BEFORE WATCHMEN REVIEW SPECIAL!

SPOILERS!

"They chose the wrong man to mug."

"Because you didn't have anything on you?"
"Because I'm not dead."

Hello everyone! It's Friday and that means reviews! Today, I'll be reviewing two of the Before Watchmen #1s! Rorschach and Dr. Manhattan!
Honestly, I was excited for BW, because of the creatives teams that were involved. Azzarello and Bermejo on Rorschach? Sign me on!!! So let's get to it.



BEFORE WATCHMEN: RORSCHACH #1

by Brian Azzarello and Lee Bermejo

I LOVED Azzarello and Bermejo's OGN Joker. It was a well-paced, brutal, and fun trip through Gotham from the viewpoint of someone who looks at Batman in a negative way. When I heard that these two were going to be working on Rorschach, a little voice in my head said, "PREPARE YOUR WALLET." As I said earlier, I loved Joker and Rorschach is my favorite Watchmen character. So here I am, finally reviewing this book. Is it worth it?

Yes. Yes it is. Azzarello decides not to write an origin story for the character like almost ALL of the other BW series have. Right from the getgo, we are thrown into the middle of Rorschach's career. He's on the trail of a gang under the sewers, while the two detectives that showed up in the opening of Watchmen investigate a serial killer named the Bard. The book ends on a note where you want to see how ol' Rorschach gets his revenge on the guys who beat him up. 

 Azzarello's character work is spot on, especially with the entries from Rorschach's famous journal.

Even better, Bermejo's art is spectacular, verging on the line between slightly cartoony and heavy realism. Everything looks beautiful in the way he's draws the panels. Unlike with Joker, Bermejo relies solely on his own inks instead of Mick Gray's, which gives the book an even keel, and keeps  the style realistic . So pick up Rorschach. I beg you. This just might be the start of an amazing series. Hurm.

STORY: 5/5

ART: 5/5

VERDICT: 5/5

BEFORE WATCHMEN: DR. MANHATTAN #1

by J. Michael Straczynski and Adam Hughes

Don't go into Before Watchmen: Dr. Manhattan #1 expecting something you've never seen before. I know I did, and it was a mistake. A big one.

Its in the story department where Dr. Manhattan fails. It retreads on things we already saw with Watchmen #4. It provides more insight on Dr. Jon Osterman's childhood, and shows us the Crimebusters' meeting in a slightly new light. That's all. No cliffhanger.

Thankfully, Straczynski gets Jon's lifeless monologue right, and finally shows us what really happened on his father's deathbed.

It's in the art department where it succeeds. Hughes relies very heavily on ink. He outlines characters in solid black and the end result looks great. I like the way he presents Dr. Manhattan (by giving him almost no ink at all), and visually separates him from everyone else.

So, if this is a light week for you, stroll to your comic shop, and maybe give this a try if you're curious, or willing to ignore the story and be rewarded with some great art. Alas, a final word. Beware of Dr. Manhattan's "smurf". It shows up in three panels.

STORY: 2/5

ART: 4/5

VERDICT: 3/5

COVERS OF THE WEEK: 8/29/12

COVERS OF THE WEEK

8/29/12

If you remember, Covers of the Week, a weekly column (that I only did once), used to be on Tuesday. However, I'm moving it to Sunday. If you read the original, you remember I pick one Cover of the Week, 3 honorable mentions, and 1 worst cover of the week. Let's get started!

 

COVER OF THE WEEK

HIGHER EARTH #3

by Sam Humphries and Fransesco Biagni

Cover by Frazer Irving

This cover just looks great, but I only chose it because of his facial expression. Irving captures the look of terror on the man's face with precise detail, and you can't help but wonder why he's so scared.

 

HONORABLE MENTIONS

THE FLASH ANNUAL #1

by Francis Manapul, Brian Buccelato, and Marcus To

Cover by Francis Manapul

For one thing, I love how Manapul even put space for the logo at the top to make FLASH VS THE ROGUES. And the colors are beautiful.

 

THE AVENGING SPIDER-MAN #11

by Zeb Wells and Steve Dillon

Cover by Chris Samnee

I really enjoy covers that don't focus on the action or any sort of tension. It's just a nice cover, and I like it when the series' logo is actually made part of the art. I didn't choose this as cover of the week because the shadowing in the kitchen feels off.

 

AQUAMAN #12

by Geoff Johns and Ivan Reis

ROBOT CHICKEN variant

"VEEEEENGEANCE!"

 

WORST COVER OF THE WEEK

 

SCAM #1

by Joe Mulvey
Cover by Joe Mulvey

I don't think "digging for gold" is a good selling point for anything.

 



Reviews: 8/22/12

Hey everyone, sorry about the absence of a video this week, I kind of got caught up on schoolwork. BUT, I'm uploading my reviews for the week today, and we have some pretty awesome books on the stand!

 

JUSTICE LEAGUE DARK #12

by Jeff Lemire and Mikel Janin

 

I'm surprised Mr. Lemire! You've successfully made 20 pages feel like 10! After last month's cliffhanger (Dr. Mist betraying the team), Constantine, Zatanna, Black Orchid and Deadman go after the Books of Magic, so they don't fall into Faust's hands. But it turns out Faust is being manipulated by someone else (I have a theory that it's evil Andrew Bennett), who has an even more evil plan for the books. This issue feels alot like the setup to an Indiana Jones movie, and that isn't bad. I just wish that a little bit more happened in it.

 

Meanwhile, Mikel Janin is doing a GREAT job with the art of the book. He's made Faust look nasty, Faust's mysterious boss look menacing, and everyone else, awesome. He really lets loose on a two page spread towards the end which I want mounted on my wall. So, even if you don't like Jeff Lemire (and if you actually don't like him, shame on you), pick up this book for the art.

 

So overall, for JLDark, this is kind of a down week in terms of story.

 

STORY: 3.5/5

ART: 4/5

VERDICT: 3.5/5

I, VAMPIRE #12

by Joshua Hale Fiakov and Andrea Sorrentino

 

This week, I decided to give I, Vampire a try, due to the endless amount of 5 star reviews it's been getting. I heard this issue was supposed to be a good jumping on point, and it sure is. The only exposure I've had to I, Vampire was in Justice League Dark #7 a few months ago. And boy, is this a good book. The writing in this is PITCH. PERFECT. Not only is the plot actually good (with a huge status quo change in the end), the characterization is spot on. He perfectly captures each character's voice perfectly, and judging by some of the dialogue, I think Fiakov really hates Twilight.

 

If only I can say the same for art. The art is hard to review, because of in some panels it's breathtaking, and in others, it's just muddled. Sorrentino looks awesome whenever he's only drawing one subject, but when he does big action sequences, it cluttered. Yes, the opening splash is the exception to this rule, but the only exception.

 

So, pick up I, Vampire for the story this month. If this is the same quality the first 11 issues were, I'm picking up the trade, no questions asked.

 

STORY: 5/5

ART: 3/5

VERDICT: 4/5

SUPERCROOKS #4

by Mark Millar and Lenil Yu

 

Mark Millar and Lenil Yu have pulled out ALL the stops for Supercrooks #4. I mean, ALL. First, I want to talk about Millar. There are two kinds of Mark Millar stories. There are: A, endlessly brutal and violent stories that are shocking just for the sake of being shocking (NEMESIS, WANTED), and B, stories where he takes a tried and true concept, and gives it a lot of heart (SUPERIOR, SUPERMAN: RED SON). Luckily, Supercrooks is a B level Millar book. This is his commentary on the entire craziness of being superheroes, and pokes fun at it. With a knife. The characterization is spot on, and there are so many laugh out loud moments to go with the violent moments, and some with a bit of both (the Gladiator!).

 

Best of all, Lenil Yu's art is perfect for the book. It's sketchy yet solid, and violent yet graceful.

Supercrooks has gone out with a bang. I'll say that. But pick it up yourself.

 

STORY: 5/5

ART: 5/5

VERDICT: 5/5

5 Best Single Issues of All Time (That Were Published in This Decade)

5. BATMAN #12
by Scott Snyder, James Tynion, Becky Cloonan, and Andy Clarke
A fairly new addition to the comics world (it came out just a few weeks ago), Batman #12 is a great standalone story that perfectly captures the world of Gotham through a civilian's eyes. That civilian, is Harper Row, a girl who works at Gotham's electric grid who tries to defend her gay brother from local thugs who beat him up just because of his sexual orientation. It's heart warming and fun, and an interesting take on Gotham, especially since it isn't through Batman's eyes.

4. DAREDEVIL #7
by Mark Waid and Paolo Rivera
Another heart warming tale for our list. This tale shows Matt, the secret identity of the series titular character, being a hero without his costume. He shows this by saving a class of kids after their school bus crashes in the middle of nowhere... on a winter night. Plus, I want his "I'm Not Daredevil" sweater.

3. BATMAN AND ROBIN #16
by Grant Morrison, Cameron Stewart, Chris Burnham, and Frazer Irving
This was the one issue where everything started coming together. In terms of storytelling, this was ground breaking. Everything Grant Morrison set up in the previous 3 years of his Batman run all revealed it self, including the return of Bruce Wayne, Doctor Hurt's true nature, and the origin of Batman Inc. Plus, it even set up future plot points for the next two years to come.

2. ANIMAL MAN #5
by Jeff Lemire, Travel Foreman, and Jeff Huet
This issue was just one big "Oh sh!t!" moment. You know, in horror movies when the sh!t hits the fan, this is all this issue is. It was just straight up intense, and this is one of the few times I've ever read a book where I doubted the main character's survival. It is creepy, intense, disgusting, hilarious (at times), and amazing.

1. ULTIMATE COMICS SPIDER MAN #160
by Brian Michael Bendis and Mark Bagley
If I had to choose the most heartbreaking book I've ever read, I'd have to choose between Old Yeller, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, and Ultimate Comics Spider-Man #160. I mean, the title of the arc spoiled it. I knew it was coming. I just had no idea it would be so heartbreaking. The execution, and buildup is perfect, and though the payoff is lacking, Aunt May's reaction is gut wrenching, and Pete's last words will pull on the hearstrings of, not just Spidey fans, but anyone who knows a thing about comics in general.

COVERS OF THE WEEK: 8/15/12

I'm starting a new weekly Tuesday column called COVERS OF THE WEEK! It will be made up of: My Cover of the Week, 3 Honorable Mentions, and 1 Worst Cover of the Week! Now let's get to it!

PICK OF THE WEEK

BEFORE WATCHMEN: RORSCACH #1

by Brian Azzarello and Lee Bermejo

Cover by Lee Bermejo 

This cover is just gorgeous. It's photo realistic, and detailed, while the shadows just make it jump off of the page. And it took me a long time to notice the Rorscach in the blot.

HONORABLE MENTIONS

BATWOMAN #12

by W. Haden Blackman and JH Williams

Cover by JH Williams

Props to JH Williams for being an awesome artist. The guy can draw, seriously. There is NO way anything he draws can be ugly. Even the barfing head in the cover looks amazing. The only reason it's not pick of the week is because Wonder Woman down there makes it a bit too muddled.

RED HOOD AND THE OUTLAWS #12

by Scott Lobdell and Kenneth Rocafort

Cover by Kenneth Rocafort

I love homages, and this cover feels like a homage to old sci-fi B movies here, or the original trilogy Star Wars posters. Plus, everyone looks absolutlely adorable here, even Arsenal (cough).

SAUCER COUNTRY #6

by Paul Cornell and Ryan Kelly

Cover by Ryan Kelly

If this cover is trying to say "We're all screwed", mission accomplished.

WORST COVER OF THE WEEK

HULK #56

by Jeff Parker and Dale Eaglesham

Cover by Dale Eaglesham

This cover is generic. Muddled. And just plain weird. Why are those stones randomly levitating and why isn't anyone else? And why is that lizard thingy monster wearing headgear?

BATMAN FREAKING INC #3 REVIEW!

Batman Inc #3
by Grant Morrison and Chris Burnham

SPOILERS BELOW!
Batman Inc #3 came out a bit early at my comic shop, so I'm posting this review. Now, the book was delayed a month because of one scene that DC thought related to the Colorado shootings. But it's just a lady threatening a class with a gun, and lasts only a panel long. I really don't see the connection between that and the shooting so I think the delay was useless. So without further ado, the review!
Grant Morrison pops us with a few reveals in this issue, and they actually make sense, like Talia's steriods batguard being one of Darkseid's Batman clones from Final Crisis. And then, there's Matches Malone, who makes his triumphant return to comics. He is utilized perfectly, and Dick Grayson even gets back into the Batsuit. And Morrison's unique dialogue is pretty awesome too, with the way the words seem to flow together.

But the art is one of the best parts of the book. Chris Burnham deviates further from imitating Frank Quitely into his own art style. His figures are crisp and clean, and cartoony. It's just a delight to look at. And some of his facial expressions are just SPOT on to the point that they're laugh out loud funny.

So, before I wrap this up, three words. BAT COW RETURNS!

STORY: 4/5
ART: 5/5
VERDICT: 4.5/5