: Chriscross & Chris Sotomayor
Publisher: DC Comics

It’s interesting, but with almost any superhero comic book that has premiered in the last several years, be it a new character or a revival of an old character, you can follow a strict pattern in the first issue: Introduce the main character, show snippets of his/her life, throw them in danger and, in the last sequence, either give him his powers or have them manifest for the first time. Pesky things like origin stories can wait until later.

Now don’t get me wrong, just because Dan Jolley follows this pattern to the letter doesn’t mean he doesn’t serve up an entertaining read. Jason Rusch, heir apparent to the Firestorm mantle, is a guy I think most comic readers can relate to – just trying to make ends meet and get to college, keep up with his friends who score autographs of celebrities while he’s stuck at home, and dealing with his father. His plans get derailed when some bruises on his face cause him to miss his job as a waiter, cutting into his savings. He turns to a less-than-desirable element for some help and gets in over his head.

Jolley even manages to work in some surprises in this issue. We meet one character and, within a few panels, are convinced he’s responsible for Jason’s fate, only to have the whole thing turn around on us. By the end of the book you don’t know how (exactly) or why Jason is suddenly sporting Ronnie Raymond’s powers and costume, but you do know you like this kid, you feel for this kid, and you want him to come out okay.

The former Captain Marvel art team of Chriscross and Sotomayor reunite, joined by inker John Dell, and they put out an great-looking comic book. Chriscross draws strong, dynamic characters and does a great high-speed sequence near the end, and Soto contributes with everything from flashy speed effects and bright fire effects to small but appreciated touches like varying the skin tones of the characters to help give them each their own identity.

A lot of people are upset that DC is going ahead with a Firestorm series without the same guy in the driver’s seat we’ve known all along. I can’t argue with them, I was a fan of Ronnie myself. But this new kid seems to have the same sort of feel and same heart that made me a fan of the character in the first place, and it is certainly worth sticking around on this book to see where it goes.

Rating: 8/10

Bloodhound #1

July 13, 2004
Quick Rating: Good
Title: Green Light

There’s a killer on the loose and only Travis Clevenger can catch him… if he can get out of jail alive.

Writer: Dan Jolley
Pencils: Leonard Kirk
Inks: Robin Riggs
Colors: Moose Baumann
Letters: Rob Leigh
Editor: Ivan Cohen
Cover Art: Dave Johnson
Publisher: DC Comics

Every so often I’ll open up the package of DC advance comics and come face-to-face with a new title, one I’ve never heard of, one I know nothing about, and that is the case with Bloodhound. I didn’t have the slightest inkling of the concept, I was surprised by the creative team, and I must say, it was a pretty solid read. Travis Clevenger is a former cop in prison for the murder of his partner. While it is clear he was a tough cookie even before he went into the klink, prison life has made him harder and more brutal… it’s always tough on a former cop who finds himself behind bars, and Clevenger has made himself savage just to survive.

Now, a former colleague is approaching Clevenger with an offer – there is a killer on the loose, and they need him to help track him down. In exchange, Clevenger is offered a reduced sentence. As they bat about this offer, the prison erupts into a riot, and it’ll take some bloody fast action to get them out.

Dan Jolley is one of those names I recognize but can’t immediately place to any comic book. Offhand, the only project of his I know I’ve read is the new Firestorm series, which I rather like. I feel the same way about Bloodhound. It’s not groundbreaking, but it’s pretty good. There are a few questions, of course, such as why a cop-killing cop is a candidate to help track down a murderer out of all the detectives in the country, but that’s the sort of thing you suspect will be answered as the series goes along. It’s a solid story.

Leonard Kirk and Robin Riggs need no introduction, however. I’ve been fans of theirs since their collaboration on the late, lamented Supergirl series, and it’s great to see them working together again. This book is a bit darker than the things I’m used to seeing Kirk work on, but he does a fine job. He’s a penciller along the lines of Paul Pelletier – great with acting and mood, but keeping his work clean and never crowding the panel with excessive detail or making things look murky. This book has a bit more gore than I’m used to out of a comic with the DC bullet on it, but that’s been happening more and more lately, and the book is missing the classic code approval.

I’m not sure if this is a miniseries or an ongoing, but it’s a good start. I like a good mystery, and judging from the first issue, Bloodhound has the potential to be one.

Rating: 7/10

Toy Story: Mysterious Stranger #1

June 19, 2009

Toy Story: Mysterious Stranger #1 (Boom! Kids)
By Dan Jolley, Chris Moreno & Mike DeCarlo

The Pixar comics rollout continues with a comic based on their first hit property. In “The Mysterious Stranger,” a new toy is placed in Andy’s room and immediately sends the assembled toys into a panic. What is it? Is it a new favorite? Is their place in Andy’s heart threatened? I’m a little unsure about what to make of this comic. As good as the first two Pixar comics were, this one left me a little cold. While the artwork is very good, the theme of the issue is almost identical to that of the first Toy Story movie. There are some good, funny moments, but ultimately this issue is about the characters learning the same lesson we already watched them learn on the big screen. What’s more, although this is the first issue in a miniseries, it’s pretty much a done-in-one story. The mystery of the stranger is unearthed by the last page, so you’re left wondering what the next three issues will be about? The new object isn’t exactly the story of thing you can tell a lot of stories about, and I’d hate to see three more issues of another toy popping in. Jolley has done a lot of great all-ages comics in the past, and I’m optimistic that next issue will take a different tack. This one just didn’t quite resonate for me.
Rating: 6/10