Cable and Deadpool #44

August 20, 2007

Quick Rating: Very Good
Title: Head Games
Rating: T+

Cable dead? Deadpool beheaded? Wolverine versus the Penetrator!

Writer: Fabian Nicieza
Pencils: Ron Lim
Inks: Jeremy Freeman & John Dell
Colors: Gotham & Sotocolor
Letters: Dave Sharpe
Editor: Nicole Boose
Cover Art: Skottie Young
Publisher: Marvel Comics

You know, considering that Cable was apparently killed over in X-Men and Wolverine chopped off Deadpool’s head last issue, you would think it would be difficult to find something to write about this month. And for a lesser writer than Fabian Nicieza it probably would be, but I gotta tell ya, he’s got this all sewn up.

With Deadpol out of commission, Wolverine turns his attention to Penetrator, even as the hordes of Hydra begin to swarm upon them. Not only is this book action-packed, but it’s also one of the flat-out funniest issues of this comic to come down the pike in a long time. Nicieza makes liberal use of the joke potential in a character called “The Penetrator” (at least as much as he can without turning this into a MAX book), and a totally out-of-the blue Hugh Jackman joke left me laughing out loud. Nicieza sets up things nicely to begin the next story, and I put the book down feeling genuinely satisfied with what I’d read.

Having Ron Lim on the art doesn’t hurt of course. He’s one of those artists I always love seeing but who doesn’t get nearly as much work as he deserves. He blends the major fight scenes with some great physical comedy sequences here, and he blends them flawlessly.

Yeah, you’d think that having both of our leads seemingly dead would be a detriment to this issue, but it’s a fantastic read anyway.

Rating: 8/10

Green Lantern: Emerald Warriors #13

September 4, 2011

Title: 2011: A Space Oddity

Writer: Peter J. Tomasi
Pencils: Ron Frenz
Inks: John Dell, Marc Deering
Colorist: Gabe Eltaeb
Letterer: Rob Leigh
Cover Artist: Dan Panosian
Editor: Brian Cunningham
Publisher: DC Comics

DC sends off Green Lantern: Emerald Warriors with an old-fashioned locked-room mystery… in space! Guy is summoned to the International Space Station to investigate a murder that took place there, only to find Batman waiting for him. The victim was a friend of Bruce Wayne, it seems, and Batman aims to see to it he gets justice… but who among his fellow space explorers would have –could have killed him?

Guy Gardner isn’t particularly known for subtlety, and putting him in what amounts to a police procedural is actually quite entertaining. It’s a funny juxtaposition, the brutish Gardner and the cool-as-ice Batman, and Peter Tomasi even manages to throw out a callback to the most memorable moments the two characters have ever shared together.

Ron Frenz is one of those artists who looks good when combined with some inkers and not with others. John Dell and Marc Deering make him look as good as he ever has, with very rich, detailed pages that tell the story expertly without bogging things down with superfluous lines. The inks and colors compliment the art well, which is the hallmark of a good comic book artist.

It’s a nice way for Guy Gardner to go out.

Rating: 8/10

DC Universe: Last Will and Testament #1

August 30, 2008

Quick Rating: Very Good
Title: Conversions

What would you do the night before the end of the world?

Writer: Brad Meltzer
Pencils: Adam Kubert
Inks: John Dell & Joe Kubert
Colors: Alex Sinclair
Letters: Rob Leigh
Editors: Eddie Berganza & Dan Didio
Cover Art: Adam Kubert, Joe Kubert & Nei Rufino (Cover A); Adam Kubert, John Dell & Laura Martin (Cover B)
Publisher: DC Comics

Since Brad Meltzer is the one who started the DC Universe in its current direction way back in Identity Crisis, it’s only fitting that he come back to make his case as line reaches the end of that road with Final Crisis. It’s the night before the last battle, the night before the heroes of the DC Universe expect the world to end, and everyone is preparing in their own way. What they do, who they choose to be with, how they spend their final night… these are the choices who make the characters who they are.

Much of the book is made up of short vignettes. Powerful father-son moments with Clark and Jonathan Kent and Batman and his two true sons, sister moments with Wonder Woman and Wonder Girl, and tender moments between husbands and wives are plentiful, and are to be expected. There are unexpected moments, too. A villain almost chooses to be a hero, a hero almost chooses to be a villain. Those heroes who seek spiritual guidance find it in a surprising but highly satisfying place. One hero spends the night pining for a lost love, while others spend it with their soul mates.

The core of the book, however, is Geo-Force. In his Justice League of America run, Meltzer established Geo-Force’s drive to get revenge against Deathstroke for the death of his sister. On his last night on Earth, he chooses to make good on that vow. Even at the height of the Outsiders’ popularity, Geo-Force has never been more than a B-list hero, but this issue he’s a B-lister who steps up and delivers a powerful, emotional punch that even the top heroes in the DC Universe would have trouble matching.

Adam Kubert’s pencils are good as well, and John Dell’s inks compliment them very well. The real shocker on this book, however, comes in when several of the pages (as well as the variant over) are inked by the legendary Joe Kubert. His pages have a wonderfully classic look to them, as though they fell right out of the war comics of the silver age… and for a book like this one, a war story look feels wonderfully appropriate.

It’s not entirely clear why this isn’t specifically labeled as a Final Crisis crossover. Although they don’t specifically refer to the events of that book, the thumbprint of the series is obvious. I can only think of two real reasons the book is marketed the way it was. First off, there’s a clear effort in the company to make DC Universe a brand in and of itself (as evidenced by the zero issue from a few months ago, the several reprint specials we’ve seen, and the upcoming Decisions miniseries). Second, although the book clearly deals with the Crisis, you don’t really need any knowledge of that larger crossover to understand, appreciate, and get absorbed by this wonderfully emotional story. It’s part of something larger – something that goes back to Identity Crisis itself – but it stands on its own. And it’s well worth the read.

Rating: 8/10

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

Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man #15

December 19, 2006

Quick Rating: Very Good
Title: Taking Wing (A “Spider-Man Unmasked” Crossover)
Rating: A

Hiding from the law, Peter Parker surfaces to face an estranged ex-girlfriend with a tell-all book about the webslinger.

Writer: Peter David
Pencils: Scot Eaton
Inks: John Dell
Colors: Matt Milla
Letters: Cory Petit
Editor: Axel Alonso
Cover Art: Scot Eaton
Publisher: Marvel Comics

It’s not surprising that a lot of the ancillary storylines coming out of the unmasking of Spider-Man are, in many ways, more interesting and in-character than the core Civil War storyline. Herein lies a perfect example. With Peter Parker’s identity public knowledge, it’s very easy to believe someone in his personal life would try to take advantage of that to cash in, and the long-absent ex-girlfriend Deb Whitman is the perfect choice for this. As she goes on a book signing for Two-Faced, her Peter Parker tell-all book, the government sets up the Vulture to crash the party and bring in the now-rogue Spider-Man. Peter, meanwhile, is planning to check out the signing – and he isn’t the only one.

This story works on pretty much every level. Deb Whitman was always a frail enough character that seeing her take this sort of action, feeling herself a “victim,” is a perfect angle for her return. Peter’s interest is logical, and seeing the reaction of Flash Thompson (who Peter David has finally made interesting again as a supporting character) is a particularly good facet of the story. There’s also a bizarre little interlude with flash’s new girlfriend that portends some future stories. David’s usual wit is in full force, although a Steven Colbert joke comes out of the blue and really yanks the reader out of the story.

Scot Eaton and John Dell do just fine of the artwork. Peter’s “disguise” in this issue looks just like Peter Parker in a disguise rather than as a wholly different character as so many other artists do. The fight scenes work well, and the whole thing wraps up in a dandy little cliffhanger.

A strong issue that keeps this series headed in the right direction.

Rating: 8/10

New Excalibur #16

February 11, 2007

Quick Rating: Good
Title: Fallen Friend Part 1
Rating: A

One of the team goes down – in a most unexpected way.

Writer: Chris Claremont
Pencils: Scot Eaton
Inks: John Dell
Colors: A. Crossley
Letters: Tom Orzechowski
Editors: Nick Lowe & Andy Schmidt
Cover Art: Salvador Larroca
Publisher: Marvel Comics

The team gets called in to stop a bank heist – and the crooks are packing some pretty heavy hardware. After a heated battle, one of the team winds up down… but it’s not who you expect.

I was actually surprised at how much I liked this issue. The first half seemed a pretty run-of-the-mill fight sequence that (once again) stirred up one of this series’ most persistent, annoying unanswered questions. Then we get a totally unexpected twist and one of the characters winds up fighting to stay alive. Claremont also manages to bring up some pretty valid questions that stir in drama naturally… when you’re dealing with mutants, what if their anatomy isn’t what the doctors are used to? How do they treat someone if they’ve got a different body structure? What if they wind up making things worse?

The last few pages are also a pretty big shocker – I’ve got to wonder exactly how far Claremont is willing to take the long-term implications of this character’s condition. I really don’t recall anyone ever trying a story quite like this one before, and it’s got me intrigued.

Scot Eaton and John Dell make for a pretty good art team, as well. They’ve got a pretty standard look, but a solid one, and the emotions they manage to pack into the faces on the last few pages are simply fantastic.

This issue is an intriguing surprise – certainly better than much of Claremont’s recent work.

Rating: 7/10

Ultimate Spider-Man #62

July 9, 2004

Quick Rating: AAAARGH!
Title: Carnage Part Three

A monster is loose… and it’s link to a certain webslinger cannot be denied.

Writer: Brian Michael Bendis
Pencils: Mark Bagley
Inks: Scott Hanna & John Dell
Colors: J.D. Smith
Letters: Chris Eliopoulos
Editor: Ralph Macchio
Cover Art: Mark Bagley & Richard Isanove
Publisher: Marvel Comics

It is utterly impossible to discuss this issue in-depth because the whole thing hinges on the ending. Curt Conners has crafted a new organism from Spider-Man’s blood… this issue, the creature has escaped and has a thirst for blood of its own. As it rampages the city, Mary Jane Watson and Gwen Stacy have a long-needed heart-to-heart.

The end of this issue has been a point of speculation among fandom for some time, and all I’m willing to say without spoiling it is that I really hope this turns out to be one of those classic comic book fake-out endings that turns out to mean something else next issue, because if this ending stands, I’m going to be seriously angry.

The issue is constructed well, with plenty of character stuff between our two female leads. In fact, the issue flows so well that it wasn’t until I started writing this review that I realized Peter Parker never even appears, in either of his identities. As good as the characterization is, it is a classic example of how Bendis tends to stretch out his stories with padded dialogue and elongated scene. In-between the nice character stuff we get stilted dialogue like “No.” “Uh-huh. Please.” “Well…” “I’m like, so not stupid.” Granted, this is the way people talk in real life, but when you read too much of it, it starts to get boring.

The rest of it is well-done, even if I can’t get into it in detail. But man, I’m miffed right now.

Mark Bagley, as always, is flawless in his artwork. Way too many artists make Mary Jane and Gwen look exactly the same save for hair color. Bagley gives them each their own distinctive look. You could tell them apart without a problem even if they were dressed identically and the book were in black-and-white.

It’s interesting to note that there were two inkers on this issue, because the transition was flawless. I wonder if perhaps one of them inked the daytime scenes and the other the night scenes, because the flow is perfect and that’s one of the few ways I can imagine to hide the transition.

It’s a good issue. A solid issue. But it’s an issue that leaves me a little mad, because I’m afraid Bendis is sacrificing a lot of storytelling potential for the sake of shock value. Still, this is a comic book, and the final outcome remains to be seen.

Rating: 7/10

Supergirl (2005 Series) #55

September 6, 2010

Title: Fakeouts
Writer: Sterling Gates
Pencils: Jamal Igle
Inks: John Dell, Marc Deering & Richard Friend
Colorist: Jamie Grant & Jim Devlin
Letterer: Jared K. Fletcher
Cover: Amy Reeder, Richard Friend & Guy Major
Editor: Matt Idelson
Publisher: DC Comics

With Jimmy Olsen, Gangbuster and Dr. Light among Bizarrogirl’s captives, Supergirl descended into the sewers to try to save them, only to fall victim herself to Bizarrogirl’s reverse X-Ray vision, a power that apparently can encase people in stone. I’m still not sold on that being the opposite of seeing through things, but it’s certainly original, and Gates doesn’t dwell on it too long to really get in a bunch over it.

What does work, as we approach it from the “opposite” angle, is the characterization of the two girls. Bizarrogirl, as Supergirl’s opposite, is a cruel and unfeeling creature, which makes Supergirl’s actions at the end of this issue far more understandable and easy to accept. She takes a pretty big risk here, one that I didn’t see coming, but one that fits into her story perfectly. Using the villain to characterize the hero? A dandy little stroke of brilliance that pays off.

Jamal Igle’s artwork is beautiful. His women are soft but strong, his Gangbuster really looks like a guy who’s taken a beating, and the man does rubble very well. Even the double-page spread that opens this issue is choreographed and posed flawlessly. The man is one of the finest Supergirl artists I’ve ever seen.

This is the creative team we’ve always wanted on this title, and they’re finally getting the freedom to do some really cool stuff.

Rating: 8/10