TransFormers: The Death of Optimus Prime #1

December 27, 2011

Title: The Death of Optimus Prime

Writer: James Roberts, John Barber
Art: Nick Roche
Letters: Shawn Lee
Colors: Josh Burcham
Cover Art: Viktor Deak
Editor: Carlos Guzman
Publisher: IDW Publishing

With the war between the Autobots and the Decepticons ostensibly over, it should be a time of peace on Cybertron. Instead, the planet is being overwhelmed with “NAILs” – Non-Aligned Indigenous Lifeforms – in other words, Cybertronians who took no side during the war. And as Bumblebee and Rodimus Prime struggle to bring peace between two factions of Autobots, Optimus himself begins to wonder just what his role is in a world without war against the likes of Megatron and Galvatron.

Despite the hyperbolic title, this is just an okay issue. James Roberts and John Barber are here basically to draw the lines between the upcoming “Schism” (to borrow an X-Men term) between the two ongoing TransFormers titles, one showing Autobots under Bumblebee’s leadership, one under Rodimus. They’re also out to explain why Optimus has been taken out of the equation, although the conclusion isn’t as simple as one might think.

The new Status Quo here is interesting enough. The writers have changed things up considerably for this franchise, placing familiar characters in a new situation that neither they nor the readers are used to. If you’re going to do a relaunch of such a classic property, this is a good way to do it, even if this issue itself is a little lackluster.

Nick Roche’s artwork helps a lot. He’s got a good feel for the robots, something that is a little more stylized than the classic cartoon, but not so far as to hit the nigh-incomprehensible “realism” we get from the Michael Bay movies. He makes the characters his own, using them to tell stories instead of sell toys.

Okay issue, but it does pique my interest for what IDW has planned next.

Rating: 7/10

Wolverine (2003 Series) #57

September 3, 2007

Quick Rating: Average
Rating: Parental Advisory

Wolverine vs. Scimitar! (Who?)

Writer: Marc Guggenheim
Art: Howard Chaykin
Colors: Edgar delgado
Letters: Cory Petit
Editor: John Barber
Cover Art: Arthur Suydam
Publisher: Marvel Comics

After a surprisingly good fill-in issue, Marc Guggenheim returns to the book he wrote last year with an issue that scores a resounding “meh.” Wolverine and Amir (the Atlanean woman he hooked up with during Guggenheim’s last story arc that virtually everyone had forgotten about) are sent into Iraq to take down the terrorist group called Scimitar. The reasons they’re sent on the mission are never adequately explained, and while Wolverine’s reason for accepting it is, his reason is really somewhat ridiculous. The end of the issue leaves us on a cliffhanger that doesn’t really generate much suspense, since there’s no way it’s going to be a permanent change.

Now in all fairness, it’s better than the last story arc. It’s at least coherent as a story. It’s just not a very interesting story.

The artwork is okay. Chaykin handled last issue too, and his Wolverine isn’t too bad – if a little… well… wide. The cover, by Arthur Suydam, isn’t bad either, but have we really reached the point where we’re gonna start slapping zombie covers on books that have NOTHING to do with the Marvel Zombies?

Not a terrible issue, but I’ve read better.

Rating: 5/10

The Dark Tower: The Gunslinger Born #2

March 19, 2007

Review by: Adam Chapman & Blake M. Petit
Quick Rating: Good; Satisfying
Rating: Parental Advisory

Having faced his Gunslinger’s Trial, Roland Deschain is given his first mission.

Creative Director: Stephen King
Plotting & Consultation: Robin Furth
Script: Peter David
Art: Jae Lee & Richard Isanove
Letters: Chris Eliopoulos
Production: Anthony Dial
Designers: Pat McGrath & Dayle Chesler
Assistant Editor: Nicole Boose
Editor: John Barber
Executive Editor: Stephen King
Cover Art: Jae Lee & Richard Isanove
Publisher: Marvel Comics

Blake: With his Gunslinger’s trial behind him, Roland Deschain is given his first mission. He, along with his friends Cuthbert and Alain, are sent to the barony of Mejis, there under the guise of being apprentice drovers seeking horses, but in truth to seek out traitors to the Affiliation. As they begin their mission, a girl named Susan is sent out to visit the witch-woman called Rhea of the Coos, carrying more than one mission of her own.

First, let me correct a mistake I made in last issue’s review – it is with this issue that the adaptation of the novel Wizard and Glass begins. The story last issue was actually part of the first Dark Tower novel, The Gunslinger. But those of you who haven’t read the books, fear not – the comic book is presenting the story here in proper chronological order, so you’re not actually missing anything.

This story actually feels more like a set-up issue than issue #1. Last month we got the “origin,” and now we’re actually putting the chess pieces – Roland, his friends, Susan and Jonas, primarily – into place for the rest of the story to come. I don’t say this as criticism, just an observation. A lot of new characters are introduced this issue, and the introductions are handled very well, Susan’s in particular. The encounter between her and Rhea is as chilling in graphic form as it was the first time I read it in the novel.

Adam: With regards to the introductions in this issue, I almost felt that they could have been handled with a bit more depth, so that the characters were then easier to mark in one’s head. After last issue, I also found that the set-up of this issue dragged the overall story down a bit, is it seemed more awkwardly set up, and then the issue dragged a tad on from there. The fluidity of the narrative, and of the story beats just didn’t seem as good as the last issue.

Blake: The narrator of the book also takes on a more personable tone here as well, interacting with the reader a bit more and giving the story a sense of it being told to the reader, rather than being read. As so much of Stephen King’s best work has an undeniable “campfire tale” quality, this is really a nice touch.

Adam: I have to say that personally I was kind of bothered by the narrator here, it didn’t seem to have nearly the punch that the last issue had. At times, I also found the narrator to be more obtuse and speak more clumsily than in the last issue. I appreciated the interplay that is existing between the storyteller and the audience, but felt that it got muddied during this issue, instead of flowing better or being all that more personable, if it could even be called that.

Blake: The artwork, like last issue, continues to be the star of this book. We covered the way the linework and color art blends seamlessly last issue, and that still bears true now. Let’s look at some more specifics now – Susan, for instance. She actually looks like a girl. A scared, beautiful girl, but a young girl nonetheless. So many artists would have been unable to resist the urge to turn her into some oversexualized cliché, but Jae Lee and Richard Isanove absolutely nailed it.

Adam: When it comes to the artwork, I can’t disagree with you in the least. This is a lovely looking book, Isanove is a perfect companion for Lee, and it also gives me a lot more respect for Isanove and how much his pencils can change and modify a piece of art. He’s got a very distinctive look to his work, and he really makes Lee’s art into something of sheer beauty. Already the linework is good, but the delicate colours that Isanove applies do wonders to an already beautiful piece. As Blake was saying, Lee‘s characters look their ages, and aren’t ridiculously out of proportion, or oversexualized, as in the case of Susan. Lee’s skills as a storyteller are on full display here, and you can also get a sense of how many different styles he can master, from the creepy and horrific, to the gentle and horrified.

Blake: Then there’s the scene where we see the real Big Bad of this series – this is a bit of creative license, as he wasn’t this prevalent at this point in the original novel. That’s just fine – it gives the book the perfect dose of portent for the future, and the artwork on these two pages is phenomenal: creepy, scary and more than a little grotesque. These are the pages that earn the “Parental Advisory” label on the UPC box.

Peter David, Robin Furth and a masterful art team continue to craft a comic book unlike any you’ve ever seen before.

Adam: Seeing as I’ve never read any of the Dark Tower series, everything is new to me, and from that perspective the issue worked fairly well at giving the reader all of the necessary information, and including elements to be worked on in the future of the series. I’m still impressed with the overall package, and glad that Marvel didn’t skimp on the extras after the first issue. I’m impressed by the level of quality, the extras, how its put together, all of it. Impressed and surprised. Overall, I have to agree with Blake, they are a great team, making a comic book event that’s never quite been done like this before, although I was a tad crestfallen upon seeing that this issue couldn’t quite live up to the expectations the first issue propogated.

Adam’s Rating: 8/10
Blake’s Rating: 9/10

X-Force (2008 Series) #3

April 22, 2008

Quick Rating: Poor
Title: Angels and Demons Part 3
Rating: Parental Advisory

More old foes begin to surface…

Writers: Craig Kyle & Christopher Yost
Art: Clayton Crain
Letters: Cory Petit
Editor: John Barber
Cover Art: Clayton Crain
Publisher: Marvel Comics

Bastion has made an attempt to recover the remains of Magus, the Technarch sire of former New Mutant Warlock, whose technological remains are inert at the bottom of the ocean. Meanwhile, Wolverine, Warpath and X-23 plan their assault on the purifiers, hopefully with the rescue of Wolfsbane as a bonus.

I felt a perk of hope when I saw Magus show up at the end of last issue, but then Nova brought back Warlock himself to great effect and, I’ve gotta be honest, my enthusiasm for the Technarch’s appearance in this book dwindled. Bastion’s plan isn’t really engaging me either – it seems to be, simply, “round up people who’ve killed a lot of mutants.” I guess if you’re planning to exterminate the mutant race this is a good way to start, but looking at the list of villains assembled here, I’m starting to realize that the X-villains who’ve actually killed the most villains are – for the most part – some of the least interesting villains they’ve ever faced. Warpath gets the internal monologue for most of this issue and, frankly, it’s pretty tedious, ponderous, dry stuff.

Clayton Crain isn’t quite on the top of his game either. The book constantly shifts between gory, almost horror-esque scenes and shiny, polished sci-fi. Either of them would be okay by themselves, but together, it’s too jarring a transition.

Three issues in, this book has really failed to grab my interest.

Rating: 3/10

The Dark Tower: The Gunslinger Born #1

February 8, 2007

Review by: Adam Chapman & Blake M. Petit
Quick Rating: Very Good; Satisfying
Rating: Parental Advisory

Before the Man in Black fled across the desert, Roland of Gilead had to pass his first test.

Creative Director: Stephen King
Plotting & Consultation: Robin Furth
Script: Peter David
Art: Jae Lee & Richard Isanove
Letters: Chris Eliopoulos
Editor: John Barber
Cover Art: Jae Lee & Richard Isanove
Publisher: Marvel Comics

Adam: Going into this review, I must confess to not knowing anything about the Dark Tower series, nor the main character. Hadn’t known what it would be about, and thus entering the series with a blank slate. I can’t compare this to the style of the novels featuring the characters, but as a comic book, this is an exquisite read.

Blake: I come from the opposite end of the spectrum. I’m a longtime fan of Stephen King, and more so, a longtime fan of the Dark Tower cycle, so I had the expectations of a fan coming into this. Among King’s more fanatical readers, Roland of Gilead is a favorite character, and his story considered King’s magnum opus, so it was important to see that it was done justice. While I didn’t think this first issue was perfect, I must say as a fan that justice was done.

Adam: The narrative, penned by Peter David, is crisp and easy to understand, with a heavy amount of style which serves this book well. It’s also aided by the excellent artwork of Jae Lee, with a ton of credit also given to Richard Isanove for his spectacular colouring of the issue. You can tell when a cover or the interior of an issue is coloured by Isanove, he’s just that good and distinctive, and it really helps elevate the artwork rendered here by Lee. It reminded me of the colour cues used in Origin, another project coloured by Isanove.

Blake: I couldn’t agree more about the artwork. While Jae Lee’s line art is strong and does a fine job of telling the story, I can’t imagine this book being half as effective without the amazing job Richard Isanove does with his digital paintbrush. You often hear how comic coloring has evolved over the past ten years, and this is a perfect example. I can’t imagine this book being told with artwork inferior to this, and just a few years ago, art of this level may not have been possible. I think it’s highly telling that Marvel chose to credit both Lee and Isanove under “art” rather than separating their credits between pencils, inks and colors, as is tradition. The colorist makes this book as much as anyone.

Adam: What really grabbed me about this issue was the atmosphere of the first few pages, and how epic the story seemed to present itself as. Presented as an origin story, which it is, made it more enjoyable for myself as a reader because all the characters were well introduced as they were important, and I didn’t feel out of the loop in any case (although I’m not sure which characters are in the actual novels).

Blake: I’ll field that one, Adam – all of these characters appear in the novels, specifically the novel Wizard and Glass. This story is culled from that fourth book in the series, but it is an extended flashback sequence to Roland’s origin, as you said, and thus takes place prior to the opening of the first novel. We do get a glimpse of the first book, however, in the first four pages of the comic, right down to the most memorable line of prose Stephen King has ever written: “The man in black fled across the desert, and the gunslinger followed.”) I think choosing this “origin” for Roland’s entry into comics rather than attempting to adapt the series as-written was a good idea. It makes this story a nice entry point for new readers, and opens up a lot of doors to tell “untold” tales of Roland, which I believe is the goal for future Dark Tower series.

Adam: The scripting by David does an excellent job at making each character very distinctive and memorable based on speech patterns alone, and also makes the narration itself into its own intriguing character. The plotting by Robin Furth should be noted for its great use of pacing, which isn’t easy in the transition to a comic book format, which is an intriguing animal to say the least. Another interesting aspect of the issue is that it didn’t just feel like a set-up issue, which is standard for many comic book events or mini-series, but really did feel like a complete story in and of itself, looking at a particular moment and incident, yet still leading directly into the next installment with a cliffhanger. In the age of decompressed storylines, this is actually saying something, and credit need be given to both Furth and David for plotting and scripting this effectively.

Blake: Speaking, again, as a King fan, I think he deserves much credit for this as well, as the collaborators are building on his foundation. David has done a fine job of learning how to use the speech patterns and diction of Mid-World, and Furth’s work restructuring the prose story to fit in a comic book format reflects both her own knowledge of the material and how well King’s writing translates to a comic book setting. (Not surprising for a writer who credits EC horror titles like Tales From the Crypt among his influences.)

As far as the scripting itself goes, I didn’t like it quite as much as you did. Not to say it wasn’t impressive, but I did find myself wondering if there was quite enough background information for new readers to understand exactly what was happening with Roland, what his relationship to Cort was, why he challenged him and so forth. Based on your reaction, though, I’d say my fears were unfounded.

Adam: The art by Jae Lee is pitch-perfect. The colours by Isanove elevate his artwork in all the right ways, making it lighter and more textured than some previous colourists have been able to do with Lee’s artwork. Its still very distinctive and very noticeably Lee artwork, yet with no dimensions to the art that the colours allow. Fans of Lee’s artwork, or at least those knowledgeable about it, will know what I’m talking about here. Its solid work, and works very well in a storytelling capacity. Its also fairly experimental in some cases, which shows that Lee is making a conscious effort to adapt his style and his art to the manner in which the plot and script are written. The scene which introduces the various characters is indicative of this experimentation, as is the intriguing panel layout in the scene with Roland and Cort confronting each other, a total of twelve panels, one on top of the other.

Not only is the writing and art great, but the entire package is well put together, with a map at the back, a short story on the geography of the land, and a brief preview of the next issue, excellently laid out.

Blake: Again, Adam, I concur. The extras help give this book a little something more. New readers will be able to grasp more of the richness of King’s Mid-World, and longtime fans will be appreciative of how important elements from later in the series are being dosed out to the comic fans.

Adam: Marvel has managed to do something very special with this issue, putting excellent talent on it, and treating it the right way and going all out with all the trimmings.

I don’t know about fans of the established characters and stories, but speaking as a first time reader, this issue succeeded on every single level that matters. The issue had a slightly higher than normal price tag, but it was worth every single penny, and I’m glad that I picked this issue up.

Blake: That price tag is my only real beef with this comic. Granted, we’re looking at a book with a cardstock cover, no ads and a lot of extras, but it’s still four bucks for a comic book. And for a project with such immense potential for a crossover audience – i.e., grabbing King readers and getting them to read their first comic book – I can’t help but think it would have been more beneficial to give the book a lower price point for those fans who either never read a comic before or haven’t picked one up since they only cost a quarter. Still, this is one of those projects where Marvel has their eye on the collected edition, and I suppose it won’t matter as much then. As far as content goes, speaking as someone who has followed Roland along the path of the Beam since he was (in an irony only fans will comprehend) 19 years old, this comic definitely delivers.

Adam’s Rating:
Story:

Art:

Overall:

Blake’s Rating:
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Buy Dark Tower products from X-World and save!

 

Onslaught Reborn #3

March 6, 2007

Quick Rating: Poor
Title: Might Makes Right
Rating: T+

Controlled by Onslaught, Thor battles the Hulk!

Writer: Jeph Loeb
Art: Rob Liefeld
Colors: Matt Yackey
Letters: Comicraft
Editor: John Barber
Cover Art: Rob Liefeld
Publisher: Marvel Comics

Since the last issue of this weekly series came out three months ago, I’ve spent a lot of time pondering why, exactly, Marvel thought this would be a good idea. A belief that sales will justify it is the obvious answer, of course, but when a book is this consistently mediocre, there’s absolutely no logic behind the choice. Here’s the issue in a nutshell: Onslaught possesses Thor. Thor fights the Hulk. Hulk smash. Hawkeye gets a big reveal that makes me curl up into a fetal ball and whisper “Not him, not him, please GOD anybody but HIM…”

This issue is almost entirely fight scene, which I have no objection to in principle. When you write a story like that, though, you need to be sure you’re dealing with an artist whose style can carry a fight scene for that long and keep it exciting. That’s not what we have here. Instead we have a book full of awkward, unrealistic poses, teenage girls with chests that would fit in with the Swiss Alps and the same two facial expressions photocopied onto one head after another.

And the thing is, virtually anybody who remembers the 90s could have told you that’s exactly what you would get from this book before the first issue was even printed.

We expect that from the art, of course, but the writing… well, there have been worse stories, of course, but Jeph Loeb is capable of better. It’s hard to look at this comic and believe this is the same writer who crafted Batman: The Long Halloween. It’s like Shakespeare writing an episode of “Welcome Back, Kotter.” It just ain’t right.

I can’t call this issue disappointing, because that would imply I expected something better… but it’s not worth reading at any rate.

Rating: 2/10

Marvel Holiday Special 2006

December 3, 2006

Quick Rating: Good
Title: A.I.M. Lang Syne and other stories
Rating: A

A look at Christmas in the Marvel Universe.

Writer: Andrew Farago, Shaenon K. Garrity, Scott Gray, Mike Carey, Jeff Christiansen
Art: Ron Lim, Roger Langridge, Mike Perkins
Colors: A. Street, J. Brown, A. Crossley
Letters: Dave Lanphear
Editor: John Barber
Cover Art: Frazer Irving
Publisher: Marvel Comics

Marvel Comics once again delves into its rich history and pulls out a handful of Holiday tales for 2006. While not quite as good as last year’s special, there are a few good stories here, and a special bonus treat – the Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe entry for Santa Claus.

The book starts (and middles and ends) with “A.I.M. Lang Syne,” a perplexing story about an A.I.M. New Year’s Eve party gone wrong. This is really the only clunker in the book, which leaves you wondering why it’s even here. The story is presented in short segments, one or two pages at a time, scattered in-between the other features. And it doesn’t work. It isn’t a framing sequence for the other stories, it’s not a story that is strengthened by showing the other tales in the interim, it’s as if the editor simply decided to cut it up for no reason. And even that wouldn’t be so bad if it were a good story, but it’s pretty boring.

“How Fin Fang Foom Save Christmas” is far better. Picking up on the Fin Fang Four special from last year, Scott Gray and Roger Langridge show us a down-on-his-luck dragon wandering the streets of New York, only to stumble headlong into a new bizarre attack by the forces of Hydra. This is a funny story, well worth the read, that actually draws out some real sympathy for Fin Fang Foom, which is a sentence I never thought I would type.

“A is For Annihilus” is next. Home alone while the rest of the Fantastic Four is out Christmas shopping and making merry, Ben Grimm gets bored (which is a terminally bad thing at the Baxter Building” and winds up accidentally freeing Annihilus from the Negative Zone. The story is told in an alphabetical rhyme scheme by Mike Carey, which occasionally feels forced, but overall works for the purposes of the comic book. Mike Perkins’ artwork, with colors by A. Crossley, is quite good, and the story is given a sort of brownish wash that makes it feel like you’re reading out of an old book.

There are a few more features in the book, most notably the OHOTMU page for Santa Claus himself. Jeff Christiansen does an especially good job with this entry, blending in the historical life of St. Nicholas, myths of Father Christmas from around the world and Santa’s appearances in Marvel comics throughout the years (even appearances in the old parody comic, What The?!) to give us a nice, cohesive history for the character as he exists on Earth 616. We also get three “cut-out” ornaments celebrating Civil War, Planet Hulk and Spider-Man: Back in Black, which are nice enough except that no one would ever cut them out and, even if they did, the paper is too flimsy to really hang them from anything. The book concludes with a cover gallery of other Marvel Holiday Special editions over the years.

It’s a pretty good package, with only the A.I.M. story falling flat, and something that Marvel fans will enjoy for the holidays.

Rating: 7/10

Onslaught Reborn #2

December 26, 2006

Quick Rating: Below Average
Title: Born to Die!
Rating: T+

Franklin tries to convince the heroes about the truth of their reality.

Writer: Jeph Loeb
Art: Rob Liefeld
Colors: Matt Yackey
Letters: Comicraft
Editor: John Barber
Cover Art: Rob Liefeld
Publisher: Marvel Comics

So Onslaught (apparently he’s “Death” now) has arrived on the Heroes Reborn Earth. So has Franklin Richards, who created said Earth. But the heroes of this world, who are ostensibly the heroes of OUR Earth transplanted and transformed, don’t believe him. Of course, if they ARE the heroes of our Earth, how did they get back there, since they got sent home ten years ago when this story first ended? And why isn’t anyone (and by “anyone” I mean “Bucky”) acting as if they ever left? And if they got sent BACK from our Earth, how does that work in current continuity, with Thor currently “dead” (ish) and the Hulk off on some other planet?

The logical problems alone with this series are enough to give even the most dedicated fan a massive headache, and the execution honestly doesn’t help matters. The only bright spot in the writing is Jeph Loeb’s characterization of Captain America. The story is pretty painful, but he’s got that character, at least, spot-on… enough that I’d like to see him get his hands on Cap on a regular basis in the future.

And the artwork… ugh. Criticizing Rob Liefeld’s artwork is like fishing in an aquarium with sticks of dynamite, but I’ll give it a shot. Everything you’ve ever heard about awkward poses, impossible anatomy, hideous costumes (particularly on Hawkeye and Thor) and a cast of a dozen characters who display a combined total of three facial expressions throughout the entire issue… well, it all applies here.

So far, all this miniseries is doing is confirming the fears of those who thought putting it out at all was a mistake.

Rating: 3/10

X-Force (2008 Series) #2

March 4, 2008

Quick Rating: Average
Title: Angels and Demons Part Two
Rating: Parental Advisory

At war with the Purifiers!

Writers: Craig Kyle & Christopher Yost
Art: Clayton Crain
Letters: Cory Petit
Editor: John Barber
Cover Art: Clayton Crain
Publisher: Marvel Comics

Sent to destroy the Purifiers and their leader, Matthew Risman, the new X-Force is going to have to hack their way out of Hell. Fortunately – y’know, claws and knives. Hacking is pretty much what they do.

I’ve got seriously mixed feelings about this book. The core premise still doesn’t make much sense to me. It’s a covert ops team that exists to give the X-Men plausible deniability for nasty jobs, but the leader is one of the most recognizable mutants on Earth and they’re all wearing X-Men insignias. If the job here is to be secretive, they suck at it. Basically, this book is an excuse to have as much violence as possible in an X-title. The resolution to last issue’s cliffhanger is as clichéd as it gets, and Cyclops’ reaction to Rahne’s situation is totally out of character.

On the plus side, the ending of this issue is intriguing, promising the return of an old baddie from the classic New Mutants series that – to the best of my knowledge – has been dormant for quite some time. And as it’s an enemy that isn’t going to get beaten by stabbing it to death, there’s at least the potential for this team to grow. In fact, it’ll either have to grow, or the story won’t make any sense at all. Plus, Clayton Crain does some darn good artwork.

There’s potential here, but I find myself skeptical as to whether it will be realized.

Rating: 5/10

Legion of Monsters: Man-Thing #1

April 9, 2007

Quick Rating: Fair
Title: A Flower in Alien Soil & Morgue Amore
Rating: Parental Advisory

The return of Man-Thing and Simon Garth: Zombie.

Writers: Charlie Huston & Ted McKeever
Art: Klaus Janson & Ted McKeever
Colors: Giulia Brusco & Chris Chuckry
Letters: Rus Wooton
Editor: John Barber
Cover Art: Greg Land
Publisher: Marvel Comics

The purpose of Marvel’s Legion of Monsters specials seems to be to re-establish their monster characters as legitimate horror franchises. If this is, indeed, the goal, Simon Garth: Zombie has a bright future. Man-Thing, however, is boring as ever.

In the lead story, a young girl comes to work for a control freak who is as obsessed with his garden as he is with controlling the Florida town where he lives. She uncovers a terrible secret that… well… to be honest, doesn’t make the slightest bit of logical sense.

Too many people dismiss Man-Thing as a Swamp Thing rip-off, which I don’t think is fair. For one thing, Man-Thing was actually the character to premiere first. For another, the characters are actually quite different. Man-Thing’s problem is not that he’s derivative. Man-Thing’s problem is that the writers who have tackled him, almost universally, have tried to overcome the obstacle of having a lead character who can neither speak nor think by overwriting the hell out of the expository captions. It’s like reading an old EC comic without the imagination or black comedy, which essentially leaves a lot of words that just makes you want to put the book down and take a nap.

The only thing that brings this story up from a “poor” rating is a really, really strong Zombie story by Ted McKeever. The story is basically a day in the life of the Zombie – found dead somewhere, taken to a hospital, escaping… living his horrible, empty existence, seeking the one thing he can’t “live” without. As a pure horror story, it works. It’s creepy, it’s disturbing, and McKeever’s art style is perfect for it.

I don’t know if Marvel has plans for the “Monster” characters beyond the one-shots, but if they do, I hope they give the Zombie more weight than Man-Thing, because while I do believe that any character can be made interesting under a good enough writer, I’ve yet to find one that can make Man-Thing interesting to me.

Rating: 6/10