Rocket Racoon #3 - Marvel Comics

ROCKET RACCOON No. 3, November 2014

Leaping straight into the action of a large space battle Issue three of “Rocket Raccoon” would appear to have attempted to cram in as many explosions, missiles and bullets as any reader could imagine in its opening few pages. This chaotic carnage is dynamically illustrated by artist (and writer) Skottie Young, and wonderfully coloured by Jean-Francois Beaulieu.

 

Indeed the American comic book artist really produces the goods with some ‘laugh out loud’ moments, such as Rocket going ‘splat’ into his ex-girlfriend’s spaceship, a huge missile with the effigy ‘Die Rocket’ scrawled on it, and the guppy warp being especially well drawn.

 

However this isn’t a virtuoso performance by the 2013 Inkwell Award winner, as the flow of the action in this opening third of the issue doesn’t always work; certainly I was momentarily confused when in one panel Rocket was ‘stuck’ to the exterior of the bridge to Amalya’s spacecraft and then the next sat safely inside the flying car of Macho Gomez, alongside Groot.

 

There are also a couple of double-page sequences in this issue which contain little to no dialogue. Such storytelling techniques can really captivate a reader if there’s plenty going on inside the panels artistically. Unfortunately this certainly isn’t the case for Young’s illustrations depicting the end result of the guppy warp as it simply shows the large bloated space-fish spit out Macho’s car and then ‘flump’ to the ground beside the now crashed vehicle.

 

There’s also an awful lot of words to read in the final third of the comic, almost as if Scottie Young was making up for its earlier absence. As a result the confrontation and subsequent conversation between Rocket and intergalactic bad guy Funtzel is actually rather hard-going, and contains none of the humorous one-liners the writer’s earlier work contains.

 

The book does though end on a particular artistic high note, with Young drawing one of the best ‘totally dark and blacked out’ gun fight sequences I’ve seen. The pencil work of which is once again extremely well coloured by Beaulieu, with lots of dark blues for the shadows but bright yellows for when the bullets start flying.

G.I. Zombie: Futures End #1 - DC Comics

G.I. ZOMBIE: FUTURES END No. 1, November 2014

I am not very familiar with “DC Comics” Fifties book title “Star-Spangled War Stories” but do know that it ran for over two-hundred issues until the late Seventies when it was renamed “The Unknown Soldier”. I also own the 2008 twelve-issue limited series “The War That Time Forgot” which was a re-launch of one of its most popular regular features.

None of this information is especially relevant to “G.I. Zombie” however, as Sergeant Jared Kabe is actually a completely new character to the DC Comics Universe. It’s just that this new horror/war series has the iconic “Star-Spangled War Stories” banner bolted atop its title. Indeed I’d be entirely oblivious to the modern-day undead soldier if it was not for the stunningly superb 3-D motion cover to this “G.I. Zombie - Futures End” one-shot comic.

Drawn by Dave Johnson, it depicts Jimmy Palmiotti and Justin Gray’s creation momentarily surrounded by zombies, before punching one in the head so hard the living corpse’s eyeball breaks free. Gross, bloody and gory it is but also so eye-catching (pun) that it convinced me to purchase the edition just as soon as I saw it. Lucky for the publisher too, for if I’d had an inkling as to the quality of the artwork inside the comic I’d have been sorely tempted to give the book a miss… despite the cover illustration on its own probably being worth the ‘price of admission’.

As a stand-alone story, co-writers Gray and Palmiotti certainly plunge the reader into the action right from start. The very first panel has a would-be looter getting attacked by a hungry ghoul, and before many more have passed you have an American aircraft carrier being overrun by zombie paratroopers. Throw in a family’s headlong dash for Gotham City with a horde of hungry undead biting at their heels, and an aeroplane battle which ends up with a fist-fight in the sky and there’s probably not a great deal more that could be contained within the storyline’s twenty-pages.

Unfortunately it is all appallingly drawn by Scott Hampton, whose indistinct minimalist sketchings leave an awful lot to be desired. There is simply no detail on any of his figures, and as a result most of the panels appear to be filled with just the outlines of people and the suggestion of something taking place. It is certainly no wonder that the freelance comic book artist colours his own illustrations, as I’d imagine another professional looking at his ‘chicken-scratchings’ would not know where to begin.

Writers: Justin Gray & Jimmy Palmiotti, and Artist/Colorist: Scott Hampton

Deadpool #3 - Marvel Comics

DEADPOOL No. 3. February 2013

Now I always thought that cover art was primarily designed to attract new readers. It doesn’t have to be anything particularly flashy like the 3-D motion ones “DC Comics” have used to promote their ‘New 52 Futures End’ event. But purely on a basic commercial footing it makes sense to publish something with a half decent illustration so that people will buy the comic book.

 

Why therefore “Marvel Worldwide” agreed to publish the third issue of “Deadpool” sporting such an appalling zombie-fest cover by Geof Darrow and Peter Doherty is beyond me. It genuinely looks like something a school boy would quickly sketch out for his playground friends during break-time, with poorly drawn misshapen figures hampered by large bold text and giant arrows. Admittedly the majority of the characters on the cover are the Living Dead, and therefore by definition will lack proper articulation, but I’m convinced that is not the reason why their distorted features and poses are so poorly drawn.

 

Now it could be that this was possibly an attempt by the cover artists to try and tie into the tongue-in-cheek antics of the ‘Merc with the Mouth’ found within the excellent storyline by Brian Posehn and Gerry Duggan. But if it was then it failed quite miserably.

 

Fortunately things do get better and better as “Dr. Strange Lives or How I learned Deadpool was da Bomb” progresses. I’m not convinced the writers really have got to grips with Doctor Stephen Strange, portraying the Sorcerer Supreme in a rather aloof, almost aristocratic manner.

 

But once matters move beyond the Sanctum Sanctorum the action picks up quite dramatically and the Earth’s primary protector against magical threats becomes just that; whisking foes off to the Astral Plane and exclaiming “By the Hoary Hosts of Hoggoth!” whenever he can.

 

Indeed this comic book has some great ‘laugh out loud’ moments within it, all very well written and delivered by Posehn and Duggan. Strange’s chiding of Ben Franklin’s ghost for sleeping with the sorcerer’s girlfriend back in the Seventies, and Deadpool’s quip at Abraham Lincoln for being assassinated by an actor, being particular highlights.

 

All these zany antics are superbly illustrated by artist Tony Moore and his depictions of all the former American presidents, albeit it they’re dead and rotting, are very recognisable, even those like Gerald Ford and Richard Nixon who are less easy to caricature like Lincoln or George Washington.

Kings Watch #4 - Dynamite Entertainment

KINGS WATCH No. 4, December 2013

Issue Four of “Kings Watch” begins with a very simple sentence which reads “Earth’s defenders have joined forces, but it’s too late.” and this really does sum up much of the content of the previous two issues; idle inactivity as writer Jeff Parker slowly positions his 'playing pieces' and eventually brings all the main antagonists together.

Fortunately this edition of “Dynamite Publications” five-issue mini-series desperately tries to readdress the balance and churns out some serious action-packed adventure as the invaders from Mongo attempt to conquer the Earth.

Naturally Emperor Ming’s spearhead strikes London, the heart of the British Empire and the greatest threat to his plans for world domination. As a result artist Marc Laming gets to illustrate some cracking panels depicting the British military desperately trying to fend off Lionmen and Rhinomen from Downing Street. Enter The Phantom, Flash Gordon and the misdirecting Mandrake and there’s plenty of very well-drawn carnage for a reader to enjoy. A particular highlight being the rather nice ‘double-page spread’ of the battle for Westminster, the political capital of her Majesty's government, where the linear flow of the panels really adds to the sense of action and excitement.

Laming also seems to try and cram in as many of the different races of Mongo as an Alex Raymond fan could encounter this side of a Thirties thirteen-installment Buster Crabbe film serial. As a result the penciller has Hawkmen, giant lizards, Wolfmen, Boarmen, Minotaurs and water-breathing Lizardmen all making an appearance; not forgetting the Emperor’s own forces, the white-armoured soldiers of Mongo. Which admittedly look disconcertingly similar to George Lucas' stormtroopers but with a fin stuck to top of their helmets. In addition we also finally get a chance to actually see Ming the Merciless in all his despicable dastardliness, as the Emperor nicely bookends the issue.

This really is a very good comic book with both Parker and Laming clearly well on top of their games. Even during one of the quieter moments in the book, when the heroes ‘retreat’ to Skull Cave, there’s some lovely interplay between Zarkov and ‘The Ghost Who Walks’, and then Lothar with Mandrake as the friends briefly squabble over the attention of the witch-doctor Karma. The illustration work depicting The Phantom’s secret lair is also excellent, with a real blending of Pirates of the Caribbean and primitive African culture.

The variant cover art of "KINGS MEN" No. 4 by Ramon Perez

Judge Dredd The Early Years #1 - Eagle Comics

JUDGE DREDD THE EARLY CASES No. 1, February 1986

Collecting some of the earliest appearances of artists Ron Turner, Carlos Ezquerra, Mike McMahon and Ian Gibson from the pages of the British weekly science fiction comic “2000 A.D.”, this first issue of “Judge Dredd The Early Years” understandably provides an eclectic feast of artwork styles and quality.

 

The cover, drawn by the one and only Brian Bolland is a simply superb illustration of a Heavy Metal Kid industrial robot and shows clearly why many regard him as the definitive penciller of the lawman of Mega-City One and why he remains in such constant demand as a cover artist.

 

Unfortunately not all the interior drawing of “The Robot Wars” is of so high a standard, although none of the contributors deliver anything unpalatable. Even the numerous pages sketched by well-known “Battle Action” artist Ron Turner are strikingly well-defined and workmanlike. However it is clear as to why his style was not as popular as the dynamic and vibrant artwork of Ezquerra or McMahon. Indeed one only has to look at Judge Dredd’s initial confrontation with the killer robot Call-Me-Kenneth, manically feeding a cop into a garbage chute, or the Judges pitched battle with the Heavy Metal Kids, to see why the co-creator of Dredd and the British comic book artist were more preferable.

 

Interestingly if anyone actually produces some slightly substandard illustration work for this edition it is actually Ian Gibson, who provides the artwork for the final few pages of the issue. Better known for his pencilling on “Robo-Hunter” and “The Ballard of Halo Jones”, many of Gibson’s panels appear overworked with the main characters being swallowed up by all the detailed background surrounding them. However much of this apparent clutter could well be as a result of some garish colour choices by John Burns, whose use of burgundy, orange, yellow, dark green and light blue makes many of Gibson's panels a Technicolor travesty.

 

On the writing side of things this first in a six-issue ‘mega-series’ has John Wagner and Pat Mills providing a simple yet effectively told tale of robot revolution within America’s Mega-City. Originally spanning several ‘progs’ of “IPC Magazines” weekly comic book, the serialised story is understandably rather episodic in format but this is still arguably the future lawman’s first ‘epic event’. Somewhat simple in plot when compared to some of the later major Judge Dredd storylines, this adventure probably hasn’t stood the test of time all that well. But its main protagonist, Call-Me-Kenneth, continues to hold a prominent place in Mega-City lore and fans' consciousness as the rogue leader of the First Robot War.

Deadly Hands of Kung Fu #4 - Marvel Comics

DEADLY HANDS OF KUNG FU No. 4, October 2014

I must confess that I finished this particular issue of “Deadly Hands of Kung Fu” still completely oblivious to the fact that it actually marks the end of a four-issue mini-series. As a result I experienced some rather mixed feelings about how the ‘Midnight Sun decapitates numerous clan leaders’ storyline pans out. On the one hand I was still enjoying the misconception that this was just the start of a regular Shang-Chi title with hopefully a long run of issues ahead of it, but on the other, absolute horror at what writer Mike Benson was doing to my beloved martial artist and his supporting cast; as he was literally killing them.

Now I always felt that “Master of Kung Fu” worked best when the stories were solidly set in the ‘real world’ and the Son of Fu Manchu fought men of flesh and blood. Up until this point, Benson’s writing has pretty much followed a similar vein; albeit he has badly mishandled a number of notable characters. However “Out of the Past” probably injects more ‘hocus pocus’ into the world of Shang-Chi than I have ever read, including the extra-terrestrial nonsense Doug Moench conjured up for the 1980 multi-issue serial “Warriors of the Golden Dawn”.

For a start the American writer has Leiko Wu return from the dead having pulled herself out from the Afterlife via a vast pool of blood, and imbues her with “the dark power of Mao Shan”; presumably screenwriter’s short-hand for she can unfasten Shang-Chi’s manacles with just a hand gesture and manifest energy ‘constructs’ straight out of a “Green Lantern” comic. Next Benson stages a battle inside a travelling London double decker bus which is straight out of the “Universal Pictures” 2001 film “The Mummy Returns”. Before finally settling upon the notion that a good old-fashioned fist-fight between Shang-Chi and his brother, Midnight Sun, might make a good conclusion. To be fair all these plot threads coming together does generate a seriously action-packed comic, with Kung Fu kicks and deadly throwing blades 'fizzing' all over the place.

Unfortunately though this is all poorly illustrated by Tan Eng Huat, whose pencils lack any real consistency from panel to panel, or even a solid understanding of human anatomy for that matter. Jesus Aburtov’s colors don’t help matters much either, with all the proceedings seemingly having a metallic shiny edge to them even when the Malaysian artist is depicting events outside during the night.

As a result it came as something of a relief when I did discover this book was actually the end of just a mini-series, as it means Shang-Chi is now once again safe from the warped imagination of Mike Benson and the artistic talents (such as they are) of Tan Eng Huat, Craig Yeung (inks) and Jesus Aburton.

Writer: Mike Benson, Pencils: Tan Eng Huat, Inks: Craig Yeung, and Colors: Jesus Aburtov

Savage Hulk #1 - Marvel Comics

SAVAGE HULK No. 1, August 2014

There aren’t many combined writer/artists whose work will immediately entice me to blindly purchase a comic book. As my collection of “Kamandi” attests, Jack “King” Kirby is one, and “Alpha Flight” creator John Byrne is another. Alan Davis is actually a third, which caused me to snatch up this particular (first) issue of “Savage Hulk” without a moment’s pause. And why not when the Englishman has drawn a cracking cover depicting a rampaging Hulk scattering various members of the original “X-Men”. Indeed Davis’ illustration really captures that classic late Sixties “Marvel Comics Group” era depicting the green-skinned alter ego of Bruce Banner in his infamous torn purple trousers.

This is no surprise however as the writer has taken the somewhat unusual step of this making this edition a direct follow-on to the March 1970 “X-Men” story “The Mutants and the Monster”. As a result, the storyline to “The Man Within” takes up where the last issue of “X-Men” finished before the mutant super-hero group’s comic book became just a reprint title. On the face of it this probably seemed a good decision, hopefully tapping into a generation of readers who long to hark back to the simpler days of when Stan Lee was the publishing company's Editor-in-Chief. However the exploits of Cyclops, Marvel Girl, Iceman and the other X-Men were clearly cancelled at this point in their adventures for a reason and Davis’ attempt to continue their 'journey' struggles as a result.

In fact little of actual interest takes place within this comic, besides the Hulk destroying a missile launcher with a large boulder, until the issue’s very last page when the Abomination literally leaps into the proceedings. Up until this point however, all that happens is Professor Xavier provides the reader with some amazingly convoluted scientific explanations as to how he’ll be able to cure Doctor Banner of his gamma curse using a mental exhaustion device.

What this comic book does provide however is some superb drawings of the incredible Hulk by Alan Davis, as the monster battles a swarm of dual thrust supersonic rockets. The artist captures all the action in a series of panels which are superbly inked by Mark Farmer and coloured by Matt Hollingsworth. There’s also some of the best sketches of the Hulk coming to rest and returning to his human form that I have ever seen. The peaceful, almost childlike expression on the monster’s face as he stares at a breath-taking ‘photorealistic’ rendering of the night sky is simply stunning. It is therefore a pity that later, when Davis pencils the start of the reverse transformation process, that his drawing of Doctor Banner physically becoming the Hulk is disappointingly poor and greatly at odds with the quality of his work throughout the rest of the book.

The variant cover art of "SAVAGE HULK" No. 1 by Alex Ross