I've been completely dropping the ball the past few weeks when it comes to updating The Comic Book Revue. The truth is that the non-comic book parts of my life became more demanding and required more time. It's not a permanent thing, but that non-comic book part of my life doesn't leave to go back to Portland for another seven days.
That being said, I'm going to do my best to keep The Comic Book Revue more up to date than it has been recently. Part of this is the amount of reviews I schedule for myself. Sometimes, it's overwhelming and I just lock up instead of doing one or two a day. Then, you get weeks like this with one review because I'm having trouble dealing with things.
SO, not only am I going to just say right now that the next week may be more of what you've been seeing the past few weeks, to which I apologize in advance. I honestly don't know when I'm going to have time to write reviews (both figuratively and literally), so I don't want to make too many more promises that I have to break.
- Jay
(w) Matt Fraction (a) Andre Araujo
Matt Fraction's Fantastic Four has been a slow burn, to say the least. Five issues in and Reed Richard's health condition is still taking precedent, and that's not really enough (for me, anyway) to carry the series. It's been fun so far, but I fear Fraction falling into an episodic format.
And then there's Fantastic Four #5AU, my favorite issue of the series thus far. It has more energy, fun, and high stakes than anything else so far. Plus, it really feels like the events of this issue will have lasting ramifications going forward in Fantastic Four, so it will be interesting to see how Fraction handles this change in status quo.
My only real problem with the Fantastic Four being involved with events on Earth is that up until now, there's been absolutely no way of contacting the team while on their journey. Now, seemingly out of nowhere, Black Panther has some deus ex machina communication device that can broadcast through all space and time. What?
GRADE: 8/10
(w) Brian Michael Bendis (a) Steve McNiven
Cosmic adventures are slowly, but surely, creeping into the mainstream of the comic book industry. Even over the past five years, it seemed nearly impossible for intergalactic series to get noticed beyond a devoted, yet small fan base. Dan Abnett and Andy Lanning struck gold with their interpretation of Marvel's cosmic lineup a few years back, but it was unceremoniously ignored by most readers.
**SPOILERS FOR THE AVENGERS [2012] (THOUGH, YOU SHOULD HAVE SEEN IT BY NOW...SERIOUSLY) AND THIS ISSUE**
Enter the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) and -- more specifically -- The Avengers. Though it was classic Thor villain Loki who was pulling the strings throughout Joss Whedon's superhero epic, footage shown after a few credits roll infers that it was indeed the mad titan, Thanos, who supplied Loki with an army to invade Earth. Since Marvel took over most of the rights to their character franchises, the MCU has been teasing subsequent movies with brief epilogues at the end of each film that have succeeded in bringing a new level of connectedness to Marvel's big screen stories. Any moviegoer who stuck around long enough to see the malevolent villain setting his focus on Earth 1) wouldn't know it was Thanos because he's never named, and 2) Would merely see it as the connector to the next Avengers film. Marvel fans, on the other hand, understood this brief appearance as the first step towards a more cosmic Marvel comic universe.
The new volume of Guardians of the Galaxy is the next step in this narrative expansion. Not only did the Marvel assemble the powerhouse creative team of Brian Michael Bendis and Steve McNiven for the project, they've also included Iron Man as a member of the Guardians. Both of these elements give Guardians of the Galaxy a lot more star power behind it, instantly making it one of Marvel's flagship titles.
Guardians of the Galaxy #1 is all about Peter Quill, a.k.a. Star-Lord. We got a fairly comprehensive glimpse at Peter's personal history last month in the #0.1 issue, but it's really here, in the proper debut, that we get to see Star-Lord's new characterization under Brian Michael Bendis. Peter is a man with deep-seeded paternal issues that literally stretch across the universe. Pete's dad wants his wayward son to come home to planet Spartax and claim his rightful place as a royal figure. Obviously, Peter doesn't have much desire for this life, and thus, basically tells his old man to gent bent. It's a strikingly grounded relationship made epic by that fact that it's contextualized amongst alien planets and space-faring adventurers.
Though Star-Lord gets most of the panel time, the other Guardians get their moments in the spotlight as well. Bendis' main strength is in team books because he's so able to play the varying personalities against one another. It's what made the man's time on Avengers titles so memorable. From Guardians of the Galaxy #1, it's obvious Bendis' signature style has translated well in a cosmic setting.
Though I enjoyed it, Guardians of the Galaxy #0.1 was less than satisfactory because it was all backstory and it somewhat diluted the effect of a premier issue that hadn't even come out yet. That being said, after reading Guardians of the Galaxy #1, most of my skepticism has been washed away. It's now clear that Bendis wanted to put out a prelude issue to set up Peter Quill's character enough to carry the first issue -- readers are familiar enough with Quill to not be lost going into the issue, but also get vital information on the actual rest of the team. Guardians of the Galaxy #1 is a triumph for Bendis and Steve McNiven, pointing to a bright future in the stars for Marvel.
GRADE
9/10
(w) Jeff Lemire and Ray Fawkes (a) Renato Guedes
Constantine #1 by Jeff Lemire, Ray Fawkes, and Renato Guedes is a solid read. All the right parts are there and technically speaking, everything lines up beautifully. Jeff Lemire and Ray Fawkes hit all the right narrative beats, and Renato Guedes' artwork fits the series like a glove; rough around the edges to look just realistic enough. Realistically, Constantine #1 will be praised and hailed as another success for superstar Jeff Lemire. And that sentiment wouldn't be wrong. Lemire has a phenomenal grasp on fantasy storytelling -- as evidenced by his work on Animal Man and Justice League Dark -- so it would seem like a natural fit for him to helm the solo series for John Constantine.
What doesn't make sense is that Constantine #1 feels underwhelming. Perhaps it's that Lemire's been writing the character in the pages of JLD for over a year and I've become comfortable with Constantine in a team book, or maybe it's that the snarky Brit doesn't seem to have the same edge he did in Hellblazer. I don't want to discount Lemire's impressive work on this issue because it is good; good enough to make me want to continue reading the series. One of the most impressive aspects of the issue is it's self contained nature that simultaneously sets the stage for Constantine's ongoing adventures. Lemire knocks the ball out of the park in terms of being new reader-friendly, and he conveys the Constantine charm well enough to warrant more than just a passing once-through.
Part of why I'm interested in this series is that Lemire will be writing Justice League Dark, Green Arrow, Animal Man, and Constantine all at the same time, which means there's likely to be a crossovers and guest appearances between these titles in the future. While judging a title on it's potential for future payoff might seem somewhat redundant, it's safe to say that a cohesive comic book universe is part of what makes the medium so much fun. You can find Batman popping up in Metropolis or Coast City because he lives in the same world as Superman and Green Lantern. Similarly, when a creator is charged with multiple titles, it's not uncommon to see said books intermingle even more than the standard fare. And if Lemire's work in the 'New 52' thus far is any indication, we may be in store for some epic crossovers.
** SPOILERS AHEAD **
Constantine #1 begins "The Spark and the Flame" which sees Constantine up against the Cult of the Cold Flame, an organization that has been floating around for a while now. The general plot progression throughout the issue isn't anything to write home about, but Lemire and Fawkes keep things interesting enough with the dialogue and Constantine's inner monologue between actions sequences to keep the story flowing. One of the biggest revelations is that Zatanna's father, Zatara, was a leader of the Cult of the Cold Flame alongside three other sorcerers who were once agents of good. It's only mentioned briefly in a moment of exposition, but it's an important piece of the DCnU history about a character who has had so little development/backstory in the 'New 52' it's almost painful.
Of course, the bigger idea gleaned from learning about the Cult's leaders is that they all used to be good men who were corrupted by magic. Ethical quandaries have always been a staple of Hellblazer, and it's fortunate that this element of the character and his overall narrative tone has been kept intact in this new series.
The final pages of Constantine #1 prove that, in a very real way, Jeff Lemire and Ray Fawkes have a firm grasp on John Constantine. There's a lot to love, not only regarding the story and the characters, but also about the story structure and openness to future potentials. I love the ideas presented in this issue, I just struggle with the presentation itself and how the writing feels like it's vibrating at a frequency only slightly off from our own.
GRADE
8/10
