She-Hulk (2004 Series) #7

September 10, 2004

Quick Rating: Very Good
Title: Space Cases (Universal Laws Part One)

She-Hulk gets yet another new job – in the depths of space!

Writer: Dan Slott
Pencils: Juan Bobillo
Inks: Marcelo Sosa
Colors: Dave Kemp
Letters: Dave Sharpe
Editor: Tom Brevoort
Cover Art: Mike Mayhew
Publisher: Marvel Comics

She-Hulk is offered another new gig this issue – sitting on an intergalactic court as a magistrate, under the gaze of the Living Tribunal!

This issue contains just about everything that makes this one of the most entertaining comics on the stands today. We delve into Shulkie’s role not as a superhero, but as an attorney. We advance the “Odd Couple” subplot revolving around our heroine and the would-be supervillain Southpaw, and the book is packed with cameos and nods to Marvel continuity. None of it is presented in an obstructive way, though, someone with no prior knowledge of the characters are given all the info they need to follow along. I’d be worried about the “new job” angle, but I really don’t expect it to last past this story arc. The stuff with She-Hulk at the superhuman law firm is just too good to sacrifice this soon into the title.

There is also a lot of comedy in this issue. Quieter character-based stuff, such as an early argument between She-Hulk and Southpaw, is balanced with goofier moments in She-Hulk’s court, like a segment where an allusion to a legendary court decision backfires.

Juan Bobillo returns to the artist’s seat this issue, which is a mixed blessing for me. He’s very good with our title character and a lot of the rest of the cast, but he struggles with certain characters. His rendition of the Watcher doesn’t really mesh with any version we’ve seen before, for instance, and his Beta Ray Bill is somewhat more bestial than he should be.

The cover loses a point for Irrelevant Cover Syndrome – the scene and, in fact, none of the characters except She-Hulk herself even appear in this issue. On the other hand, it makes up for it by including such wonderfully goofy and obscure characters. I can’t believe Forbush Man is actually on the cover of a comic book again.

This is a fantastic book, one of Marvel’s best these days. If you’re not reading it yet, you’ve got to give it a try. This is a perfectly accessible issue, one that new readers will be able to jump right on. There are nagging, frustrating rumors that this book is hovering around the fringe of the cancellation bubble. Read it. Love it. For heaven’s sake, save it.

Rating: 8/10

She-Hulk (2004 Series) #6

August 20, 2004

Quick Rating: Very Good
Title: Minor Complications (The Big Picture Part Two)

When a squad of shrunken supervillains stage a jailbreak on She-Hulk’s hand, will she and Yellowjacket be able to take them all on?

Writer: Dan Slott
Pencils: Paul Pelletier
Inks: Roland Paris
Colors: Avalon Studios
Letters: Dave Sharpe
Editor: Tom Brevoort
Cover Art: Mike Mayhew
Publisher: Marvel Comics

I was amused by the announcement that a new Marvel Team-Up series in the works, since that title could just as easily serve every other issue of this title. Six issues in and we’ve already had guest-spots by Dr. Strange, the Thing, Spider-Man and now Yellowjacket.

I want to stress, though, that this is not a complaint. Far to the contrary, I think the device Dan Slott has found to allow She-Hulk to interact with virtually any character in the Marvel Universe is logical and devilishly clever, and used to its maximum potential in this issue. After paying a visit to a prison where supervillains are shrunk down to maximize space, She-Hulk is unaware that several of the villains have stowed away on her hand. When they cut loose in her law office, she and Yellowjacket, with the unlikely help of the Awesome Android, have to reign them in.

This issue brings back some of the trademark comedy that I thought last issue was lacking, particularly in use of the Android, or “Andy” to his friends. Including him in this series as an employee of the law office was a stroke of genius in the first place, and the chance to see him face off against his creator, the Mad Thinker was wonderfully done – so much, in fact, that he almost relegates She-Hulk to a supporting role in this issue. Slott does find time to play with her, though, first showing her revulsion at her boss essentially using her to keep his supervillain granddaughter out of jail, then showing how a number of factors come together to affect her.

Paul Pelletier is welcome to draw any comic in my pull folder any time he wants. I’ve been a fan since his days on Flash and through his tragically-short run on Negation. He’s really a wonderful superhero artist, managing to draw the most preposterous costumes or goofy sci-fi concepts and never making them seem hokey or hamfisted. He knows when to go for the visual gag and when to pull back and let the look on a character’s face tell the story. It all comes together. The only artwork criticism one could have for the book is the cover – a fine painting by Mike Mayhew of Shulkie smashing her own logo, and a helpful blurb informing us that Wizard named this title book of the month… none of which has anything to do with the story. Yep – it’s a case of Irrelevant Cover Syndrome.

In just six months, this has become a favorite title of mine. Any week it appears in my folder is a good one, and when I close an issue, I find I can’t wait for the next one.

Rating: 8/10

Avengers: The Initiative #2

May 3, 2007

Quick Rating: Very Good
Title: Hero Moment
Rating:T+

The kids’ first mission is as big as it gets – save the President from Hydra!

Writer: Dan Slott
Art: Stefano Caselli
Colors: Daniele Rudoni
Letters: Joe Caramagna
Editor: Tom Brevoort
Cover Art: Jim Cheung
Publisher: Marvel Comics

As the new Initiative recruits try to recover from the shock of watching MPV die in training, their own training has to continue, because Gauntlet isn’t about to go easy on them. Another incident on the training course, however, makes it clear that Trauma is going to need some additional training to keep his powers under control. Things get worse, though, when the call goes out that the kids are needed already – to save the President of the United States from an invading Hydra army!

This series, just two issues in, has already done volumes to convince me that the really engaging storytelling to come out of Civil War is going to come through the newer characters in the Marvel Universe. These kids are new and vulnerable, and I already care more about what happens to them than I do any of the decades-old heroes being showcased in the other two Avengers titles. It’s also nice to see them go into action so early. This little adventure demonstrates a lot of things, including the partnership between the various teams that comprise the Initiative and how the kids will factor into their battles, even though they haven’t actually “graduated” yet.

I’ve only got a couple of problems with this book, and all of them minor. First, should the Gargoyle really be in with the recruits? He’s been a superhero for years, he was a Defender – sure, he never had any official training either, but as nice as it is to see him, it’s weird to see him with the recruits. The other thing is something that’s been Marvel policy for years, but has always kind of bugged me – using real-life political figures in the story. I understand the reasoning behind it, they want to make the books seem more grounded in the real world. But we live in a climate where trade paperback collections, books that will be sold for years, are becoming more and more important in the comic book market. This issue works just fine right now, but in a few years it’s going to become as dated as old issues of Marvel Team-Up that took place maybe five years ago in Marvel time, but have Jimmy Carter’s face interacting with Nick Fury.

Stefano Caselli and Daniele Rudoni’s artwork is very strong. It’s not easy to do an exciting aerial battle sequence in a comic book, but they do a great job with all facets – the action itself and the more personal moments, just as Cloud 9’s horror when she realizes that a real fight isn’t the romanticized lifestyle she’d imagined.

This is a completely different Dan Slott than we see on the more lighthearted books he’s known for. It’s a major feather in his cap that he can do a book so different than what people expect and do it so incredibly well.

Rating: 8/10

The Thing (2006 Series) #3

February 1, 2006

Quick Rating: Very Good
Title: Playing For Keeps (Fun ‘n Games Part Three)

Can the Thing get his pals free from Arcade?

Writer: Dan Slott
Art: Andrea DiVito
Colors: Laura Villari
Letters: Dave Lanphear
Editor: Tom Brevoort
Cover Art: Andrea DiVito
Publisher: Marvel Comics

The first arc of the new Thing series comes to a close, and I must say, it was pretty much everything I hoped for. Dan Slott has taken my favorite Marvel character and given him a title full of old-fashioned superhero slugfests, a smattering of angst, a healthy dose of lighthearted humor and a lot of fun.

Trapped on an island by Arcade, the Thing leads a group of kidnapped millionaires in an attempt to free themselves. Tony Stark (minus his Iron Man armor) is making a play for the villain’s headquarters, while the superhero called Nighthawk and the villain called Constrictor bat clean-up for ol’ Benjy. I don’t want this to become a title about guest-stars, but all of these characters (plus an appearance by Daredevil) work really well in this issue. I particularly like the interplay between Nighthawk – a reformed villain – and Constrictor – a villain who is starting to see the appeal in fighting for the other side.

Like in his acclaimed She-Hulk run, Slott doesn’t shy away from referencing past continuity in this title, like the Thing’s friendship with the Sandman before the reformed villain un-reformed and went back to villainy. But rather than making the story inaccessible, the way Slott uses the past is part of this title’s charm. It give the book more of a timeless feel while still relying on the status quo of the Marvel Universe to create his backdrop.

DiVito’s artwork is second to none here. He draws one of the best Things I’ve seen in recent memory (and he proves he can do many incarnations of the character in one sequence), and flawlessly segues between normal comic book stomping grounds like New York City to the lush tropical island where most of the issue takes place. Like the writing, both the artwork and the page layouts have a timeless quality. Were it not for the very modern coloring style of Laura Villari, this comic could have been published 20 years ago. (This is not a knock against Villari, however, far from it – she does as spectacular a job as the rest of the creative team.)

In just three issues, this has become one of my favorite Marvel titles. But I’ve come to expect that from Dan Slott. There are few people in comics today capable of giving us an old-fashioned superhero tale as well as him.

Rating: 8/10

She-Hulk (2004 Series) #5

July 16, 2004

Quick Rating: Good
Title: More Than a Handful (The Big Picture Part One)

When a two-bit supervillain gets thrown in jail, She-Hulk’s new boss takes a personal interest.

Writer: Dan Slott
Pencils: Paul Pelletier
Inks: Tom Simmons w/Don Hillsman
Colors: Avalon Studios
Letters: Dave Sharpe
Editor: Tom Brevoort
Cover Art: Mike Mayhew
Publisher: Marvel Comics

When the New Warriors bust a small-time supervillain named Southpaw, She-Hulk’s new boss takes a personal interest in the case. Meanwhile, Southpaw’s cellmate, the Mad Thinker, has found a way to set up a jailbreak, and she is instrumental in it.

I didn’t like this issue quite as much as the past few issues – Slott has toned down the comedy this issue, and as that was one of my favorite things about this title, I’m a little disappointed by that. Also, while I applaud this title for not blanching away from continuity the way most comics do these days, I’m afraid that the literal mob of supervillains, few of which get much exposition, may be a bit daunting to people not familiar with Marvel history.

On the other hand, Slott deserves credit for reminding us that the New Warriors haven’t just dropped off the face of the Earth, even if they just appear in a cameo this issue. Also, he has created the most original concept for a superhuman prison I’ve seen in… well… ever. It’s simple and ingenious. You do get the sense that the Thinker has figured out an escape route a bit too easily, but that’s his M.O. – he comes up with a brilliantly complicated plan, forgets to account for human error, and gets beaten at the last moment. I fully expect this to happen next issue.

Paul Pelletier steps into the penciller’s seat this issue, and it’s great to see his work. He’s one of the most underrated artists in comics and has been since his Flash days. We’re still missing three issues of Negation War, but that’s not really his fault, and he reminds us this issue exactly how good he is. He’s from a school of artists like Mark Bagley and Dan Jurgens – strong, energetic, but without the excessive detail that loads down a lot of artists and turns the art muddy and dark.

I really did enjoy this issue – I gave it a “good” rating, after all, but I miss the comedy. There’s still a few humorous moments in this issue, but no more than your average superhero comic, and this is not your average superhero comic. I hope to get a few more laughs next time around.

Rating: 7/10

Avengers: The Initiative #1

April 6, 2007

Quick Rating: Very Good
Title: Happy Accidents
Rating: T+

With new heroes registering every day, who’s going to train them?

Writer: Dan Slott
Art: Stefano Caselli
Colors: Daniele Rudoni
Letters: Joe Caramagna
Editor: Tom Brevoort
Cover Art: Jim Cheung
Publisher: Marvel Comics

Fans expecting the lighthearted, funloving Dan Slott of She-Hulk and The Thing are going to be quite startled by this comic book. This book is anything but lighthearted, and the laughs are few and far-between. But that’s not important, because it’s still one of the strongest launches from Marvel in a very, very long time.

With the Civil War over, the Initiative kicks into high gear. Its purpose is simple – round up all of the registered super-powered kids. Train them. Wash out those who can’t make the cut, license the rest as super-heroes, and recruit the best of the best to be part of the fifty official superhero teams being established across the United States. The book follows two casts of characters – a group of new young heroes (at least, I’ve never heard of any of them before) recruited for the training program and the established heroes running the show. Both casts are intriguing. We don’t really get any insight into how the newbies got their powers, which are actually pretty interesting (Trauma in particular), but we get a great grasp on who they are from a personality standpoint. As for those in charge, it’s nice to see Justice and War Machine being put to such good use, and the drill sergeant (a concept Slott is borrowing from She-Hulk) is pitch-perfect. We also get cameo appearances by several previously-established young heroes, but thus far they don’t really factor into the story. Still, it’s nice to see Rage again, and anybody who puts Slapstick into a comic book this serious and makes him work perfectly is my personal hero.

Slott is also doing something remarkable with this book, the very thing that Civil War failed the most at – balance. In a single scene, he both demonstrates exactly why The Initiative is such a good idea, then turns right around and shows us exactly why people may have a right to be suspicious of it, and both sides of the token are perfectly valid.

Like New Avengers, though, this doesn’t really feel like an Avengers title (even though a great many of the cast have been Avengers at one point or another). It feels like a different breed entirely – an excellent breed, one I’m anxious to keep reading, but a different one.

Stefano Caselli’s artwork is okay. Some of the scenes (such as the “shower scene”) have a bit more of a Manga flavor than I really liked, and in a few scenes Cloud 9’s arms looked… well… odd. Daniele Rudoni’s colors add quite a bit to the book, though, giving the comic a dusty, militaristic feel.

Overall, I was highly impressed by this comic book – perhaps the single best thing to come out of Civil War. The “superhero in training” subgenre has been covered by everything from New X-Men to PS 238, but I’ve never read anything like this before. Dan Slott has hit another home run.

Rating: 8/10

The Thing (2005 Series) #2

December 29, 2005

Quick Rating: Great
Title: Abusement Park (Fun ‘n Games Part Two)

Trapped on Arcade’s island, the Thing and his pals fight for their lives!

Writer: Dan Slott
Art: Andrea DiVito
Colors: Laura Villari
Letters: Dave Lanphear
Editor: Tom Brevoort
Cover Art: Andrea DiVito
Publisher: Marvel Comics

I love Dan Slott. I mean seriously. Had my chromosomes been only slightly differently aligned, I would seriously consider bearing his children. And the reason is this: the man knows how to tell a good old-fashioned superhero story – and more importantly, how to have fun – better than just about anyone in comics. First, his fantastic She-Hulk run, then the hysterical GLA miniseries – and now his Thing is a breath of fresh air for my favorite Marvel hero.

Last issue, Ben Grimm and the guests of a party he was attending were abducted by Arcade and placed on his newest Murderland, a deadly island in the South China Sea. Along with the Thing are the ex-Defender (and potential Thunderbolt) Nighthawk, the reformed villain Constrictor, and an armorless Tony Stark, plus a bunch of very confused civilians. Each of the heroes and the ex-villain set out towards a promised “immunization spot,” trying to protect the others from the deathtraps along the way, but when Constrictor sets out on his own and Ben runs into robot duplicates of his buddies and teammates, it may prove to be too much.

Slott’s Thing isn’t as slapstick or tongue-in-cheek as his She-Hulk series, but he still manages to convey a sense of fun and humor that far too many comics these days lack. He manages to work in kitschy elements like an army of life-sized toy soldiers or a machine gun-toting beaver without getting so over-the-top as to be unbelievable, and even his incidental characters show a degree of independence and intelligence that a lot of comic book supporting characters lack.

Andrea DiVito is a really solid choice for this comic’s artwork. With clean lines and wonderful colors by Laura Villari, this issue has a look to match its writing – old-school style storytelling with a decidedly modern flair. We get dynamic layouts and great fight scenes, and I don’t know what else you could ask for. It looks great.

Two issues in and this is already one of my favorite Marvel comics, one that I hope finds its audience. I’ve long felt that the Thing was Stan and Jack’s greatest creation and he deserves a fine spotlight. This is a title that does that creation justice.

Rating: 9/10

She-Hulk (2004 Series) #4

May 18, 2004

Quick Rating: Friggin’ Great!
Title: Web of Lies

She-Hulk’s newest case? Spider-Man Vs. J. Jonah Jameson!

Writer: Dan Slott
Pencils: Juan Bobillo
Inks: Marcelo Sosa
Colors: Chris Chuckry
Letters: Dave Sharpe
Editor: Tom Breevort
Cover Art: Adi Granov
Publisher: Marvel Comics

If I had any doubts left that I was into Dan Slott’s new She-Hulk series for the long haul, this issue removed them entirely. It’s smart, it’s funny, it tackles the issue from both sides, it is respectful of continuity but it’s perfectly accessible even for a brand new reader, and it’s one of the best done-in-one stories I’ve read all year.

Okay, I guess I’ll have to elaborate for those of you who didn’t rush out to grab this issue based just on that paragraph. She-Hulk’s co-worker Augustus Puglice, wanting to repay Spider-Man for saving his life once, finds the perfect way to say thank you: he’s filing suit against J. Jonah Jameson for years of defamation of character in the pages of the Daily Bugle.

I’m no lawyer, so I have no idea how accurate Slott’s depiction of a courtroom actually is, but I do know that accurate or not, it’s wildly entertaining. He’s got the classic Spider-Man one-liners down to a tee (if he ever gets a crack at the character’s own book, I will so be there) and he manages to pull out even the most obscure bits of continuity and present them in such a fashion that there is no way even the most comic-illiterate reader could be confused. (How many of you forgot that the first time Spider-Man publicly saved a life it was John Jameson?) In that way, the courtroom setting of this comic book is absolutely perfect to introduce new readers to the nuances of the Marvel universe.

Although every issue of the title has been a good standalone story, Slott has begun to work in some subplots, specifically a new romantic interest for the She-Hulk. While this doesn’t feel absolutely necessary, it doesn’t feel forced either, it flows very naturally from the story. While any single issue of the book can be read independent of the others, people who come back month after month will get a more complete picture.

Bobillo’s art rebounds this issue after being a little shaky last month (particularly in his interpretation of The Thing). His Spider-Man may be a little too skinny and spindly, but it’s not a huge problem and it’s a pretty good look for him. His male characters tend to look a little blocky and his women’s faces aren’t distinct enough, but his acting and fight choreography are very good and he’s well-matched to this title.

This is rapidly becoming a favorite title of mine. If you’re sick of books that disregard continuity and you’re looking for something a little more lighthearted for a change, this is the book to read.

Rating: 9/10

Age of Heroes #3

August 6, 2010

Title: Girls Night In
Writer: Kelly Sue DeConnick
Art: Brad Walker & Walden Wong
Colorist: Jay David Ramos
Letterer: Dave Lanphear
Editor: Lauren Sankovitch
Cover: Yanick Paquette, Michel Lacombe & Nathan Fairbairn
Publisher: Marvel Comics

The third book in Marvel’s Heroic Age anthology is, like most anthologies, a mix of stronger and weaker pieces. It starts out with a pretty good tale, “Girls Night In,” starring the three ladies in charge of coordinating the Avengers, New Avengers and Secret Avengers teams with one another. While Maria Hill, Victoria Hand, and Sharon Carter are having a meeting at Avengers tower, the Absorbing Man attacks in a rage, planning to take his ball and chain back – and the ladies have no Avengers to protect them. The story is strong, funny, and gives us a nice chance to see these three ladies are more than just plot contrivances. The artwork is strong too.

Title: Don’t Believe the Hype
Writer: Kevin Grevioux
Pencils: MC Wyman
Inks: Victor Olazaba
Colorist: John Rauch
Letterer: Dave Lanphear
Editors: Lauren Sankovitch & Tom Brevoort

The second story in this book, though, the Blue Marvel in “Don’t Believe the Hype,” is considerably weaker. Here we see Marvel’s latest indecisive powerhouse watching as the villainous form of Hyperion attacking the Winter Guard in Uzbekistan. I didn’t read the Blue Marvel’s miniseries, this is my first exposure to the character, but it didn’t do much to endear me to the character. He feels too similar to the Sentry, a character that came out of nowhere, that Marvel is trying to attempt us to convince is terribly significant and powerful, but feels ultimately shallow and insignificant. The ending  seems kind of forced and contrived as well. The character just doesn’t interest me at all.

Title: Billion Dollar Baby
Writer: Fred Van Lente
Art: Jefte Palo
Colorist: Jean-Francois Beauliue
Letterer: Dave Lanphear
Editor: Lauren Sankovitch

The Taskmaster shows up next in a two-page story where he finds himself targeted by a mysterious group called the Org. It’s hard to really get a grasp on the character in this story. Van Lente is a fine writer, but this little snipped really feels like nothing more than a preview of the upcoming Taskmaster miniseries. That’s okay in and of itself, but I wish this story had a little more meat of its own to make me recommend it.

Title: Nuts to This
Writer: Dan Slott
Art: Ty Templeton
Colorist: Jorge Maese
Letterer: Dave Lanphear
Editor: Lauren Sankovitch

The book closes with Squirrel Girl, one of Dan Slott’s pet characters, in “Nuts to This.” In this story we see Squirrel Girl pondering her teammates in the Great Lakes Avengers X-Men Initiative Avengers. With her on the team, being the powerhouse that she is, she’s worried that she’s holding the team back, and she makes a fateful decision. It’s an okay page, but it feels very much like a set-up, a way for Slott to free the character up so he can use her elsewhere. Again, nothing wrong with that in and of itself, but it’s just not much to sink your teeth in to.

The opening story in this book is very great, but the rest of the issue drags the score down considerably.

Rating: 6/10

She-Hulk (2004 Series) #3

May 16, 2004

Quick Rating: Good
Title: Dead Certain

She-Hulk sets out to defend a murder suspect with the two best witnesses of all – her old buddy Ben Grimm, and the victim’s own ghost!

Writer: Dan Slott
Pencils: Juan Bobillo
Inks: Marcelo Sosa
Colors: Chris Chuckry
Letters: Dave Sharpe
Editor: Tom Brevoort
Cover Art: Adi Granov
Publisher: Marvel Comics

Jennifer Walters seems to be settling in with her new job in superhuman law, joining as assistant defender in a case where the chief witness is the murder victim himself, his ghost summoned by Doctor Strange. The good doctor isn’t our only guest start, though – just as the She-Hulk’s last title featured an obligatory third issue guest appearance by Spider-Man, this issue guest-stars The Thing.

Ben Grimm’s appearance goes to point out several of the things that I’m quickly growing to love about this series. First of all, with our title character working in superhuman law, Dan Slott has an open door to bring in just about any guest star he wants without making it too big of a stretch for She-Hulk to run across him. Second, in an age where so many comic books seem to be running away from any sort of connectivity inn their titles, She-Hulk is immersed in it, using recent events from Mark Waid’s Fantastic Four run as case precedent for Jennifer in the courtroom.

Slott really does his homework with this title, but like all of us, he does get an answer wrong once in a while. One of the major points that the courtroom scene hinges on requires that everyone in the court recall the events of one of the big crossovers of the 90s. That’s all well and good, especially in a title like this, except that in the end of that particular crossover nearly everyone in the universe was made to forget that it ever happened, and none of the few people allowed to recall it were in the courtroom that day. Still, it’s a minor flaw and one that doesn’t detract from the story much.

Something that does detract a bit is the artwork. Bobillo and Sosa do a fine job for the most part, including a truly beautiful rendition of our title character, but they don’t have a very good handle on The Thing at all. His rocky form is ill-defined and his face is grossly half-formed, as though his head is somewhere between human and stone forms. With a character I like this much looking this off-model, I’ve got to take points off.

Still, this is a fun issue that proves that the “She-Hulk working as a superhero lawyer” idea isn’t a one-trick pony. There are plenty of opportunities for really original stories in this setting, and most of them will probably be able to keep a delicate balance between comedy and action like this issue does. Plus, although there are ongoing subplots like She-Hulk moving out of Avengers mansion and getting to know her co-workers, the format is like most TV shows, with a done-in-one main plot each issue making it pretty easy for new readers to jump in. If you’re looking for superheroes with a little twist, you should be reading She-Hulk.

Rating: 7/10