[Comics] - Evil Avatar's Weekly Comic Book Reviews - Year 2 - Week 30

[Everlost_MI]

Welcome to week thirty of Evil Avatar’s Weekly Comic Book Reviews.

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Remember, these are NOT spoiler-free reviews.


Week Thirty:
Evil Avatar's Weekly Comic Book Reviews – Year 2 - Week 30

2 Sisters: A Super-Spy Graphic Novel
Reviewed by: KefkaTaran (Philip Kollar), Associate Editor / Podcast Host
Publisher: Top Shelf Productions
Writer/Artist: Matt Kindt
Editor: Chris Staros
Price: $19.95

http://www.evilavatar.com/images/thumbs/comics/2sisters.jpg

Top Shelf Productions is most well known for highly artsy graphic novels that some eat up and others despise, but that are often award winners. With this idea in mind, I was curious about a book from this publisher that openly advertises itself as a “super-spy graphic novel”. Would this be the rare Top Shelf book that’s more pop culture/genre fiction? Or would it somehow successfully blend the more artistic Top Shelf style with the classic spy story?

Well, as it turns out a bit of both. 2 Sisters definitely maintains a heavy, complex feel and lends itself to multiple readings. On the other hand, it manages to mix together pretty classic comic-book style spy stories, pirate tales, noir intrigue and action-adventure nail-biters with its high drama. Like any good spy novel, the book is hard to put down; I finished it in one extended sitting. Once I set it down, though, I had to take a look back and realize just how complex and interwoven the various parts of the narrative are.

Let me start by talking about the art, since that’s easily the least important part of this book for me. This book is published in a nice, oversized edition, and Kindt puts the extra space to good use. Most pages feature three to six huge panels full of really beautiful black and white drawings with lots of detail. Occasionally there’s a huge full-page (or even two-page) splash, often featuring just one single item or person in the center of the page. Kindt piles tons of black into his pictures, using it far more than many black-and-white artists, and to great affect. Each panel tends to feature almost as much black as it does white, covered in shadow. This really drives the cloak-and-dagger spy antics at the core of the book to the forefront.

Speaking of that, you may be confused when you first open the book. It certainly doesn’t seem like a story about spies at first. The main tale is framed in a number of ways: by a couple men discussing an archaelogical find, by a Roman history story, and by a high-seas pirate. The main thrust of the book involves a World War 2 nurse who begins to find love only to inadvertently be thrown into a top-secret spy agency. While her story progress, we also get more of the previously mentioned pirate tale as well as scenes from the main character’s past.

It’s a miracle, really, but in the end Kindt is able to blend these very different types of stories together quite successfully. Each of the concurrent stories is interesting for different reasons, and how they end up coming together is much more satisfying than I at first believed possible. By bringing together high art and pop art, Kindt does the hard task of making his graphic novel both entertaining and emotionally moving. The only possible complaint I can think of is that, despite being over 300 pages, the book moves quickly and may not take long to read due sparse use of dialogue. As I stated at the beginning, though, this book really does lend itself to re-reading, and you’ll get more out of it the second time around.

Bottom Line:
This one is completely worth checking out if the deep, artistic stuff doesn’t scare you away

Rating: Worth the money and time. (4 1/2 out of 5 EvilEyes)
http://www.evilavatar.com/images/icons/e4_5.jpg


Justice League of America #0(An ongoing series)
Reviewed by: Everlost_MI (Brian K. Nichols), Editor in Chief
Publisher: DC Comics
Writer: Brad Meltzer
Artists: Eric Wright, Dick Giordano, Tony Harris, George Perez, J.H. Williams III, Luke McDonnell & Paul Neary, Gene Ha, Rags Morales, Ethan Van Sciver, Kevin Maguire, Adam Kubert, Dan Jurgens & Kevin Nowlan, Jim Lee, Howard Porter & Dexter Vines, Andy Kubert & Jesse Delperdang, Phil Jimenez & Andy Lanning, and Ed Benes & Sandra Hope.
Covers: Michael Turner & Peter Steigerwald and J. Scott Campbell, Sandra Hope & Edgar Delagao.
Letterer: Rob Leigh
Colorist: Alex Sinclair
Editor: Eddie Berganza
Price: $2.99 US/$4.00 CAN

http://www.evilavatar.com/images/thumbs/comics/jla0.jpg

This prequel issue gives the origin as well as the various major events of the Justice League of America through eyes of its founding members, Batman, Superman and Wonder Woman. The story illustrates the constant need for the League throughout the history of the DC up to present day as the trio reforms the League following the One Year Later saga. The only question left is, whom will they vote into the new League?

Brad Meltzer has dived into the League’s past and set up a solid prequel with spot-on characterizations and dialogue. The prequel is written in a way that even though who are unfamiliar with the League can quickly get brought up to speed while entertaining long term fans. Meltzer set a high bar in his previous work on the Identity Crisis and this issue continues to demonstrate his exceptional story writing. Normally the use of various artists in a comic tend to take away from the story, however it worked rather well in this issue as the appropriate artists’ styles were synchronized with the passing of time in the DC Universe.

Bottom Line:
If you are a casual or die hard fan of the JLA or even Batman, Superman or Wonder Woman this is an issue that you should read. The JLA series should be nothing short that spectacular if this issue is any indication of the caliber of stories that can be expected ever month.

Rating: A must have! (4 1/2 out of 5 EvilEyes).
http://www.evilavatar.com/images/icons/e4_5.jpg

[Everlost_MI]

Runaways #18
Reviewed by: Everlost_MI (Brian K. Nichols), Editor in Chief
Publisher: Marvel Comics
Writer: Brian K. Vaughan
Penciler: Adrian Alphona
Inker: Craig Yeung
Colorist: Christina Strain
Letterer: VC’s Randy Gentile
Cover Artist: Marcos Martin
Editor: Nick Lowe
Price: $2.99 US/$4.25 CAN

http://www.evilavatar.com/images/thumbs/comics/runaways18.jpg

This issue threw a major curveball as to who was going to die and the end results are not only touching but a bit chilling to see what the repercussions will be in the short and long term. I refuse to go any farther with the synopsis of this issue simply because the effects it would have on fans of the series would be drastically different than it would upon first time or casual readers.

Brian K. Vaughan and Adrian Alphona created these characters and this issue truly shows the love and effort they’ve put in this series. The pacing occurs at a break neck speed as the action and drama build from each panel. The artwork is excellent and the lack of color during the death scene added even more emotion to the situation.

Bottom Line:
If you’re a Runaways fan, you probably already have this issue. If you’re not a regular reader of the series, do yourself a favor and pick up the various trade paperbacks. This is a strong series that deserves your time and attention as each issue is filled with character driven stories that have a superb balance of humor, action and drama.

Rating: A must buy! (4 1/2 out of 5 EvilEyes)
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Eternals #1 and #2 of 6
Reviewed by: Everlost_MI (Brian K. Nichols), Editor in Chief
Publisher: Marvel Comics
Writer: Neil Gaiman
Pencils: John Romita Jr.
Inks: Danny Miki with Tom Palmer
Colors: Matt Hollingsworth with Paul Mounts
Letters: Todd Klein
Cover Artists: Rick Berry and John Romita Jr, Danny Miki & Matt Hollingsworth
Editor: Nick Lowe
Price: $3.99 US/$5.75 CAN

http://www.evilavatar.com/images/thumbs/comics/eternals1.jpg http://www.evilavatar.com/images/thumbs/comics/eternals2.jpg

This limited series isn’t your father’s Eternals ( http://www.marveldirectory.com/teams/eternals.htm), an everlasting cosmic race that was created as an offshoot of humanity by the Celestials ( http://www.marveldirectory.com/alienraces/celestials.htm), instead it’s an updated take that breathes life into Jack Kirby’s creation. The Celestials were quite busy on their early visits to Earth as they created the Deviants ( http://www.marveldirectory.com/teams/deviants.htm) in additional to the Eternals. The Deviants are genetically unstable creatures that are radically different in each generation and wage an endless jealous war upon their cousins, The Eternals. The Eternals have attempted to help humanity throughout history and it appears in the first issue of this limited series that Makkari, Thena and Sersi have forgotten who they are and are living as regular humans. Sersi is a party organizer and has been hired to coordinate a party to create a buzz about the former Soviet republic state of Vakaizoan. Thena is a researcher at Stark Enterprises and is married to Dr. Thomas Eliot. Makkari, who calls himself Mark Curry and works as a med student in one of the city hospitals, is approached by Ikaris who isn’t suffering from amnesia in an effect to help jar Makkari’s/Mark’s memory. After the unsuccessful attempt of reaching out to Makkari/Mark, Ikaris is ambushed by two men and then hospitalized for his mortal wounds that are miraculously healing themselves. The first issue ends with the two men who ambushed Ikaris posing as doctors and asking Mark/Makkari, who believes Ikaris to be crazy, to release Ikaris to them for “proper treatment”. Unfortunately for Ikaris, Mark/Makkari unwittingly signs his death warrant by doing this.

The second issue begins with the two men using Ikaris as a test subject in learning how to kill the Eternals. It appears that they are working with a person or a group that knows some of the truth behind the Eternals. Before Ikaris’ death, Makkari/Mark receives multiple telepathic calls of help from him and does his best to block it out. Makkari/Mark and Sersi encounter each other in a coffee house and Sersi invites him to the party because she’s attracted to him. Thena’s position in the scientific community causes her to also be invited to the party. The second issue ends with the party at the Vakaizoan embassy in New York crashing to a halt under the hail of gunfire. The party was a screen to kidnap the various invited scientists for a yet unrevealed reason. Unfortunately for the party crashers, Makkari/Mark and Sersi are beginning to remember part of their previous lives, which will haunt Makkari/Mark when he fully realizes what he did to Ikaris.

Neil Gaiman has taken one of the more convoluted set of characters in the Marvel Universe, next to the whole Summers family tree/Jean Grey/Phoenix/Cable/Vulcan/Marvel Girl chaos, and not only made them interesting but created a story that feels as if the six issue series won’t be enough time was spent with these characters and situations. Gaiman has made the series is accessible to anyone with the focus on the characters interacting as well as touching on the mysteries of the cryptic dreams rather than overwhelming the audience with the cosmic aspects of the characters as it’s occurred in the previous series. The characterizations are top notch as is the dialogue and pacing of the story. John Romita Jr.’s artwork matches the phenomenal scripts by creating visuals that would make Kirby proud as he expounds on them with his own style. While also creating and maintaining a realistic look of the events that occur on Earth during present day.

Bottom Line:
Hands down, this is a must buy series. Granted I was a bit skeptical because the Eternals is something that didn’t sound even half way appealing to myself but I was proven wrong. This is a well-crafted series that would appeal to nearly anyone who enjoys superhero comics especially those that have mysterious twists. This series has a vibe that is similar to the movies Jacob’s Ladder, The Jacket or Twelve Monkeys.

Rating: A must buy! (5 out of 5 EvilEyes)
http://www.evilavatar.com/images/icons/5.jpg

Thanks to the Marvel Directory ( http://www.marveldirectory.com/) for the various histories of the Celestials, the Eternals and the Deviants.

What else is worth reading this week…

Everlost’s take:
· Uncanny X-Men #476 – Brubaker has shown that the Shi’ar are not just bird people that get their butts constantly handed to them. He’s shown them to be an empire that truly has an ugly side. It’s surprising it took this many years for a writer to depict this race as being more than a small speed bump on the galactic map. This Uncanny X-Men team is right up there with Whedon’s Astonishing X-Men team as being well written in both characterizations and dialogue. For example, Warpath finally has the intensity and raw power he had back in Uncanny X-Men #193.

KefkaTaran’s take:
· Civil War #3 - Civil War #3: Some great character moments leading up to the first huge battle of Civil War. Another shock ending (though not as big as issue 2) with the return of a hero who's been out of the picture for quite some time.

[Drinking_Buddy]

Besides Civil War #3 the best comic that I have picked up this week is from my favorite series "Hip Flask", Elephantmen #1.

Great short story and some background information, I can't wait for the next issue.

[Pigeon]

I've read Runaways since the beginning and I gotta say that I didn't expect the ending either, especially because of events earlier in the volume. I thought they were going to cheap out on us and am happy they didn't.
And Civil War #3, badasssss

In addition I left Eternals #1 sitting on the table last month and a friend saw it and he borrowed it and now he's gotten a good 3 or 4 people who don't read comics picking it up.

[Deadend]

Planet Hulk was also great this week. Not too much happened, but it had background onto the world.

Everyone needs to read Planet Hulk... it might just be better than Civil War in the end. Even though Civil War was fairly good, it felt more like a narrative comic instead of a series of barely connected events.

**EDIT**

Did anyone else notice the amazing thing about Civil War #3?

No Wolverine.

Think about it, a major cross over... without Wolverine.

[digitalErich]

Deadend: are you reffering to the Gladiator Guidebook when you say this week's Hulk?

Also, Wolverine is off doing his thing in his own book which will feed back into CW is a fairly large way, I think.

[digitalErich]

Besides Civil War #3 the best comic that I have picked up this week is from my favorite series "Hip Flask", Elephantmen #1.
I picked up Elephantmen just because it looked cool, but I didn't know it was part of a larger world. Care to give me a quick overview?

[TrackZero]

Ah, finally, the Eternals gets it's mad props! I finished issue #2 yesterday, and I'm loving every second of it.

[SexualChoc]

I knew I should of got The Eternals! A friend at my comic shop couldn't stop saying how good it was. JLA #0 was freaking amazing. How those 3 have reacted over the years to everything that has happened to them while in the league was awesome. Especially with Bats being happy. Especially after he knocked out Guy in one punch.

[Drinking_Buddy]

I picked up Elephantmen just because it looked cool, but I didn't know it was part of a larger world. Care to give me a quick overview?

Wikipedia will proably do a better job then I can. Basicly a mad scientist genespliced humans with african wildlife, to make an army of super soilders. Then the U.N. came in and shut him down and rehablitated the "Elephantmen" who now live among society. Hip Flask is a dective for the information bureau of Los Anglos.

[Everlost_MI]

Deadend: are you reffering to the Gladiator Guidebook when you say this week's Hulk?
I think he is...unless Marvel shipped the Hulk issue two weeks early?

Also I need to say that the final issue of Annihilation: Nova was really great. It didn't pull any punches as it sets up for one hell of a fight in the final mini series simply entitled, Annihilation.

[Deadend]

Whoops, I thought the 1st issue of Anarchy was this week. Now I feel dumb.

and for some reason Hip Flask sounds familar, is it a hippo?

[Drinking_Buddy]

and for some reason Hip Flask sounds familar, is it a hippo?

Yeah I forgot to add, Hipp Flask is a Hippo detective.

[thecrazyd]

2 Sisters sounds interesting. I may have to check it out.

[Kefkataran]

I think there's a good chance you'd dig 2 Sisters, D. It's a very quiet comic, for a spy adventure, but really cool art and well-written.

[Sazime]

I need to get on the Runaways trades. I've been told they're good.

JLA #0 was very cool. I loved how they changed art styles through different time periods. How many different artists worked on it? Fifteen or so?

[Spigot]

Nice to hear some kudos for Elephantmen #1. I had never heard of Hip Flask before but I really enjoyed this issue. I was GOING to pimp it on the podcast but some Dr. Finger guy pre-empted my normal comic ramblings with even better comic ramblings. Oh well.

Eternals #1 & 2 were fantastic. My one question: Is Ikaris actually dead? Sure, he was turned into a fancy pink cloud by the fancy pink cloud maker, but does that make him an ex-Eternal or will he reconstitute himself like Nitro's older brother?

Speaking of Nitro, Civil War #3 was grrrrrreat! The narrative was a little weaker than the last two issues but it did fill in a lot of blanks and answer a lot of questions posed in the weeks/months prior to this issue. And that punch... oh, that punch...

I was also wondering about the Daredevil in CW #3. It looks like he's blind, yet isn't Murdoch still incarcerated as of CW #3? Does that mean that PretendDevil is blind as well? Is that Matt Murdoch in the diner? Is he the CloneDevil? AH!

[Kefkataran]

I was also wondering about the Daredevil in CW #3. It looks like he's blind, yet isn't Murdoch still incarcerated as of CW #3? Does that mean that PretendDevil is blind as well? Is that Matt Murdoch in the diner? Is he the CloneDevil? AH!

It's been confirmed numerous times that the Daredevil we're seeing in Civil War (at least up to this point) is NOT Matt, since he's in prison. I didn't think the guy in #3 looked blind at all.

[Sazime]

It's been confirmed numerous times that the Daredevil we're seeing in Civil War (at least up to this point) is NOT Matt, since he's in prison. I didn't think the guy in #3 looked blind at all.
Neither did I. This just seems like a natural jumping off point for a Daredevil arc that'll start after CW. They're planning something for him, but I don't think we'll know what it is until after CW is over.

[agentgray]

Neither did I. This just seems like a natural jumping off point for a Daredevil arc that'll start after CW. They're planning something for him, but I don't think we'll know what it is until after CW is over.
I'm thinking Double-Daredevil or even Double-Dog Daredevil.

[Kefkataran]

Could it be... the Daredevil Clone Saga!

[Moatman]

I thought the Hulk Gladiator guidebook was really well done, it filled in a lot of the questions I had about the world and it's a shame they couldn't have spread it out as a backup story for the first 4 issues of Planet Hulk instead of charging 4 or 5 bucks for just it, but for anyone reading planet hulk, it totally fills in the history of the planet and all the races/main characters there.

Runaways tpb's mostly only come in little digest size, a major annoyance I've had, but the first volume of the series(18 issues) is available in an oversized(larger than normal comic dimensions) hardcover for I think $35, a great deal for a great series(not my favorite, but one of my first reads each week it comes out)

I also have to recommend x-factor, it might be my favorite monthly marvel book(since powers isn't monthly really...) these days. Peter David is doing a kickass job with it and each issue makes me want the next one even more, he's found a great setting and combination of characters here, and just the right amount of mystery behind everything and everyone. I never expected the Multiple Man to be a character I really liked and wanted to see more from.

Jla was kinda eh for me, a combo of flashbacks, infinite crisis history changes, and odd flashes to the future that may or may not happen ever...and no one gets picked for the team? I liked the 4 page preview of jla #1 in wizard more than the whole of this issue.

As for Eternals, it's a great start so far, but a bit cliche. Several years back, the same exact thing happened with the gods of Asgard being stuck on earth with no memories in regular lives, and I'm not even sure if that's the first time it's happened. I'm liking it quite a bit, and I guess everything is a retread of some kind(like 1602, which I really liked, could easily just have been written off as a Marvel Elseworlds retread)

[Spigot]

Could it be... the Daredevil Clone Saga!
Of course, you realize that this will be eventually followed up by Daredevil: The Other, where Daredevil becomes hunted by a gang of extreme devil worshipers (they sacrifice humans TO THE MAX!).

After being left for dead, Matt Murdoch emerges not only blind but now lacking his sense of smell. His other three senses are heightened even further and he now has actual horns that can sense vibrations.

This arc will be panned by fans but will lead into Marvel's next big event and basically be overlooked in less than a year.

[mightbe]

My only gripe about the eternals is the fact that it's not an ongoing series.

[MosBen]

I love my oversize hardcover of Runaways Vol. 1! The only problem with hardcovers like this (and my wonderful Invincible Vol. 1 Hardcover) is that you have to wait *forever* for the next one to come out. I try to divide my series between hardcover volumes and paperbacks, usually getting hardcovers of series that I really love and paperbacks of series that I'm not sure of. Unfortunately, I'm anal retentive enough that if I start a given series in either paper or hardback I can't bring myself to switch over, so a series like Ultimate X-Men, which I'm not so fond of but started out with the hardback volumes, is locked in to hardcover and a series that I really like but started in TPBs, like Ultimate FF, is locked into that. Curses!

[Deadend]

Of course, you realize that this will be eventually followed up by Daredevil: The Other, where Daredevil becomes hunted by a gang of extreme devil worshipers (they sacrifice humans TO THE MAX!).

After being left for dead, Matt Murdoch emerges not only blind but now lacking his sense of smell. His other three senses are heightened even further and he now has actual horns that can sense vibrations.

This arc will be panned by fans but will lead into Marvel's next big event and basically be overlooked in less than a year.

He then becomes Tony Stark's personal Lawyer/bitch and gets a new costume... with magic devil horns that can grab things!

I think the Daredevil comic offically takes place before Civil War, as otherwise it would have to be a clone of Murdock, as the other Underground Heros would see him and go "Your not Murdock".

[Spigot]

He then becomes Tony Stark's personal Lawyer/bitch and gets a new costume... with magic devil horns that can grab things!

I think the Daredevil comic offically takes place before Civil War, as otherwise it would have to be a clone of Murdock, as the other Underground Heros would see him and go "Your not Murdock".
Yay! Someone ran with it...

Yeah, that bit at the diner still bugs me. I know a lot of people said that it's not Matt Murdock, but he looks like him (sort of... and given the different styles between artists, I can't be faulted for thinking that this is just McNiven's take on Murdock).

If it is him, then why does the Daily Bugle newspaper dealy that came out last week mention that Matt Murdock is in jail? That would explain why that same paper had an article about the Punisher being on the run even though he is most obviously locked up with Kingpin and Matt in the Daredevil run.

If it's not him, a) why does he look somewhat like Matt and b) why hasn't anyone said anything about the difference? Sure, it's a discussion that could have happened off panel, but unless that's in an upcoming issue of Daredevil, I'm still scratching my head.

Maybe the Daredevil series takes place between issues 2 & 3... Or the last issue or so of Daredevil does.

Meh. I'll just wait till the dust settles.

Oh, and for those of you who didn't read the X-Men tie-in this week (which seems to be most of the people I talked to on the comic podcast today), here's the rundown stolen from the Wikipedia summary.

*spoilers*
Meanwhile, using the confusion of the Civil War as cover, former X-Force members Shatterstar and Domino, with help from Caliban begin a riot at the X-Mansion during which a majority of the 198 escape. The Sentinels guarding the grounds are severely damaged and only one is able to pursue, but loses the craft. Bishop recruits Micromax and Sabra to work with O*N*E to locate the 198. Cyclops leads a team consisting of the original X-Men (Archangel, Beast, Iceman, and himself, but lacking Jean Grey) to locate the 198 before Bishop and O*N*E. But as they leave, the new Sentinel models arrive and confront Emma Frost who is left behind to guard the mansion by herself.*spoilers*

[Kefkataran]

Pretty sure Joe Q has confirmed that Daredevil in all three issues of Civil War so far is not Matt but the imposter.

[Dr.Finger]

My only gripe about the eternals is the fact that it's not an ongoing series.
Rumors abound that if the series does well there may be an Eternals ongoing, although it's unlikely that Gaiman would write it.

While I like the concept of the Eternals, I think, like the New Gods, they are better as geust stars than starring in their own series.

[agentgray]

My only gripe about the eternals is the fact that it's not an ongoing series.
It's a shame that a book called Eternals is limited to six issues.

[Kefkataran]

Here, this should help clear up the Daredevil confusion at least a little. This is from a Newsarama interview with Civil War editor Tom Brevoort located here: http://www.newsarama.com/marvelnew/CivilWar/WarRoom/03/CivilWarRoom03.html

NRAMA: Fair enough… So who was that in the diner with Cap and the rest going by the name Cooper Peyton who was putting the Daredevil mask by the end? After all, he's not blind (given his expressions, and the ways his eyes are shown), and not Matt Murdock…

TB: Read Daredevil by Ed Brubaker and Michael Lark! Big reveal coming any day now!

NRAMA: But again, and taking a macro view, is DD's identity important in Civil War? When it's all said and done, and Civil War is collected, Daredevil: Devil in Cell Block D won't be a companion volume to Civil War, so is it the plan to have a DD in there who kind of looks like Matt Murdock, and his identity not played up?

TB: Before Civil War is over, the identity of the person who's been running around in the Daredevil costume will be revealed in Civil War as well, so people who eventually read the collected edition aren't in the dark. But this is Ed's and Michael's story, so we're not going to be touching on it until their reveal is made - unless you count the shell-game in the Civil War Director's Cut. That's a whole lot of baggage that the novice readers who are potentially picking up Civil War don't need to have to deal with until the moment it becomes a story element.

NRAMA: But at the same time, in deference to the storyline Ed is playing out in Daredevil, no one's going to be referring to "Cooper" by his other name, are they?

TB: Yes, eventually in the pages of Civil War, "Cooper's" real name and face will be seen.