Pick of the Brown Bag
April 11, 2018
by
Ray Tate
Welcome to the Pick of the Brown Bag. In this column I choose the worst and the best comic books of the week. For this issue I look at the new book Dead Hand, The Exiles, Legendary Red Sonja, Oblivion Song, Supergirl, The Titans, The Unbeatable Squirrel Girl and X-Men Red. No time for the blog? Check me out on Twitter; #PickoftheBrownBag
On the whole, the comic books this week were somewhat disappointing
The new book Dead Hand starts as a combination spy/superhero tale set during the waning days of the Cold War. It turns into something else that's intriguing.
Next, Nightwing writer Kyle Higgins drops to the past to uncover the life of protagonist Carter Carlson. The trip down memory lane culminates in his disillusion of the Black Ops Unit he works for.
The narrative then jumps forward where it seems that Carlson retired. Like many ex-military, or ex-spies, he finds a quiet job in law enforcement.
Normally, the shifts in time would act as detriment, but Higgins somehow makes them work in the book's favor. The flashback fleshes out the character and builds a lie based on a love for super-heroes. The quick discard of the opening benefits the story because Higgins wasn't really setting up an A Grade masked man.
As the tale progresses, the plot gets murkier. Motives and actions come into question, and the beginning of the end lies in the accidental discovery by a stranger.
Next, Nightwing writer Kyle Higgins drops to the past to uncover the life of protagonist Carter Carlson. The trip down memory lane culminates in his disillusion of the Black Ops Unit he works for.
The narrative then jumps forward where it seems that Carlson retired. Like many ex-military, or ex-spies, he finds a quiet job in law enforcement.
Normally, the shifts in time would act as detriment, but Higgins somehow makes them work in the book's favor. The flashback fleshes out the character and builds a lie based on a love for super-heroes. The quick discard of the opening benefits the story because Higgins wasn't really setting up an A Grade masked man.
As the tale progresses, the plot gets murkier. Motives and actions come into question, and the beginning of the end lies in the accidental discovery by a stranger.
Oblivion Song reiterated the premiere, only without action or suspense. Half of Oblivion Song didn’t even thematically look like the same book from last month. So, when I retrieved my comic books and saw the cover, I wondered why Oblivion Song found its way to my brown bag. I flipped through the book. I saw foot-rubs and discussion over beer.
Sure enough. Oblivion Song appeared to be a neorealist slice-of-life drama, and I don't subscribe to such things. I identified this mistake to the staff at the Phantom of the Attic, and they promised to cross the outlier title off my list. I put Oblivion Song back on the shelf.
Luckily or unluckily, depending on your viewpoint, I started thinking that Oblivion Song misplaced another O title that was on my subscription list. I couldn’t think of one O title that's part of my stack. So, I looked over to the racks, and then I saw the cover to the premiere of Oblivion Song. O, said I.
Although I went all-in on Oblivion Song, this issue is nothing like the first. It’s like a stage play about Oblivion Song, with no special effects, just backdrop art, talking, lots and lots of talking, and the aforementioned foot-rubs.
The Unbeatable Squirrel Girl would have been outstanding had it not been for the most recent "Enter Flash Time," Star Trek and various other projects like John D. McDonald's The Girl, The Gold Watch & Everything. In other words, the frame of reference implications of Einstein's Theory of Special Relativity isn't a new idea.
The best part of Squirrel Girl occurs when Doreen and Nancy mess with Bullseye. Kirby and Bonnie from McDonald's novel also met violence with humiliation. The Doctor furthermore used sleight of hand to replace Jack Harkness' Squaring Gun with a banana.
Given the slow time travel element, I wouldn't be surprised if the scene in Squirrel Girl nodded to Doctor Who. However, the way Ryan North and Erica Henderson present the moment is all Squirrel Girl.
In general The Unbeatable Squirrel Girl is a well-executed story of the type. The characters are in top form, and you can do much worse.
McDonald's novel was a burlesque with lots of sexual hi-jinks. The Flash is an intense forty minutes, and Star Trek is a mystery followed by straightforward drama. Squirrel Girl just could be the right tone for you.
The best part of Squirrel Girl occurs when Doreen and Nancy mess with Bullseye. Kirby and Bonnie from McDonald's novel also met violence with humiliation. The Doctor furthermore used sleight of hand to replace Jack Harkness' Squaring Gun with a banana.
"Bananas are good."
Given the slow time travel element, I wouldn't be surprised if the scene in Squirrel Girl nodded to Doctor Who. However, the way Ryan North and Erica Henderson present the moment is all Squirrel Girl.
In general The Unbeatable Squirrel Girl is a well-executed story of the type. The characters are in top form, and you can do much worse.
McDonald's novel was a burlesque with lots of sexual hi-jinks. The Flash is an intense forty minutes, and Star Trek is a mystery followed by straightforward drama. Squirrel Girl just could be the right tone for you.
The premiere of Exiles on the other hand was a confusing mish-mash of exposition and unfinished Marvel earths threatened by Marvel's answer to the Anti-Monitor. The Time-Eater turns out to be a cross between Pac-Man and a cosmic Grand Poobah, whose identity I'll not spoil.
The story begins in a parallel universe where the original Nick Fury apparently evolved into a Power Cosmic dude. The Watchers chained him to the moon as a punishment for cosmos knows what and forced him to take the place of the more familiar alien.
I know! It’s a totally sensible oxymoron. "Familiar alien" has been a totally sensible oxymoron at least since the days of Edgar Rice Burroughs and his adventures of John Carter Warlord of Mars.
Anyway, another Nick Fury brings the chained Nick Fury a bracelet that contains a shard of special crystal that…frankly I’m not sure what it does. I’ll take a guess and suggest it’s like Man-Thing and pertains to the space-time nexus.
The bracelet calls forth Blink, a mutant time-space teleporter, from the original Exiles. As far as I’m concerned, The Gifted on Fox better serves the character.
Clarice blinks to the moon, home of the bound Nick Fury, and finds the bracelet fetching. Big mistake. The bracelet takes over Blink’s GPS and bounces her through the various sloppily constructed Marvel Universes that require boring explanation to define.
Not to be a spoilsport, but Marvel actually bothered to redeem their lousy multiverse by basing a few series in them. There’s for example the MC2 Universe and the Spiderverse. I would have certainly rather seen the more substantial American Dream or Spider-Gwen in Exiles rather than also-rans like Iron Lad and Mad Max Ms. Marvel. Maybe things will get better when the Tessa Thompson Valkyrie shows up.
Supergirl is similar to Exiles but not a total loss. The story from Steve Orlando and Jody Hauser ostensibly finishes Supergirl’s battle against the D.E.O. as led by paranoid antagonist Director Bones.
Kara's and Cameron Chase's plan against the miscreants is well thought out. It would have acted as an oiled machine like the schemes employed in the television series Mission Impossible.
Of course even, supreme tactician Jim Phelps occasionally had to employ contingency plan A or B.
Orlando will be debuting a new DC series. So, he uses these novel characters as spanners in the works.
Of course even, supreme tactician Jim Phelps occasionally had to employ contingency plan A or B.
Orlando will be debuting a new DC series. So, he uses these novel characters as spanners in the works.
Who?
A woman warrior appears out of nowhere and decides to skewer Bones and Apokolips’ answer to Josef Mengele Mokkari.
I can applaud the sentiment, but I don’t know who this lady is, nor where she came from. I cannot help but think her arrival would have had more impact had it been foreshadowed in previous issues of Supergirl.
I can applaud the sentiment, but I don’t know who this lady is, nor where she came from. I cannot help but think her arrival would have had more impact had it been foreshadowed in previous issues of Supergirl.
Alternately, maybe Orlando should have drew in characters already familiar to DC comics readers to act as catalysts for chaos. The Female Furies for example would have been ideal.
They're from Apokolips. So they have a connection to Mokkari. Being Jack Kirby creations, they're integral to the DCU. They've invaded Supergirl's comics before and fought her in Superman: The Animated Series.
As such, Supergirl mainly succeeds because of Supergirl herself. Independent of any one story, Supergirl is such a powerful figure of hope and strength that you can simply ignore the disarray. Orlando's and Houser's tale also does a good job addressing the supporting cast.
As such, Supergirl mainly succeeds because of Supergirl herself. Independent of any one story, Supergirl is such a powerful figure of hope and strength that you can simply ignore the disarray. Orlando's and Houser's tale also does a good job addressing the supporting cast.
Chase is notably impressive. It’s hilarious that Houser and Orlando should choose now to show the potential in the character: as a rebel and a genuine lover for Superman’s and Supergirl’s personal physician Dr. Shay Veritas. Previously, Orlando equivocated her with the dim-witted SHIELD agent Maria Hill. Not to be confused with the superior cinematic version.
The uneven issue of Supergirl will nevertheless attract Kara's fans. She gets in some good lines and throughout lives up to the S. It's a pleasure to see Director Bones fail completely against her and Mokkari and Bones turn on each other like the villains they are. Series artist Robson Rocha is a plus. We may not know who the warrior woman is, but Rocha demonstrates her tangible threat in scene after scene of close combat.
The uneven issue of Supergirl will nevertheless attract Kara's fans. She gets in some good lines and throughout lives up to the S. It's a pleasure to see Director Bones fail completely against her and Mokkari and Bones turn on each other like the villains they are. Series artist Robson Rocha is a plus. We may not know who the warrior woman is, but Rocha demonstrates her tangible threat in scene after scene of close combat.
Titans exemplifies why I read comic books. It's a perfect issue. Whereas Supergirl's extra antagonist is a head-scratching unknown player and Exiles is just a brain-freezing glop of costumes and rubbish earths, Titans benefits from familiarity, a beautifully constructed plot and a nuanced continuity that affects the story.
The Brain and Monsieur Mallah first pitted their evil plans against the Doom Patrol. They inherited the Titans as nemeses through their association with Changeling, the artist formerly known as Beast Boy. Doom Patrol member Rita Farr codenamed Elasti-Girl adopted Beast Boy. The historical Doom Patrol didn't resurface in the New 52, and Beast Boy is a rejuvenated character.
So, writer Dan Abnett shifts the Brain, Mallah and retroactively the Brotherhood of Evil to the League's Rogues Gallery. It remains to be seen if the Titans know the Brotherhood, but their links to the League can work quite well should Abnett choose to grant them that knowledge.
No matter. All the elements at play in Titans began at the very start of Rebirth. Wally West returned to the DCU. Nobody knew him except Barry Allen and the Titans. Rogue Amazons and a crone created Donna Troy to kill Wonder Woman. Wonder Woman and the true Amazons instilled false memories. When Troy encountered Speedy, Robin, Kid Flash, Aqualad and Lillith, the founding Teen Titans members of the New 52, she believed in her connection to Wonder Woman. Recently, Troy discovered the truth. Worse she met a future evil incarnation. The avatar that succeeded in fulfilling her purpose. Troy fought against her future self and appeared to deny that reality, but the Justice League still stepped in and disbanded the Titans. They also keep Troy under observation at the Watchtower.
Though the League precluded the Titans reuniting, the young heroes still fight crime on their own and stay in contact. Roy Harper investigated a drug called Bliss being sold by Intergang. During that investigation, he encounters Cheshire, a former lover. Cheshire doses Roy with Bliss, and Roy calls Troy for help because he believes that Cheshire is actually a symptom of a greater hazard to the world. Roy is correct. Cheshire takes the place of Madame Rogue in the Brotherhood of Evil. Unfortunately, Roy's accusations sound delusional.
Troy rallies Dick and Wally to help Roy. They all think he's the victim of drug-based hallucinations. Roy expected their reaction. He takes them down. Roy now hunts Cheshire which Abnett juxtaposes against the Brain's climactic upheaval that's trapped the Justice League. This is how you do it.
The Bliss is actually not just a drug, not just a means for the Brotherhood to fill their coffers. Abnett comes up with a genius science fiction use that allows the Brain to enact his plan. The plan is so devious and breathtaking in scope that the Brain even fools Batman, who is probably kicking himself for not listening to Troy.
The cover to Titans depicts a snarling Troy breaking free from chains. That's a metaphor. What actually happens is that a rueful, polite Donna Troy--who sweetly calls Batman "Sir"--teleports to Roy's aid then proceeds to kick Cheshire's ass. All of these brilliant twists and a guest appearance by the entire Justice League rendered in a bona fide design by Paul Pelletier, Andrew Hennessey and Adriano Lucas whose eye-popping colors signify that this is a superhero book.
The Brain and Monsieur Mallah first pitted their evil plans against the Doom Patrol. They inherited the Titans as nemeses through their association with Changeling, the artist formerly known as Beast Boy. Doom Patrol member Rita Farr codenamed Elasti-Girl adopted Beast Boy. The historical Doom Patrol didn't resurface in the New 52, and Beast Boy is a rejuvenated character.
So, writer Dan Abnett shifts the Brain, Mallah and retroactively the Brotherhood of Evil to the League's Rogues Gallery. It remains to be seen if the Titans know the Brotherhood, but their links to the League can work quite well should Abnett choose to grant them that knowledge.
No matter. All the elements at play in Titans began at the very start of Rebirth. Wally West returned to the DCU. Nobody knew him except Barry Allen and the Titans. Rogue Amazons and a crone created Donna Troy to kill Wonder Woman. Wonder Woman and the true Amazons instilled false memories. When Troy encountered Speedy, Robin, Kid Flash, Aqualad and Lillith, the founding Teen Titans members of the New 52, she believed in her connection to Wonder Woman. Recently, Troy discovered the truth. Worse she met a future evil incarnation. The avatar that succeeded in fulfilling her purpose. Troy fought against her future self and appeared to deny that reality, but the Justice League still stepped in and disbanded the Titans. They also keep Troy under observation at the Watchtower.
Though the League precluded the Titans reuniting, the young heroes still fight crime on their own and stay in contact. Roy Harper investigated a drug called Bliss being sold by Intergang. During that investigation, he encounters Cheshire, a former lover. Cheshire doses Roy with Bliss, and Roy calls Troy for help because he believes that Cheshire is actually a symptom of a greater hazard to the world. Roy is correct. Cheshire takes the place of Madame Rogue in the Brotherhood of Evil. Unfortunately, Roy's accusations sound delusional.
Troy rallies Dick and Wally to help Roy. They all think he's the victim of drug-based hallucinations. Roy expected their reaction. He takes them down. Roy now hunts Cheshire which Abnett juxtaposes against the Brain's climactic upheaval that's trapped the Justice League. This is how you do it.
The Bliss is actually not just a drug, not just a means for the Brotherhood to fill their coffers. Abnett comes up with a genius science fiction use that allows the Brain to enact his plan. The plan is so devious and breathtaking in scope that the Brain even fools Batman, who is probably kicking himself for not listening to Troy.
The cover to Titans depicts a snarling Troy breaking free from chains. That's a metaphor. What actually happens is that a rueful, polite Donna Troy--who sweetly calls Batman "Sir"--teleports to Roy's aid then proceeds to kick Cheshire's ass. All of these brilliant twists and a guest appearance by the entire Justice League rendered in a bona fide design by Paul Pelletier, Andrew Hennessey and Adriano Lucas whose eye-popping colors signify that this is a superhero book.
Red Hood and the Outlaws has a few good moments to its credit, but mostly it’s a daft split story with Jason Todd alias the Red Hood trying to bamboozle the Penguin and Artemis attempting to help Bizarro deal with his addition to synthetic green Kryptonite.
X-Men Red impressed me. It's weird. X-Men used to rely upon the most esoteric, convoluted continuity of all time. Now, the Powers at Marvel seems to be going out of their way to set up X-Men titles that adhere only to the barest history. They also let really good writers sink their teeth into story craft rather than aligning the books. This isn't to say that X-Men Red, or any other new X-Men book defies past X-Men stories. The scribes simply don't require the reader to know them.
Red started when Jean Grey attempted to telepathically poll thinkers and philosophers, men and women, to conceive a plan to broker a peace between mutants and humans. An X-Men foe skewered the peace plan by staging a murder and framing Jean. This necessitated Jean forming her own team for protection and rescuing a mutant named Trinary, who solves the how done it.
The current chapter opens with the telepathically shielded enemy breaching the School for Gifted Youngsters and coldly eliminating one of the only students capable of seeing her. It's a cruelty that defines the character. She then performs her next trick which sets up the cliffhanger.
Before that, we join Jean and her team Wolverine, her sister Honey Badger and Nightcrawler in India battling a Sentinel.
Sentinels are comfort food for neophytes to X-Men lore. They're big honking robots designed to kill mutants. You cannot get simpler than that.
The Sentinel serves as the focal point for numerous story elements. It allows Trinary to demonstrate her mutant power. It lets readers gauge the healing factors of the sisters, which also provide humor to the tense situation.
Tom Taylor is the writer of All-New Wolverine. Generally speaking it's an action book with themes about free will and slavery. X-Men Red addresses identity and acceptance.
Originally, I never saw mutants as a metaphor for gays and lesbians. They just seemed to be a cool variation of superhero. Over time, as I've witnessed hatred for the LGBT community, and heard the bigotry, it's now very easy to see the parallels. Taylor drives that point home with the disturbing revelation, also seen last issue.
Jean's words not only pertain to the LGBT population but also women and minorities in general. Rape culture in India is an extreme example of dehumanizing women, and slavery reduced people to property. Classifying mutants as monsters redefines them as things. All of these methods make it easier to kill, which is the ultimate goal of the racists and fascists.
Red started when Jean Grey attempted to telepathically poll thinkers and philosophers, men and women, to conceive a plan to broker a peace between mutants and humans. An X-Men foe skewered the peace plan by staging a murder and framing Jean. This necessitated Jean forming her own team for protection and rescuing a mutant named Trinary, who solves the how done it.
The current chapter opens with the telepathically shielded enemy breaching the School for Gifted Youngsters and coldly eliminating one of the only students capable of seeing her. It's a cruelty that defines the character. She then performs her next trick which sets up the cliffhanger.
Before that, we join Jean and her team Wolverine, her sister Honey Badger and Nightcrawler in India battling a Sentinel.
Sentinels are comfort food for neophytes to X-Men lore. They're big honking robots designed to kill mutants. You cannot get simpler than that.
The Sentinel serves as the focal point for numerous story elements. It allows Trinary to demonstrate her mutant power. It lets readers gauge the healing factors of the sisters, which also provide humor to the tense situation.
Tom Taylor is the writer of All-New Wolverine. Generally speaking it's an action book with themes about free will and slavery. X-Men Red addresses identity and acceptance.
Originally, I never saw mutants as a metaphor for gays and lesbians. They just seemed to be a cool variation of superhero. Over time, as I've witnessed hatred for the LGBT community, and heard the bigotry, it's now very easy to see the parallels. Taylor drives that point home with the disturbing revelation, also seen last issue.
Jean's words not only pertain to the LGBT population but also women and minorities in general. Rape culture in India is an extreme example of dehumanizing women, and slavery reduced people to property. Classifying mutants as monsters redefines them as things. All of these methods make it easier to kill, which is the ultimate goal of the racists and fascists.
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