Comics Fondle

This issue barely qualifies as a Werewolf by Night, with Isabella focusing mostly on Tigra. Jack Russell shows up for the first couple pages (he forgets it’s going to be a full moon, down in Mexico on vacation). Then he turns into the werewolf and stays the werewolf the rest of the issue. There’s even a sequence where the werewolf gets knocked out for twenty-four hours (Jack sleeping through the human-time).

But the issue’s darn good. Isabella writes Tigra well–it’s her origin as a cat-woman here–and comes up with an interesting bit for the werewolf. In explaining why the werewolf thinks to fight alongside her, it’s because the werewolf’s developed a crush. The end of the comic, after the crush is broken and the werewolf is alone, Isabella comes up with the simplest, yet most effective moment in the series so far. A single “third night” panel with the werewolf alone.

What Isabella does, using the werewolf as a supporting character (though Jack’s ever-present narration is ever-present), is give the werewolf (not Jack) some real development. Isabella writes the creature as lonely and somewhat confused, sympathetic and… human. The closest the series writers have ever come is with the werewolf’s concern for family members.

Perlin’s art here is also better than it is in the regular book. The werewolf looks less goofy–maybe Perlin just needs him in an action setting versus a horror one.

As for Tigra’s story, it’s a good cat people versus Hydra yarn. Isabella brings a lot of humor into it (Hydra members chastising each other and so on) and some good character development ones too. Isabella’s exposition is also real nice.

It’s a shame this issue is the best Werewolf by Night in so long.

B+

I thought, hoped and deluded myself the previous issue of Fallen Angel was an aberration. Sure, David’s had some iffy issues, but he was on a peak the last few years with Fallen Angel and X-Factor. Then, apparently, he fell off.

While this issue has better art than the last–J.K. Woodward’s attempts at conveying movement, the same motion lines I used as a six year-old, are pitiful however… Woodward’s a static artist–the writing might even be worse.

I’m going to spoil the ending, just because it’s stupid. New magistrate Jude is confessing his sins–Lee shows up for a panel this issue–but who is he confessing his sins to? Bete Noire is priest-free. He’s confessing his sins to his clerical collar. Peter David, who’s been comic books for twenty-three years, makes a narrative move M. Night Shyamalan would call cheesy.

The rest of the comic is some moronic adventure in China (I’m guessing it’s something Communist, just because of the red star on the missile), about Jude trying to kill a dictator to make the world a safer place. Or something.

David doesn’t explore the idea killing a dictator and his number two might not be the best move (the dictator is more moderate than his number two here, so what’s the number three like?). Instead, he just tries to get Lee in for a panel.

This issue just furthers my suspicion DC is handicapping the amount of Lee appearances for the IDW series. At this point, given David’s concentrating on dumb characters, I’m jumping ship. What I’ll do with the remaining issues I purchased, I have no idea. The IDW paper is too slick to wipe with.

F

When Lucius Fox and Alfred mysteriously run off to Paris together–after each receiving a telegram–does Bruce Wayne think the most obvious thing (an ebony and ivory gay marriage)?. Actually, we don’t know, because Conway never lets the reader know what Batman is thinking. Instead, Batman’s just a snoop. Admittedly, Lucius and Alfred running off to Paris together is a little strange, but who knows, maybe they’re just planning a surprise party for Bruce. Eventually, the contents of the telegram are revealed, but not until after Batman’s acted the control freak.

Once in Paris, there’s some great (hilarious) stuff with Batman introducing himself to the local police. There’s just something so wonderfully 1940s about it… Batman being an unofficial-official police detective or whatnot. It’s goofy, but somehow it really does work.

Finally–Conway paces the issues well, so my finally is referring to a first part revelation–it’s revealed both Lucius and Alfred are suspected of killing Mademoiselle Marie, a classic DC character. Well, then it’s revealed everyone knows Lucius didn’t kill her, they only invited him along to keep Alfred unaware, because Alfred is the suspect. And why doesn’t Alfred say anything in his own defense?

Because he’s the father of Mademoiselle Marie’s daughter. I love that DC let Alfred father a bastard. It’s fantastic.

The second issue is Batman solving the mystery. It gets a little confusing because Conway’s pace is so fast, it’s hard to keep track of all the Frenchmen.

Don Newton’s art here–as absurd as it is, Batman running around the Paris rooftops looks fantastic–is particularly good. There are some nice action scenes, but Newton’s Bruce Wayne, tourist, stuff is also good.

Conway’s story’s got a lot of effect–maybe because Alfred’s such a likable character. It’s a fine story, even if it features Bruce Wayne getting his ass kicked by an amateur.

B+

A lot of Emperor Vulcan is good. Specifically, the first two issues. Yost has a solid handle on the characters, even if his dialogue is a tad expository and lame. Paco Diaz’s art is also better in the first two issues than in the last three, since I spent the last three repeatedly checking the credits, shocked by the drastic incompetencies appearing.

But overall, it’s a failure.

Following two Ed Brubaker stories–Deadly Genesis and The Rise and Fall of the Shi’ar Empire–this series was supposed to be about Havok going after crazy brother and new emperor Vulcan. It’s more about Havok and the Starjammers (the Starjammers never get called out by name, like the X-Men appearing in the title do, which is noticeable… especially since I don’t know the Starjammers as well as the X-Men) trying to sway Shi’ar to their side, to a revolt against Vulcan. It’s not even good political intrigue, because of Yost’s simplistic scope. But the characters are still compelling.

Then the big thing starts–it’s not a Winchester ‘73, it’s about a big, bad ass alien species (never before seen, of course) and fighting with them.

In the end, Yost pulls a Marvel Brubaker. He cuts off the story, leaving it incomplete, but unlike Brubaker… there’s no sign Yost’s going to get to finish it. Havok’s now more powerful than Vulcan, but is probably imprisoned along with the rest of the Starjammers–except lovebirds Korvus and Marvel Girl, who do have enough chemistry (under both Brubaker and Yost) to have a limited of their own.

Emperor Vulcan’s sales, I guess, were okay, but not enough to warrant a conclusion, which is bull. Brubaker passed the buck on finishing his story with Rise and Fall (regardless of its quality) and now so has Yost.

Maybe if Marvel wanted it to have better numbers, they should have got someone who’s art a browser wouldn’t laugh at.

D

I’ve never read a Hellboy or B.P.R.D. comic before, but I knew I wanted to read 1946 (the Dysart, of course). I didn’t know anything about it besides the title, so when it turned out to be set in a divided Berlin (something familiar before from movies and study), I was immediately delighted. Whoever–Mignola or Dysart–researched it did a great job; the setting is both realistic and cinematic.

The issues themselves read faster than I would expect, just because there’s so much content. The story follows young professor Bruttenholm through bureaucracy for a bit, then kicks into a big Nazi vampire plan. It’s really terrible how the Nazis’ (specifically, Hitler’s) propensity for awfulness have given pop culture so many successful creations. My favorite part of 1946 has to be how they handle Bruttenholm’s Soviet counterpart (their occult specialist). It’s an ancient demon posing as a young girl. Besides the hilarious tea parties, watching everyone defer to the child is hilarious. The developing relationship between her and Bruttenholm is also one of 1946’s gems, since the rest of the supporting cast is real supporting. The first issue makes a big show of introducing Bruttenholm’s assigned soldiers, but they’re immediately unmemorable.

Mignola and Dysart take real advantage of the five issues, saving the majority of the action for the final one. Even though each issue–more or less, I think the third or fourth is a breeze–has a complete feel, there’s the overarching narrative, culminating beautifully in the fifth issue. What’s so nice about 1946 is how well the plot and the scenic writing mix. The plot’s got these wonderful revelations about the Nazis and the occult and their sinister plans (though there is one big historical booboo for the sake of sensationalism… the Nazis would never have plotted against the second-most anti-Semitic world power, the United States–I suppose since it wasn’t Hitler, it can be excused… as Hitler adored American anti-Semitism), while the scenes are all cinematic in the adjective’s best sense.

Paul Azaceta’s art’s good, as usual, and the whole thing has me wanting more B.P.R.D. Also, is there some edict little Hellboy has to be adorable?

A