Lucid Comics – November 18th
Written by Adam A. Donaldson
Thursday, 19 November 2009 14:20
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Previews
Might Marvel Must-Sees
Marvel Comics is keeping up the hype with a steady diet of new art, setting up the December launch of Siege. The story written by Brian Michael Bendis, with art drawn by Olier Coipel, officially begins in January, but the prologue Siege: The Cabal bows in December. Siege will set up the story that supposedly returns “The Big Three” – Captain America, Iron Man and Thor – to the forefront of the Marvel Universe.
The new art work depicts Thor being overwhelmed by the Dark Avengers, Captain America holding a gun to the head of Norman Osborn, and the sight of an Asgard aflame falling to Earth. There’s also a tease of a secret weapon being held by Osborn that could be in the form of the Scarlet Witch, Thanos, X-Man or the Beyonder. Check out the new art below.
Marvel is also heavily promoting the upcoming Fall of the Hulks crossover, which will feature a climactic battle royale between all the various incarnations of the Hulk. The story begins this December in Fall of the Hulks Alpha by writer Jeph Loeb and artist Paul Pelletier. Also in December will be a second one-shot continuing the story called Fall of the Hulks Gamma by Loeb and John Romita Jr. But the big announcement came yesterday when Marvel revealed that artist and Image Comics co-founder Whilce Portacio will be returning to the House of Ideas to pencil Hulk #18, written by Loeb Portacio’s art can be seen below in the fight scene between Green Hulk and Doc Samson.
See other pieces of promotional art below.
Reviews
Strange #1 of 4
Mark Waid and Emma Rios
Marvel Comics
What does a Sorcerer Supreme do when the powers of fate remove him from his highly important position as the central figure for all things mystical on Earth? Why you go to a baseball game, of course. No seriously, Dr. Strange spends this first issue of a four-part miniseries at the old ball park. Well, there’s more to it than just enjoying some baseball with a dog and a brew, like a demonic possession situation with the souls of a whole baseball stadium full of fans on the line. Waid crafts an interesting allegory with Strange, he’s like a skilled worker forced into early retirement. The good doctor struggles to prove that he still has something to offer while still being unsure as to what exactly that might be. Can he still be a hero? Can he reclaim his mantle as Sorcerer Supreme? Could playing mentor to the naturally talented young woman Casey, introduced in this issue, be the Doctor’s next role in the Marvel Universe? It certainly seems like it by the end of the issue, and I will happily return for issue #2 to find out for sure.
Batman & Robin #6
Grant Morrison and Philip Tan
DC Comics
I seem to have underestimated the level of commitment needed to enjoy Grant Morrison’s take on the Dynamic Duo. I picked up issue #6 thinking I could dive right into a new story. What I didn’t realize was that I was actually beginning the final chapter of the previous story. Regardless, Morrison’s prose is accessible to the casual reader so that you can quickly pick up on the fact that Batman and Robin are in a jam and the formally deceased Robin Jason Todd is the cause. Morrison masterfully plays with the recurrent theme of the post-Batman Reborn world in Gotham City: Can Dick Grayson effectively fill the role of Batman? One wonders if Dick and Jason’s angry words about “standing in his shadow” might precipitate some awkward questions amongst the police officers witnessing the argument, including Commissioner Gordon. Certainly Gordon already has his suspicions, but what will he do with them now? Note to self: Try and pick this book up more often. Next month is a Blackest Night crossover? Even better.
Dark X-Men #1 of 5
Paul Cornell and Leonard Kirk
Marvel Comics
Congratulations Marvel, you really know how to milk a dead cow. I must admit, that the whole Dark X-Men crossover in Uncanny X-Men and Dark Avengers was mildly diverting. But the stick-to-it-ness of giving the remaining darkest members of the Dark X-Men their own story seems an experiment in pushing your luck. Mystique (disguised as Jean Grey now) leads Dark Beast, Omega and Mimic to a small California town after a group of entranced citizens nearly walk over a cliff while chanting “I’m an X-Man.” Didn’t I see this whole alien-force-influencing-entranced-populace thing a few months ago on Torchwood: Children of Earth - except with kids? Regardless, I found that this fearsome four lacked a certain dynamic quality and charismatic appeal. The resolution to the mystery was even less satisfying due to the appearance of another “Age of Apocalypse” character, which I suspect no one was anxious to see again. Sadly, this is an X-Miss.
Haunt #2
Robert Kirkman and Ryan Ottley with Greg Capullo
Image Comics
First impressions upon seeing the cover of the new Image series Haunt? It’s Spider-Man meets Spawn. And why not? He was co-created by the popular Spawn creator and Spider-Man artist, Todd McFarlane. But believe me kids, the elevator pitch of Spawn-meets-Spider-Man doesn’t get much better once you start reading the issue. Daniel is a Catholic Priest trying to unravel the circumstances surrounding the death of Kurt, his secret agent brother. The twist is that the Kurt returns as a ghost to help his Daniel, and the two of them can join forces to become the titular spirit of vengeance. Like Spawn, Haunt is a hard-boiled crime drama about bloody revenge, family dysfunction and supernatural powers. How long will it be before Haunt runs into an equivalent nemesis as Violator, a giant demon-iguana with a stubby, clown-faced alter ego? The book definitely looks cool, but there’s a serious déjà vu feeling with this project that can’t be shook, despite the talented pencil work of Todd McFarlane.
R.E.B.E.L.S. #10
Tony Bedard and Andy Clark
DC Comics
To be honest, I hadn’t given R.E.B.E.L.S. a second thought since I reviewed the first issue earlier this year. But had the cover not been branded a Blackest Night crossover, I might have skipped it again for another month. But if I had, I would have missed Vril Dox in his element - bossing people around, and being a prize jerk. I would have missed a rather comfortable cohabitation between the ongoing R.E.B.E.L.S. storyline and the plot heavy details of Blackest Night. And most importantly, I would have missed Vril Dox decked out as one of the Sinestro Corps Lanterns. Sure, it was for one panel, but it’ll be interesting to see what Dox, spawn of Brainiac, can do with a ring of power.
Lobo: Highway to Hell #1 of 2
Scott Ian and Sam Kieth
DC Comics
If you were a reader of comics in the 90s then you remember Lobo, the Czarnian bounty hunter that referred to himself in third person as “The Main Man”. If you’re a comic fan, and haven’t given Lobo much thought lately, you can be forgiven. But if you’re a Lobo fan and don’t pick-up this new story, then you are seriously missing out. Brought to you by the dream team of Scott Ian (frontman of the band Anthrax) and Sam Kieth (artist of Sandman and Judge Dread), Highway to Hell is all about Lobo’s quest to start a fight with the Devil. Basically, the whole issue is about Lobo getting drunk, causing a ruckus, being confronted by annoying people, and moving on to the next mess. But I honestly don’t remember previous Lobo stories revolving around anything more substantial than that. Sadly, Lobo and Satan don’t fight in this issue, but you end up breezing through the book so fast that you barely notice.
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