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Birds of Prey No. 86 (DC) - $2.50
Simone - Writer; Melo & Conrad & Timm & Lopez & Blanco - Art
Reviewed by S. Hutchison
This is sort of a transitional issue. It features three separate stories, all written by Gail Simone, with three different artistic teams. The overall theme of the issue is healing. The first story focuses on a get
well party for Barbara (who recently underwent surgery to expunge the Brainiac virus). We are introduced to Barbara's new digs in Metropolis (the team is relocating from Gotham) and get a chance to see a lot of the
book's supporting characters (friends, family, agents, etc.). The second story is a Black Canary adventure illustrated by the incomparable Bruce Timm. Plenty of cartoony goodness in this one. The third story focuses
on the third key member of the team, the Huntress. Helena has been operating solo for the past few issues after an angry break with Barbara. This story brings her back into the fold as she gains a better understanding
of why Barbara operates the way she does.
This is still one of the best books on the market.
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Infinite Crisis No. 1 (DC) - $3.99
Johns - Writer; Jimenez - Pencils; Lanning - Inks
Reviewed by S. Hutchison
If you've been following any of the pre-Infinite Crisis mini-series DC has been running this summer (Day of Vengeance, the Omac Project, Rann/Thanagar Warr, Villains United, and the Return of Donna Troy), then you've already
read a good portion of this issue without picking it up. Essentially, none of those so-called limited-series were truly mini-series because they were not self-contained stories. They all were all left open-ended, leading
directly into Infinite Crisis. Which I found rather annoying. Instead of calling them limited-series, they should have been called prelude-series. Anyway, jumping into this first issue, you've got the Watchtower destroyed
with Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman investigating. Batman and Superman jump Wonder Woman's case as they still have issues with her having killed Maxwell Lord. And apparently the world at large has issues with it as well.
Forget about the fact that a few months earlier she killed Medusa on live-television broadcast around the globe and no one seemed to have a problem with that. But now they see the same super-heroine, who has faced all sorts
of cosmic and alien invaders and saved the Earth countless times in the past, is suddenly persona-non-grata because they have her on tape killing a human man. Forget the fact that a lot of super-villains who have killed numerous
people in the pass are (super) human men and, not knowing who her particular 'victim' was, could have easily been one of those megalomaniacal super human men. So the world has issues with it, Batman and Superman have issues with
it. So the big three isn't getting along at all. And Batman decides he has issues with Superman's refusal to act in certain instances. So they all think the others have lost their way. And thus the great trinity is split.
Meanwhile, the gather supervillains (the Villains United lot) are striking other heroes. Killing some in the process (such as Condorman and Phantom Lady for starters). Guess the world at large won't be having any problems with
that. The Rann/Thanagar war is still raging. And we've got a bunch of alternate versions of Superman showing up in the end who want to make things right.
Kind of a mess. I don't really like where this is going (but I've been saying that since the start of the limited-series that were not really mini-series at all). I think the DC Universe is going to be doing without me once all
of this wraps up (except for Legion of Superheroes, which is outside of this mess, and Birds of Prey, which is just flat a kick-ass book). Oh yeah, let's not forget the price either. $3.99 is way too steep for what you're getting here.
Definitely overpriced.
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Legion of Superheroes No. 10 (DC) - $2.99
Waid - Writer; Kitson - Pencils; Geraci - Inks
Reviewed by S. Hutchison
The battle against Lemnos and his associated moves to Earth. Brainiac and Cosmic Boy make amends in order to deal with the threat. Dream Girl is having problems with her precog powers. She sees forward to a point, and then only
darkness thereafter. Brainiac works with her to try and figure out the problem while the rest of the team heads out to three different plants to form an alliance in order to battle Lemnos' forces. With the Legion away, Lemnos
makes his move and activates his sleeper agents to destroy Legion headquarters. Only Brainiac, Dream Girl, and the Invisible Kid remain to try and save the Legion's followers in the plaza outside. And when the dust settles, we
find out the truth behind the problem with Dream Girl's powers (did not see that coming).
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Ultimate Fantastic Four No. 24 (Marvel) - $2.50
Millar - Writer; Land - Pencils; Ryan - Inks
Reviewed by S. Hutchison
Johnny and Sue's mother returns from the presumed dead. Except she was never actually dead to begin with. She had actually left many years before to pursue the search for Atlantis. Their father told them she was dead because
he never believed she would return. And he was probably right. She is only back now because she needs the FF's powers in order to reach the ruins beneath the ocean. Sue agrees on the condition that her mother never darken
their door again. The team embarks on an undersea journey to the ruins, and in the course of their investigation, something is awakened. You can probably figure out what that is.
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Fell No. 1-2 (Image) - $1.99
Ellis - Writer; Templesmith - Art
Reviewed by S. Hutchison
I think the thing that excites me the most about this new series, aside from the fact that it just flat kicks ass, is that it has been very well received by comic fandom. The first two issues have sold out and are going back
to press. That is phenomenal. Ellis took a chance on this format. A 24 page comic that consists of 16 pages of actual comic story and art with 8 pages of back material (essentially comments, scripts, things of that nature).
All for under two dollars. The goal is to create a quality affordable comic. And Ellis has delivered that in spades.
Fell revolves around Detective Fell, a newly transferred police officer to Snowtown who is looking to make a name for himself so he can move onto bigger and better things. Snowtown is quite the hellhole. The kind of place
that will chew you up and spit you out in pieces. The first issue introduces some of the players. Fell, the precinct chief (who is quite the mess himself), and Mayko, who owns the bar just down the street from Fell's apartment.
His first case involves a man who has died of alcohol poisoning but doesn't have a trace of it in his mouth. The second issue features a case involving a murdered pregnant woman whose fetus is missing. Turns out other bodies
with missing fetuses have turned up recently as well. In the course of his investigation, Fell learns about smoke children from Mayko. Interesting thing about both of these cases is that they are based in part on similar events.
This is one of the best new comics I have run across in a long time. I know I say this a lot - you gotta check this comic out - but seriously, you really gotta check this comic out.
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JLA No. 118-119 (DC) - $2.50
Johns & Heinberg - Writers; Batista - Pencils; Farmer - Inks
Reviewed by S. Hutchison
These are parts 4 and 5 of the five part story that comes out of Identity Crisis and leads into Infinite Crisis. Despero has returned lost memories to a group of super-villains who were previously mind-wiped by Zatanna
and the League. Add to that, the League has discovered that Batman knows he was also mind-wiped, and he isn't happy about it in the least. Part of the League decides to confront Batman and make amends. The rest of the
Leaguers capture the memory-returned villains and try to determine what to do with them. Zatanna has refused to mind-wipe them again, so the Leaguers are debating whether they should have J'onn J'onnz do it, or whether
they should be making the same mistake again. Despero strikes and takes control of a number of Leaguers and the whole of the JLA (old members and new) ends up engaged in battle before Zatanna puts a literal stop it. In
the end, the league is in shambles (with essentially only J'onn J'onnz remaining as an active membert). Zatanna against wipes the memories of the Leagues secrets from the villains. And we learn one of the things that
has really been eating at Batman regarding the mind-wipes (it has to do with Catwoman having been a victim of it as well and the changes she underwent following those events). And to finish, someone J'onn believes to be
Superman shows up at the Watchtower and then it goes boom.
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JSA Classified No. 2-4 (DC) - $2.50
Johns - Writer; Conner - Pencils; Palmiotti - Inks
Reviewed by S. Hutchison
This arc focuses on Power Girl and her origins. Through the years there have been various revelations regarding who and what Power Girl is. First she believed she was Superman's cousin. More recently she believed she
was Arion's (of Atlantis) granddaughter. But that proved to be false as well. Power Girl has been trying to find her way since then and figure out exactly who she is and how she fits into things. After a few disorienting
encounters, the Psycho Pirates, working for Lex Luthor, reveals to her that she is indeed Superman's cousin, just not the cousin from this reality. Power Girl is actually from Earth-2. Or so he says. Power Girl isn't sure
whether to believe him or not. He is crazy after all. Still full of doubts, she returns home, only to be assaulted by Clayface. And so ends the arc. Yeah, really. To get the rest of the story, you gotta go to Infinite
Crisis. So DC can't even do a self-contained story within a small arc either (much less in a so-called mini-series). Still entertaining, but it would be nice for a story to actually have an end.
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Fables No. 41 (DC/Vertigo) - $2.75
Willingham - Writer; Buckingham - Pencils; Leialoha - Inks
Reviewed by S. Hutchison
This is the fifth and final part of Boy Blue's return to the Homelands to face the Adversary. Last issue we were treated to the identity of the Adversary - Geppetto, Pinnochio's father. This issue details his rise to power.
Boy Blue also discovers that his Red Riding Hood was actually one of Geppetto's agents and not the original. So the 'magic' moments he shared with her prior to his leaving the Homelands were false. As might be expected, he
isn't happy about this revelation. He manages to escape from Geppetto before he is to be killed and takes the real Red Riding Hood with him. Pinnochio decides to remain behind with his father. Back in Fabletown, we discover
that Boy Blue was actually dispatched to the Homelands in secret by the mayor, Prince Charming, in order to gain intel on the Adversary.
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Wildcats: Nemesis No. 1-2 (Wildstorm/DC) - $2.99
Morrison - Writer; Caldwell & Domingues - Pencils; Banning - Inks
Reviewed by S. Hutchison
I was a big fan of the last incarnation of Wildcats (verson 3.0). Joe Casey was spinning quite the interesting tale. But DC didn't promote it worth a spit, sales slumped, and it ended up being cancelled. So when it was announced
several months ago there would be a new Wildcats series and it would not involve Joe Casey, I wasn't very pleased. This is actually a mini-series, not an on-going. This particular story revolves around a character called Nemesis,
a former Coda warrior and sister-in-arms to Zealot. She betrayed the Coda long ago and killed a number of their members. Now she has resurfaced. Majestic, Zealot, Grifter, and Savant are on her trail. But everything isn't exactly
as it appears, and as the story shifts back and forth between the present and the past, we discover more about Majestic and the Coda. Two issues in and rather pleasing thus far. And I'm definitely enjoying the art team of Talent
Caldwell and Matt Banning.
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Ultimate Fantastic Four Annual No. 1 (Marvel) - $3.99
Millar - Writer; Lee - Art
Reviewed by S. Hutchison
This tale introduces the Inhumans to the Ultimate universe. Crystal is on the run from Attilan (to avoid a forced marriage - plus she finds the place boring) and being pursued. Johnny attempts to come to her aid and gets the crap
beat out of him for his troubles. Fortunately for him, Crystal intervenes, with an assist from Lockjaw. Even more fortunately, she uses her powers to heal the damage inflicted upon him. Then you get the whole patient/nurse syndrome
thing going (of course, Johnny is pretty much a horn dog anyway, so that would have occurred even had she not had to heal him). She accompanies Johnny back to the Baxter Building (or wherever it is they make their home in the Ultiverse).
But she doesn't stay for long as her pursuers return and remove her against her will. They neglect to notice Lockjaw however. The FF make the journey to the secret city of Attilan via Lockjaw. Their presence is not welcome however
and they quickly find themselves facing a far superior force. In the course of battle, much destruction is visited upon the city. The Inhumans are not pleased with the violence the FF has visited upon their home. Black Bolt determines
they should leave Earth to remove themselves from any chance of encounter with the rest of the human race. He tears down the city with a whisper and the Inhumans take their leave from Earth. The ending to this one is rather abrupt.
It probably could have used a couple of more pages for wrap-up. I'm sure the way Millar leaves it is the intended effect, but I just felt like there was something missing. There was a beginning, a middle, and most of an end, but not
all of one.
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Polly and the Pirates No. 1 (of 6) (Oni Press) - $2.99
Naifeh - Story and Art
Reviewed by S. Hutchison
Another great project from Ted Naifeh. Polly is a prim and proper young lady being brought up in a boarding school. She has great reverence for her departed mother, believing her to be the most beautiful, graceful, proper woman who
ever lived. Her school friend Anastasia is much the opposite of Polly. She longs for adventure and enjoys tawdry novels, such as the History of the Pirate Queen, which she introduces us to at the beginning of the issue. She tries to
convince Polly to sneak out for an adventure with her one evening, but Polly is too much of a good girl to follow through and ends up dozing off in the kitchen instead of sneaking around to bring a ladder from the shed. Which turns out
to be the fortunate thing because the head mistress finds Anastasia waiting by the window for Polly. The girls are returned to bed, with Anastasia certain they were ratted out by another of the girls, Sarah. The next morning, Polly
awakens and discovers herself in unfamiliar surroundings. Still in her bed, she finds it hoisted above the deck of a ship and comes face to face with a pirate who announces they have shanghaied her. She is frightened into unconsciousness.
When she awakens, she learns she is on the ship that once belonged to Meg Malloy, the Pirate Queen. The crew needs a new captain and Polly has been chosen since she is Meg's daughter.
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Girls No. 1 (Image) - $2.95
Jonathan and Joshua Luna - Writing, Art, Colors, and Letters
Reviewed by S. Hutchison
I didn't pick up their previous mini-series, Ultra, from Image, but heard quite a few good things about it. And after reading the solicitation for Girls, I figured to give it a look. Good call. The first issue of this
mini-series introduces the major players and sets the stage for the full story. Ethan, the main character, is a somewhat sympathetic character who also brings a lot of his troubles on himself. While he is a victim of
circumstance to a slight degree, he also goes overboard and sets himself up for the immense hit his character takes (I did have to take some minor enjoyment in his big proclamation however). I guess the crux of this
tale will involve Ethan possibly redeeming himself, or at least having a big revelation in terms of that proclamation (though that will eventually just take him full circle if the universe maintains its usual balance).
This was a very satisfying beginning to what I expect to be a great mini-series. Not sure it will necessarily appeal to everyone.
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Outsiders No. 24 (DC) - $2.50
Judd Winick - Writer; Shawn Moll - Pencils; Kevin Conrad, Art Thibert, & Norm Rapmund - Inks
Reviewed by S. Hutchison
You ever pick up an issue and start reading through it and suddenly wonder if you completely skipped over an issue? I've done that before, and it so happens that in some of those cases that is what had actually happened.
Somehow I'd managed to miss an issue, so I had to go buy it, read it, and then pick up and re-read the current issue. So. Outsiders. I'm reading the 24th issue and just scratching my head in complete confusion. I was
definitely missing something. So I dig through the previous month's comics and there is Outsides no. 23 right there. I flip to the back page and, yeah, I remember that. Then I flip back to the front of the confusing
24th issue and …. nope, that isn't where it left off.
See, at the end of the 23rd issue, the Metamorpho clone guy has been sealed in a container and accused by Arsenal of being the traitor in the midst. Issue 24 opens, and they are briefly rehashing Indigo's origins, and
then jump right into her trying to destroy the team. And the Metamorpho clone guy isn't in the container and doesn't appear to have been for quite a while. Oh yeah, and Indigo is now calling herself Brainiac 8. What the
hell? Yeah, so it seems Outsiders and Teen Titans are in the midst of a crossover. Issue 23 of Outsiders led into issue 24 of Teen Titans, which jumps back to Outsiders 24, which then goes into Teen Titans 25. Except they do
an ass-bad job of informing the reader of what the hell went on in Teen Titans 24, essentially to the point of practically not telling you at all. See, I don't necessarily mind crossovers. So long as they are written so
that I don't have to follow them over to the next title to get the whole story, they are fine. Just give me enough of a rehash so I know what has happened and can pick right up with the title I want to buy. Because I read
Outsiders. Monthly. I don't read Teen Titans. Don't want to buy it. Not gonna buy it. But now I have this story that just jumped on me, they don't pick me up to speed, and it is all pretty much crap now. And that is
just complete BS. Just piss-poor management and editing there by DC. So I say screw their crossovers. And screw the Outsiders. I'm not gonna buy that anymore.
0 zombies
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Ultimate Iron Man No. 1 (Marvel) - $2.99
Orson Scott Card - Writer; Andy Kubert - Pencils; Danny Miki - Inks
Reviewed by I. Martin
The newest addition to the Ultimate Universe line of titles is off to a pretty good start. Acclaimed SF author Orson Scott Card makes his comic book debut, with an established art team of Andy Kubert and Danny Miki, who
have extensive experience with many Marvel and independent company characters. The first issue sported two covers (in a 50-50 split), done in foil. It's my biggest complaint about the first issue, since it panders to two
of the worst aspects of the speculator market of the 1990s, which led to the closure of numerous comic shops across the country when the speculators abruptly left and the market imploded. It took years for the comic market
to recover, and it worries me that the publishers seem so willing to go back down that road again so quickly.
Card's comic debut is powerful and interesting. It goes back in time a while, showing how Tony Stark's father built his company, and how he lost it. The first issue ends with Tony's birth, so my guess is that the first
story arc will all take place in the past, since Tony Stark is and has been Iron Man in the pages of Ultimates and Ultimate Marvel Team-Up (issues #4-5) for a while. I just hope that Card pays some attention to what has
been established about Iron Man in the Ultimate Universe already, and that he's just adding on backstory to the character. Even if he's not, so far it has been very interesting.
The art is very attractive, reminding me in a lot of ways of Jim Lee's work, without seeming derivative. Kubert and Miki are both solid artists with great attention to detail, and a very good sense of page design and
layout. The art complements the story beautifully, making this a rare comic - a good story with nice art packed inside a gimmick (the foil cover that I mentioned) that in the past was most often used in an attempt to
mask the inadequacies of the interior contents. Thankfully that is not the case here.
Fans of Ultimates will probably enjoy this book, and fans of Iron Man as a character should be pleased with the efforts of the top-notch talent so far.
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The Ballad of Sleeping Beauty No. 6-8 (Beckett) - $1.99
Gabriel Benson - Writer; Mike Hawthorne - Artist
Reviewed by I. Martin
This book has been consistently excellent. To date it is the book that has made the most successful use of Free Comic Book Day as a launching point. As the next Free Comic Book Day approaches, this series has apparently
come to a logical and satisfying end.
In these issues we got some nice flashbacks with Red and Sleeping Beauty from before he left and before she fell asleep. We also learned a lot about Cole and his motivations for helping Red.
I don't want to spoil anything, but I don't want to underplay how good these comics are. These issues all serve to move the story forward - something many more mainstream comic writers don't seem to know how to do. In the
course of just eight issues, the creative team has moved the story full circle, from the mysterious beginning on through gradual revelations and twists, and to a satisfactory conclusion.
Hopefully Beckett Comics will be able to do a trade paperback collection, as that will help get the title into more mainstream and mass market bookstores. A hardcover collection would be perfect, although anything that helps
expose this great title to a wider audience is a good thing. Based upon the success of this title, I'm already willing to take a gamble on Beckett's next project, Ronin Hood and the 47 Samurai. Check it out. And if you
haven't picked up any issues of The Ballad of Sleeping Beauty yet, check at comic shops on May 7th when the next Free Comic Book Day rolls around - many shops may have extra copies of issue no.1 1 left over from last year that they'll
be putting out with the new FCBD issues.
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Rising Stars No. 24 (Top Cow/Image) - $2.99
J. Michael Straczynski - Writer; Brent Anderson - Artist
Reviewed by I. Martin
August 1999 - An unknown writer with a background in episodic TV bursts onto the scene with a comic from Image that sports four separate covers on the first issue. The series is heralded as a remarkable event, planned
as a 24-issue maxi-series. In a very short time the writer gains a huge fan base, and soon takes over one of the biggest titles around, Amazing Spider-Man, where his arrival made waves. He has launched another series
there (Supreme Power) that was eerily similar to the delay-plagued series that launched his comic career, and there's already been a 3-issue spin-off mini-series, with two more have been announced.
Flash forward to March 2005 - It's 67 months later. It's been over five and a half years since this 24-issue series was launched, and then, seemingly from nowhere, within the span of just a few months, the last two issues
finally come out.
In case anyone hasn't figured it out, the series in question is Rising Stars, and the writer is J. Michael Straczynski. The 24-issue series has finally concluded, following many twists and turns. There have been three regular
creative teams, and several special issues. And now, after months upon months of waiting, the series finale has finally been released. It's one of the rare cases where it's the writer that has been the slow link in the creative
chain. So the question arises: Was the delay worth it?
Yes. And no. The series does go where it's fairly clear that Straczynski intended it to from the outset. And the artwork on the last story arc was by the astounding Brent Anderson, probably best known for his work on Astro
City. But was it worth waiting nearly six years? No. There is no good reason that the series had to be drug out so long. And Straczynski's work on Supreme Power was so similar to his work on this series that there were
rumors that Image had threatened to sue if Rising Stars wasn't completed.
The story was good, and things came full circle in the end in a way that was strangely satisfying and disappointing at the same time. Satisfying because it showed that the story of this series was just one sequence in a much
larger story. And disappointing because it seems so simplistic, because it ends in very much the same way the whole thing started - in a flash of light.
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Mary Jane: Homecoming No. 1 (Marvel) - $2.99
Sean McKeever - Writer; Takeshi Miyazawa - Artist
Reviewed by I. Martin
Since the original Mary Jane series ended on a cliffhanger after just four issues, I was pleased when this series was announced, even if it was announced as just a four-issue limited series. It picks up right where
Mary Jane no. 4 left off, and moves things forward. And since the creators know they only have four issues, readers won't be left with the agony of a cliffhanger that might never get resolved.
This book would also have been a great choice for a Free Comic Book Day issue, since it would have appeal for manga fans, Spider-Man fans, and be appealing to girls.
The original Mary Jane series was collected into a single volume as part of the Target store exclusive comic line. Hopefully this second series will get that same treatment. And perhaps a digest edition will be made,
combining both series, which would help get it into bookstores, where fans of manga comics would be far more likely to find it.
In any case, this is a fun series, with nice artwork. It's charming and entertaining, and is better than a lot of other comics Marvel is spending a lot more time and money to produce.
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Firebreather: Iron Saint (Image) - $6.95
Phil Hester - Writer; Andy Kuhn - Artist
Reviewed by I. Martin
This one-shot special takes Duncan Rosenblatt on a class trip to the land mystical enchantment, England. The inside front cover tells new readers everything they need to know about the characters and their situations,
in case they haven't yet read the Firebreather mini-series.
The premise of the Iron Saint is that this ancient suit of armore was constructed by druids as a weapon to enable the men of ancient England to protect themselves and their families from the terror of dragons, and
specifically from the menace of Belloc - Duncan's father. The basics of the enchantments are spelled out on a class tour by an eccentric museum curator, one Alan Moore (Yup, that Alan Moore).
The story has good pacing, which is a hallmark of Hester's writing. Lots of comic creators who started out as artists have been given a chance to try out the writer's position. A sad majority have not made the transition
well. Those that have done the best at the transition are those who brought their artist-honed sense of visual pacing to their writing. Athough it hasn't been widely recognized yet (emphasis on yet), Hester is among the
group of artists who have proven they can be successful writers. I believe part of that may be because Hester's writing projects have almost always included a different creator as the artist. Trying to do both the writing
and the art is not only more time-consuming, being their own artist tends to make writers looser with their plotting, increasing the odds of crafting a weak story. When an artist-turned writer is writing a story for someone
else to illustrate, they have to think like a writer in a way that is much different than a writer who will be illustrating the story themselves. In this tale, as with previous project in which he was the writer, Hester has
done a superb job of making the transition well.
The artwork by Andy Kuhn is also very nice. The illustrations suited the story very well. The Iron Saint armor looked like it could be centuries old (which it was), and yet it also had a timeless quality to it.
What makes this volume so successful is that the story has an internal logic. The premise is believable, once you make the initial suspension of disbelief that must be made with the opening of every comic book's or novel's
cover. And it's a story that moves things forward. Duncan is gradually making some friends. And his naivete' about his relationship with the United Nations task force, who monitor and protect him as part of the truce
between humanity and his father, Belloc, also changes significantly.
The original four-issue Firebreather mini-series was good comic fun. This one-shot proves that there are still more good stories that can be told with this character. If there was any question about whether the market
needs another story about Duncan and his world, this volume answers it with a resounding "Yes!". This is the kind of comic that makes me glad to be a funnybook reader. I'll be standing in line for more any time Hester,
Kuhn, and Crabtree want to serve up another installment.
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Amazing Spider-Man No. 513 & 514 (Marvel) - $2.25
J. Michael Straczynski - Writer; Mike Deodatao, Jr. - Pencils; Jose Pimentel - Inks
Reviewed by I. Martin
These two issues bring to a short-term conclusio one of the most controversial Spidey story arcs since the end of the (shudder) Clone Sage of the 1990s. While the stories have been controversial among Spidey fans,
the art has won praise even from those critical of the plot. The two nicest things that can be said about these issues are that 1) the art is very attractive, and 2) the is (at least for the moment) over.
The dialogue is good, and Mary Jane gets some good characterization. The plot itself isn't as original as it ought to be, though. Gabriel and Sarah, the children of Gwen Stacy and (ew) Norma Osborn learn the truth
about their father. Osborn had always told them that Peter Parker was their father, and the he killed their mother. After parting company over the issue of whether or not to trust Spidey, Gabriel goes to a building
that Norman gave them directions to years earlier. There he finds two goblin costumes waiting for him and his sister, and a videotaped message from Norman Osborn, revealing the truth of their parentage. He also find
the strength enhancing serum Osborn injected himself with decades ago, that gave him his incredible strength at the same time it robbed him of his sanity. Osborn's taped message says the serum should help slow, or
even halt, the advanceed aging that Gabriel and Sarah are experiencing due to the altered genes they got from Osborn.
While Gabriel is watching the taped message, Sarah is at a New York hospital, struggling to stay alive. She was grazed by a bullet fired by a police officer while she and her brother were confronting Spidey atop the
George Washington bridge in the first of these two issues. With the help of a massive transfusion from Spidey, she is able to recover. It's only because Spidey's blood is unique that she is able to survive, because
normal blood that should be the right type for her is being rejected by her genetically unique body.
In the end, Sarah saves a weakened Spidey from Gabriel, who has attacked while wearing a goblin costume - looks like the Grey Goblin. Sarah then departs, and Spidey is too weak to stop her (she'll be back though,
based on advance solicition for upcoming issues of Spectacular Spider-Man). Gabriel appears to have drowned when he was thrown into the river by the explosion of his goblin glider, but on the final pages we
get to see an amnesiac Gabriel discovered on a beach. His costume is in tatters and he doesn't know his name.
Given how good the dialogue is, and how nice the artwork looks, I'd like to say that I liked these issues. But I can't. The story feels entirely derivative, and (as written) significantly changes the characterization
of Gwen Stacy, one of the most important supporting characters in Spidey's long history. It would have been far less controversial had a better reason been given for Gwen to have slept with Norman Osborn. For it to
have just been animal magnetism, or sheer charisma, really makes Gwen look like a floozy. Especially since Straczynski implies in the second of these issues that Peter had to do a genetic tes because he knew he couldn't
be Sarah and Gabriel's father because he'd never slept with Gwen himself. It never said in the original comics (it was the 1960s and early 1970s, after all, when those issues were published), but I don't believe for a
minute that Peter and Gwen never made love with each other. I just don't believe that's plausible. And the only acceptable explanations I can come up with for Gwen to have had sex with Norma Osborn is if she were
either raped, drugged or somehow manipulated or controlled by Osborn, and Straczynski has not hinted that any of those options are even possibilities.
That is why, even though the dialogue is good and the art is very attractive, these issues still rate very low overall grades. Reading these issues is a lot like watching a fine actor (say, Robert DeNiro or Gene Hackman
or Harrison Ford) turn in a great performance, but instead of being in a great drama or comedy, it's in a new shock-a-minute reality show. It just feels wrong, and even the strong parts (the dialogue and art) can't
elevate the sub-standard script/plot to a palatable level.
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The Ballad of Sleeping Beauty No. 5 (Beckett) - $1.99
Gabriel Benson - Writer; Mike Hawthorne - artist
Reviewed by I. Martin
This series is still going strong, even as it looks to be changing directions a bit. In the course of this issue Cole gets his revenge against Drake, and Will die. That leaves Cole and Red to get back to the town of
Briar Rose themselves to rescue the townfolk and the sleeping beauty of the title.
There are still things that need explained, like how Red is able to get in and out of Briar Rose without dying, while other townsfolk cannot. Alsdo, the plot of the ghostly Indian hasn't yet been resolved, although
I'm confident it will be before this series ends. I could be wrong, but this series has very much the feel of a series that has a finite number of issue planned, and that when it's completed, the title will end.
I just hope Beckett Comics can afford to do a hardcover book, because I think this would make a very attractive hardcover book. Barring that, hoepfully there will be a trade paperback collection to get this series
into the bookstores, where a broader audience can find it.
The artwork, as always, is great. The cover is still very stylized, and it's not real obvious what connection the cover has to the story, but it is attractive. The colors and design of the cover make it stand out
on the new comic racks, and that's big key to sales - get the attention of the comic book buyer. The back cover of this issue is a nice pinup of a picotal scen from late in the issue itself, so that was a nice touch.
I cannot recommend this title highly enough. At $1.99 for a color comic with cardstock covers and only a few house ads at the end of th eissue, this one of the best bargains around today. It's also one of the best stories
available on the market today. If you like DC/Vertigo's Fables, I'm confident you will also like this title.
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