Nat Webb Comic Reviews

Getting into "Abe Sapien" requires a level of trust. Mignola and Allie are old hands at weaving this kind of story, and they clearly have an end in mind for the disparate threads that make up this first issue. At the same time, it's frustrating watching things happen without context. There's no single point of view to latch onto, and our hero is rare and alien in the debut of a book that bears his name. Luckily, Fiumara's art carries the day, especially his terrifying monster designs, so overall it'll be worth continuing on with "Abe Sapien" and the "Dark and Terrible" storyline.

It looks as though "Abe Sapien," or at least its debut story arc "Dark and Terrible," is shaping up to be mostly for hardcore Hellboy readers. Fans of Abe himself will be pleased by this issue, as it's very Abe-centric and teases quite a bit more about his past and future. More casual fans, however, may be lost in the continuity upon which the issue mostly relies. It remains to be seen where future issues take the story, but for now, "Abe Sapien" is only worth reading for dedicated fans that want a deeper look at the impact of recent events in the Hellboy universe.

I can only hope that there aren't too many #1 issues left before the gag runs out. At some point Image or Zub or whoever made the decision on such a confusing numbering scheme just has to realize that "Skullkickers," whatever adjectives come before its name, is an endlessly fun, smartly-written, gorgeously-drawn comic that shouldn't need silly tricks to survive on the stands. If you're a fan of fantasy in any forms -- movies, games, books, or even other comics -- and you're not reading "Skullkickers," you should be. Just make sure you're starting with the right #1.

There isn't really any action in "B.P.R.D.: Vampire" #1, as the issue just sets the scene for things to come, so readers looking for fantastical fight scenes will be disappointed. But Moon and Ba create an appealingly sinister, nuanced mood that begins to blur the lines between man and monster. I suspect this theme will only grow across the rest of the series, and I'm looking forward to seeing that happen.

In fact, the whole issue is a little rushed-seeming, with a few editing errors that could have been avoided (Carrie refers to "an envelope filled with cash" when the last issue ended with a big old check). Overall, though, it's always good to see comics writers (and characters) taking the death of a major character seriously. It would be a bit cheap for Batman to succeed in his quest to resurrect Damian, but the journey itself is the point. As long as that journey doesn't end too quickly with a Carrie Kelly Robin, "Batman and the Red Hood" (or whatever it's called next month) will be worth reading, if only as a reminder that Bruce Wayne isn't a perfect man of ice.

I have high hopes for "The Bounce." The first half falls a bit flat, but as the wider world in which Jasper Jenkins operates is slowly revealed, it becomes hard not to be intrigued and excited. Casey has clearly put a lot of thought into the universe he's created for this comic, and it shows. What remains to be seen is whether the payoff will live up to the hints being dropped. The series will probably live or die on the new few issues, as they answer some of the questions raised in the first, including an excellent cliffhanger ending. Meanwhile, Casey and Messina should decide whether they're writing a serious book or not, or at least they should talk to the Image marketing team, who have been selling "The Bounce" as "the ultimate slacker superhero!" The comic is clearly about a lot more than that, and it would be a shame to see potential readers turned off because they expect nothing but weed jokes.

Ultimately, this self-awareness is what sets "Buzzkill" #1 apart from the pack. It hits all the same moments as any other debut issue, but it knows where to spend time and where to move quickly and let those of us who've read a thousand such issues in our lifetimes fill in the blanks. So it never gets bogged down telling the same story as all those other comics; instead, the innovations, no matter how head-slappingly obvious, have all the room they need.

Overall, the issue isn't quite as tight as what Zub and Huang usually produce. Ending story arcs can be tricky, and I think Zub is a smart enough writer that there's probably more going on here than there seems, but it's hard not to feel a bit let down by what reads as an anticlimax. There are still the trademark descriptive sound effects, and some funny bits with the drunken dwarf, so it's not all serious meta-narrative. And even if the art isn't up to Huang's regular standards, those standards are quite high and the art is still great. With any luck, the next issue will be both a return to form and a non-#1.

"Elfquest" is a unique beast, a fantasy adventure with little adventure, espousing a hippie-commune ethos that's equal parts laughable and enviable, made somehow better by its flaws, refusing to change over nearly forty years of publication. Wendy and Richard Pini clearly care deeply about their characters, and that attachment shows through in every page. Caring this much about something isn't cool, and it'll turn many readers away. But for those who stay, who earnestly give in, the reward is to find personal satisfaction in a comic that spends sixty awkward pages jumping from elf to elf in a cast of hundreds, catching up with every secondary and tertiary character like a half-forgotten friend at a really great party.

The publisher's dedication will be the ultimate test for "Eternal Warrior." It has a bit of a rocky start, but it shows a lot of promise. I'm a big fan of Greg Pak, and like everybody else I really want to see him teaming up with Fred Van Lente again now that they're both playing in the Valiant Universe. This book could be awesome, depending on whether it can get over its first-issue awkwardness and give itself the room it needs to really explore the inner life of its title character. And more Trevor Hairsine art of him chopping off people's arms.

So overall, even if "Itty Bitty Hellboy" #1 falls a bit flat, it's still a fun read. Hellboy fans expecting a comic that takes its humor from the original comics, or retells those stories in a funny way, or tells new stories of occult investigation but with jokes, will be disappointed. I do think there was potential to do much more here, potential that goes unfulfilled. Nevertheless, the art is great and there are some fun moments, though not enough to make this a must-read except for readers looking for a light, quick read.

Overall, Judge Dredd fans should be pleased with "Judge Dredd: Year One" #1. It doesn't break any new ground, but that's not really the role of a "Year One" comic. The writing and art both respect the strip's thirty-year history, and the book is shaping up to be a solid tale of extreme street justice.

Overall, "King Conan: The Hour of the Dragon" looks like it will be a worthy addition to Dark Horse's Conan line, which has been of almost universally high quality over the last decade. Conan fans, both of the comics and the stories, will find it very familiar, and that perhaps is its key weakness-- Truman and Giorello never take chances with the stories they tell, and have never strayed from the careful formula that has worked so well for them. Perhaps that's not such a bad thing, but it would be interesting to see a more daring take on the character whose tales have been told and retold for three quarters of a century. Nevertheless, Truman and Giorello know their stuff, and Conan fans won't be disappointed.

Overall, issue #2 is a step up from #1 simply by virtue of the pace of its storytelling. The backstory is out of the way and now we can see Conan doing what he does best: bashing heads, creeping through dungeons and fighting wizards. Luckily, it's what Truman and Giorello do best as well.

If "Lobster Johnson: A Scent of Lotus" falls short on anything, it's that there isn't a clear sense of what's at stake. There are killings of Tong members, but since they're generally wicked gangsters, it's not clear why readers (or Lobster himself) should really care. Why is Lobster investigating? Whose side is he on? What would be lost if these gangsters just kept getting killed? The comic skirts around all these questions, and thus, interest in the mystery is more academic than emotional, which makes it somewhat hard to get invested in the drama. Luckily, the pulp action is there, and the art is great, so the comic is still a blast even if it's ultimately a bit unsatisfying.

Overall, even if "Lobster Johnson: A Scent of Lotus" #2 doesn't quite live up to the promise of its first half, it's still a solidly-written and very well-drawn comic that fits plenty of fun into its pages. I think it would have done well to be expanded to a full mini-series, with a bit more complexity added to its stories, but even as a little two-parter it achieves a lot.

Even if "Lookouts" #5 doesn't quite live up to the promise of the first issue or two, it's still well worth a read. This particular issue is a bit thin on story and art, but the creators clearly have a plan, and the mystery of the sphinx is a powerful driver. The art is only lacking when compared to the high standard set by the series' debut, and with any luck the preview luscious detail will return as the issue's ship schedule normalizes.

"Nemo: Heart of Ice" meets every goal it sets for itself. It's a fun adventure story supported by a complex thematic weave. It truly does justice to the source material from which it draws, and to which it pays loving homage. In classic Alan Moore style, there are a few extras before and after the main story, and they give a nice depth to the characters while setting up possible plots for another "League of Extraordinary Gentlemen" tale or two. As long as Moore and O'Neill keep working at the level of "Nemo: Heart of Ice," stories of the League will be well worth reading.

Overall, though, "Occupy Comics" #2 is quite an achievement. From its crowd-funded roots via Kickstarter, to the level of involvement from comics creators both indie and pro, to its appearance on the shelves of local comic shops despite a lack of major-publisher backing, "Occupy Comics" has clearly touched a nerve in at least part of the comics community. For that alone it's worth checking out, but be sure to stay for the stories of the real people who would otherwise be voiceless.

If you're a tabletop gamer or a fantasy fan, "Pathfinder Goblins!" #1 is worth picking up. The art is excellent throughout -- always a relief in a media tie-in comic, which have notoriously low standards -- and one of the stories is really quite good. If you don't cross the streams your fandom and you're a comics fan but not into fantasy, $3.99 might be a steep price for one good story and a bunch of game stats. Nevertheless, this inaugural issue bodes well for the "Pathfinder Goblins!" comic, as long as its writers keep stretching themselves to come up with interesting, challenging situations for its little green protagonists.

Ultimately, Casey is lucky to have such a talented art team right out of the gate. "Sex" #1 has a lot of promise, but spends so much time introducing its characters, themes and situations, that readers are left wondering if anything much is going to happen besides Simon moping and feeling awkward. But Kowalski and Simpson hint at untold depths with their deliberate bold choices; their work alone is worth the price of admission, and enough to make it worth sticking around to see if things really get going in #2.

That being said, there's still a feeling of a dam waiting to break. Simon is the same repressed grouch from last issue, and the series doesn't really seem set to get going until he starts breaking through those walls one way or another. (In other words: there's no action in this issue either, physical or sexual, except for an action flashback of Keenan's.) Just as it seems inevitable that Simon will eventually break down and sleep with somebody, anybody, he also seems destined to take up the mantle of the Armored Saint again. At some point Simon is going to take off that slim-cut business suit, but it's not clear whether that'll be to get naked or to put on his old combat armor (which is constantly teased, but never fully shown, in the art). But as each issue goes by without these things happening, and with a clear purpose or conflict yet to develop for Simon, "Sex" is still just spinning its wheels.

Overall, then, "Sex Criminals" has a ways to go. The art is lovely and mature, but the writing suffers from first issue syndrome: all the time setting up the dark backstory creates a bleak situation at odds with the comics purported rom-com feel, making the humorous moments feel a bit awkward and out-of-place. Hopefully "Sex Criminals" will hit its stride in future issues, but the first issue is worth reading (by adults only!). And hey, you get 32 pages of comic for only $3.50, a better deal than almost anything on the stands, which seems somehow appropriate for a book about people who love books.

Readers who are really invested in the Doc Ock-as-Spidey storyline, or really want to see Spider-Man fighting every hero in New York (does that mean this is like a thirty-way team-up issue?) then "Superior Spider-Man Team-Up" #1 might be worth the time and money. But it's clearly not the flagship Spider-Man book, which shows in the lackluster writing and art.

If "Superior Spider-Man Team-Up" continues in the direction it's going, it should end up on par with the other Spider-books tying into the Superior Spider-Man event. It's a good thing, too, because Marvel's clearly decided that this team-up comic won't follow the usual rules, and instead will be a required part of monthly Spider-reading.

"Skullkickers" is a consistently great comic, and is well worth a read by anyone looking for a fast-moving, light adventure story with jokes that are actually funny. For fantasy fans, especially ones steeped in the classic influences from which Zub and Huang are clearly drawing, "Skullkickers" is a must-read. Just don't mistake "Mighty Skullkickers" #1 for the first issue.

If it feels as though I'm beating a dead horse here, I apologize, but that's the overwhelming sense that "The Occultist" #1 left me with: there's just nothing new here. It's all very cookie-cutter, like it was written and drawn from the "How to Do X the Marvel Way" books they used to publish. For a comic about magic, "The Occultist" just doesn't feel very magical.

There's something so fundamentally comic-booky about "The Rocketeer and the Spirit: Pulp Friction" #1, a heavy mass of talent that lives between the old and the new, that my mind remembered pixels on a screen as ink on dead trees, the virtual as the physical, the ephemeral as the real. This comic is an absolute blast, but it has a sense of love, care and history that raise it to the level of the truly great.

Overall, then, the first issue of "The Star Wars" is a mixed bag. Fans of the real "Star Wars" won't dare miss it, and rightly so; it's also worth checking out for anybody who likes a good space opera. The series should also improve as it moves out of the exposition and into the action, and some of Mayhew's art is absolutely gorgeous, even if some isn't. Time will tell how the comic plays out, but for now, take it with a grain of salt -- after all, it's based on a rough draft.

Overall, even if "The True Lives of the Fabulous Killjoys" #1 doesn't have the "holy crap" impact of the debut issue of "Umbrella Academy," it certainly shows promise. There's clearly depth here; it just has yet to be plumbed for anything more than a quick look at a post-apoc world that's not too different from anything that's been seen before. Way and Cloonan are both stylish as hell, though -- it just remains to be seen how long style can survive without substance, or whether there's real substance waiting just beneath the slick candy surface.

If I've been harsh on the writing in "Tom Strong and the Planet of Peril" #1, it's because I was disappointed after I read it. The very end does promise an interesting twist as Tom and Val arrive at Terra Obscura, and it's possible that the story will pick up now that the action's begun. Hogan has written plenty of other Tom Strong books and I do trust him, but this first issue was a pretty bland start to what should be a book with short, punchy stories that are jam-packed with invention. Nevertheless, the characters feel right, the pacing is good, and the art is just so great that it's tough to feel too bad about the whole thing.

With all that said, there are certainly things to like about "Ultimate Comics Wolverine" #1. Even if they're only flashbacks, it's nice to see Wolverine back in action, especially in the role Bunn has given him: professional badass in charge of a team up against a mysterious enemy. Watching him give orders is always a blast. The mystery driving the book is plenty intriguing, and it'll be fun to watch it unravel simultaneously in the past with Wolverine and the present with Jimmy Hudson. The question for "Ultimate Comics Wolverine" #1 is whether it will be able to achieve the Marvel gold standard of action and character drama, or if Bunn and Messina will settle for bronze.

All told, despite how long it took to reach stands, "Vitriol the Hunter" would have benefited hugely from another pass by the editor. There are some cool ideas buried in here, but the story, dialogue and art all aren't quite ready for primetime.

All this isn't to say that fans of the current incarnation of Wonder Woman won't find anything to like in this issue. For those dedicated to Diana's supporting cast, there's an intriguing hint of backstory for Lennox and a nice Olympian power struggle. Wonder Woman herself gets a few pages of full-on slugfest, made interesting by her unwillingness to remove the armbands that dampen her true power. Overall, though, "Wonder Woman" #20 feels a bit like a filler issue: the pieces are here, but not much is done with them, and the writing, art and editing all feel like a race to the newsstands. With a bit of tending, this could become a strong book, but DC needs to make a commitment to provide its flagship female character with stronger art and a bit more direction.