west coast blues

by Jacques Tardi (adapted from a novel by Jean-Patrick Manchette)

the premise: An unhappy family man pulls over to help an injured man on the side of the road, and suddenly finds himself marked for death by persons unknown.

the lowdown: So it seems this was published originally in France. How on Earth am I am just finding out about Jacques Tardi? This is, as is probably apparent, my first exposure to his work, though he's been a graphic novelist for more than thirty years. He made a heckuva first impression.

This is a crime/ noir story featuring that most weather-worn of ideas, the man on the run from forces he doesn't quite comprehend. That in and of itself isn't all that remarkable, of course, but it's relatively rare that I've seen this kind of story executed with such skill. Tardi has a remarkable sense of pacing as well as an outstanding design sense. This story is pure noir but it's not all dark alleys and shadows - in fact, it gets away from those locales altogether. Tardi presents a protagonist who is clearly flawed - the book opens with him driving around drunk - but he doesn't feel like the cliched Guy Spit on by Life. He makes some choices during the story that are unexpected, and that take the story in some places you're probably not expecting, but it all feels authentic.

The art is in B&W (the cover is actually panels from the story), and Tardi uses the white to good effect as well as the black. Tardi's storytelling is extremely strong, and you can tell he's a veteran of the form. It's polished without losing its life, visually appealing while still being ugly enough to work as a crime story.

the verdict: I enjoyed this a lot. I read it on my back patio on a Sunday morning, with a tall glass of orange juice and jazz playing, and the whole effect was terrific. Definitely recommended.

superman: new krypton vol. 2

by Geoff Johns, James Robinson, Sterling Gates, Renato Guedes, Pete Woods & Jamal Igle

collects Superman # 682-683, Action Comics # 872-873 & Supergirl # 35-36

the premise: Superman and Supergirl struggle to maintain a delicate peace between the residents of Earth and the 100,000 Kryptonians freed from Kandor. But a shocking event is in the works, and it may shatter the calm irrevocably.

the lowdown: I think DC is branding the World of New Krypton series as "New Krypton Vol. 3" and beyond, so at first glance this doesn't look like the conclusion of anything. And certainly there are plenty of plot threads that continue from these issues, but they're a pretty clear conclusion to this particular story, i.e. the cohabitance on Earth of Earthlings and Kryptonians. Unlike the first volume, this one puts Superman and Supergirl front and center and really digs into the meat of the plot.

I was surprised to find I enjoyed the Gates/ Igle Supergirl issues most of all. I have enjoyed Igle's art for some time, but obviously Gates is the least experienced of these three scribes. He gets a lot of the really key scenes here, though, as they center around Supergirl's family, and I thought he did a pretty good job with them. Robinson and Johns both turn in pretty good work as well, but it's the Supergirl issues that really drive home the fact that our heroes are being re-united with long-lost family. It's a pretty powerful concept that's hard to drive home because *we* don't remember these people the way Superman and Supergirl do.

Most likely they could've filled a dozen or more issues with these events, so I appreciate the brevity of tying up these threads relatively quickly. This is, of course, only the beginning of the newest Superman status quo, but it's pretty strong in and of itself, and genuinely takes Superman to a place he's never really been before.

the verdict: I'm still not sure how many of the post-New Krypton Superman books I'll be getting, but I'll definitely be getting at least some of them. This epic still has the potential to fall flat but there's enough here to believe it might also be really good.

trinity vol. 2

by Kurt Busiek, Fabian Nicieza, Mark Bagley & more

collects Trinity (2008) # 18-36

the premise: The world is remade without Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman, and the villains who caused the reboot continue their quest to seize power. Only a ragtag group of folks who have vague recollections of being different can stand in their way.

the lowdown: The second volume of this series picks up following the cliffhanger from volume one, with reality remade. So it's a whole new world, minus the "trinity", and there's no JLA, no Robin, no Supergirl, and so on. This kind of story has been told before, of course - think House of M - but Busiek decides to use his available space to tell it in a LOT of detail.

I'm talking painstaking, crushingly boring detail.

On the one hand the scope of what he's attempting here is pretty impressive. Busiek clearly has an affinity for the totality of DC mythology, and he's thought through this remade world very thoroughly. But at the same time, the remade world isn't really that interesting, at least parts of it are not, and there's so much space devoted to it that it feels like a few hundred pages before anything actually happens. I guess Bendis took a lot of grief for not fully realizing the House of M world, but I really prefer that sort of approach. This at times reads like an encyclopedia rather than a story.

And of course the whole thing rests on this premise that somehow our lead three characters are essential to the construction of the universe and all this other Tarot-related stuff that (a) isn't interesting, and (b) is hokey. I don't blame Busiek there, as he's just continuing a meme that DC has shoved down our throats for several years now, but just... no.

Bagley turns in good work on the lead features. He does a good job drawing a large cast, and manages to keep the non-costumed characters distinct. The backups are of varying quality, none of them approaching Bagley's standard.

the verdict: If I hadn't already pre-ordered volume three I would drop this series, even 36 issues and $60 into it. Because I've already ordered volume three I will stick with it, but this is a "miss". Busiek gets an "A" for effort but a grade much lower than that for execution. Not recommended.

dark avengers vol. 1: assemble

by Brian Michael Bendis & Mike Deodato

collects Dark Avengers # 1-6

the premise: Norman Osborn's new team of Avengers assembles. Of course, they're actually villains repurposed from the Thunderbolts. Can Osborn really convince everyone that these guys are the genuine article? And can they play the role without killing one another?

the lowdown: The Avengers franchise is in a strange place after Secret Invasion. It really seems to me that this has become the flagship book of the franchise, and it seems pretty clear that this is the story Bendis is most invested in telling at the moment. On the other hand, more than anything else this is a continuation of Warren Ellis' Thunderbolts, as if they just kept that title going but slapped the Avengers name on it. It's all kind of an odd mix, but it works reasonably well so long as you've been following the various Marvel books over the last few years.

To Bendis' credit, he doesn't shy away from tackling some of the more ludicrous Dark Reign conceits - specifically the fact that Osborn is known to have dressed up like a goblin and thrown pumpkin bombs at people. I still am not buying a lot of it, but at least the creators are conscious of the logical gaps. And in between all of that, these are pretty good espionage/ adventure stories featuring characters who have become pretty interesting. It's not quite as good as Ellis' Thunderbolts but it's competitive. This collection features a showdown of sorts with Dr. Doom and still has time for a lot of the interpersonal stuff between the characters. Bendis hits a nice mix, and it's a satisfying read.

Having Deodato on art continues the continuity from T'Bolts, since he drew that series as well. As one might expect, he continues his darker style from that series, as opposed to the lighter style he used on Bendis' "Collective" arc in New Avengers. He delivers pretty much exactly what you'd expect, which is pretty solid.

the verdict: I'd give it a strong B, maybe a B+. Bendis seems at home writing the villains in a way he rarely does writing the good guys. I'm not sure how long the premise of this series will sustain itself, but it's off to a good start.

superman & batman vs. werewolves & vampires

by Kevin Vanhook & Tom Mandrake

collects S/B vs. W/V # 1-6

the premise: C'mon - surely no one needs this one explained.

the lowdown: What an appropriately ghoulish title for Halloween, eh? This book seemed to draw a lot of snickering from the blogosphere when it was announced, and I never quite understood why. Sure, one can pretty much tell from the title that it isn't going to be Faulkner - but would it really have been better if they'd called it "Superman/ Batman: Once Bitten" or "Superman/ Batman: Call of the Undead"?

This is a book about, well, you know, It's a relatively old-school monster story. Despite Superman's name leading the masthead, it's actually more of a Batman story with Superman thrown in (along with several other DC characters). It has little in the way of ties to current continuity and isn't a lead-in to some overwrought event. If you like monster stories, and you like Superman and Batman, why not mash those things together, right?

Mandrake's art is, as always, a treat, and as usual he excels in drawing the dark and creepy. Hard to believe this is the same guy who's Batman run I disliked 25 years ago. He's grown into a fine illustrator, and I wish DC would give the guy a regular gig.

the verdict: This was pretty cool - a little old-school in places (lots of third-person narration and slightly overcooked dialogue), but basically it delivers exactly what it claims.

pax romana

by Jonathan Hickman

collects Pax Romana # 1-4

art shown is not actual cover

the premise: In the 2050's, the Catholic Church discovers the secret of time travel, and sends an expedition back in time to prevent the fall of the Roman Empire.

the lowdown: Most time-travel stories require an Austin Powers-style suspension of disbelief. They can be a lot of fun, but you have to not think about them too hard or they fall apart. Jonathan Hickman's latest book is altogether different. This is a time travel story where you're supposed to think pretty hard, because it's pretty clear the creator has.

The premise here, as noted above, is that the Catholic Church returns to the past, armed with superior technology and a knowledge of history, to stop the Roman Empire from falling. And they've actually put some thought into it. They've figured out what alliances they need to cultivate, and they know exactly what they need to do to alter history. They've even considered the moral implications of their actions, and not without some debate. But once they get to the past and change history, their superior knowledge of history disappears, and they have to adapt to what happens next, all while struggling to maintain their fragile alliance.

This is about the smartest time-travel story I've encountered. It's a strong high concept that is skillfully developed. Hickman's visuals aren't as experimental as some of his other work, but they're still a bit removed from the norm. The book is a visual treat as well as a challenge in places.

The ending is perhaps a bit abrupt, almost as if Hickman just ran out of space. As I'm coming to expect from him, though, he zags when you think he will zig. Things don't turn out the way you necessarily think they will, but the way they resolve makes sense and has power.

the verdict: I've now read three Hickman books and all three were excellent. This is another excellent entry in his growing library.

exterminators vol. 1: bug brothers

by Simon Oliver & Tony Moore

collects Exterminators # 1-5

the premise: Henry James is recently released from prison, and has joined his stepfather's extermination business. But he's about to find out that he's caught up in something far more involved than spraying a few pests.

the lowdown: This was a series I followed originally when it was released. I loved the first volume but soured on it as it continued and decided to drop it, intending to take a second look sometime down the road. With several years having elapsed, I'm taking a fresh look at the series.

I give that extended prologue to qualify that I came at this one with a really critical eye. And yet I liked it almost as much as I did the first time. As I understand it this was Simon Oliver's first work, and he delivers in spades. In the span of these five issues he manages to introduce a very large cast, make almost all of them interesting in some way, and seed about a dozen different plots. If there's a complaint to be lobbied, it's that so much of the book is setup, but it's clear this is a long-form story, and some amount of setup is needed.

The book has a very over-the-top tone with several memorable moments. The book's got violence and sex and lots of things that are gross, most notably a wide variety of bugs, ably illustrated by Moore. The bugs are rendered in sometimes alarming detail, and there are some genuinely creepy scenes.

the verdict: For all I know this one will once again run out of steam by volume three - but volume one is still really good. It's raunchy and absurd and gross and tons of fun.

stuffed!

by Glen Eichler & Nick Bertozzi

original graphic novel

the premise: Tim's father passes away and leaves behind a variety of curiosities - including a stuffed human being! Now Tim and his hippie brother try to decide how best to respectfully dispose of the poor fellow.

the lowdown: What a great high concept, huh? This was a really enjoyable romp that teeters between absurd comedy and genuine thought-provoking-ness. (New word alert!) Basically the idea is that Tim is confronted with an awkward situation loaded with racial and social politics, and he and his wacky brother have to figure out a way to deal with it that they can both stomach. There's a heavy dose of humor, as one might expect, but the story isn't a comedy. It's actually rather thoughtful and touching in places.

It's rather hard to believe this is Eichler's first work, as it's a very polished book. The dialogue is crisp - perhaps the book's biggest strength - but it's also very well plotted and paced. Bertozzi's art is very expressive, and he imbues the characters with pretty distinct personalities. His best work is with the hippie brother (who is going by the name "Free" in this tale). Free literally has a hole drilled in his skull, but he's one of those people who is very frustrating to be around but whose heart is usually in the right place. That's a tough character to pull off visually, and Bertozzi just nails it.

the verdict: Another hit from First Second. This book will make you laugh, at times it will make you sad, and at others it will make you think. What more could you really ask for?

Click here for an interview with the creators of "Stuffed!".

punisher - frank castle: six hours to kill

by Duane Swiercynski & Michael Lacombe

collects Punisher: Frank Castle MAX # 66-70 & Punisher: Force of Nature

the premise: The Punisher has been injected with a toxin that will kill him when the sun rises - leaving him with one night to knock off as many bad guys as he can.

the lowdown: In the wake of Garth Ennis' departure from this title, it has repositioned itself as a home for standalone crime stories by a variety of creators. Swiercynski borrows several themes from his novels - both the setting in Philadelphia and the concept of the toxin-induced race against time - and drops in the Punisher for good measure.

While the result is entertaining, one can see the seams as Swiercynski adapts to the comic medium. I've found his novels rely on a breakneck pace to obscure the deficiencies in the plot. By that I mean that there are usually some significant holes, but neither the reader nor the characters are given enough time to think and discover them. Duane's novels really do pop - they fly by so fast that you never really slow down long enough to pick things apart.

He hasn't quite mastered the art of pacing a comic in the same way. Part of it might be Lacombe's relatively sedate art. He does a solid job but he fits into that Marvel "MAX" style that usually favors realism over dynamism. Whatever the reason, this arc has a fairly significant plot hole that jumps out at you. It didn't stop me from enjoying the book but it is a detriment to the overall experience.

Also included is a one-shot by the same creative team that actually works as a prequel to the main arc, though it's presented at the end of the book.

the verdict: A mostly well-done but somewhat flawed crime story. It's not bad but if you're dying to sample some Swiercynski work, his novels are better.

agents of atlas: dark reign

by Jeff Parker, Carlo Pagulayan & more

collects Agents of Atlas (2009) # 1-5 & extras

the premise: The Atlas Foundation apparently brokers a deal with new king of the world Norman Osborn, putting them squarely in the sights of the New Avengers. But what is Jimmy Woo's true agenda?

the lowdown: I read the AoA miniseries from a few years ago on the Marvel digital service and thought it was pretty good. And this series gets such rave reviews from everyone, I thought I'd give the ongoing series a look-see. And after going through it I have to say...

I don't get it.

I feel like I'm badly missing a punchline or something. But I do not get this series.

Yes, it's cool that there's a talking gorilla and that the whole team runs around doing all kinds of crazy stuff while cracking wise. I DO get that. But what I was expecting was a comic that delivered something I'd never seen before, with madcap action and a healthy amount of humor. And I don't really think this book delivers that. It's well-done enough but it feels almost workmanlike rather than stellar. And it doesn't have the same level of humor as.. say.. the Marvel Adventures books, which deliver the same amount of awesome. There was never a point in this book where I thought "wow, that's stupid", but there was never a time I thought "holy crap that was great".

So maybe the book's just a victim of unrealistic expectations on my part. On the other hand, if you want to hook me with a book about forgotten 1950's IP, the material's really got to be a cut above. Consistent art would help, too - it's a patchwork job here of widely varying quality.

the verdict: Sorry. I just don't get it. I like books that are awesome, and I have enjoyed Parker's work in the past - but I did not have the visceral reaction to this that many seem to.

batman: shaman

by Dennis O'Neil & Ed Hannigan

collects Legends of the Dark Knight # 1-5

the premise: At the inception of his career, Batman investigates the suicide of a young girl, and finds himself drawn into a ritual tied to his own experiences while traveling the world.

the lowdown: Hardly seems like it's been twenty years since Bat-mania swept the nation, and DC took the radical step of launching a third monthly Batman title. Seems quaint now, dunnit? Anyway, this was the very first LotDK arc, and picks up during the first year - really the first six months - of Bruce Wayne's career as Batman.

I've read and re-read this one a lot over the years, and every time I pick up something I missed before. O'Neil's dark, obsessed version of Batman is spot-on, but he delivers a surprisingly complex plot as well. This allows him to revisit some of his familiar themes - Bruce Wayne's desire for romance versus Batman's obsession, the power of masks and ritual, and the relationship between Bruce and Alfred - all set in a story that feels like it could've worked with the Batman Begins continuity and still succeeded. Though I've never felt O'Neil was an accomplished dialoguer, he delivers several memorable scenes and lines in this one, all of them simple but very effective.

Hannigan's art really pops here, amidst a lot of neon coloring, very similar to the original look of The Killing Joke. In some ways I've always viewed that as a natural look for a Batman story - there's a lot of neon in cities, after all. Hannigan also gets to draw some snow-bound scenes and excels at those.

the verdict: Unless I'm mistaken DC has allowed this collection to drift out of print. There should still be some copies floating around, though, and for anyone who enjoyed Begins and wants something in a similar vein, this is a good bet.

ghost rider: trials & tribulations

by Jason Aaron, Tony Moore & more

collects Ghost Rider (2006) # 33-35, Annual #2, and Ghost Rider (1973) #35

the premise: Danny Ketch, Johnny Blaze, and the Caretaker prepare for the upcoming war in heaven.

the lowdown: I've had kind of a weird reading history with this series. I read and enjoyed the first collection of Aaron's work, though I was a little put off by an art change near the end. Then Marvel solicited the second and third volumes out of order. Tony Moore's art is a huge draw for me, so I ordered this collection, which is actually volume three of Aaron's run. Marvel subsequently fixed its mistake and put out the second volume - in the correct order - but it had no Moore and I did not get it. My hope was that it wouldn't matter, that I'd be able to jump back in with these issues without being lost.

And I guess that's true - I wasn't completely lost here. The experience was something less than satisfying, though. Moore's art looks tremendous as always, and Aaron's still pumping out wacky grindhouse concepts one after another. It's a cool book - but this volume really just feels like a series of preludes for the next volume, and I'm sort of left wondering - other than looking cool - exactly what has happened in this story so far? Aaron's work can be a little slow-paced, and that's okay so long as he's developing character in the interim, but I don't really feel any connection to any of the three key characters here.

Marvel rounded out the collection with an annual written by Si Spurrier, which is pretty forgettable, and an old issue by Jim Starlin and Steve Leialoha. Both stories are okay and reasonably well-crafted, but neither is anything to write home about.

the verdict: I certainly allow for the possibility that this one's on me and my haphazard sampling of this series, but I think this one has lost me. I can appreciate that it is a well-done comic, but it's not one screaming for me to read the next installment.

killer of demons

by Christopher Yost & Scott Wegener

collects Killer of Demons # 1-3

the premise: Dave Sloan has been given the power and the duty to kill the hidden demons that walk among us in human form.

Maybe. Or maybe he's insane. Could go either way.

the lowdown: I was turned on to this book not by the cool high concept but by the art. Somewhere along the way Image released a preview, and the art really won me over. Wegener's art reminds me of equal parts John McCrea and Jim Mahfood. It's perfect for the over-the-top story presented here.

And the story is a raucous one. Dave sees demons everywhere. He believes they are demons disguised as humans and that he is supposed to kill them. So he does. And at least outwardly there don't appear to be any consequences of that. But maybe he's actually nuts and a horrible serial killer. Maybe the cops just haven't caught up to him yet. Maybe they're about to.

Yost keeps the reader guessing throughout and plays with our heads right until the end. The book delivers crisp dialogue, clean expressive art, and a plot that never slows down and never gets predictable. It's a farce but never slapstick, crazy but never completely silly. I'm afraid the potential for the concept may be exhausted after this first volume - really, how long can you go on with this - but that's not the worst thing ever. One satisfying volume of this probably is enough.

the verdict: A fun read. Ultraviolent in places, farcical in others, but enjoyable throughout.

final crisis: revelations

by Greg Rucka & Philip Tan

collects Final Crisis: Revelations # 1-5

the premise: As evil conquers good, the Spectre aka God's Wrath is stripped of his power - and perhaps only The Question can save him.

the lowdown: When I wrote up FC: Rogues' Revenge I noted the claustrophobic feeling it had - very rough around the edges, a little chaotic - and at the time I attributed that mostly to Scott Kolins' art. After reading this book I think it was more of a conscious design choice. This story has that same feeling. The choice of artist is part of that, of course. Tan has a somewhat over-rendered style, so there are lots of lines and everyone's grimacing, which gives everything a desperate feel. But there's more to it than that, and one really has the sense that, regardless of whatever other disconnects infected Final Crisis and its tie-ins, one thing they got very clear was that they wanted these books to feel like The End of the World.

This story also doubles as the next chapter in the stories of the new Question (Renee Montoya) and the new Spectre (Crispus Allen). Specifically, it's the first meeting between the two of them since they assumed those personas. As the title implies, they're dealing with a biblical threat, as well as their own issues.

And to some extent that's problematic. I've very much enjoyed Renee Montoya's character arc over the last few years, and one of the key elements of that was the death of Allen, her partner. Her survivor's guilt informed much of her dealings with Vic Sage, and is a big part of why she became the Question. Except... Allen's not really dead. I mean, he IS - but he's still around. "Death" for Allen doesn't remove him from the board - he looks like a living breathing human being when he's not all Spectre-y. To me as soon as Montoya sees the afterlife - or at least Allen's particular afterlife - the whole concept of life and death changes. To me that weakens Montoya's story. How can she still mourn Allen in the same way? Doesn't it change how she views his death? Doesn't essentially having the existence of God and the afterlife confirmed have a significant effect on a lapsed Catholic? Anytime the Spectre appears some of these questions are raised, but raising them *here*, amidst a biblical backdrop, is a problem.

With that said, this is entertaining enough, if you're into supernatural/ biblical melodrama. It does provide some closure to some of the Crime Bible stuff that started with 52 and has informed much of the Question material over the last few years. It also revisits a plotline from the Spectre miniseries that came out right after Infinite Crisis. It's Rucka so you know you will get a professional script, even when the muse isn't in mid-season form.

the verdict: If you've enjoyed the Question/ Spectre stuff from the last few years, you'll probably want this as it is the next chapter of each of their stories. It is not a must-read, though, and it's best not to think too much about the implications of some of the biblical elements.

avengers: the initiative - disassembled

by Christos Gage, Humberto Ramos & more

collects Avengers: The Initiative # 20-25

the premise: In the wake of the Skrull forces' infiltration of Camp Hammond, major changes are afoot for the Initiative. But what will happen to the Shadow Initative when SHIELD is dissolved right when they're in the middle of a mission?

the lowdown: Marvel's best book about c-list characters is forced to re-make itself after the events of Secret Invasion more or less wrecked its premise. This volume begins with a creepy one-shot co-written by Gage and Dan Slott, featuring Hank Pym (who sucks) dealing with the loss of his wife. It's about what you'd expect. Pym's suckage is at about an 8.5 on the Suckage Scale.

At that point Gage takes over solo writing chores, and is joined by Humberto Ramos. Did anyone know Ramos was drawing this book? I absolutely had no idea until I opened it up - wasn't there a time when Marvel would've made a bigger deal out of that? I've never been overly wrapped up with Ramos' art but he does pretty good work here. This is a tough book to draw because you've got these two subplots going on at once. One is all New Warriors-y and has lots of bright costumes. The other is the black-ops plot involving the Shadow Initiative, which is pretty dark. Ramos manages to make them both work without noticeably altering his style, so that's a plus.

Gage moves the apparatus of this soap opera on paper forward, and at times I felt this called back to Stormwatch PHD (which I liked). I'm really not sure how long this title can sustain itself with the post-Secret Invasion status quo in place, but it's kind of interesting watching Gage & Ramos try to salvage it.

the verdict: Another enjoyable volume. This series is rarely an "A" but it's usually a solid "B". One of the better takes you'll find on Marvel's second and third string characters.

essential marvel team-up vol. 3

by Chris Claremont, Old Crankypants & more

collects Marvel Team-Up # 52-73, 75, & Annual #1

the premise: Spider-Man teams up with Iron Man, Captain America and more Marvel Universe stars (and some lesser lights).

the lowdown: In the last few years, whenever someone's tried to do a team-up book it seems they run up against the modern trend of writing everything in arcs, and usually their solution is to have some convoluted over-arching arc with individual team-ups embedded within it. Occasionally that works, but usually it doesn't IMO. I thought it was a modern thing, so it's interesting to see a mid-70s series struggle with the same conceit.

Most of the stories here are done-in-ones by Claremont & C'Pants, but Claremont often felt the need to tie the stories together, I suppose in an effort to adapt this series to the heavily-serialized Marvel style of the time. The results are, to say the least, mixed. I've never been a huge Claremont fan - just not into the overwrought dialogue. Though Crankypants' art is good, this is from before he really hit his stride as an artist. The technical skill is there, but at this stage he hadn't yet really developed his signature style, and the result is more workmanlike than dazzling.

It's probably a sign of my immaturity that I chuckled all the way through the Man-Thing story at the double entendres. But there you go.

the verdict: Skippable. I'm a sucker for team-up books but this one isn't very good.

filthy rich

by Brian Azzarello & Victor Santos

original graphic novel

the premise: A down-on-his-luck former jock is hired by his boss to keep an eye on his daughter - but she may prove to be far more than he can handle.

the lowdown: So this was one of the two books released simultaneously to launch Vertigo's new crime imprint. It's a hardback book that's slightly taller than a mass-market paperback, and though it may not appear that way, the title is not "Azzarello Santos". It's pretty clear from the trade dress, though, that Vertigo wants you to think of this as a book that maybe happens to have pictures. Crime novels are popular, of course, and so Vertigo's trying to tap into that market.

Azzarello delivers a fairly standard femme fatale story here. Actually it's a little more straightforward than most of his work. The storytelling AND the dialogue are relatively clear, without many of Azz's trademark plays on words. The only things he really monkeys around with are the characters' names, coming up with endless clever variations on "junk" and "rich". But the story itself goes pretty much where you'd expect it to. I've seen some criticism of the book along those lines, because while it is clearly representative of the crime genre, it doesn't add much to it. It's a legit criticism, I suppose, and perhaps the book suffers under the weight of trying to launch a new line. It's a perfectly enjoyable noir-ish story, though.

The art by Santos is in B&W, as I assume all these books will be. The art looks like it was designed for the smaller format, as opposed to being regular-sized art that got shrunk, so that's a plus. It's appropriately moody, with heavy use of blacks in places, but it's pleasing to the eye and moves the story along pretty briskly.

the verdict: My expectations for the Vertigo Crime imprint are pretty much through the roof. If all the entries end up being "just" pretty good crime stories, I'll be a little let down. Such is the curse of expectations, I guess. This isn't Azz's best work but it's something that fans of the genre will probably enjoy. I did.

brit vol. 3: fubar

by Bruce Brown & Nate Bellegarde

collects Brit # 7-12

art shown is not actual cover

the premise: All-out mayhem as Brit tries to save his son, travels to an alternate universe, and causes lots of property damage.

the lowdown: As I've said before, this series is pretty pure Beer Comics. It's not exactly brimming with subtext, and there's really no deeper meaning to any of the events portrayed. This is like a lot of Robert Kirkman's stuff - put together in an old-school Marvel serial style mixed with some 90's Image fisticuffs and ultraviolence. Brown's scripting is a little different than Kirkman's though, in that he's a little less old-school. Brown's not afraid to break some of the usual storytelling rules to give the reader a little bit of a mind-screw.

This concluding (for now) volume sees Brit shanghaied into shenigans in an alternate universe, while his family is very much in danger in his own 'verse. Events happen at a breakneck pace pretty much throughout the arc, and in general it's a pretty cracking read. Where the last volume took a little while to warm up, this one's pretty solid from the outset. "Fun" gets tossed around a lot in reference to modern comics, usually in the context of the absence thereof. I have to think, though, that when people ask for "fun", this is the kind of thing they really mean. It's light and upbeat, but not a Silver Age pastiche or something so goofy that it just feels silly. (And to clarify: it *is* silly, it just doesn't *feel* silly. Subtle but important difference.)

Bellegarde takes over the art chores but maintains the look of the prior volumes. He's got the clean, crisp style that Kirkman seems to favor, and I enjoyed his work quite a bit. Ryan Ottley provides covers, and IMO he has become one of the best artists in the biz.

the verdict: Thumbs up to this final volume - hopefully Brit will return at some point. Good Beer Comics.

secret six: unhinged

by Gail Simone & Nicola Scott

collects Secret Six (2008) # 1-7

the premise: The Six (who can't count) are recruited to transport Tarantula (the crappy one) to Gotham City - but she's got something that a very nasty crimelord wants, and now half of creation is out to get the Six (who can't count).

the lowdown: For my money the Secret Six was the best thing to come out of Infinite Crisis, and I liked the Shadowpact AND Checkmate a lot. I feel at times that Gail Simone is vastly overrated by a lot of the fan press, and that she has some massive weaknesses as a writer (*cough*plotting*cough*) that get glossed over. She is, however, excellent with dialogue, adept at weaving a sick sense of humor into her stories, and at her best when she's doing stories that are just plain wrong. This title plays VERY well to her strengths.

The plot here is somewhat paper-thin and, like many of her Birds of Prey arcs, relies heavily on coincidences. It's really not the kind of story where one ought to sit around picking apart the plot, though. I rarely see this book compared to JLI - usually people compare it to Suicide Squad - but IMO this is the modern version of JLI. It's not as slapstick, and the characters aren't dunces, but this is just as absurd, just as over-the-top, and just as sitcom-y as JLI was. This book has at least four or five laugh out loud moments, yet it's played relatively straight. Simone works Bane and a new character called Jeanette into the cast, and manages to give everyone sufficient spotlight. Plus Catman fights Batman, and there are lots of jokes about food, and that is just cool.

Scott handles most of the art, and it's clear she and Simone have a nice synergy going. I'd like to see Scott get a little more daring with page layouts, but her storytelling is very good for someone who hasn't been at this game all that long. There's a bizarre "Omens & Origins" story tacked onto the end of part 6, and drawn by Pete Woods. It looks fine but is horribly out of place - I assume that was some ass-brained marketing gimmick from DC editorial.

the verdict: This is a nice new DC series, and one where it looks like the creative team may stick around for awhile. JLI meets Suicide Squad, with lots of food references. Get it.

batman: whatever happened to the caped crusader

by Neil Gaiman, Andy Kubert & more

collects Batman # 686, Detective Comics # 853, and stories from Secret Origins #36, Secret Origins Special #1, and Batman: Black & White #2

the premise: A menage of Batman's greatest allies and foes gather at his funeral, paying their last respects and sharing their own accounts of how the Caped Crusader died.

the lowdown: Neil Gaiman makes one of his rare forays into the world of DC superheroes with this "last" Batman story. Obviously this isn't really the final Batman story, but like it's similarly-named Superman counterpart, it's an "imaginary" look at how Batman's story might come to a close. Of course Gaiman gets all meta-textual with it, ultimately making the point that the story doesn't ever really end because there's only one way it can end.

DC decided to fill out this volume by including Gaiman's past Bat-related work, including the brilliant Riddler story he did for Secret Origins. That story, coupled with this one and the Simon Bisley-drawn B&W story, are all very similar in that they are unashamedly awash in nostalgia. Gaiman clearly has an affection for the entirety of the Batman mythos, and it comes out here in spades. In the end I'm not sure this story is really all that noteworthy, but it's a very sweet love letter to the character and his world.

Kubert's art is very nice as well. He does some subtle things to reflect the looks of various time periods evoked by the story, but keeps the book from looking like some bizarre mismatch of styles. He makes something like Selina Kyle's Cat-Car look right at home next to more modern elements, helping convey the feel that ALL this stuff matters, even the stuff that contradicts the other stuff.

the verdict: Some might expect a classic from Gaiman, and they won't get it, but they will get a very snappy, sentimental "goodbye" for Batman. I have a feeling I'm going to find myself re-reading this often, partly because it's relatively brief but also because it's a story that feels timeless.