EA's Weekly Comic Book Reviews - Week 17

[Everlost_MI]

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

The Evil Avatar’s Comic Book Review Weekly giveaway for week seventeen is OMAC Project #3 courtesy of BCBcomics (http://www.bcbcomics.com/). The deadline for entry submissions for week seventeen is Sunday, July 3rd. The selection of the random winner for the July books will occur on Sunday July 31st. Remember, you can submit one entry each week to increase your chances of winning.

The list of books that are going to be given away for the month of July are:

· OMAC Project #3


Remember, these are NOT spoiler-free reviews.

This week's reviews are Hellboy: The Island #1, Dream Police #1 and Astro City: The Dark Age #1.

http://www.evilavatar.com/images/thumbs/comics/hb-is001.jpg http://www.evilavatar.com/images/thumbs/comics/dream_pol001.jpg http://www.evilavatar.com/images/thumbs/comics/astrocity4-001.jpg

[Everlost_MI]

Week Seventeen:

Hellboy: The Island #1 of 2

Publisher: Dark Horse Comicsg
Story & Art: Mike Mignola
Letters: Clem Robins
Colors: Dave Stewart
Editor: Scott Allie
Price: $2.99 US/$4.25 CAN

It’s been a long four years since a new Hellboy story has been released and it’s been worth the wait. Hellboy is back with the same attitude of being stuck with the short end of the stick in the middle of a cosmic/mythical/horror tug of war. Mike Mignola has crafted some of the best gothic artwork out of the simplest designs and use of color that just screams atmosphere. This issue throws at lot at the reader, and like most Hellboy stories the reader can’t tell which end is up or where the end is going to land until the last few pages. This isn’t a bad thing if you are used to Mignola’s writing but if you’re new to his work, especially on Hellboy then I suggest you go back and read the trade paperbacks (TPBs) in order to get the whole picture. Hellboy is not a series you can just pick up half way through, because of all the details that are included in everyday and then built upon.

According the letters page at the back of this issue, a six issue series entitled, Hellboy: Darkness Calls will be written by Mike Mignola and drawn by Lee Bermejo. It will pick up right after the events in this two issue story and promises a very new direction for Hellboy. I didn’t think Hellboy needed a new direction; the character is just in need of more comics released of him.

Bottom Line:
If you’re a Hellboy fan, get this! If you’re not familiar with Hellboy or have only seen the movie, I suggest you take the time and read the first two TPBs (Seed of Destruction and Wake the Devil); they greatly exceed what they tried to do in the movie.

9/10

http://www.evilavatar.com/images/thumbs/comics/hb-is001.jpg


Dream Police #1 (Stand alone issue)

Publisher: Marvel Comics/Icon
Writer: J. Michael Straczynski
Artist: Mike Deodato
Colors: Rain Beredo
Letters: Chris Eliopoulos
Editor: Axel Alonso
Price: $3.99 US/$5.75 CAN

J. Michael Straczynski has mixed the detective genre and a dreamscape stories from 1950s/1960s sci-fi pulp magazine into this drawn out overpriced stand alone comic. Straczynski gives a nod to the Dragnet series with the main character being named Joe Thursday. As readers will discover quickly that the main character is a detective by his actions and words, this obvious and unneeded reference to the classic detective show takes away from the story. The premise of the story is of dream police whose job is to maintain balance and order in dreams as well enforce the protection of dreams from spilling over into reality or other dreams. This type of a story has been recycled multiple times in assorted variations, such as Men In Black or Blade Runner. And while this variation has some nice touches like the traffic jams in the dreamscape due to people finding themselves suddenly naked in a crowd, it really lacks any new ideas or punch. In addition, the bland characterization and dialogue will leave the reading asking why they shelled out $4.00 for this book. The artwork by Mike Deodato is moody and fits the story quite well with excellent panel layouts to add to the detective/suspense mythos/angle that the story attempts to portray.

Bottom Line:
The book has decent artwork but the bland story, characterization and dialogue don’t justify the $4.00 price tag. Save your money. If you dig Straczynski, then pick up his work on the Supreme Power or Amazing Spider-Man titles, they are better than this effort.

2/10

http://www.evilavatar.com/images/thumbs/comics/dream_pol001.jpg


Astro City: The Dark Age #1 of 16

Publsher: DC Comics/Wildstorm
Writer: Kurt Busiek
Artist: Brent E. Anderson
Colors: Alex Sinclair
Letters: Comicraft
Cover artist: Alex Ross
Editor: Ben Abernathy
Price: $2.99 US/$4.00 CAN

This marks the first Astro City comic of 2005. Kurt Busiek crafted this world years ago after his big break into the limelight with his work in the Marvels limited series. Not to diminish Busiek’s work, I’ve got some great issues of Power Man and Iron Fist he wrote during the early 80s, but he didn’t get much, if any love until Marvels came out. After that, he was on a role with various titles such as The Thunderbolts, The Untold Tales of Spider-Man and then his own universe, Astro City. The best way to describe Astro City to those who aren’t familiar with it, is that it’s a new universe that mixes the strong heroes and villains of the early years in DC and Marvel without the cheese or the angst/over the top violence of some of the more recent superhero stories. For example, the Samaritan is reminiscent of Superman without ripping the character off. He has enough of the similar characteristics in personality and superpowers but his core character is unique enough that a reader wouldn’t go “Hey, it’s a rip off of Superman!”

This series was originally intended to be the sequel to the Marvels storyline as discussed in an interview (http://www.newsarama.com/forums/showthread.php?threadid=36398) with Busiek at Newsarama. (http://www.newsarama.com/) However, without Alex Ross’ involvement it was retooled to reveal the fate of Silver Agent and the rest of the Astro City universe during the darker times of the 1970s through the eyes of two Astro City citizens. The storyline for this first issue is pregnant with the promise of intrigue and action while showing great pacing, dialogue and characterization. The artwork provided by Brent E. Anderson, whose been on the title since the first issue, harkens back to the comic art of the late 70’s and is reminiscent of Neal Adams or John Buscema which compliments the story quite well.

Bottom Line:
If you’re an Astro City fan, then this is a no-brainer. If you’re new to the Astro City universe, then I’d recommend getting the Life in the Big City TPB to get your feet wet and see if you want to be regular in the City.

7/10

http://www.evilavatar.com/images/thumbs/comics/astrocity4-001.jpg

What else is worth reading this week…
· Captain America #7 – The plot thickens as the blanks are beginning to be filled in
· House of M #2 – The series is really starting to cook in the way of story and art.

Thanks to Newsarama (http://www.newsarama.com/) for the link to the Kurt Busiek Astro City: The Dark Age interview. (http://www.newsarama.com/forums/showthread.php?threadid=36398)

The Evil Avatar’s Comic Book Review Weekly giveaway for week seventeen is OMAC Project #3 courtesy of BCBcomics (http://www.bcbcomics.com/). The deadline for week seventeen entry submissions is Sunday, July 3rd.

Click here (everlost_mi@evilavatar.com) to submit your entry and don’t forget to include your Evil Avatar screenname.

Remember, you can submit one entry per week to increase your chances of winning.

[Evil Avatar]

We really have to have a long talk with the guy in charge of uploading those thumbnails. I suspect he is overworked and underpaid.

[Everlost_MI]

We really have to have a long talk with the guy in charge of uploading those thumbnails. I suspect he is overworked and underpaid.

So we give him a raise and throw in a copy pf Battlefield 2 as a bonus? ;)

[Justin_McElroy]

Dream Police was sucky. I thought about throwing something a little more witty in, but it didn't even inspire me to do that. It had zero decent dialogue, and a main conciet that didn't even make sense. I love Supreme Power and ASM, but this just didn't get it for me.

[TrackZero]

Finally! Another Hellboy. I've been surviving just reading BRPD (which was a great spin-off for my money) waiting for this day to come. Now if only I wasn't anal I'd grab this comic instead of waiting for them to put it in a TPB.

[Dracula-X]

A new Hellboy makes my day, I tell you. Good stuff.

[Evil Avatar]

So we give him a raise and throw in a copy pf Battlefield 2 as a bonus? ;)

Yes, that would be good. Do try to remember that my birthday is coming up soon. And find a way to leak that out to the rest of our readers.

Ha!

[ReaverX]

I am so out of the loop with comics now it's rediculous. I take some time off from reading them and when I come back, half the characters I like are either dead, joining other groups, or being "re-imagined"

[Everlost_MI]

Yes, that would be good. Do try to remember that my birthday is coming up soon. And find a way to leak that out to the rest of our readers.

Ha!

Uh, I think you just did. :)
Maybe next time you mention it, you should just post a big ass list of what you want. :D