POBB March 14, 2018

Pick of the Brown Bag

March 14, 2018

by 

Ray Tate

Welcome to the Pick of the Brown Bag.  My name is Ray Tate.  I’m the guru and creator of the POBB.  In this column I review the best and the worst of the comic books for the week.  Today I’ll examine All-New Wolverine, Athena Voltaire, Doctor Who, Jupiter Jet, The New Mutants, Peter Parker the Spectacular Spider-Man, Supergirl and The Titans, but first a critique of the new Tomb Raider film.

I’ve never played any version of Tomb Raider.  I don’t play video games.  Simply, haven’t the time.  I knew of Tomb Raider solely through advertisement and pop culture exposure.  

My true experience with Tomb Raider derives through the two films starring Angelina Jolie.  Even so, I saw Lara Croft and the Cradle of Life first.  The Powers That Be promoted the video game aspect in the first more than the action hero facet.  So, I skipped it.  That proved to be false by the way.

Angelina herself deemed the second movie better than the first.  It is, and she as the do-her-own-stunts actress became the center of attention.  

The differences between the two original Tomb Raider films, this new film and its new continuity are many.  In fact the only similarities between the three can easily be summed up in two sentences.  

All three films focus on a fear conquering, globe-trotting intellect named Lara Croft.  Both incarnations come from wealth and benefit from the very same manor, albeit in different ways.  So ends the similarities.

Overall the original films were glossier.  This movie bears the  dirt and sweat of reality.  

The filmmakers are not interested in panorama or the wonders of the world.  Alicia's Lara is single-minded.  The expedition is neither a lark or fun for Lara.  

Angelina's Lara Croft having a blast

Whereas the original films took place in gorgeous, exotic places, the story in the new movie mainly unfolds on a butt ugly island.  Skull Island from the Kong movies bears far more vernal beauty, but that’s not what the new Tomb Raider crew aimed for.

Angelina played a more experienced version of Lara Croft.  The new film is the origin of Lara Croft.  Angelina was in every way Lady Croft.  Alicia’s Lara eschews peerage.

In fact, this is one of the ways that the cast and crew plausibly create a more relatable Lara Croft.   For example, in the most amusing and clever turnabout of a loathsome bloodsport, Lara must win a wager to gain the funds necessary to pay for her gym membership.  This gym incidentally is not a spa.

Lara chooses to ignore her heritage until it no longer becomes possible.  The rationale behind her voluntary drop in station provides the impetus for the entirety.

Angelina’s Lara simply spent portions of the Croft fortune to pursue her interests, which often coincided with others’ wants.  Alicia’s Lara must search for a myth to find the facts on her own coin.  The means in which she funds her expedition of one will weave back to the film’s teaser before the credits roll.

Alicia Vikander embodies her Lara Croft in the same way Angelina did.  You just cannot imagine another actress taking over the role without significant changes.  Vikander furthermore appears to be following in Angelina’s impressiveness by performing numerous action sequences herself in an imaginative death trap that depends on Japanese culture through the ages.

I knew of the villains of the piece from the Tomb Raider comics of Dark Horse.  These fruitcakes seldom seemed plausible or a credible threat to Lara.  Not so in Tomb Raider.  They’re called the Trinity, and they outnumber their name.  Tomb Raider frames them as mercenaries dedicated to uncovering supernatural objects for potential world domination.  For some reason, this never really gelled for me in the comics.  

The Trinity of the comics appeared to be some sort of extensive brotherhood of nutters.  On screen, the villains are piratical, cold-blooded murderers.  They're furthermore not necessarily dedicated enough to the cause to ignore a paycheck or save their own lives.  That reflects a stronger sense of reality.  

Justified’s Walton Goggins plays leader of the Trinity away team Matthias Vogel.  Vogel seeks supernatural treasure, which may or may not exist.  You get the impression that he would be happy either way.  Confirmation means lauds from the home office.  If he finds nothing, he still gets to go home to his family.  Goggins makes Vogel a tired, pitiable figure, but at the same time, he's quite willing to shoot a person in the back for no reason at all.

I recommend the new Tomb Raider film.  The acting is excellent.  It’s a well-plotted story that benefits from a number of twists.  The near death escapes and executions make you cringe as do the tremendous feats performed by Alicia Vikander as Lara Croft.

Athena Voltaire and her archaeological charges continue investigating the legends of Pope Sylvester.  Unbeknownst to Athena and party, a friend of Athena’s is actually a British agent who traditionally on the side of angels isn't necessarily so for this adventure.

The expedition just happens upon the dead Nazis eliminated by Des' partner.  A survivor of the massacre speaks to Athena.

Espionage games hamper and help Athena’s pursuit, and the trail ultimately takes her beneath the sea where she and Doctor Mordido uncover a Templar cache.

The Nazis aren’t far behind.  Realistically, Athena must take a bloody nose to escape with her life and the lives in her hands.  Steve Bryant provides the thrills and spills of his creator owned aviatrix/adventuress Athena Voltaire.  His and artist Ismael Canales' attention to historical detail laces authenticity to the story.  Bryant's acceptance of Athena’s mortality provides some interesting detours from the expected in an usual atmosphere given scope by colorist Emily Elmer.

Jupiter Jet proves to be the flying girl up to the job of shutting down alien or alternate universe denizen Pluto Praetor.  Praetor believed he had the upper hand when he kidnaped Jackie’s genius brother Chuck.  She and her other genius cohort Neil concocted a plan of escape.

The kids are clever.  The villains dastardly.  The cliffhanger serial feel of Jupiter Jet is tempered by a mature sense of danger.  

Because of the villain’s nature, you see that he has no compunction when confronting Jupiter Jet.  He will kill the flying girl if necessary.  Not before Jackie suits up in a costume that bears the style and professionalism of a hero. 

Of late Supergirl has been persona non grata for practically everybody in National City and especially the D.E.O.

The friends closest to Kara Danvers turned against her alter-ego, but things may be looking up for the Girl off Steel.  All because of her kindness.

Binary individual Byron talks to reporter Ben Rubel about his friendship with Supergirl.  Note.  I’m using the traditional his for the sake of clarity.  Binary is binary, but how to refer to the state in print is tricky.

In order for a reader not to enjoy the story, she would really need to be heartless.  Of course, if she made a comment about bad art that would be a different matter.  Fortunately, the Powers That Be at DC appear to recognize the story’s importance and secured the service of artist Jamal Campbell who is dedicated to aestheticism.  Recommended for anybody.

If you haven’t read “The Orphans of X,” these past few issues of All-New Wolverine.  You probably shouldn’t read the review beyond the spoiler warning.  Suffice to say, this is another in the long run of greatness from Tom Taylor.  It reinforces the concept of Laura Kinney’s innocence in the deaths she caused as X-23.  

It demonstrates her growth from these beginnings as she rightfully assumes the identity Wolverine.  The story is political in the nature of the target and functions through the thrust of history and conspiracy theories.  It’s a tall order to squeeze so much worth in so little time, but Taylor and artists Djibril Morrisette-Phan and Nolan Woodward do it.  Now to some specifics.

S

P

O

I

L

E

R

A

H

O

Y

Laura Kinney the All-New Wolverine tracks down the man who murdered Amber Griffin’s father.

Amber Griffin is an Orphan of X.  The killer who pulled X-23’s trigger so long ago proves to be filth.   As in reality, the filth rises to the top instead of sinking below where he belongs.  

Our happy Nazi owns a resort that has eyes everywhere.  So, he’s well prepared for X-23.  Or is he?  

Taylor’s story benefits from a basis in reality.  As nothing presents itself as outlandish, the superhero story reads more like a really good crime drama.  

New Mutants takes the opposite approach and succeeds.  Writer Matthew Rosenberg collects a group of mutants, some known, others not and tosses them at the supernatural.  

This isn’t exactly his concept.  When the New Mutants take to the silver screen, they’ll be doing it in a horror movie.  So maybe, the Powers That Be at Marvel called Mr. Rosenberg, asked him to do a New Mutants book and added, “Hey, do the comic book with the movie’s themes.”

Whatever the reason, it all works beautifully.  Once again, I felt no confusion when facing an X-Men book.  Rosenberg introduces each mutant, with often funny narrative captions, and dialogue that describes each personality.

He furthermore comes up with a good occult-themed plot, that despite appearances hasn’t anything to do with Simon Garth.

Another fun thing about The New Mutants is that it’s a mostly fair play mystery.  If you pay attention to artist Adam Gorham’s superb atmospheric panels, you’ll see clues laid out for the new Scoobies.  

Oh, Donna….Oh, Donna.  I’ve discussed the strange history of Donna Troy in detail in other Titans reviews, but here’s the deal in a nutshell, in the order the phenomenon happened, according to the rewritten timeline.  

Crazy Amazons and a crone, for some reason, shape a homunculus to kill Wonder Woman.  That shape turns out to have a rack and a half.  It’s Donna Troy.  

Wonder Woman somewhere down the line learns of the goofy trickery.  She decides to spare the clay creature and with her Amazon sisters implants false memories.  These false memories serve as the basis for a Donna Troy that really is a figment of imaginations.  

Donna Troy becomes a real girl when Wally West returns to the DCU.  Wally knows Donna, and suddenly, along with all the Titans, she knows him.  None of this should be logically possible, but Donna’s literally a mythical figure.  So, I’m guessing magic copied and pasted Wally’s memories to the false ones she already possessed.  Alternately, time itself could be preventing an embolism by simply finding Donna Troy from two universes ago and transplanting an engram to the current model.

Whatever the reason, Donna’s slated for a bad destiny.  That destiny came to the past to remind her of the fact.  This forces the hand of the Justice League.  They disband the Titans, and keep Donna onboard the Satellite while the League test her for links to that whacko future.  

Any scribbler can draw a punch, but it takes a real artist to render boredom.

You might question exactly how they will test her, but it’s the League.  I’m sure they’ll come up with something.  Maybe compare vibrational frequencies.

With the Titans disbanded, Roy Harper immediately falls for the mercenary with a heart of gold ruse of his ex Cheshire.  They make with the snuggle-bunnies and Roy discovers to his horror that Cheshire dosed him.  He’s an addict you see, and despite being completely innocent however dumb, this counts as falling from the wagon.

Roy learns that Cheshire’s actions are part of the plans of Pinky and the Brain “to try to take over the world!”

Actually, this is a pride gambit from the Brain and Monsieur Mallah.  Grant Morrison forever changed the way we look at the Brotherhood of Evil’s founding members, and Abnett plays that love story up.

The Titans however think Roy’s just not cogent.  So Wally and Dick try to reason with him.  

Reason turns into a fight, and you get to see Paul Pelletier cut loose with some of the best superhero fighters in the DCU.  The Titans is pure superhero nonsense in the best sense of the definition.  If not for the drug addiction and the gay-ape-in-love-with-disembodied-head angle, this story could have been at home in any era of superheroes.  

Richard Dinnick’s Doctor Who concludes “The Confusion of Angels” on a high note. The Doctor returns with a plan to defeat his foes that requires a high level of property damage, which is of course typical.

Enacting his plan of course requires cooperation from all parties.  Engineer Kathryn isn’t exactly game since it will require sacrifice from a friend.

Dinnick made an effort to single out Kathryn as the sub-hero.  Dinnick characterized her as intelligent, skilled and interested in the Doctor’s companion Bill.  The artists on Doctor Who gave her charm and sorrow.  She might have saved the day and died in the process had the Doctor not shown up.  She’s so well-constructed I would like to see her again in her own adventures.

An ally propelled Spider-Man, Teresa Durand (Parker) and J.Jonah Jameson back in time to find a means to stop the Tinkerer.  The Tinkerer made a deal, and that deal is inimical to the earth.

Time travel has become so popular an idea that the rules are now well known.  The Grandfather Paradox cannot happen.  Unless of course you’re sent to an alternate time stream that mimics the time stream from whence you left.  You change nothing in your time.  Your arrival is part of history in the other one.

By accepting these rules, writer Chip Zdarsky frees himself to have a lot of fun.  The Spider-Men just pick off all of Spidey’s foes because he knows exactly where they’ll be.  Due to interference from time stream badges it doesn’t always work, but mostly Peter Parker Spider-Man fills its pages with build ups to time travel paradoxes that simply become part of the other time stream’s history.  

For example, J.Jonah Jameson meets his younger self.  The moment is more poignant than one might expect. Certainly more impressive than the entire dinner party issue where Jonah conducted his interview with Spider-Man.

Teresa Durand confronts the truth about herself by facing the only person—a surprise, surprise guest star—who might know her true parentage.  Joe Quinones’ and Joe Rivera’s designs with the addition of Jordan Gibson’s bright colors suit the free-wheeling mood.  A perfect issue of Peter Parker Spider-Man demonstrating Spidey’s versatility as a character.

A few other books caught my attention this week, but there’s so little plotting in them that not enough material presents for a full review.  Let me just say that all of the books display some very pretty artwork.  So, on that front, you won’t be sorry.

Red Sonja Legendary is a by-the-numbers rescue apart from one scene in which Sonja takes out a guard nastily and most interestingly.

Red Hood and Artemis inch closer to finding out Bizarro’s secret while he hatches what appears to be an evil, yet logical scheme.

In Astonishing X-Men we find out a little bit more about how Charles Xavier became the Man called X amidst Proteus’ latest attempt to change reality.  Logan and Mystique provide the acerbic comedy.