Cosmic Quick Takes

Brief Reviews of Recent Science-Fiction Comics

April 7^th, 2009

*Warning: Contains Spoilers*

 

Marvel Comics

Kingbreaker (#4 of 4)

Kind of strange how this got published after WOK #1 so we kind of already knew how it was going to end. Nonetheless, it was fun to see the details including Vulcan’s further descent into madness after Deathbird is killed. Still not quite sure I understand why the Phoenix abandoned Rachel; but I guess that will be explained in WOK. It was kind of fun to see Gladiator and Xenith in a throw down. I think she might actually be able to take him. She drew first blood after all. In the final analysis, this mini was a good extended prologue to the War of Kings event. Pick it up for some fun action and an enjoyable read.

War of Kings (#2 of 6)

I was cheering the Kree-Inhuman forces throughout this issue. The Shi’Ar finally got a much deserved comeuppance. Really like the new Chorus Sentries in the space battle sequences. The hand-to-hand battle sequences were also well done. I’m beginning to understand why this war has everyone so worried – and this is just the beginning! I’m wondering how Nova is going to react when he learns what has happened to his friend Ronan. I really want someone – anyone – to take out that fascist SOB Gladiator. I think (and hope) he might be one of the major characters to die in this series. He and the entire Imperial Guard deserve it for their blind allegiance to Vulcan. If not for Gladiator and The Imperial Guard, I think the Shi’Ar military might oppose Vulcan. Take them out and Vulcan potentially falls. So, I’m hoping Black Bolt makes Gladiator and The Imperial Guard “high value targets.” This is cosmic storytelling at its best. DnA have really outdone themselves. Pelletier’s art and Quintana’s colors are magnificent as usual. Don’t miss this one. You’ll regret it if you do.

Darkhawk (#2 of 2)

I liked Peterson’s cover art. The interior art was split between two artists; leading to disappointing within-issue inconsistency in character depiction. Also, some of the battle scenes were so busy and confusingly drawn/colored that I wasn’t sure what was happening. Overall, I just didn’t much care for the interior art. I did like learning more about the Raptor Armor and the purpose of the Raptors from the mysterious Talon. Things on Earth were wrapped up in this issue; and Darkhawk is off to space. First stop next issue: The Negative Zone. This was a nice though ultimately underwhelming reboot of the Darkhawk character. It’s good that this character is going off into space. Like Nova before him, Darkhawk will probably work much better based in space than it ever did on Earth because this character, like Nova, is naturally a cosmic character that always seems just a little out of place on Earth. I expect great things will come from the upcoming four issue mini-series sequel to this reboot and tie-in to the War of Kings event. Also included in this issue is a reprint of the second issue of the original Darkhawk series. Spider-man guest stars. I found the second issue of the original series interesting only insofar as we learn more about the armor’s capabilities. It was otherwise forgettable.

Agents of Atlas (#3)

This series is one of my most eagerly anticipated each month. Namora is featured in the early sections of this issue and, New Warriors fans take note, she gives a fine and touching tribute to her fallen daughter, Namorita. The 50’s storyline is nicely contrasted with the present day storyline; and we see signs that the two seemingly disparate storylines may have more to do with each other than it would at first appear. Favorite laugh out loud funny scene: The Sentry disdainfully and effortlessly tosses the haughty Temugin into the ocean and none of the Agents care enough to go rescue him. The final surprise appearance by Bucky Cap left me waiting impatiently for next month’s issue. The writing and art of this series make it one of Marvel’s best. If you’re not reading this book, you are truly missing out on something special.

X-Infernus (#4 of 4)

This issue wraps up the X-Infernus saga quite nicely; bringing Magik back into the X-Line of comics just in time for the debut of the re-booted New Mutants comic that begins next month. Darkchilde/Magik/Illyana was always my favorite character from the original New Mutants series, so I enjoyed this mini-series even though this last installment seemed just a bit rushed. Illyana is a tragic character – a good girl forced to be a bad girl (see the Classic Quick Takes section for a feature on bad girl comics) by the demonic corruption of her soul. As usual, this issue leaves us with no idea exactly how the always unpredictable Illyana Rasputin will fare back on Earth; but she appears reluctantly willing to try once again. I am looking forward to this upcoming re-booted New Mutants series so we can see how all the original characters have grown and changed.

The New Mutants Saga (Free One-Shot)

I just wanted to quickly mention a free comic available this week to whet appetites for The New Mutants series reuniting the original team starting next month. This one-shot summarizes the history of The New Mutants from origin to present. Hannibal Tabu used this comic as a source of ridicule in his column. My advice is to ignore Tabu’s ridicule, pick this free comic up at your local comics shop, and enjoy a refresher course on this very interesting concept from Marvel’s X-Line of comics. I’m not a follower of the X-Line in general, but I did collect the original New Mutants series from start to finish. I think it has broad-based appeal to comics readers even if you’re not particularly a fan of the X franchise.

Skaar: Son of Hulk (#9)

After a slow start, this series has really taken off. Pak made a wise choice to bring back elements from Planet Hulk; not the least of which being a guest star appearance by “Hulk” in this issue. Skaar has some Oedipal issues to sort out; and “Hulk” and Queen Caiera assist him in doing just that. This issue wraps up the first arc of the series and sends Skaar off planet with the Silver Surfer for a confrontation with Galactus next issue. Pak’s writing and Lim’s art complement each other perfectly. This series is really starting to develop into something special. I’m really glad I stuck with it. This issue would be a good place to jump on board as next issue begins a new cosmic arc; and this issue wraps the first arc of the series while setting up the new arc.

The Incredible Hercules (#127)

I am including this as a cosmic title due to this civil war among the Olympian Gods arc. If you’re not reading this book, you’re missing out on one of the best ongoing series Marvel puts out. Pak brings it every issue. He’s turned Hercules into more than just a bumbling super-powered frat boy. Not that I have anything against Herc’s frat boy persona – his 70’s cosmic mini-series where he bumbles his way across the universe was a hoot and remains a fondly remembered classic for me to the present day. With this series, Pak is just showing us that there is actually more depth to the character – and that Herc has actually learned a thing or two over the thousands of years of his existence. He even manages to make Amadeus Cho a likeable character. I rank the Hercules-Cho Buddy relationship right up there with the best buddy relationships in comics today such as Nova (for the Rich Rider and Worldmind relationship) and Bad Dog (for the Wendell and Lou relationship). This current arc pits Herc, Cho, and Athena against Hera’s Olympian Group and Osbornes Dark Avengers. Next month’s throw down with the Dark Avengers is eagerly anticipated. Pick this book up for a perfect blend of drama, razor sharp dialogue, action as only Herc can bring, and some light-hearted humor.

Avengers Invaders (#9 of 12)

I included this mini-series in CQT this month as it features an appearance by the Cosmic Cube. This mini-series has been so long that I almost don’t remember how it started – and the story has become more and more convoluted. All that being said, this was still an enjoyable issue – especially with the Avengers traveling back in time to WWII to correct a timeline corrupted by Red Skrull and impersonating some of the heroes of that time – a couple of whom are currently appearing in The Twelve. How the Avengers and Invaders will put the timeline back in place is anyone’s guess at this point. The art is good and the writing is enjoyable though convoluted. Pick this one up if you’re an Invaders fan. The most enjoyable part of this series has been seeing Steve Rogers back in action. It reminds me how much he is missed in the Marvel Universe.

  

Dynamite Entertainment

Battlestar Galactica: Cylon War (#3)

This series is approved by TV series creator Ron Moore and is considered canonical to the re-booted Battlestar Galactica TV series that just wrapped. It takes place 40 years before the events of the TV series and tells the story of the First Cylon War. It seems that the 12 Colonies are involved in a Civil War; with Caprica and Saggitaron being the main rivals. Each side has produced the Centurion Model androids to be their front line soldiers. In this third installment of the mini-series, the Cylon soldiers gain free will and attack their human masters; ending the Colonial Civil War and beginning the First Cylon War as the humans unite against their common machine enemy. The BSG line of comics has been hit and miss from the beginning – mostly miss. I lost interest in the original storyline and dropped the series shortly after it began. I only added it back to my pull list when I learned the new storylines would be canonical prequels to the TV series. So far, I am satisfied with the storylines. The art is mediocre. The proofreading leaves much to be desired. There are a lot of grammatical errors in the dialogue. Pick this one up if you are a fan of the new series and are curious about the history leading up to the events of the new series. I understand that the next arc will be called The Final Five and will be the canonical story of how the Final Five made it from “Earth” to the colonies. I look forward to that story arc; so look for BSG to be a regular feature in the CQT column for the next few months. 

Top Cow Universe

Cyblade (#4)

This issue completes the first Cyblade solo series with a guest star appearance by Ripclaw, who will play a major role in the upcoming crossover Fusion series where the Avengers and Thunderbolts have a throw down with Cyber Force. Cyblade really cuts loose in this final act, showing us just how powerful she is in her throw down with Ripclaw. I can’t wait to see her take on the Avengers and Thunderbolts. The art and coloring for this issue are solid and consistent with last issue. All the loose threads of this storyline are neatly tied up. Cyblade is an intriguing character – a “good girl” forced to be a “bad girl” but desperately trying to regain her “good girl” status. I hope this series sold well enough to warrant another in the near future.

Image

Amber Atoms (#2)

Lot’s of familiar and overused SF themes are running through this Star Wars-ish series so far. I think that’s one of the things that keeps me from really liking this series. I hope it differentiates itself from clichéd SF themes in the near future because it has the potential to be a really good book. In this issue, we do get to know Amber a little better; and she shows us some toughness that wasn’t evident in Issue #1. Still, I’d like to see her have more of an edge as her toughness isn’t quite sharp enough. I’d like to see some sexiness too. So far, the sexiest it’s been was when she punched a guy who grab-assed her. I think that if her outfit was a little more revealing and if she was a little sexier; this book would get a bit more interest. However, I suspect that writer/artist Yates was trying to get away from that stereotype for contemporary female leads in comics. Trouble is – I don’t know if Yates has created a strong enough female lead character and story to keep people buying this book without more of an appeal to the prurient interests of the mostly male adolescent and adolescent-hearted comics buyers. The art is mediocre to good – with a couple of truly impressive pieces featuring vistas of the planet’s surface. The proofreading needs improvement as I found several grammatical errors. This issue kept me just interested enough to buy #3 when it comes out; but this book is definitely in the endangered area for my pull list if it doesn’t capture some more “wow factor” in the near future.

IDW

Star Trek: Mission’s End (#1)

Fans know that the Original Series’ “5 Year Mission” was cut short at 3 years by NBC’s cancellation of the show. This mini-series tells the tale of the final 5^th Year mission of the original 5 Year Mission. It begins, however, with a Year One mission preceding the Original Series’ pilot episode, Where No Man Has Gone Before. The story features fan favorite characters who only appeared in that episode including Gary Mitchell, Dr. Piper, and Lee Kelso. Uniforms and equipment are consistent with those used for that period in Star Trek continuity. As far as Trek comics go, this is really one of the better ones in terms of writing. It has all the elements of an original series episode and puts one in mind of “might have beens” if no alterations in the look and feel of the series had been made after the second pilot episode. The story of a first contact situation with a potentially aggressive new species is executed well enough to pique interest in picking up the next issue. The art is mediocre. There are many Trek comics being released this month. If you’re a fan and choosing which one to buy; I’d recommend this one above almost all the others except for Crew (see below).

Star Trek: Countdown (#4 of 4)

This issue ends the canonical prequel to May’s upcoming Star Trek movie. Worf, Data, Picard, Spock, and LaForge prominently guest star in this issue; all attempting to thwart the plans of Romulan villain, Nero. The ending of this issue explains how our historical Trek universe Spock and Nero will be able to appear in the alternate universe Star Trek movie coming out in May. The art is slightly better in this issue; and the story not only ends on a high note but also nicely wraps up all the plot threads from previous issues. I am excited about the upcoming movie; and I feel like this comic has given me some important background information that will make the movie experience a bit richer. Pick this series up if you’re planning to see the movie. You’ll be glad you did.

Star Trek: Crew (#2)

John Byrne is doing the writing and art for this series; and I must say it is already turning out to be a landmark among Trek comics. This first story arc follows the early Starfleet adventures of the enigmatic “Number One” from the original series pilot movie, The Cage. As you recall, this character was portrayed by the late great Majel Barrett-Rodenberry. Issue #1 introduced us to her as a Starfleet Cadet. Issue #2 follows her first adventure on her first duty assignment – long before she became Captain Pike’s Executive Officer on the Enterprise. Byrne has managed to capture the look and feel of the Trek universe in the era of the Federation as portrayed in The Cage with an attention to detail that the fans of the original series will appreciate and cherish. The lead character is engaging, decisive, and heroic in the tradition of James T. Kirk and Christopher Pike. The stories so far have read like some of the better episodes of the original series. Trek comics have traditionally been hit or miss with most being misses. This one is definitely a major hit and one of the best comics adaptations of Trek I’ve seen in the 30 years I’ve been buying them. I’ve focused a bit on female lead characters in this edition of CQT; exploring what’s wrong with Amber Atoms and what’s right with the bad girl characterizations of Lady Death, Cyblade, and Magik/Darchylde. Byrne teaches a master class with this comic on how to portray a strong female lead appealing to the mostly male population of comics readers without resorting to hyper-sexualizing her. Number One is a strong lead the equal to any male lead; and she just happens to be female. Star Trek achieved that once before with Captain Janeway in the Voyager TV series; and now Byrne is achieving it with the Crew comics series.

Star Trek Alien Spotlight: Tribbles

This story is a one-shot featuring all new characters stuck on a planet over-run with Tribbles. The art and writing are mediocre. It is a cute, mildly amusing story pitting Humans and Tribbles against Klingons. Ultimately, this one is quickly forgettable and should not be on the top of your list if you’re prioritizing what comics to buy unless you’re just dying to see yet another story about Klingons being repulsed by Tribbles.

Star Trek The Next Generation: The Last Generation (#5 of 5)

This issue brings to a close the alternate universe story where Klingons started and won a war against the Federation after the events of the movie, Star Trek 6: The Undiscovered Country. Whereas I praised the previous installments of this mini-series, I was ultimately disappointed with this final installment. The story just got a bit muddled when the 29^th Century Time Agent character, Braxton, originally seen in the Enterprise TV series, entered the story. The final wrap-up to this story was confusing, un-satisfying, and derivative in plot elements to many sequences from the TV series and movies. That’s too bad as this had previously been one of the better comics adaptations of Trek.

Boom! Studios

Farscape (#4 of 4)

Farscape #4 brings to a close this canonical mini-series focusing on events taking place after the last televised episodes of Farscape. In the final analysis, Decandido managed to capture the spirit of the TV series and tell a fine tale about these iconic characters. The ending wrapped things up satisfyingly with characters evolving rather than just ending up back at square one. I like to see characters change and mature in response to their experiences. To me, that is the mark of good storytelling. Rygel changes the most; with Aeryn and Chiana also evolving and maturing to a noticeable but lesser degree in response to the events of this series. The art improves slightly with this issue – especially with the non-Humanoid characters. I look forward to the next series – particularly if Decandido writes it.

Classic Quick Takes

Avatar Press

Lady Death

Brian Pulido’s Lady Death is often credited as the origin character of so-called bad girl art and comics characters. Personally, I think it more correct to credit Vampirella and Red Sonja as much earlier (i.e., 1970’s) occurring examples of bad girl art and comics characters; and argue that Lady Death is the origin of contemporary (i.e., 1980’s to present) bad girl art and comics characters. For those unfamiliar with the terminology, bad girl comics characters are mostly written as anti-heroines; and are often especially powerful, domineering, cruel, and/or violent. Bad girl art refers to a style where the female characters are hyper-sexualized; often sporting scant costumes which emphasize their exaggerated feminine physical attributes. If you’ve gotten a chance to study the art connected to this article, you will probably agree with me that Lady Death is the archetype of contemporary bad girl art; now let me explain why she is the contemporary archetypal bad girl comics character.

Lady Death has had multiple incarnations as the character has moved from publisher to publisher. Originally appearing as an evil, sexy, and violent supporting character in the Evil Earnie comic; Chaos! Comics quickly gave her a series of her own as she proved so popular with the fans. She was written as a violent anti-hero throughout her run at Chaos!; eventually deposing Lucifer to herself become ruler of Hell. When Chaos! bankrupted, Lady Death was bought by CrossGen and Pulido softened the character a bit to make her more mass-market friendly; resulting in a short-lived series called Medieval Lady Death. When CrossGen bankrupted, Avatar bought Lady Death and began publishing stories similar to her original Chaos! characterization. 

Lady Death’s origin story is similar (but not identical) across all incarnations. Basically, Hope, the woman who will become Lady Death, is the daughter of a medieval nobleman who has recently returned from The Crusades. Unbeknownst to Hope, her father has returned from the Crusades possessed by a demon. The peasants he rules discover his demon possession and revolt. He escapes, leaving Hope behind to face the wrath of the peasants. They burn her at the stake. Before she dies, she utters an incantation she overheard her father use; and some demons rescue and heal her in exchange for her pledge of service. As she is brought into their realm, her body is transformed into that of the luscious albino vixen featured in the art accompanying this article. In both major incarnations, Lady Death is written as an anti-heroine who becomes involved in a war raging in Hell (or a Hell equivalent); learning to use sorcery and bladed weaponry along the way. Graphically violent, bloody, and “in-your-face” sexy in a S and M kinda way; Lady Death makes for a consistently fun read if you like bad girl art and characterization. I have noticed an animated DVD version of Lady Death in my local Blockbuster DVD rental store, but it is always rented; so I’ve not had a chance to watch it to see how faithful it is to the comic. If any readers have seen the animated version; I’d be interested in knowing what you thought – so drop me a line in the forums.

Well, that’s it for this edition of Cosmic Quick Takes. Did you read any of these comics yourself? Have an opinion about them? Drop me a line in the forums section and let me know what you thought.

Article by: Timelord

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