Before Watchmen: Silk Spectre

Before Watchmen Wednesday!

I really had a hard time making myself care about this comic. I’m not sure if this is because I don’t love Silk Spectre, if it is because I don’t have a lot of interest in the San Francisco counter-culture scene of the 60s, or if I never bought in to the villains and overall plot. But I never really got engaged in this limited, and even found myself skipping some pages.

Laurie Jupiter does come off like a normal girl. She has a crush on a boy, she gets mad at her mother, and wants to live her own life. Darwyn Cooke lays out a path for her that makes sense and shows the path of her becoming a woman. The problem is there aren’t enough super-heroics in it for me.

Just like in the Minutemen series, Cooke keeps the tone fairly light. Laurie’s life isn’t awful at all, and in fact the darkest parts of it come from her mother (the original Silk Spectre) and the Comedian. This is as it should be; those are tragic characters in well-established cycles of destruction. The problem is… the book is almost too light! I didn’t get wrapped up in Laurie’s problems because they just seemed to be so off-the-wall and 60’s kitschy.

Amanda Palmer does a fantastic job, as always. Her characters have different builds, especially the two Silk Spectres. The use of classic art interjected into the panels gives Laurie a “real girl” type quality that makes her very endearing. I thought the LSD sequence went on way too long, so long that I found myself skipping most of the pages. Palmer clearly spent time creating a lived-in world for Laurie. The neighborhood, friends, acquaintances, and villains of San Francisco are all tremendously lived in and real-feeling.

The problem is, I’m sort of like Hollis Mason when he makes his brief appearance. It’s not really a world I’m interested in seeing more of.

Average

Transformer: Robots in Disguise #28

After the slog that was Dark Cybertron, I have been very excited about the re-focusing of IDW’s Transformers titles with Dawn of the Autobots. This seems to be the title that is tackling the classic aspect of the Tranformers’ story. There will still be “Robots in Disguise” since the Cybertronians still need to stay hidden on Earth. Plus, with the good and bad guys integrating a lot more in the other TF titles, this seems like the place to see classic Autobot vs. Decepticon carnage.

As I always say, part of the excitement for these nostalgia-based properties is seeing which characters make the cast list in each title. John Barber seems to have a pretty defined crew of Autobots in the spotlight here, and a lot of old favorites get represented. Optimus Prime, Prowl (surely Barber’s favorite character), Jazz, Kup, Sideswipe, Arcee, Cosmos, Skylinx, and Jetfire seem to be the main crew of Autobots returning to Earth. This gives us a good mix of characters, especially since Jazz is responsible for the ‘Bots getting booted off the Earth last time.

One interesting aspect of the book is that it seems the Autobot/Decepticon battle that has ceased on Cybertron is continuing on Earth, giving us a good Decepticon faction too. So Earth may end up being the frontline of the classic battle going forward. On the Decepticon side, we’ve got Galvatron, Soundwave, Blitzwing, the Constructicons, and more.

Still maintaining his neutrality (and maybe even siding with the Earthlings), Thundercracker seems to be a pretty important part of the narrative too. He sat out the last few years of TF stories, choosing to hang out on Earth to get a dog and write screenplays. (Everyone on the message boards seems to love his amateurish attempt to write human-based drama. It is pretty good, but I’m not sure how long the joke will work for…)

The art is uniformly strong, as Andrew Griffith excels at drawing giant robots. The new alt-modes look great, and even when characters have been bulked up or modernized (like Optimus’ new split-chest look), they are instantly recognizable. I suppose Griffith can’t be perfect at everything, because his humans don’t look as good as his robots. The Earthlings have lumpier faces and bodies with odd dimensions. But since this book is called Transformers, that is a trade off I can live with.

I’m certainly interested enough in this GOOD re-focusing to start my subscription again. (I took a little break for Dark Cybertron after the first chapters.)

Fatale: West of Hell TPB

I’m not sure if I’m being obtuse, or if Ed Brubaker is being purposely vague. I’m not sure if the titular Fatale is immortal, or if multiple women throughout time have served the same role as our current story. 

This entire trade is made up of interludes showing strange women with an amazing influence over men. We get medieval times, the 1930’s, the 1880’s, and the 1940’s. The story plays out in a similar fashion in each time period. Strange men (or un-men) are hunting our heroine, she allies with some strange guys (who may or may not be able to resist her influence), and we fade to black.

This is an effective tragedy, and it is a great work of world-building. Clearly this is some sort of immortal battle that has raged on for a long time. It sure seems like the cultists are hunting the Fatales in order to sacrifice the women to some dark, Cthullian entity. What happens then? I’m not exactly clear. There also isn’t a direct connection to the story taking place in the present.

While I find myself very interested and invested in each tale printed in this trade, I’m having an extremely hard time remember what the greater plot is. I think I might have to re-read some of the earlier volumes before I move on to book 4. I’m just not clear on what Brubaker is trying to say here.

Sean Phillips can hop from era to era and not bat an eye. Fatale maintains her look, but with time-appropriate fashions, and every single one of the supporting male protectors looks like he could star in a film version of the story. The gore is very startling and striking, but never over the top (well, not too much.) I also love it when Phillips gets to draw the REALLY crazy stuff, like the weird bird-ghost slicing up some dude in the woods. Those scenes in the haunted forest are my favorite in the trade.

So this is still a very GOOD series, I just worry I’ve lost track of the overall plot! 

Before Watchmen: Minutemen

Before Watchmen Wednesday!

Now THIS is what the Before Watchmen project should have been like.

I’m not sure if it is because the Minutemen were largely unmined and therefore more fertile ground, or if it is just because Darwyn Cooke is so darn good at what he does. But it is clear that this series is the high point of the Before Watchmen projects.

Unlike the others, this series takes what we already know about the Minutemen and uses those moments to springboard us into new cases, new adventures, and new interactions for the characters. Using Hollis Mason, the original Nite Owl is a brilliant move, since he’s the most heroic and straightforward of the entire team. Hollis never comes across as an idiot, but he does come across as a simple man doing his best to serve the greater good. In the pessimistic, “smart” world of the Watchmen, it is nice seeing someone who just wants to do the right thing and isn’t blind-sided by the real world. (The Nite Owl series played Dan Dreiberg as sort of a doofus shocked that people engaged in adult activities.)

Cooke’s Minutemen is a mix of sub-teams, like any good super hero comic. Captain Metropolis and Hooded Justice spend most of their time to themselves. Silk Spectre and the Comedian have their complicated relationship playing out to one side. The bulk of the pages focus on Mason’s group of guys who actually want to do some good. Silhouette, Mothman, and Nite Owl actually go out on patrol and work cases when they leave the team, unlike well-meaning doofuses like Dollar Bill.

Cooke shows remarkable restraint throughout the whole series. While it is easy to dismiss the Minutemen as corrupt, stupid, or both, Cooke plays them as a conflicted, complicated group that basically was trying to do the right thing. When Hollis talks about Dollar Bill’s fate, he tells the reader he’s not going to laugh at the joke because Bill was basically a good guy and a friend. There is no need to mock the super-hero cape trope here; that can stand in the core series itself.

Like an actual, real miniseries, there are subplots and character arcs that play out over the series. Even the most mysterious member of the team, Hooded Justice, gets some time in the spotlight, although it is filtered through the lens of Nite Owl’s suspicions. The Comedian comes across as a sociopath and Silk Spectre as a faker, but they are the least of the team. Mothman has a quiet dignity and courage that wears him down and Silhouette is a hard-ass won over by Hollis’ earnest courage and openness.

The art is delightful, of course. Cooke’s classic style works perfectly on these characters. The Comedian’s early look shows the stark contrast between his sidekick style costume and the insane tendencies he uses to motivate himself. Nite Owl’s silly pants and suit look impressive and heroic, especially in the triumphant moments that Hollis gets during the series. Each of the characters has a different build and facial structure, making it easy to recognize people both in and out of costume, always a triumph in the comic medium. I shouldn’t be surprised that Cooke is able to take a rag-tag bunch of throwaway characters and make them into something I wish I could see more from.

The bravest thing Cooke does in the series is the conclusion. We all know how the Minutemen’s story ends. We know what happens to Hollis Mason. The Watchmen is a tragedy, we get it. But Cooke decides to take a different angle when ending this series and the book is stronger for it.

I am actually going to buy this series.

GOOD

Star Wars: In the Shadow of Yavin TPB

For someone who no longer considers himself a huge Star Wars fan, I sure read a lot of Star Wars comics. I’ve heard such good things about the current series, I had to check out the first trade from the library and see what all the fuss was about.

I’m glad I did, this is a pretty strong opening statement. Too bad Dark Horse is losing the rights and none of this will end up counting in continuity. (C’mon, you don’t really think Marvel is going to let DH’s version of things stand, do you? You KNOW Marvel is going to re-mine each and every one of these eras.)

Leia is the surprising protagonist of the first few issues. There is panel time for Luke Skywalker, Han Solo, and Chewie, along with Wedge Antilles, but Leia is the driver of the story. It’s a good choice, and I applaud Brian Wood for adding a bunch of new competencies to the character. Leia is a covert team leader and skilled X-wing pilot, all while maintaining her more diplomatic role from the movies. Wood also plays up the fact that Luke and Leia don’t exactly know they are related (Spoiler!). Leia gets jealous when the hot-headed Luke Skywalker starts hanging out with his attractive new squad mates.

Wood populates the world with some good additions. He’s got some new imperials that seem like credible threats, and the covert “black X-wing” squad of pilots all have potential too. Plenty of the myriad Star Wars races are represented, so it feels natural seeing all these folks teaming up.

If there is one character that Wood clearly “gets,” it is Han Solo. Luke, Leia, and the others are well-written, but with an updated feel. Han feels like he stepped off the screen. The character shines, especially when bickering and plotting with Chewie, who hollers and howls through the whole trade.

Plus, BOBA FETT! That's a letter grade raise right there!

I used to write off Carlos D’Anda as a Jim Lee clone, but he’s expanding away from that. He still has a habit of drawing people’s necks too long, but his facial work is great. The acting is top notch, and the aliens look like they fit perfectly in amongst the more human centric cast. It isn’t easy to convey the sense of motion and battle in a space dogfight, but D’Anda hits the mark consistently. He also has a fun sense of timing with his splash pages. Not only are they dramatic, but I bet D’Anda is going to make a lot of money selling these original pages.

This is a Good comic that will most likely end up forgotten. But I’ll enjoy it while it lasts. 

Superior Spider-Man #31

It is a triumph of storytelling that Dan Slott can leave his readers with a twinge of regret at the end of this issue. Peter Parker is one of the most popular, enduring characters of all time, yet I know I felt a bit bummed out that I won’t get any more adventures of Otto Octavius as the Superior Spider-Man. This era of the comic got me back into Spidey, so I have to thank Slott for re-energizing my interest in the wall crawler.

SPOILERS BELOW!

Peter actually reclaimed control of his body last issue, so this is all about the final confrontation with the Goblins. Slott delivers on that score, and he even gives us a few hints about how much work Pete has ahead of him in trying to get his life back in order. But when acquaintances like Spider-Man 2099 can instantly tell when Spider-Man is back to normal, it isn’t shocking that former girlfriends like Mary Jane and Carlie Cooper can see things are straightened out. In fact, it will be interesting seeing how much drama Slott lays out for Peter to try and wade through. Other than a renewed antagonism with J. Jonah Jameson, it seems like Pete’s life isn’t out of control, even after months of Otto behind the wheel.

Anyway, back to the core conflict. While Peter Parker might be a bit confused on his personal status quo and what exactly is going on in the world, there is one area where he is very confident. He knows he can beat up the Green Goblin. After months of overconfidence from Otto, Peter exhibits some confidence of his own, never showing a shadow of doubt that he can handle the situation. It’s great seeing Pete take it to his old foes both verbally and physically. (Green Goblin is another character that can instantly recognize Peter’s return.)

I’m not sure how I feel about Norman Osborn going undercover and taking on new identities, but I really dig the use of Liz Allen and Normie Osborn as new foils for Spidey. Especially if the new Spider-Man 2099 series will be based out of Liz Allen’s Alchemax. It will be interesting seeing how much Osborn gets used with this new gimmick; the character was so overexposed during Dark Reign that his time away has been a nice break.

How long before we get the Molten Man involved? If Liz is going full-on villain, let’s get that guy involved!

Giuseppe Camuncoli delivers solid art, as always, but some of the panels look a bit rushed. I’m not sure if it is a printing error or what, but the pages with the Avengers taking on the Spider-Slayers looked blurry and unfinished. (Odd, since artists usually love the chance to draw big-name guest stars.)When it counts, Camuncoli nails it. The crux of the issue is in that last panel, the moment when Peter Parker realizes that Otto actually did do some good as Spider-Man. And Peter has to admit that people are going to grieve for his old foe. It’s a classic Spidey image, and Camuncoli expresses the emotion perfectly.

The story is clearly Good. I can’t say the same about the price.

Now listen, Marvel. I like Christos Gage a lot, but $5.99 is too pricey for a single comic. Especially one bound with a standard cover. I could feel the paper disintegrating as I read the issue. I’m not sure if Marvel is testing the waters for a $4.99 standard price, but I can promise that when that day comes, no digital copy is going to get me to stick around. Fair warning, I’m not going higher than $3.99 (and it better have the digital code, or I’ll drop it like I’m dropping Superior Foes.)

Before Watchmen: Ozymandias

Before Watchmen Wednesday! 

This is exactly what I feared when I started hearing about Before Watchmen. Len Wein is tremendously loyal to the source material, but that leads to an entire collection that feels like it could have been left on the cutting room floor. It feels like the reason why we never really saw all this history for Ozymandias is literally because we didn’t need to see it.

Other than a few pages where we see him traveling the world to hone his powers, Ozymandias spends this entire series setting up the actions we know he takes in the core Watchmen series. Do you want to see him clone sweet Bubastis? Do you want to see him actually hire the sci-fi writers and scientists he will use for his master plan? Would you like to watch him scout locations for his arctic base? If that type of minutia scratches an itch for you, then you will actually like this series. For me, I found the main plot to be tedious and unnecessary, which weakened the aspects of the book I did enjoy.

I found it interesting that Ozy had been engaging in pretty morally repugnant behavior for a long time. I always enjoyed him as an “ends justify the means” type of hero, but having him kill off his assistants and employees certainly moves him into clear criminal mastermind territory.

I also enjoyed seeing the repeated confrontations with the Comedian. These two are pretty evenly matched, so their fight scenes (narrated by our unreliable narrator Ozy). Wein does a nice job keeping it unclear if Comedian would actually have had any wins or not; Ozy claims he lost on purpose in pursuit of different goals, but there is no way for the reader to be sure.

Jae Lee’s atmospheric and ethereal artwork is an interesting choice for the series. I almost think he brings more mystery and gravitas to the scenes than they actually need. Lee has always excelled in strange locations and atmospheres, and there isn’t a ton of call for that here.

On the scale of Watchmen projects, this one is skippable. We already saw Ozymandias’ finest moments in the main series itself.

Average