Chronic "Cut To The Chase" Reviews!

Captain America # 615.1

Ed Brubaker/Mitch Breitweiser

If you listened carefully to Chronic Insomnia # 185, you would have noticed that I promised to purchase a Marvel "point one" issue, and then film myself urinating on it.  Stopped at my local comic shop today and had two point one options: Captain America # 615.1, and Thor # 620.1...which to choose, which to choose.

I passed on Thor because it was written by Abnett & Lanning, and I just couldn't imagine the issue could be that bad.  One would think I would have similar thoughts about Ed Brubaker, but honestly, I've been underwhelmed with his recent Cap work.  And then there's the added bonus of the Sacrilege Factor.  Peeing on Captain America?  I just couldn't pass it up.

Trouble is, I just can't bring myself to take a whizz on this comic because it's actually quite good.  Does it work as a jumping on point?  I suppose, after a fashion.  Captain America is in transition, and this issue clearly points in which direction it's heading, and why.

It says something useful to reader about the characters contained therein, the story has a bit of a twist without resorting to labyrinthine confusion, and packs what ordinarily amounts to a 4 issue arc into one satisfying story chunk.  In short, Captain America 615.1 is mostly what a "point one" should be, and everything that a regular comic should strive to be.  So I can't unleash my bladder upon it.  Doh!

Supergirl # 62

James Peaty/Bernard Chang

A couple of things are pretty clear to me after reading Supergirl # 62.  Thing # 1:  this is not Nick Spencer's book, it's James Peaty's book.  The graphic on the front that says "James Peaty" on it with no mention of Spencer anywhere probably should have been a good clue, but what can I say?  I need to see it, I guess.

Thing # 2: James Peaty's work stands on its own just fine.  I think he won me over last month when he had Kara threaten those two little D-Bags on the roof.  My problem with Supergirl has been about relating to a whining little girl with an inferiority complex trying to "prove" herself.  If you like that, fine, but I don't.

Peaty's Supergirl swears in Kryptonian, makes moves, and plants bad guys onto their asses.  She might not always be right, and she's quite aware of the fact that she is not Kal El.  But this is not a mopefest or a girlie book, which probably makes it infinitely more attractive to a female audience.

I dig it.  Nice work by Bernard Chang and also Blond on colors.  That shimmering effect on the action shots?  It probably makes me an art barbarian, but I thought it was great.

Silver Surfer # 2/4

Greg Pak/Harvey Tolibao & Stephen Segovia

Norrin Radd has been de-Surferized, which should probably tell you all you need to know about the book's appeal for you.  Some people will consider that a non-Surfer story and in instant pass.  I consider it more interesting than your average Surfer story for that reason alone.

Norrin Radd is still largely boring, even in his more vulnerable state.  What's hilarious to me are the scenes were Pak implies that Radd's feeling a little stirring in his newly rediscovered loins for the technomancer helping him escape.  If you'd been trapped in that silver skin for God knows how long, you might be a little distracted with friskiness yourself!  I think it's a little obvious, but also fun.

So far I don't consider this "must reading" by any stretch, but we're not done yet, either.  If Pak can somehow get tiny little Norrin Radd to beat the High Evolutionary in a plausible manner that doesn't involve help from his big purple daddy, this might actually pay off in a big way.

Osborn # 4/5

Kelly Sue DeConnick/Emma Rios

I'm not sure what good it will do to lay any more superlatives onto this series, which has been a delightful surprise from the start.  I guess I'll lay a few more on, because I'm not noticing a great deal of buzz surrounding Osborn and can't fathom why that is.

Osborn's ego is now towering in the book, as it should be since it bears his name.  One of the many beauties of DeConnick's work in this series is that you're forced to take him seriously while recognizing his weaknesses.  Norah Winters is cool in this book, which almost seems impossible.  The spider guy is cool.  Everthing in Osborn betrays a lot of care and craft.

This might be the best thing Marvel has going outside of Hickman's Fantastic Four.  I think it's time that Kelly Sue DeConnick gets her own book, preferably a high profile one.


- Ryan

Chronic Insomnia Rapid Fire Reviews!

(Powers Boothe not included)

Roundhouse kicking it off with:

Power Man & Iron Fist # 1
Marvel Comics
Script:      Fred Van Lente
Pencils:    Wellington Alves
22 pages for $2.99

Many mixed feelings on this book, although the more I ponder, the more I'm leaning toward labeling it pure garbage.

Iron Fist is still Danny Rand, who still plays it straight.  He now plays mentor to a new Power Man, Victor Alvarez, filling the role of the gregarious minority character in this edition.  Sweet Christmas, but Alvarez is annoying, almost exclusively so.  I suppose that's Van Lente's intentions, so perhaps it's a good thing that I can't stand this kid?

Aside from the prototypical brashness and naive "black and white" moral foundation, there's little to Alvarez.  Luke always seemed charming to me, even when he was being a dick.  It may not be a good idea to hold Victor up to Luke's standard, but when you name the book "Power Man & Iron Fist", the comparison begs itself.  I do not find the current version of Power Man charming in any way.

Perhaps it's the barrage of objections to the word "Master", or the Spike Lee "40 acres and a mule schtick".  I get it.  Danny's a white guy, Victor is not.  This is not new ground, and these lines are not insightful, or challenging, or cathartic.  They offer nothing healing or clever.  I imagine that material is in there with the idea that these things are wildly funny or "hot button".  It's all been done before in less irritating fashion.

I'm mildly interested in the sub-plot involving old school Heroes For Hire manager Jennie Royce.  She's (probably?) been framed for murder, and jaded Danny wants to help but isn't completely sure that his old friend is as innocent as she professes.  If that doesn't sum up the 21st Century, I don't know what does.

Power-Man, being the cock sure spitfire that he is breaks into Crime Buster's apartment to start working on the case illegally before Iron Fist has even decided he's going to get involved.  That's when the "masked stereotype" A plot busts into the B plot, and Victor is left to fend for himself against the whole lot since he ran off on his own.

I think the story can be salvaged, and it's not all terrible.  It's briskly plotted, and it was constructed in such a way that you don't need to have read the previous 125 issues of PMIF or the Shadowland: Power Man mini to function.  I think if you find Victor engaging you'll find the book engaging, but I find myself pining for Christopher Priest, who would handle these characters with more a more deft touch.

Osborn # 3
Marvel Comics
Script:    Kelly Sue DeConnick
Pencils:  Emma Rios
22 pages for $3.99

I have no mixed feelings about Osborn:  this is a delight on every count.  It's the little things, you see.  Writing Osborn is not easy.  At least, it isn't easy to write him correctly.  The problem with Osborn is that he's a genius, he's crazy, and he's charismatic.  It's easy to screw any or all of that up. The trap is to simply write gobbledygook in place of incisive wit, gobbledygook in place of true dementia. And how do you portray a voice that commands greater men?  (writers have similar problems writing Captain America, who often spouts empty stoic nonsense instead of commanding respect)

So why do others follow Osborn, fall into his trap?  He's got political and physical power, sure,and wealth, too.  But he's not off the charts in any of those categories - how does a guy like that take over The Initiative?  Deconnick explains it, in a wonderful soliloquy by Sen. Sondra Muffoletto, and then demonstrates it in a prison fight.  You want to know why Osborn is Osborn?  It's in this comic.

And she does it all seamlessly, without calling undue attention to any of her craft, letting you enjoy the narrative flow.  There are no bit characters in this book, everybody lives and breathes.  Everybody has their own voice, and their own motivations. This is the hard stuff made to look very easy, it's very rare, and that ladies and gentlemen, is Kelly Sue DeConnick.

I have not been in love with the pencils of Emma Rios up to this point, but I'm sold now.  There are framing shots and action shots in this comic that just dropped my jaw.  There is nothing to not like about Osborn other than the cover price of $3.99.

Superman # 708
DC Comics
Script:     Chris Roberson (and JM Straczynski?)
Pencils:   Eddie Barrows
20 pages + 5 Batman & Robin preview pages for $2.99


I don't know if this is the best comic on the stands.  Matter of fact, I know that it's not.  I do know that it is infinitely entertaining to watch Chris Roberson try to extricate himself from Straczynski's foundation in the most passive aggressive manner possible.

Does Roberson see it that way?  I don't know.  It seems like he's intentionally taking a literary dump on Straczynski's lunch.  What he's done is take the painfully earnest and bizarre "Grounded" Superman and explain it away as a cocktail of post-traumatic stress disorder combined with a dash of depression and a splash of super-villainess mind control.

The implied message goes like this:

"There's no way I can take any of Straczynski's work seriously, much less continue with it.  My only option is to paint what's gone before as the demented ramblings of a psychological victim."

And that is awesome.  He even brings in Wonder Woman as if to say "Yes, JMS ruined her, too.  Let me bring her back to normalcy as well and have a heroic Superman inspire into some form of normalcy."

Straczynski's name is still on the cover of this thing!  There's just no way this is what he had in mind.

The down side I guess is that after two issues, this still isn't really Roberson's book, it's still in the process of becoming "Not Straczynski's Book".  It's kind of weird that Clark just threatened Lois and just dropped the issue so that he could follow some Super People down the yellow brick road.  That group didn't really blow me away, I'm not feeling Superman's brain washing nemesis as a visceral threat yet, and Wonder Woman is in the same odd unidentifiable place that the title character is in.  The whole thing feels like a sputtering junker that Roberson is desperately trying to keep running, praying it makes it to the shop before it dies.

It's fairly awesome to watch it sputter, though, for now.  When do we get to the new good stuff?

- Ryan

Cut To The Chase Reviews!

No mucking about with purple prose and over-analysis.  A couple of lines on a handful of titles beginning with:


Osborn # 2 - Marvel Comics.  It might be unfair to call Kelly Sue DeConnick a star in the making, because I think she's already there.  Tightly plotted and speckled with memorable character moments, Osborn is strikingly good stuff, and DeConnick should be on your map....now.  $4 is a problem, though.



 Next Men # 1 - IDW.  John Byrne is back, and if you're a die-hard Byrne Victim, you're getting exactly what you love.  There's an intriguing story in there somewhere, but when your foundation is built upon a never-ending series of "Bobby Ewing comes out of the shower" reveals, where is the reader supposed to find footing?  Irritatingly entertaining, and extra irritating at $4.








Nemesis # 4 - Icon/Marvel.  Is it completely out of control?  Yes.  Did last issue threaten to not only jump the shark, but leave said shark a few star systems behind?  Yes.  Did the unstoppable Scottish beast find a way to make the series pay off any way?  Fuck yeah, he did.  Note to self: Mark Millar = mad genius.

 Red Robin # 18 - DC.  This is some of the best superhero comics on the racks today, I kid you not.  When Fabian Nicieza can avoid proselytizing his politics, (BOO! to the preachy and LAME old Nomad ongoing and JLA/The 99) he puts out exceptional character-driven stories.

 THUNDER Agents # 2 - DC.  The first issue had me iffy at the staple, sold at the end.  The second issue of Thunder Agents is second only to Brave & The Bold # 32 as my favorite comic of 2010.  The research, the lengths that this organization will go to in order to achieve objectives, and the art on those running scenes...sublime.

 Deadpool MAX # 3 - Marvel.  If you're avoiding this because it's a "Deadpool" book....stop it, and get over yourself.  This comic is adult, dark, funny, and challenging.  David Lapham will challenge you, and the book is challenging what mainstream comics do, which is supposed to be the point of Max, no?  $4 is a problem, though.






- Ryan

Chronic Review: Osborn # 1!

Osborn # 1 (of 5)
Marvel Comics
Scripts: Kelly Sue DeConnick & Warren Ellis
Pencils: Emma Rios & Jamie McKelvie
29 pages for $3.99

So if you listened to the last episode, you know that I was piqued by the idea of the Warren Ellis backup in this issue, and couldn't yawn hard enough at the prospect of the main feature by Kelly Sue DeConnick. And in what is becoming a frighteningly familiar refrain these days...I got it all backwards.

I gripe a lot about how the comics sky is falling, but one of the many joys left is the influx of new talent. Where are the new guard to take over for our aging (but still very able) legends like Alan Moore, Neil Gaiman, Grant Morrison, Frank Miller? They're popping up all over the place if you know where to look. When I read books by Jonathan Hickman and Nick Spencer, I know we have a future, at least creatively.

And it's early, but I think we can add Kelly Sue DeConnick to that list. This one has chops, kids.

Osborn is built on a very simple but powerful premise: what do you do with the guy who inexplicably attacked Asgard and used the registration act to create his own corrupt super-powered toy box? That's interesting to me, and it's refreshing to see anybody actually treat one of these "events" as if they actually happened.

When the story begins, Norman Osborn is being detained at The Raft, and basically lucid. Of course he's still shit nuts, but he's functioning at a fairly high level. While Normie waxes philosophical about a spider's lesson in patience, a senate subcommittee is deciding what to do with him. He hasn't even been officially charged with anything yet, because the top brass wants to be certain that whatever they hit him with sticks. What they decide to do in the interim is move Osborn to a special containment center until the legal ducks are in a row.

Meanwhile, Ben Urich has put Norah Winters (and by extension Peter Parker) on an Osborn piece. She blames herself for everything Norman accomplished during his dark reign, because she backed down from a planned expose piece. This time she means to make good. We also get to meet a strange chaplain at that special containment center in places unknown, and the even stranger inmates of said center.

I won't spoil things any further than that, but it seems evident that Osborn's wheel of schemes is still turning, something is going to go down in that gulag, and Peter Parker will be a part of it before all is said and done. Not a bad hook.

DeConnick's script shows an attention to detail and characterization. Norah has always been a bit manic and goofy - here she's crazy/funny, particularly in her scenes with Peter. Osborn is calculating, head on a swivel, making semi-contemporary "snap" jokes and instantly turning around and referencing Vaclav Havel and Kim Dae-Sung. DeConnick also takes the time to breathe some life into the Osborn's future cell mates, which could have easily been left as ciphers or ignored entirely.

I'm not suggesting off the cuff that Kelly Sue DeConnick is the future of comics. But here's the deal - it's one thing to have good ideas with juice, like a Mark Millar. It's another thing to have a tight, efficient grip on structure and clarity like a Chuck Dixon. It's a rare thing to have both, and she's got it.

Osborn is a well researched, well conceived, well rendered plot with effective characterization and an interest in world-building. That's a pretty good thing to be.

Meanwhile, in the backup feature, Warren Ellis adds depth to June Covington, an inmate of that special containment facility. It's a cute little character piece, but it reads like a voice-over expository dump. It probably works better as straight prose, rather than a comic.

Not bad, mind you. Warren has a flair for the bent of mind, as always. It does add a bit of zest to the bigger picture, at least for me...I'm interested in that underground prison, its denizens, and how they got there. But if you were looking for the definitive Norman Osborn treatment by Warren Ellis, you came to the wrong place - he's in the backup feature for exactly two panels to deliver a throw-away joke.

I really don't advocate paying $3.99 for comics, but at least there are extra pages in the book, and the quality is there. Couldn't be more impressed with Kelly Sue DeConnick, if that wasn't apparent. I'm definitely buying the trade on this mini, and will begin to scout for bargains on other DeConnick work like those one-shots for Rescue and Sif....

- Ryan