Look on my Works, ye Mighty, and despair!

If I read a comic, I write a review

[scottwbeattie]

Review: Iron Man Epic Collection 15: Doom

Not the Ending You’d Want for Layton and Michelinie

Bob Layton and David Michelinie’s two runs on Iron Man are, in my opinion, the definitive take on the character, so it’s disappointing that the final volume of their second run isn’t stronger. Doom begins with the final six issues of the pair’s run, picking up where the previous volume ended; Tony is paralyzed from the waist down after having been shot by his sort of-girlfriend, Kathy Dare. He’s spending nearly all his time in the armor since it’s the only way that he can move freely.

This is a really interesting status quo, but Layton and Michelinie make the surprising decision to have Tony discover a cure within a few issues. This really feels like the kind of idea that could generate at least a year’s worth of stories (and Byrne essentially does in his run), so I don’t know why they cut it short. It’s possible that they knew their run was ending and were simply putting the metaphorical toys back in the box for the next writer.

Their run ends with the double-sized #250, which is kind of a sequel to the story that they also wrote in #150 involving Iron Man, Doctor Doom, Merlin, and King Arthur. It’s not as strong as that issue, but it is fun, and I like it as end to their time on the character.

Mirroring the writing, the art is good but not as good as what came before. Here Bob Layton is penciling, whereas he had previously finished Jackson Guice’s breakdowns. I’m a massive Layton fan, and I’m always happy to see him in any capacity, but I will admit that I like him best as an inker.

The next seven issues are the transitional period between Michelinie/Layton and John Byrne. A series of rotating creative teams (including Layton on his own) come on for an issue or two at a time. I don’t blame the creators, but these all feel like filler meant to stall until a permanent writer comes to the title.

If Iron Man 15 didn’t already feel somewhat like filler, then the presence of 3 (!!!) Annuals cements the feeling. Annual #10 kicks off the “Atlantis Attacks” storyline, which I know many people are attached to, but it’s the devil as far as I’m concerned, because it taught Marvel editorial all the wrong lessons. After the success of this story, Marvel would repeat this same gimmick of telling a story through the various Annuals over and over again. Iron Man Annual #11 and Captain America Annual #9 are part of the “Terminus Factor” storyline and demonstrate the results of going back to the same well . Personally, I will always prefer the Annuals of the 70’s and 80’s which guest-starred another hero and used the extra pages to tell a fun team-up adventure.

In a ideal world, the Crash Graphic Novel in the previous collection would have been swapped with #245-#250 from this volume so that Layton and Michelinie’s run could end in Iron Man 14. I do realize that doing so would have left Iron Man 15 with no selling point and ensure that it was only purchased by die-hard Iron Man completionists like myself. It makes sense from a sales standpoint but also makes for an unsatisfying reading experience. Given how much I love Layton and Michelinie’s run, I won’t say that any of their Iron Man Epics are skippable, but I will admit that this is as close to skippable as it gets.

[scottwbeattie]

Review: Captain America Epic Collection 15: The Bloodstone Hunt

Raiders of the Lost McGuffin

I really enjoyed the previous volume of Mark Gruenwald’s Captain America, so I was surprised that I found the first half of this one so middling. Given how climatically Captain America 14 ended, it does make sense that there would be a cool down period in between major arcs, but a lot of the early issues in The Bloodstone Hunt are just kind of aimless and bland.

Gruenwald does try to mix things up a bit. Issue #354, for example, tells two separate narratives simultaneously; the top half of the page tells Steve Rogers’ story, while we see Battlestar and US Agent in the bottom panels. It’s an interesting experiment, but because both stories are fairly generic, the issue just comes off as a gimmick.

The nadir, for me, was a 3-part storyline where Steve has Sersi transform him into a teenager so that he can go undercover in a camp for runaway teenagers who are being brainwashed by Mother Night. This is the kind of plot you might find in a Silver Age Teen Titans comic (except it’s more violent), however, these comics were written the 1989, and the contrast between them and everything else that Marvel was doing at the time is not flattering. Al Milgrom’s crude art and thick inks also add to it’s dated appearance (although maybe that was intentional).

Halfway through the book, I was beginning to think that decline in Gruenwald’s run came earlier than people had said when the 6-part titular arc began, and the book immediately turned around. “The Bloodstone Hunt” is a basically an Indiana Jones story (which is how Gruenwald pitched it) where Captain America and Diamondback, his Marion, have to globe-trot and explore various temples and ruins in order to find the five Bloodstones before the bad guys (Baron Zemo, Batroc, Machete, Zaran) do. Part of the improvement also comes from the art, as Kieron Dwyer starts doing full pencils again, rather than breakdowns. The result is easily as good as anything that Gruenwald and Dwyer have done on the title to this point.

I do have one complaint; Diamondback, as written by Gruenwald, is basically a throwback to how Stan Lee wrote women in the 60’s. She is a plucky sidekick who is capable on her own, until the plot requires that she becomes helplessly damseled and in need of rescue. Rachel is also reduced to something like a lovesick puppy, who follows Captain America around and puts the rest of her life on hold at the mere chance that Cap might glance her way. This kind of writing doesn’t bother me in Silver Age comics, because it all feel very much of its time (these are the same comics where they call someone “Highpockets”), but it does feel out of place in the 1980’s when characters like Storm, Jean Grey, and Susan Storm when were being written in a much more nuanced way. All that said, I did like Steve and Rachel’s date in the final issue of this collection, which is a fun, sitcom-ish story and also forces both of the characters to really think about where their relationship is going.

After the Bloodstone Hunt comes a fairly extended Acts of Vengeance arc, where Gruenwald does something very clever by pitting Magneto against Red Skull rather than against Cap. While Steve Rogers does end up becoming a secondary character in his own book for a few issues, it’s more than worth it in pursuit of this kind of idea.

In the second half of the book, Gruenwald also starting writing backup stories for a series of periphery characters (Vagabond, Machinesmith, King Cobra). I really enjoyed these and am happy to hear that they continue into the next Epic.

To be honest though, I’m on the fence about whether or not I should continue with the next volume of Gruenwald’s Captain America. While this collection finished strong, knowing the reputation of his run makes me think that more and more of the issues will be like the bland first half rather than the excellent second half. Further, the art has been solid but never a selling point for me, and, even at his best, Gruenwald writes very clunky dialogue. It feels like reading other titles might be a better idea, and, who knows, I might get the urge to come back to it just in time for a reprint of Streets of Poison.

[scottwbeattie]

Review: Conan the Barbarian Epic Collection 4: Queen of the Black Coast

As Good a Place as Any to Dive in

Although I have seen both Arnold Schwarzenegger films, I had never read a single Conan the Barbarian comic. Had my son not given me Queen of the Black Coast for my birthday (he chose it by default: it was the only Epic at the bookstore that I didn’t already own), then I might have gone my entire life without reading one. However, after having finished this volume, I’m very glad that I had the chance.

Prior to this volume, I read a Hulk Epic Collection from the same period and noticed some parallels between the two titles. Conan comics are very easy to jump into, because, like Hulk comics, they follow a familiar pattern; Conan is a cross between the Hulk and a Clint Eastwood gunslinger who comes into a new place and is immediately drawn into the place’s existing conflict. Conan comics can also be much more intricate than Hulk comics, because the fantasy setting allows for more and the character isn’t as overpowered as the Hulk. The bulk of this volume is devoted to one 6- and one 4- issue arc, which begin simply enough but grow in complexity, and eventually include necromancers, usurpers, scorpion statues that come to life, and gigantic shadow monsters.

Roy Thomas deftly captures the tone of pulpy fantasy adventure, and there’s a hilarious trope where every woman who meets Conan falls in love with him instantaneously. Thomas also seems to do a great job of balancing adding lore from the novels into the comics while also adding his own original ideas and characters. For example, in this volume, Red Sonja (another character that I know of without knowing anything about) guest-stars in a arc where she and Conan battle a pair of vampire siblings. Conan also briefly gains a pair of sidekicks in Tara and Yusef, who, I assume, were created by Thomas and may eventually return. Finally, in the titular arc, Conan’s lover Belit is introduced into the comics for the first time.

The great John Buscema draws every issue in this collection, other than a single one. My understanding is that Buscema was never that passionate about superheroes but loved fantasy, and that enthusiasm really shines through in his work here. There’s one issue Savage Sword of Conan, and, as a reader, the black and white format only highlights what a remarkable penciller Buscema was.

Something that I’m really glad was included in this volume (and maybe every volume of Conan?) was a map of Hyboria. As a newcomer to Conan, I was especially interested in the various countries and found myself flipping back to the map every time a place was mentioned. Admittedly, this could just be my obsessive brain at work, but I think it was a great addition to the book.

I didn’t go into this Epic with any expectations, but I enjoyed it enough that I’d like to continue reading Conan. That said, I’m not sure that I’ll get the opportunity; now that Marvel no longer holds the license, we won’t be getting any reprints, and I don’t see myself getting the Titan collections. If I do happen across any other Conan books at a not-outrageous price though, I won’t hesitate to pick them up.

[scottwbeattie]

Review: The Incredible Hulk Epic Collection 6: Crisis on Counter-Earth

Smash Yourself Into Space

A funny thing happened this year. Somehow I went from having no interest in the Hulk to binge-reading 3 Epic Collections and over 150 issues on Marvel Unlimited. So when I say that The Incredible Hulk: Crisis on Counter-Earth was a blast to read, you can take it with a grain of salt, as it’s coming from a very excited new convert to the character.

If you’re on the fence about whether to purchase Hulk 6, then know that over the course of this volume Hulk smashes his way through:

-M.O.D.O.K. wearing a giant Rock ‘Em, Sock ‘Em Robots-esque suit

-Tiger Shark, who is just hanging out at the bottom of Niagara Falls

-Aquon, “half-man, half-fish, all hate!”

The stories are exactly as appealing (or unappealing) as they sound. If you already like the character, then you will enjoy this volume, but it’s not the collection that will change your mind if you aren’t yet onboard (in my opinion, that would be Hulk 13: Crossroads).

In addition, Hulk also battles classic villains like the Abomination and Rhino, goes on adventures on Counter-Earth, befriends Adam Warlock, and gets into shenanigans that are typical of a Hulk comic. The plots are fairly straightforward, and, as often as not, Hulk will simply be wandering around before stumbling across his adversary and coming to blows.

What I like about Hulk comics from this period is that although the main plots are simplistic, the members of his supporting cast are involved in long-running subplots. In this volume, for example, Betty Ross is put through the emotional wringer after marrying, then losing Glenn Talbot. She develops very complex relationships with Bruce Banner, her father, and, of course, the Hulk, and it’s all much more nuanced than you might expect from The Incredible Hulk. That the title was able to maintain these subplots (which carry on into the next Epic) is all the more impressive given the near-constant turnover in writers.

To be fair, this was fairly common for many of the Marvel titles in the early- and mid- 70’s, but 7 writers contribute to this volume. Steve Englehart scripts about half the issues in Hulk 6, but Roy Thomas, Archie Goodwin, and Gerry Conway drop in, while Chris Claremont, Steve Gerber, and Tony Isabella occasionally assist with dialogue. I feel like Englehart’s issues are the strongest, but the book is pretty consistent no matter who is writing it. A lot of that is probably due to Herb Trimpe, who drew every issue for 7 years. He probably tends to get overshadowed by Sal Buscema in many people’s minds (myself included), but he really does establish a look for the title. Granted, his designs for new characters are sometimes lacking, but his storytelling is very clear and flows well, and, I’d argue, he’s much more dynamic than he’s given credit for.

It’s worth saying again that your enjoyment from Crisis on Counter-Earth is dependent on how much you already like the Hulk. Since I’ve already read Hulk 7, I’ll be eagerly awaiting Hulk 8 later this year, which finishes Len Wein’s run. I’m also reading the beginning of Peter David’s run on Marvel Unlimited and debating whether I should dip my toes into the Peter David Hulk Epics as well. In terms of my next Epic, I’m staying in the 70’s with a character who is not that dissimilar to the Hulk, only he stabs instead of smashes: Conan the Barbarian.

[scottwbeattie]

Review: Superman in the Seventies

Superman is not just my favorite superhero, he’s my favorite fictional character. Yet, comparatively speaking, I haven’t read that many of his comics, and, prior to this collection, I hadn’t read a single Superman comic from the 1970’s. I blame this entirely on DC, who, apparently, have no interest in publishing anything prior to Crisis on Infinite Earths. Even Superman in the Seventies is out of print, however, I managed to find a used copy on Amazon for a decent price and picked it up. Since I’m completely ignorant of Superman in this decade, I can’t say if the comics that they chose for this anthology are a good representation of the character at this time, but since it’s all that I have, it’ll have to do.

There are quite a few charming stories in this volume. I found that the ones I usually liked most were written by Elliot S! Maggin, but there were strong and weak stories from just about every contributor. The writers include a grab-pack of names that most DC readers of this era will be familiar with: Maggin, Cary Bates, Len Wein, and Robert Kanigher, but the biggest name undoubtedly will belong to Jack Kirby, as an issue of his Jimmy Olsen run is included.

The inclusion of that particular issue is a bit of a head-scratcher in that it ends on a cliffhanger, but the following issue is not collected. This actually happens a few times in the anthology, and so it can make for a frustrating reading experience. Again, I’m not familiar enough with this era to name a better stand-alone Jimmy Olsen issue, and it’s entirely possible that there isn’t one. I understand that you can’t not include a Kirby comic in a 70’s Superman collection, which is all the more reason to just create something like the equivalent of the Marvel Epic line (but that’s an argument for another day).

My favorite story might just be the Krypto story by Maggin, although I’ll be the first to admit that I’m a sucker for Krypto. As dated as it was, I also kind of liked the “I am Curious (Black)” where Lois Lane becomes black for a day. If you read it as a 2023 reader, then, yes, it’s very cringe, but if you’re willing to look at in its context, then it’s an interesting and well-intentioned piece of social commentary (although I suspect that, even in 1970, it came across as forced). “Must There be a Superman?” is a classic story that I’m really glad to have finally read and it lives up to its billing. There’s a few weak stories as well; the issue with Terra Man was just dull as he wasn’t a very compelling villain. The preface mentioned that he was an important foe during this decade, but he never came across as menacing. Instead, it felt like someone in the Superman office was a big fan of Clint Eastwood westerns and wanted him in a Superman comic.

The majority of the comics in this collection are drawn by Curt Swan, the definitive Superman artist, so the book looks great. My biggest complaint is that the quality of the paper and the scans don’t do justice to Swan’s art. Not to belabor the comparison, but the Marvel Epics treat the art from this same era with so much more reverence. To be fair, DC had a line of paperbacks and omnibuses (Wonder Woman: the Golden Age vol. 2, Green Lantern: the Silver Age vol. 4, The Brave and the Bold: the Bronze Age vol. 1, etc.) that was comparable in quality to the Epic line, but they never got around to printing any Bronze Age Superman stories, and, for the most part, it seems that the line has been discontinued.

Overall, I have mixed feelings about Superman in the Seventies. The stories themselves were almost always charming and fun even when they ended on an unresolved cliffhanger, but the format is just not the way that I would go about collecting stories from this era. For Superman fans like myself, however, it’s worth owning until a better collection comes along.

[scottwbeattie]

Review: Iron Fist Epic Colletion 1: The Fury of Iron Fist

Iron Fist 1: The Fury of Iron Fist

70’s Marvel Kung Fu Heroes are 2 for 2

It’s always nice when you go into a book with high expectations and are not disappointed. I was almost certain that I would love Iron Fist 1, since Brubaker and Fraction’s Immortal Iron Fist is one of my favorite modern Marvel runs and the Chris Claremont/John Byrne duo are one of comics’ legendary creative teams. This book was as good as expected.

Roy Thomas created the character and wrote the first issue, but he immediately gave way to Len Wein, Tony Isabella, and Doug Moench, before Chris Claremont became the permanent writer. In spite of the turnover, the beginning of the volume is essentially one long, serialized story. Once Claremont settles in, the book becomes slightly more episodic, which was more typical of Marvel comics in the 70’s. My favorite of the pre-Claremont issues are obviously Marvel Premier #17 and #18 where Iron Fist has to fight his way through the trap-laden Meachum building. I definitely think my love of death-traps comes from watching the Indiana Jones and Home Alone movies so many times as a child.

As good as it was under other writers, the book elevates once Claremont comes on board. Most people in this group are probably very familiar with his specific writing style from his legendary run on Uncanny X-Men, but because this was earlier in his career, he hadn’t yet developed some of the tics that he would become famous for later on (like repeated use of catchphrases). The plotting is also not quite as intricate as UXM; Iron Fist is a fairly straightforward narrative with a main plot that is occasionally interrupted by interludes which set up the next arc. It’s nowhere near as complex as Claremont’s Uncanny, in which he would be planting seeds for stories 5 years down the line while simultaneously spinning 3-4 plots and subplots, but Iron Fist is just as enjoyable.

I really liked how Misty Knight was developed across this volume. Claremont only reveals her background in small pieces, but we constantly see how competent she is, and, if you don’t already know why, it’s quite cool to see her do some really amazing feats. Her relationship with Danny Rand is also really interesting. You’d be forgiven for assuming that Colleen Wing was intended to be Danny’s love interest, but he and Misty have much better chemistry, and, at least in this volume, Misty is much better-developed and more interesting than Colleen Wing.

One minor complaint that I have about The Fury of Iron Fist is that most of the antagonists are forgettable. The Meachums, for example, are never more than your typical rich evil bad guys. Only the Wrecking Crew, on loan from Thor, have any real flair. Sabretooth also makes his debut here, and he does show a lot of potential, but given that he’s a prominent X-Men/Wolverine villain, I assume that he probably doesn’t return to this title.

One high point is that Iron Fist consistently looks great throughout this volume. John Byrne draws the majority of the Claremont issues, and it’s amazing how in sync the two of them were from the beginning. Even before Byrne, several others including a young Larry Hama provide solid contributions.

Something that I tried to be aware of while I read this was whether I’d recommend Master of Kung Fu or Iron Fist to someone. Ultimately, I decided that it wasn’t a fair comparison, because not only are both equally great, but, really, the 70’s Kung Fu trappings are where the similarities between the titles end. Master of Kung Fu has more in common with James Bond, whereas Iron Fist is a more traditional superhero. That said, if you enjoy one title, than there’s a good chance that you’d enjoy the other. Both would be among my most recommended Marvel Comics from the 70’s.

[scottwbeattie]

Review: Superman and the Authority

Superman and the Authority is a fantastic set-up that is let down by a rushed and incomplete ending. I don’t know any of the behind-the-scenes details, but it feels as if writer Grant Morrison had initially planned to tell a much larger story but was forced to cut it down halfway through the series. The result is a very oddly-paced story wherein Superman spends the entire first issue recruiting only a single member of the Authority, doesn’t recruit the final member until halfway through the final issue, and then finally kind of, sort of defeats the threat. It’s just hard to believe that a writer of Morrison’s caliber would fumble the ending so badly without editorial interference.

That said, there’s a lot to like in Superman and the Authority. Grant Morrison writes Superman better than just about any other write, which is only to be expected given how often he’s written the character in his career and that he wrote the definitive Superman story in All-Star Superman. What’s more surprising is how well he pairs with the reactive and violent Authority. Granted, this isn’t the real Authority as only Midnighter and Apollo have ever been on the team previously, but Morrison is able to channel the same energy of the original team with new members like Manchester Black, Enchantress, and O.M.A.C. It’s fun seeing Superman patiently trying to herd a bunch of chaos agents into a worthy cause.

Technically, the story isn’t fully resolved and continues in Phillip Kennedy Johnson’s Action Comics. That’s true in the sense that the same characters also appear in that story, but the continuity doesn’t line up, and it’s not an excuse for this series to end as it does. Again, my guess is that Morrison had bigger plans but the series was cut short for whatever reason, so Johnson was told to integrate the Authority into his Warworld story. It’s especially disappointing since this Superman and the Authority started so strong, but sometimes that’s the nature of publishing at the Big 2.

At least the book always looks great. I’ve been a fan of Mikel Janin since he drew the New 52 Justice League Dark, and it’s been cool to see him progressively rise through DC’s ranks to become one of their top artists. Travel Foreman also provides a few sequences, and he’s another favorite of mine, also going back to the New 52 (Animal Man). Special mention should also be given to Jordie Bellaire and the other colorists, because this art really pops off the page.

Ultimately, Superman and the Authority is a comic that has a lot more promise than it actually delivers. That said, there’s enough good to make it worthwhile. It’s not essential for anyone reading the Warworld Saga (as DC would have you believe), but it is a good pickup for anyone who is a fan of Morrison, Superman, Midnighter, or Apollo.

[scottwbeattie]

Review: Moon Knight Epic Collection 1: Bad Moon Rising

Michael Schur, creator and producer of The Office, Parks and Recreation, Brooklyn Nine-Nine, and The Good Place said that, in a perfect world, all sitcoms would have the chance to write and produce their first 10 episodes in private, throw them out, and then debut with episode 11. That’s an idea that I think about often, and I think it perfectly encapsulates the first volume of Moon Knight. It took 5 years after his debut in Werewolf by Night for Moon Knight to get his own series, but in between he guest-starred in several titles and even had his own backup in The Hulk Magazine. Since this Epic collects all of those issues plus the first four issues of Moon Knight, you get to see how the character grew and evolved during his first few years.

From Moon Knight’s first appearance, it’s not hard to see why he was an immediate hit. He’s a bit like Boba Fett in that he’s a mysterious antagonist with a great look that makes you interested to learn more.

What surprised me was how detail had been added to the character by his next appear in Marvel Spotlight. Doug Moench had already come up with his 3 personalities (Marc Spector, Steven Grant, Jack Lockley) as well as several members of his supporting cast like Marlene, Crawley, and Gena. The story itself isn’t that great, but it’s interesting when you read it as a rough first draft of the 1980 series.

Unfortunately, the five Defenders issues that follow are not only the worst in the volume, but, truthfully, some of the worst that I’ve read in any Marvel Epic. Moon Knight’s role is very limited, and they’re very easy to skip. I’m not ashamed to say that I made it through 2 of them before giving up.

The Spectacular Spider-Man and Marvel Two-in-One issues are enjoyable enough, but, again, don’t add anything to the character, however, the Moon Knight backup stories in The Hulk Magazine are when you really get to see the progression of the character. In terms of quality, these issues are just okay, but, as a Moon Knight fan, I find them fascinating in terms of the creative process.

You can see Moench and Bill Sienkiewicz use these as a testing ground for story ideas and panel layouts. I also wonder if they are considered to be in continuity or not, because Moench blatantly recycles ideas from these for the main series. For example, the Hatchetman story is basically retold but improved in the second issue of Moon Knight. Likewise, Moench would do some of the same things with Marlene’s brother that he does with Marc’s brother. The best way to read these is as a slightly more polished draft of the character compared to the Marvel Spotlight issues.

Once the volume gets to the first four Moon Knight comics, it really kicks into gear. Having seen the first- and second- drafts, you can now see why Moon Knight was able to make a strong start and build from there. Not only is the writing great, but Sienkiewicz’s art feels more confident and refined. The creative team only gets better in the second volume, but these make a great foundation.

Overall, this isn’t an Epic for everybody. In terms of the stories themselves, I can only recommend the Werewolf by Night issues, the first four issues of Moon Knight, and maybe the Spectacular Spider-Man and Marvel Two-in-One comics. If you’re looking to check out the character, it might be better to start with the second volume; however, the creative evolution of Moon Knight is very worthwhile for anyone who is already a fan of the Moench/Sienkiewicz run

[scottwbeattie]

The Jackson Guice/Bob Layton art team is great, but they weren’t infallible. What are you wearing Rae LaCoste?

[scottwbeattie]

Review: Iron Man Epic Collection 14: Return of the Ghost

Tony Gets His Groove Back

Tony Stark has never been cooler than he was during Bob Layton and David Michelinie’s first run on Iron Man. Denny O’Neil then used the alcoholism that they introduced (and had Tony quickly overcome) to take the character to rock bottom before building him back up again. When Layton and Michelinie returned to the title, it didn’t make sense to undo O’Neil’s excellent run by immediately returning to the 1978-1982 status quo, so they instead spent 2 years having Tony rebuilding his company and reintegrating some of the supporting cast who O’Neil had written out of the book. Sobriety had also given the character righteous fury, and he went after both friends and enemies who were using his technology. Having accomplished his mission, Tony was now able to settle in and return to something like his old self.

Iron Man 14 begins with the original graphic novel, Crash. I already reviewed it in a separate post, but to recap: it’s terrible and can be skipped. However, once you get into the meat of the Epic with the regular issues, Return of the Ghost quickly becomes a top-tier Iron Man Epic.

The issues themselves are mostly one- or two- issue self-contained arcs. Other than Tony’s complicated romantic life (he may or may not be simultaneously sleeping with 3 different women, all of whom seem to know about the others), there aren’t any running subplots. There’s a breezy tone to them, as Tony switches from yacht dates to corporate meetings to battles with some classic foes like the Mandarin, the Grey Gargoyle, Blizzard, Whiplash, and the titular Ghost.

Layton and Michelinie also devote a lot of screen time to Tony’s large supporting cast. One of my favorite parts of their runs is that Stark Enterprises feels like a real company rather than just a plot device to explain why Tony has enough money to build his Iron Man suits. Mrs. Arbogast, Felix Alverez, Marcy Pearson, Ant-Man Scott Lang, Clay Wilson, and, of course, Rhodey are all individuals with distinct personalities, and they help flesh out Stark Enterprises by representing different viewpoints and goals for the company.

The art looks great for most of these issues as well. Jackson Guice provides most of the layouts, but even when he’s away, Bob Layton almost always does the finishes, which gives the book a consistent look. There’s only one issue that is finished by Barry Windsor-Smith (a fantastic penciler in his own right), and it doesn’t look nearly as good.

The collection finishes with three issues of Marvel Fanfare starring Iron Man. They’re just okay (especially in comparison with Crash) but also feel very inconsequential. Granted, this is par for Iron Man Epic Collections, and I always say that suffering through filler is our lot in life.

Return of the Ghost is an odd collection. On the one hand, these issues are about as good as the title has ever been, and I’d highly encourage anyone who likes Iron Man to check them out. That said, it also feels odd recommending an Epic where more than a quarter is, to be honest, not very good filler. At the end of the day, I do think that the regular series issues are more than strong enough to justify this Epic, but I also wish that Marvel would take it easy on Shellhead fans for a change.

[scottwbeattie]

Review: Iron Man: Crash

Fans of the Iron Man Epic Collections are used to filler, but Iron Man: Crash might just be the most filler-iest of filler. It serves no real purpose, and, as far as I can tell, they created it just because they could.

I guess, on paper, the idea of a computer-generated graphic novel (insert AI art joke here) is interesting, but, in practice, it looks awful. I just cannot imagine any reader in 1987 looking at the work of John Byrne, Walt Simonson, Sal Buscema, John Romita Jr., Bill Sienkiewiczart or any of the other great comics artists in the 1980’s and then looking at this, and thinking, “Yeah, I like the computer stuff better.”

Additionally, I assume the difficulty of programming computer-generated art severely limited what Mike Saenz was able to do with the story. At least, I hope that’s the explanation, because the story is basically nothing. Seriously, Iron Man: Crash is so decompressed that it would make Brian Michael Bendis blush. It’s amazing how little happens in 70 pages. It literally takes Tony Stark 3 full pages to suit up! Almost nothing happens in the story, neither Tony nor the villains is well developed, and even the action is very light. The whole thing is just an exercise in spinning its wheels.

On the one hand, I’ve always been a proponent of the “collect everything” philosophy for the Epic line, but, Iron Man: Crash really tests my commitment to that mentality. The Michelinie/Layton run on Iron Man is one of my all-time favorite runs, and it’s a shame that one of their Epic Collections is marred by such a waste of pages. I don’t like to be negative, but I honestly can’t think of a single positive thing to say about it.

[scottwbeattie]

Finally getting around to reading Superman and the Authority, but I had to stop in the middle of the first issue to say how much I love this costume and look in general.

[scottwbeattie]

Review: Captain America Epic Collection 14: The Captain

Some Really Great Plotting

I have always considered myself to be a big Cap fan, yet had only read the Brubaker and Remender runs, plus some of the Nick Spencer run and parts of the Silver Age material, so I really wanted to read more. Given that Mark Gruenwald’s run on the character is generally regarded as one of the high points of the title, I came into this volume with high expectations, and, for the most part, I wasn’t disappointed.

From the outset, it’s important to note that although Gruenwald was an excellent plotter, he was not a great writer of dialogue. He had an encyclopedic knowledge of Marvel continuity that he loved to incorporate into his stories, however, instead of using narration boxes to offer recaps, characters relate it to one another, and the result is always clunky. Gruenwald also has a great grasp on the characters, but they are all saddled with wooden dialogue at various points, especially Cap when he’s giving impromptu speeches. The Captain also includes Iron Man #228, and, to be honest, it creates an unflattering comparison for Gruenwald when you see how much better the dialogue is for the same characters when it’s written by David Micheline and Bob Layton. That said, the story in The Captain is so good that wooden dialogue can only weigh it down so much.

When the volume opens, Steve Rogers has just quit as Captain America after coming into conflict with the committee that oversees him. The first few issues are solely dedicated to establishing the new Captain (John Walker, formerly Super-Patriot). Only later does the title go back to Steve Rogers, who takes on the identity as the Captain in order to continue to help any way that he can.

I really like the way that Gruenwald writes John Walker. At first he’s dismissive of his predecessor, thinking that he’s an outdated relic, only to realize how difficult it is to fill those shoes. My understanding is that Walker is later written as psychotic, but here he’s a guy who is genuinely doing his best to live up the ideal but is temperamentally unsuited for it. His story becomes tragic rather than villainous as severe emotional trauma drives him over the edge and makes him more violent and excessive. Even his inevitable confrontation with Steve Rogers is not something that either of them wanted. That said, once the two lock up, the story really comes alive as they deliver haymaker after haymaker to each other.

The extended storyline involving the Serpent Society was another highlight. The idea of a villains’ trade union, which faces internal conflict to the point where one side has to make a desperation call to their superhero antagonist, is very clever, and Gruenwald does a lot with it. I also like the idea of Diamondback being a romantic interest for Steve, which hits a lot of the same notes as Batman and Catwoman, but with a character who is even more of a paragon in his universe in Captain America. My only complaint was that I didn’t really get a feel for most of the individuals in the Serpent Society, but I also have yet to read any of Gruenwald’s run before or after this volume.

Tom Morgan and Kieron Dwyer split the art duties in this volume. Both of them are very meat-and-potatoes; the art is perfectly solid but it doesn’t stand out. It’s probably just as well, given that there are a few extremely violent moments in this volume, and I don’t know if a more graphic style would have added to them or taken away from them. I do wonder, however, if this arc would get more acclaim from casual readers if the art were more stylized. One of the advantages that Brubaker’s run has over Gruenwald’s is that the art was very striking with its moody color palettes and gritty feel.

I’m quite curious to see where Gruenwald takes the title in the next volume. There’s only one (admittedly, major) dangling plot thread, so it will be interesting to see if he follows up on that immediately or starts a brand-new plot. As for this volume, it does live up to most of its hype, and it’s also a very easy entry point for anyone wanting to read some of the better Captain America comics.

[scottwbeattie]

Review: The Flash: Rebirth

A Good Attempt at Fixing the Title That Doesn't Work for Me

There is no one in the comics industry who is better than Geoff Johns when it comes to taking convoluted continuity and streamlining it into something that is exciting and readable for both newer and long-time readers. This is why he's consistently been one of the most commercially successful comics writers of the modern era. The list of characters that he's revived for DC is staggering: Teen Titans, the Justice Society, Green Lantern, Hawkman, and Aquaman. All of these titles were languishing before he turned them around with his magic touch. He actually did this for the Flash once before in the early 2000's, but after Barry Allen returned in Final Crisis, Johns also came back to the title to hopefully kick-start a new era for the Scarlet Speedster. Was he successful? It depends on what you're looking for.

While I admire, on a technical level, the way that Johns is able to massage decades of continuity into one clean narrative, I can't say that I enjoy The Flash: Rebirth. The problem is that the story essentially double-downs on many of the elements of The Flash that I personally don't like: the tendency to try to make the Speed Force more complex than necessary and the fact that, honestly, there are just too many speedsters in the DC Universe.

I realize that the latter may be a point of contention for a lot of fans (and I say this as someone who also likes Johnny and Jesse Quick, Max Mercury, etc.), but nine is simply too many. The Flash family is not a police force like the Green Lantern Corps (and even then there are way too many human GLs) and they only operate in Central City and Hub City, so there's no need for so many of them. Johns tries to make use of all nine in order to stop Thawne's plan, but it ends up ringing false, because it feels like Johns had to massively overpower Thawne in order to justify using the entire Flash family. Obviously, a lot of people were not happy about the New 52, particularly the way that Wally was basically erased, but comparing it with the pre-Flashpoint Flash family demonstrates how much cleaner having only one Flash* makes the DC Universe.

Likewise, I also was not a fan of the way in which Johns expanded the Speed Force. To me, the Speed Force is at its best when it's a fairly simple plot device for explaining the Flash's powers ala the Force in Star Wars. When writers try to overcomplicate it, as many have both before and after Johns, it just comes across as a bunch of pseudo-scientific bullshit.

Although the A-plot of The Flash: Rebirth didn’t work for me, the book does shine during the smaller moments, particularly the interactions between characters. Barry Allen isn’t the most dynamic character in the DC universe, but his everyman persona works well in contrast with the bigger personalities of Hal Jordan. Further, his love for Iris, as written by Johns, is both sweet and relatable. One other advantage of Johns’ cinematic storytelling style (especially his use of splash and double-splash pages) is that even when the narrative isn’t working, you still get a lot of really cool moments.

In order to trade in on the success of Green Lantern: Rebirth, Johns’ collaborator from that book, Ethan van Sciver, also provides the art for The Flash: Rebirth. Van Sciver is hated by large portions of the comics internet, which makes it difficult to have any kind of discussion involving him, but if you look at his artwork purely as art, then he is a very good storyteller. Although he works in the same post-Image school as others like Tony S. Daniel, Ed Benes, David Fitch, and Jason Fabok, van Sciver’s fundamentals are much stronger than most of the artists in that school. He has dynamic but clear layouts and his anatomy doesn’t fall in and out of proportion. That said, I don’t really think he’s the best choice for a Flash artist, which, in my mind, needs a more cartoony aesthetic.**

Ultimately, there’s a reason why The Flash: Rebirth doesn’t have the staying power that many of Johns’ other projects do. While the creative team is obviously capable, and Johns knows the Flash as well as anyone, there are just a lot narrative elements that really don’t work. Personally, I tend to believe that Flash stories are often at their best when they tell something very simple, and when you try to stretch them in order to make an event comic, you can see all the cracks and seams. It’s worth noting that, Johns’ first arc on the relaunched Flash title that followed this, The Dastardly Death of the Rogues, was excellent. While The Flash: Rebirth isn’t a great story, if you think of it as a necessary step to get Barry Allen back as the Flash, then it was worthwhile…..but it’s also entirely skippable.

*-Yes, Bart Allen was also in the New 52, but he was in the Teen Titans and had literally no interaction and never appeared in the main Flash title.

**-In my mind, Francis Manapul was the perfect Flash artist. Now that I think of it, I’d also love to see R.B. Silva’s or Mahmud Asrar’s take.

[scottwbeattie]

Even with all the weirdness and high-concept stuff, Grant Morrison knows how to nail the big moments.

This is the final page of Morrison's Action Comics run, and an all-time favorite single page of mine.

[scottwbeattie]

Review: Superman - Action Comics vol. 3: At the End of Days

Grant Morrison at Some of His* Most Morrison-y

In 2008 Grant Morrison and Frank Quitely created not only the best Superman story in All-Star Superman, but quite possibly the best superhero story period. So when it was announced Grant Morrison would be spearheading the new-look Superman of the New 52, you couldn't help but hope that we might get another all-time classic Superman story. Was the result great? Well, it depends on your perspective.

From the outset, I should say that Superman is my favorite fictional character and that Grant Morrison is one of my favorite writers, so it was almost guaranteed that I would enjoy this. That said, while All-Star Superman is a straightforward story that can be enjoyed by anyone, Morrison's Action Comics run is the writer at some of his most esoteric.

The final volume of Action Comics sees out the conclusion of an ongoing story that began in the first volume involving the 5th dimension imp Mr. Mxyzptlk, his lover, and their nemesis, Vyndktvx. I genuinely like the way that Morrison takes a classic Superman foe in Mr. Mxyzptlk and slightly retcons his history to make his conflicts with Superman more playful, which fits well with his character. However, as anyone familiar with Grant Morrison knows, he has never met a high-concept that he didn't like, so Morrison takes the 5th dimension and goes absolutely mad with it, having Superman simultaneously fight Vyndktvx across multiple dimensions. It delivers a lot of great moments but can be hard to follow, given the way it switches back and forth from dimension to dimension often from panel to panel.

One thing that helps this volume is that, aside from the Travel Foreman-drawn #13 (one of the all-time great Krypto stories), Rags Morales and Brad Walker split art duties for the entire volume. Morrison's script in the hands of a different artist could have been unreadable, but Morales and Walker's more straightforward and clear storytelling makes it easier to read.

As noted earlier, this definitely won't be for everyone, but fans of Grant Morrison will love this. I'd like to think that, even if Morrison isn't your cup of tea, you can at least respect the ambition of his story and how he nails each of the characters' voices. Admittedly, I didn't like this volume quite as much as I did the first time I that I read it, but it's still an enjoyable read.

*-Grant Morrison identifies as Non-Binary, however, Morrison has said that while he accepts it as "a badge of honor" when others use the "they/them" pronouns for him, he still uses the "he/him" pronouns to refer to himself, which is why I have used "he/him/"

[scottwbeattie]

Review: Fantastic Four Epic Collection 23: Nobody Gets Out Alive

Can’t Stop, Won’t Stop

In my review of the previous volume, I said that Tom DeFalco’s ability to juggle different plots, subplots, tones, and character development reminded me of Chris Claremont’s Uncanny X-Men run, and Nobody Gets Out Alive only cements that feeling. This is such a great run that belongs in the top tier of Marvel comics.

One of my favorite parts of the DeFalco run is that even though the A-plot will typically run for 3-6 issues at a time, each one of the Fantastic Four also has their own B-plots, many of which began in the previous volume and carry on for the entirety of this Epic (Johnny’s constantly evolving relationship with Lyja, for example). The B-plots then will affect the character’s actions during the main plots, which, then, in turn, might inform the subplots. It’s very complex plotting, but it makes for a satisfying read, because it feels like the separate parts are working together in a cohesive and organic way.

These issues are also very good, especially compared to other Marvel titles in the 90’s, in the way that they feel connected to the larger Marvel universe without getting bogged down in constant crossovers or a parade of guest-stars. Both Namor and Ant-Man (Scott Lang) join the team, and there’s a 4-issue crossover with Namor, but otherwise Fantastic Four stands on its own.

It’s worth mentioning that the art once again looks fantastic, and Paul Ryan draws every issue in this volume, aside from the 2 issues of Namor and the Annual. One thing that Ryan does especially well is maintain a nice balance between the Image look that was in trend in the early 90’s and the more traditional Marvel house style of the 80’s.

The only real downside that I can say about Nobody Gets Out Alive is that I don’t think that it would stand very well on its own; DeFalco and Ryan try to offer recaps when they can, but there’s so much going on that you need to have read the This Flame, This Fury (FF 22). To be fair, it’s not convoluted in the way that so many comics were in the 90’s, but I can’t imagine coming into this volume as a new reader.

My only other complaint is that the next volume has yet to be announced. Although I’m a big Fantastic Four fan, I hadn’t ever read any of the DeFalco run prior to this year, and, heretical as this may sound to some, it’s shaping into my favorite FF run ever. I can’t wait to see if DeFalco and Ryan can keep the title at this level, because, if so, I can read this all day.