Pick of the Brown Bag
October 17, 2018
by
Ray Tate
Welcome to the Pick of the Brown Bag. In this blog, I review the best and worst of the comic books. Usually. This lot though is a wee bit specialized, and the potential for sucking is enormous. However, all the comics this week are actually pretty decent, technically well-written with good to great artwork. It's just a question of whether or not you actually care about the big picture.
Our contenders this week are Aquaman, Astonishing X-Men, Batman, Exorsisters, The Formidables, The Girl Who Danced with Death, Nightwing, Peter Parker Spider-Man, Red Sonja, Simpsons Comics, Stellar, Thor and The Unstoppable Wasp. If you're not keen on wading through some of the amazing verbiage I script here, you can always check out condensed, fresh reviews on Twitter: #PickoftheBrownBag.
So if you really love future Thor to pieces, this book may be for you. It's not for me. I can tell you that. Lots of reasons. The main one being that the future in Marvel comics is even more ephemeral than that of DC Comics, who sort of worked out the ins and outs of that periodicity. Although, make no mistake. They still gave us Monarch. I suspect DC's overall deftness is due to the Legion of Super-Heroes. It's one of the best toys in the box. Anyway, Wolverine is still around because of his mutant healing ability and he also became the Phoenix. Dr. Doom possesses practically everything else, the Iron Fist for example. Thor's winning granddaughters are in the book for an instant. Basically, if any of this whets your appetite, then have at it. Nobody else needs apply.
The Spider-Man books squash together this month, maybe two. I don't exactly know how long the Spider-Geddon is, but proper Peter Parker Spider-Man writer Chip Zdarsky takes a holiday. Substitute scribe Sean Ryan produces a pretty decent Spider-Man story despite being stuck in the web of a Big Stupid Event. See, what I did there? I've got to get my fun in somehow.
Morlun is back, and he wants Spider-Man's head. Morlun for those not in the know was created by Michael J. Straczynski and John Romita Jr. as a kind of updated Morbius.
Both antagonists are vampires. Morbius however is the product of a scientific accident. An ethical victim of circumstance, Dr. Michael Morbius is a well-meaning hematologist. He attempted to cure a blood disorder, but the trial left him in a vampiric state. He is not undead nor wanting to be a killer, and he dresses as a super-hero or super-villain, depending on the flavor of the month. The superb costume designed by Gil Kane.
Morlun is pure evil and a sort of psychic vampire with a bloodsucker's sense of haute couture. You can't stop tripping over psychic vampires in science fiction because the adjustment to tradition easily remedies the whole conflict with supernatural hokum.
When you examine the volumes and volumes of vampire mythology and literature, Morbius comes out as one of the most original variations of the theme. Morlun's one of many, and boring as a C-Span debate on zoning.
Because Morlun doesn't possess a scintilla of empathy nor the tragic background of Morbius, the fight is purely visceral, a battle for survival. That looked amazing in Romita's scratchy, visceral style, but that doesn't mean I want to see it again. Morlun's just a predatory thing, albeit from Seville Row. Adding this idea that Morlun feels slighted by Spidey's victories doesn't really give him any depth.
This week's Aquaman is part of The Drowned saga popping in and out of Justice League and Titans. Frankly, it's the best of the crossover titles, with one caveat. If you actually buy Aquaman for Aquaman, you may be disappointed. He only appears on two pages.
Needless to say, the cover to Aquaman is remarkably bogus. There's no Aqua-Monster fighting Mera. Not even metaphorically. Aquaman and Mera aren't even in the same room.
The universe seems to be scraping Atlantis and the earth off its shoe. The Atlanteans survived a Donald Trump usurper and suffering from buyer's remorse unanimously accepted Mera as their Queen. Next, the continent rose to the surface due to some half-assed wish Aquaman made in that boondoggle Metal.
Now, because of a group of extra-dimensional watery bastards, any Atlantean that drops into the water transforms into a monster. Mera Warrior Queen of Atlantis confronts this problem head on in impressive scene after impressive scene. Mera as always has the power of Aquakinesis. She can shape and control water to her liking.
The Atlantean predicament seems like good news for the surface world's xenophobes, doesn't it?
The Atlantean predicament seems like good news for the surface world's xenophobes, doesn't it?
Right. The surface world is being flooded, and starships hover in the skies of every city. The Justice League seem to be overwhelmed, and Batman is doing the best a Batman can.
Batman invited Mera into the Justice League when Corum Rath's machinations isolated her from Atlantis and the water. It occurred in just one inventory issue of Justice League, but written by Dan Abnett.
Tom King writes one Batman book. Nevertheless, he became the master of Batman mythology by the will of the comic book reading public. In order to be relevant, every Batman book and every Batman appearance gravitates toward Tom King's Batman.
Dan Abnett is the opposite of Tom King. Basically, he's a pollinator. Abnett writes Aquaman and the Titans. He also wrote that single issue of Justice League. He's the master and commander of Aquaman by choice. As a result, he seeded the needs of the story unfolding here through that one issue of Justice League. At the conclusion, Mera and the League answer the next call. Presumably, Mera serves in the League during the reign of Corum Rath. She and the League partook in numerous unseen adventures fighting for the sake of humanity and forming a bond. Her membership as a result expands her role in this latest backslap against Atlantis.
Several books this week are simply fights. Batman seeks revenge against the KGBeast for the damage done to his son Dick Grayson.
Several books this week are simply fights. Batman seeks revenge against the KGBeast for the damage done to his son Dick Grayson.
Tom King and Tony Daniel satisfy with a knock-down-drag-out fight that's set in the Beast's cabin in the middle of a snowy Russian woodland. There's not much to say about this in terms of story, other than Batman does not hold back and his last words to the Beast demonstrate a worldly experience in dealing with psychopaths. Less successful is King's juxtaposition of the fight with a ghoulish Russian fable. Frankly, I don't understand the fable's purpose and how it pertains to the Beast or the duel.
Stellar is also a big fight between the title character and her foe Zenith. Zenith opened a portal to a parallel world. He intended to kill it because he originally believed the extra-dimensional aliens to be indescribable creatures probably without souls. In Zenith's mind, he is the hero of the story.
Unlike Nazis, Zenith actually realized that the creatures were simply more of the diverse lifeforms that populated his universe. They were not a threat and therefore need not be slaughtered.
That said, he's still not keen on Stellar, who he feels abandoned the cause and thwarted him when he needed her talents the most. Thus, he instituted a very personal revenge. That revenge appears to fruit this issue, but by the end of the chapter, you question whether Zenith's original want hasn't been transformed into something else.
Unlike Nazis, Zenith actually realized that the creatures were simply more of the diverse lifeforms that populated his universe. They were not a threat and therefore need not be slaughtered.
That said, he's still not keen on Stellar, who he feels abandoned the cause and thwarted him when he needed her talents the most. Thus, he instituted a very personal revenge. That revenge appears to fruit this issue, but by the end of the chapter, you question whether Zenith's original want hasn't been transformed into something else.
Amy Chu's and Erik Burnham's Red Sonja is a humorous fight between she and a troll. It doesn't start out that way.
The Troll is Zercat who encountered Sonja's time-displaced Max some issues back. Chu and Burnham pick up that amusing, yet dismissible scene and really build on its hidden potential.
The Black Terror's Jonathan Lau pitches in for a very different take on Sonja, turning her into a sort of more realistic Dragonball Z samurai, and his artwork which is usually serious lends to the comedy of Burnham's and Chu's tale.
At the same time, Lau creates masterful battle between Sonja and the monster that does justice to both parties.
The Troll is Zercat who encountered Sonja's time-displaced Max some issues back. Chu and Burnham pick up that amusing, yet dismissible scene and really build on its hidden potential.
The Black Terror's Jonathan Lau pitches in for a very different take on Sonja, turning her into a sort of more realistic Dragonball Z samurai, and his artwork which is usually serious lends to the comedy of Burnham's and Chu's tale.
At the same time, Lau creates masterful battle between Sonja and the monster that does justice to both parties.
The Girl Who Danced with Death opens with political intrigue as the woman-hating group Sparta uses the information it discovered, stole to blackmail the Swedish government.
Lis Salander previously in the series discovered the secret NSA like spy program and its data in a hack she performed with the Republic. Sparta's well-armed detail squelched their victory dance.
Salander went on the run out of necessity, but Sparta captured her cohorts Trinity and Bob the Dog. Sparta strong armed the couple and Salander's good friend Plague to perform their feats of computer wizardry for them.
Salander instinctively saw the connections between Sparta and Sten Windhoff leader of the Conservative Republican Party. The new Nazis. So she sought out Mikael Blomkvist, who's digging into the group for Millennium.
Sylvain Runberg just nails the characterization of the brilliant but volatile Salander and the more measured Mikael. Belen Ortega brings the duo to visual life. These skillful turns aren't just isolated to the stars but also to others in the cast such as Erika Berger, who surprise, surprise does not like Lisbeth.
The feeling is mutual but only in a slight rivalry from Salander's point of view. Berger sees Salander as a threatening catalyst that may speed Mikael to his death. Salander just sees Berger as annoying. Erika's premonition of Mikael's demise however does come in handy and reintroduces another character from the Millennium trilogy that acts as the cavalry in a standoff where Salander and Blomkvist kidnap Windhoff.
The standoff becomes worse when Sparta decides that Windhoff is expendable if it allows them to kill Salander and Blomkvist. Runberg and Ortega during the siege keep the series cutting edge to technology, but the updates fail miserably for Sparta. It's a lovely moment when Salander expresses her youth and joy.
Salander ironically finds herself attempting to protect the status quo in order to save her friends and put an end to Sparta's tyranny. Not to mention keep she and Mikael out of jail. It's a nugget of realism that Salander acquiesces. It's also likely that she sees the Swedish government as bad but not evil. Because of their actions, Salander also probably reasons that the program she worked to expose is cast too heavily in the light and will be shut down to curtail further embarrassment.
If you haven't been reading The Girl Who Danced With Death you've been missing out on a Salander-Blomkvist investigation that's dead on in the flavor of Stieg Larsson. The story touches on the layers that the late author explored: privacy, toxic masculinity and racism. I'm not big on adding things to canon that lie outside the source material's territory. In other words. The canon of Stieg Larsson's novels are the three novels. The canon of Sherlock Holmes stories are those written by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, but the The Girl Who Danced With Death is so good I'm almost, almost inclined to make an exception.
Lis Salander previously in the series discovered the secret NSA like spy program and its data in a hack she performed with the Republic. Sparta's well-armed detail squelched their victory dance.
Salander went on the run out of necessity, but Sparta captured her cohorts Trinity and Bob the Dog. Sparta strong armed the couple and Salander's good friend Plague to perform their feats of computer wizardry for them.
Salander instinctively saw the connections between Sparta and Sten Windhoff leader of the Conservative Republican Party. The new Nazis. So she sought out Mikael Blomkvist, who's digging into the group for Millennium.
Sylvain Runberg just nails the characterization of the brilliant but volatile Salander and the more measured Mikael. Belen Ortega brings the duo to visual life. These skillful turns aren't just isolated to the stars but also to others in the cast such as Erika Berger, who surprise, surprise does not like Lisbeth.
The feeling is mutual but only in a slight rivalry from Salander's point of view. Berger sees Salander as a threatening catalyst that may speed Mikael to his death. Salander just sees Berger as annoying. Erika's premonition of Mikael's demise however does come in handy and reintroduces another character from the Millennium trilogy that acts as the cavalry in a standoff where Salander and Blomkvist kidnap Windhoff.
The standoff becomes worse when Sparta decides that Windhoff is expendable if it allows them to kill Salander and Blomkvist. Runberg and Ortega during the siege keep the series cutting edge to technology, but the updates fail miserably for Sparta. It's a lovely moment when Salander expresses her youth and joy.
Salander ironically finds herself attempting to protect the status quo in order to save her friends and put an end to Sparta's tyranny. Not to mention keep she and Mikael out of jail. It's a nugget of realism that Salander acquiesces. It's also likely that she sees the Swedish government as bad but not evil. Because of their actions, Salander also probably reasons that the program she worked to expose is cast too heavily in the light and will be shut down to curtail further embarrassment.
If you haven't been reading The Girl Who Danced With Death you've been missing out on a Salander-Blomkvist investigation that's dead on in the flavor of Stieg Larsson. The story touches on the layers that the late author explored: privacy, toxic masculinity and racism. I'm not big on adding things to canon that lie outside the source material's territory. In other words. The canon of Stieg Larsson's novels are the three novels. The canon of Sherlock Holmes stories are those written by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, but the The Girl Who Danced With Death is so good I'm almost, almost inclined to make an exception.
Dick Grayson suffered trauma in Batman. Nightwing follows the consequences. Dick Grayson no longer possesses an emotional connection to a collection of memories that appear to be incomplete.
Dick Grayson is for all intent and purpose a new character. I'm not sure if I like him, but he treats Alfred decently. He seems to still possess empathy, and he still occasionally does the good deed now and again. It's just not his goal in life. He appears to be content driving a cab and making ends meet. He for example admires Alfred's car but doesn't envy Alfred for owning one.
Meanwhile, the detectives and firefighters respond to the blaze that reveals Dick's former roost as Nightwing. None of it reveals his identity. Dick was too smart for that, but it gives a desperate cop the opportunity to replenish the dry hope-well in Blludhaven.
In terms of technique, Scott Lobdell takes over for the impressive Benjamin Percy. I like Lobdell's writing in general, but this lacks the sense of humor prevalent in Red Hood. Fabian Nicieza also contributes to the writing, and I'm guessing he's behind the New Coke. It's kind of in his ballpark. There's also a change in artwork when Gary Brown takes over for Travis Moore. None of these multiple chefs ruin the broth, which is still mostly mystery meat.
Dick Grayson is for all intent and purpose a new character. I'm not sure if I like him, but he treats Alfred decently. He seems to still possess empathy, and he still occasionally does the good deed now and again. It's just not his goal in life. He appears to be content driving a cab and making ends meet. He for example admires Alfred's car but doesn't envy Alfred for owning one.
Meanwhile, the detectives and firefighters respond to the blaze that reveals Dick's former roost as Nightwing. None of it reveals his identity. Dick was too smart for that, but it gives a desperate cop the opportunity to replenish the dry hope-well in Blludhaven.
In terms of technique, Scott Lobdell takes over for the impressive Benjamin Percy. I like Lobdell's writing in general, but this lacks the sense of humor prevalent in Red Hood. Fabian Nicieza also contributes to the writing, and I'm guessing he's behind the New Coke. It's kind of in his ballpark. There's also a change in artwork when Gary Brown takes over for Travis Moore. None of these multiple chefs ruin the broth, which is still mostly mystery meat.
The Unstoppable Wasp returns. For those not familiar with the new Wasp. She's Nadia Van Dyne, the product from the marriage of Hank and Maria Pym. An America/Russian escapee from the Red Room who sought asylum in America. Though she has American citizenship through her father, the proof of that was hard coming. So, Janet Van Dyne being as I stated before the kindest and most ethical person in the Marvel Universe just decided to adopt the utterly brilliant, engaging teen. Nadia also freed her best friend Ying from Red Room control and established GIRL a think tank and invention factory for girls. Our story begins with Nadia accompanied by her guardsman Jarvis on a quest to conquer driving.
It's great to see Lola again. Janet informs Nadia of a break in by AIM and new agent the Seeker. She would deal with it herself, but she's breaking in a new lawyer while securing investments for GIRL.
That's Miranda, the sister of Tania member of GIRL. This section of our story accurately captures the nervousness of the first day on the job as easily as Jeremy Whitley and new Wasp artist Gurihu conveys the classic enjoyment of AIM.
Beekeeper. Thank you for that. The Unstoppable Wasp's latest is a fun-filled journey in super heroics, science, science fiction, femme and diversity positive concepts and Marvel continuity.
In addition to the centerpiece of a Pym fighting AIM, in the most upbeat, energetic way, Unstoppable Wasp also functions on the oil of every kind of relationship. Pure friendship. Sisters. Would be lovers. Mother-daughter. Antagonistic. Teammates. The emotional connections give Unstoppable Wasp its heart and therefore its depth.
It's great to see Lola again. Janet informs Nadia of a break in by AIM and new agent the Seeker. She would deal with it herself, but she's breaking in a new lawyer while securing investments for GIRL.
That's Miranda, the sister of Tania member of GIRL. This section of our story accurately captures the nervousness of the first day on the job as easily as Jeremy Whitley and new Wasp artist Gurihu conveys the classic enjoyment of AIM.
Beekeeper. Thank you for that. The Unstoppable Wasp's latest is a fun-filled journey in super heroics, science, science fiction, femme and diversity positive concepts and Marvel continuity.
In addition to the centerpiece of a Pym fighting AIM, in the most upbeat, energetic way, Unstoppable Wasp also functions on the oil of every kind of relationship. Pure friendship. Sisters. Would be lovers. Mother-daughter. Antagonistic. Teammates. The emotional connections give Unstoppable Wasp its heart and therefore its depth.
Simpsons Comics is going on hiatus, and Bongo's Nathan Kane prepares a worthy send-off. This could have been a mishmash of tributes to two-hundred-forty-four issues, but such a feat would likely end up being a bloated mess. Instead, Kane and cartoonists Rex Lindsey, inker Andrew Pepoy and master of hues Art Villanueva instead create a solid beginning, middle and end a side and b side story. The story begins with Marge rewarding the kids for being good and using the bonus Homer received to buy Bart, Lisa and Maggie a special gift. For Maggie that means a pet, but because a bonus only stretches so far, Marge can only shop in the mutated discount section of the pet shop.
The bunny obviously pays homage to Matt Groening's Life in Hell strip. As the story progresses, we the bunny has an unusual habit that directly references the conclusion of the book, and it's that allusion that sets the Simpsons off on a journey to discover why the bunny hates Bongo.
This is the perfect example to demonstrate Kane's insightful skills at characterizing the cast. Burns believes in nuclear power. He wouldn't see the vitriol in Lisa's point, and the irony is that Burns is correct. Maggie does believe the bunny is "delightful."
The trip to see Mr. Burns acts doubly. It illuminates side b which explains the money Homer receives and promises to create more mayhem. A callback also to "In Marge We Trust" and Mr. Sparkle, the side b story goes where no bunny has gone before, and in the end it turns into a giant successful sendoff.
The bunny obviously pays homage to Matt Groening's Life in Hell strip. As the story progresses, we the bunny has an unusual habit that directly references the conclusion of the book, and it's that allusion that sets the Simpsons off on a journey to discover why the bunny hates Bongo.
This is the perfect example to demonstrate Kane's insightful skills at characterizing the cast. Burns believes in nuclear power. He wouldn't see the vitriol in Lisa's point, and the irony is that Burns is correct. Maggie does believe the bunny is "delightful."
The trip to see Mr. Burns acts doubly. It illuminates side b which explains the money Homer receives and promises to create more mayhem. A callback also to "In Marge We Trust" and Mr. Sparkle, the side b story goes where no bunny has gone before, and in the end it turns into a giant successful sendoff.
Ian Boothby's and Gisele Lagace's Exorsisters presents Cate and Kate Harrow supernatural investigators. There's a reason why Cate and Kate are both named Catherine, but it's not the only thing that distinguishes the sister team of demon slayers from others in their profession.
Boothby a Simpsons and Futurama comics writer knows how to vividly characterize a large cast. Lagace no mean cartoonist easily generates distinctive body language from the cast that goes beyond Kate's more overt expressions. Together they create a wry pair that would be perfect vehicles for the Soska Sisters.
The story itself is a winner, filled with frolic and a panopticon of demons. Our tale unfolds on the wedding day of Glenn and Gloria. Alas, somebody doesn't hold their peace.
Cate and Kate Harrow enter the picture, and here's where things could have gone down the garden path of mediocrity. The creative team know you've seen things like this before. You can almost guess what's going on, multiple variations in fact. I'm pleased to say that Exorsisters isn't what you think. The Harrows begin their investigation, and even their spell casting surprises.
The Harrows visit Hell and like true detectives question contacts and follow leads. The Harrows' initial entry demonstrates the type of humor that can be explored, and it's a little more mature than what readers are used to from Boothby's other works.
It's nice though that Boothby didn't just scream "Freedom from all-ages titles" and go nuts. He instead creates an engrossing amusement for detective aficionados. Pay attention because Exorsisters is a fair play mystery. Boothby and Lagace hide clues in plain sight and in the comedy.
Boothby a Simpsons and Futurama comics writer knows how to vividly characterize a large cast. Lagace no mean cartoonist easily generates distinctive body language from the cast that goes beyond Kate's more overt expressions. Together they create a wry pair that would be perfect vehicles for the Soska Sisters.
The story itself is a winner, filled with frolic and a panopticon of demons. Our tale unfolds on the wedding day of Glenn and Gloria. Alas, somebody doesn't hold their peace.
Cate and Kate Harrow enter the picture, and here's where things could have gone down the garden path of mediocrity. The creative team know you've seen things like this before. You can almost guess what's going on, multiple variations in fact. I'm pleased to say that Exorsisters isn't what you think. The Harrows begin their investigation, and even their spell casting surprises.
The Harrows visit Hell and like true detectives question contacts and follow leads. The Harrows' initial entry demonstrates the type of humor that can be explored, and it's a little more mature than what readers are used to from Boothby's other works.
Astonishing X-Men despite being dependent on X-Men continuity is remarkably readable. Havok makes a deal with a group of X-Men baddies known as the Reavers.
I know jack about the Reavers, but the common enemy appears to be the U.S. Government. The government as the bad guy is classic X-Men. So, there's no real shocker there.
Primarily, Astonishing X-Men is for fans of the characters comprising this team. X-Men only in name since Kitty Pryde owns the trademark. In addition, writer Matthew Rosenberg laden the story with universal humor and inside jokes for X-Men fans new and old. Greg Land produces gorgeous artwork. So, you could do a lot worse.
I know jack about the Reavers, but the common enemy appears to be the U.S. Government. The government as the bad guy is classic X-Men. So, there's no real shocker there.
Primarily, Astonishing X-Men is for fans of the characters comprising this team. X-Men only in name since Kitty Pryde owns the trademark. In addition, writer Matthew Rosenberg laden the story with universal humor and inside jokes for X-Men fans new and old. Greg Land produces gorgeous artwork. So, you could do a lot worse.
The third issue of The Formidables deals with the fallout of the team's reveals in the aftermath of a battle against red agent Storm Fighter. The story takes place in the uptight super-white 1950s, where communists are lurking under every bed. So, you can imagine the reaction when the rocky fellow Stalagmite turns into a black man whose gay relationship with fellow teammate becomes evident.
Yeah, that doesn't fly. The government sends their operative the Steel Patriot to investigate. Captain America is unique. He's a star-spangled hero created in World War II and designed in story and context to smack around Nazis. When brought into the sixties by the Avengers, Cap didn't change a whit. We accept Captain America without cynicism. Every other red, white and blue hero or soldier created in modern times we eye suspiciously. Exceptions being those associated with Captain America, such as the marvelous American Dream.
We expect the Steel Patriot to be a coldly efficient bigot shaped by the government he serves, but that's not the case. The way Chris Malgrain sets up the new hero is that he originates in World War II just like Cap and as such experienced the hate of Nazis first hand. That should definitely change one's perspective.
The Steel Patriot though isn't just a knock off of Cap. Malgrain characterizes him differently. When discussing his mission, The Patriot picks his words carefully, and even throughout the inevitable fight, he holds back. The Patriot wants answers not blood.
Yeah, that doesn't fly. The government sends their operative the Steel Patriot to investigate. Captain America is unique. He's a star-spangled hero created in World War II and designed in story and context to smack around Nazis. When brought into the sixties by the Avengers, Cap didn't change a whit. We accept Captain America without cynicism. Every other red, white and blue hero or soldier created in modern times we eye suspiciously. Exceptions being those associated with Captain America, such as the marvelous American Dream.
We expect the Steel Patriot to be a coldly efficient bigot shaped by the government he serves, but that's not the case. The way Chris Malgrain sets up the new hero is that he originates in World War II just like Cap and as such experienced the hate of Nazis first hand. That should definitely change one's perspective.
The Steel Patriot though isn't just a knock off of Cap. Malgrain characterizes him differently. When discussing his mission, The Patriot picks his words carefully, and even throughout the inevitable fight, he holds back. The Patriot wants answers not blood.
The Steel Patriot is just one of the heroes that Malgrain creates for The Formidables, and that's another surprise. I really thought The Formidables were an entirely new concept for this world. You could therefore excuse the bystanders' reaction as simply fear of the unknown. Malgrain however populates his earth and its history with a plethora colorful figures. The key I think is that they're all white and at least to the paranoid public all Christian straight people. This is where the story's depth lies, and Malgrain's naked John Byrne homage goes remarkably far in demonstrating his imagination and tribute to scare comics of the 1950s.
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