Pop Culture Chronicles

Invaders Now (review)

Well, I'm back and this time hoping to post more frequently. Summer was busy. I'll start with a review of a comic that just came out last week: Invaders Now # 1 (of a five part series).

This is a great follow-up to the 12-part Avengers/Invaders and the 8-part The Torch. The comics should be read in the following order for the right chronology: Avengers/ Invaders; The Torch; Invaders Now.

Alex Ross is back again for co-plotting and covers which makes this a Marvel / Dynamite collaboration since Ross is exclusively contracted to the later. As usual, his covers are stunning. I'll miss the interior art of Sandowski and Berkenkotter (from the previous series), who I believe drew the definitive Torch (Jim Hammond) and Toro. But the art by Reis isn't too bad.

The writing has been consistently good on all the above mentioned series. It doesn't hurt that the original Vision is back to keep things moving. He is a foreboding presence who appears to be confident and in control.

An up-side to the first issue of Invaders Now is character development. I love it when comics show multi-dimensional characterization as opposed to an entire issue of fights and explosions. I especially liked the conversation between Bucky and Thomas as they walked down the urban streets sharing impressions of how things have changed since the 40s era from which they came. This is too important for a good writer to ignore and still have any sense of realism at all. Christos Gage is a good writer.  

The scene in which the young mutants are asking Jim Hammond (the original Human Torch) about Hitler is priceless. Hammond's response is not predictable, but is believeable. The creative team has not let us forget that this is a World War II team now brought together for a threat from the past that only they are equipped to handle. 

The roll call includes Steve Rogers, the new Captain America (originally Bucky), Human Torch, Toro, the Sub-Mariner, and British members Spitfire and Union Jack (Joseph Chapman). The series is off to a good start and promises not to disappoint. 

Rating: A  

Pull List and Reviews (June 2010)

Here is a list of my current subscriptions and what I thought of some newer issues:

DC

Batman: The Return of Bruce Wayne This book picks up where the concluding issue of Final Crisis left off, with Bruce Wayne stranded in the caveman days. Now he makes his way forward through time toward the 21st century in this six-parter. In issue two he stopped off for an adventure involving some witch hunting Puritans, and he is moving on to a pirate's life for one issue, and then to the old west. It's interesting to see the bat-guy in all these different historical settings. History is retro.

Interestingly, Bruce has amnesia, yet his resourceful instincts aren't lacking. He is being pursued through time by Superman, Rip Hunter, Green Lantern, and Booster Gold. They have to somehow intercept Bruce before he unknowingly serves as Darkseid's weapon to destroy the 21st century, whatever all that means. I'm still not clear what Bruce was doing near the end of time unless maybe he was trying to pinpoint a position in time in order to return there and save an accused witch from hanging. Who knows? I don't totally get it, but I think I'm supposed to buy a zillion cross-overs before I do, including the forthcoming Time Masters: Vanishing Point mini-series, and several issues of Batman and Robin. It's all about marketing, but I'm not taking the bait.   

On the positive side, the cover art by Andy Kubert is exceptional. The Sprouse and Story art team did a great job on the first issue, but the Frazer Irving interior on the second didn't do much for me. I don't care for what I call the "sketchy" look, but I suppose it works well for the 17th century mood. For super heroes though, Iriving is not my favorite. In all, I would grade this series a B- but it does have potential.

JSA All-Stars The Johnny Sorrow story arc finally concluded and with some very interesting plot twists. Now we know why he appeared to be in love with Stargirl. It's great to see Atom-Smasher back with a JSA-related team. It will be interesting to see Al and Courtney's relationship develop, assuming it will. Romantic tension is good for a series. We need more of a human element in today's comics.  

I won't be missing Magog or Damage at all. I'm not sure why some characters with no JSA links to their origin are even on this team (i.e, Lightning, King Chimera, Judo-master). I wouldn't mind if they took a hike and Power Girl, Cyclone, Hour-Man, Sand, and Stargirl were returned to the mainline team. But these characters are why I keep reading. I don't care for the art though. While I don't know the lingo to be a good art critic, the lines just seem jagged and choppy to me. My grade: B-

Justice Society of America It's twenty years into the future and the neo-Nazi fourth reich has taken over America. All super heroes have been stripped of their powers. It's the day of Batman's execution in a prison camp where several heroes are incarcerated and Mr. Terrific, Clark Kent, and others are plotting their great escape. 

I LOVE this book! But what's going on? Is this someone's dream, the future of an alternate reality or parallel earth, or a failure that the JSA will travel back in time to "fix"? The next issue (#39) should be concluding this arc since the JSA-JLA crossover is coming up. So I'll be buying both titles for a while. 

This series has made Bill Willingham one of my favorite writers. The art team of Jesus Merino and Jesse Delperdang is outstanding. My grade: A 

DCU: Legacies This ten-part series which retells the history of the DC Universe is off to a great start. What could be better than a Len Wein story with the art team of Kubert and Kubert? Paul Lincoln narrates the start of the Golden Age with an appearance by Crimson Avenger and an exciting team-up of Sandman and the Atom who prove themselves to be heroic in character as well as in braun. A backup story features the Spectre and Dr. Fate with art by J. G. Jones. I like the way Inza was incorporated into the story and the art has a definite retro feel. My grade: A 

Marvel

The Torch This series concludes with its final issue in early June. Will the Torch survive and why does Thomas Raymond have the Horton cells? One of the highlights of this series for me was to see the original Torch and Toro team up with the Johnny Storm Human Torch for one issue (# 5). I can't wait for the conclusion. My grade: A+ 

Captain America: 1940s Newspaper Strip. This forthcoming 3-part series by Karl Kesel explores the newspaper strip that never was. With a story reflective of a 40s newspaper strip, I'm hoping for an age appropriate story that I can share with my kids. I'm also hoping for a fun read. 

Dynamite

Project Superpowers, Chapter Two I continue to read this, but I'm a little behind. My grade: B+  

Creative Talents: Roy Thomas

In this new category of posts I'll be blogging about some of my favorite creative talents in comics through the years. I'll begin with one of my favorite writers of all time.

Roy Thomas- I first began reading Thomas when he was writing The Invaders for Marvel back in the 70s. Having always been a fan of nostalgia, even as a child, the World War II setting intrigued me. Plus, I love Captain America and the Human Torch. As a fourth grader I picked up my first issue and wondered what Johnny Storm was doing back in World War II. Then I discovered that wasn't Johnny Storm at all, but that Storm was not the original Torch.  

Reading this comic sparked my interest in all things World War II. I am by no means an expert, but Thomas, by integrating his vast knowledge of war history with comic history, has inspired me to learn more about both. I plan to get the trade collections of this series soon.  

Thomas later did All-Star Squadron for DC, in which his knowledge of war history was brought to bear upon DC's Golden Age heroes. Add retroactive continuity to the mix as Thomas filled in the historical gaps of DC's history and I was hooked. Thomas solved such mysteries as why some JSAers dropped out for a time during the Golden Age and why the original members have aged at a much slower rate than normal. Thomas added narrative reasoning to what originally might have been publisher expediency. 

Infinity Inc. and Jonni Thunder were a couple of other Thomas titles that I loved in the 80s. He was also responsible for adapting Conan the Barbarian and Red Sonja for comics. He has written nearly every notable character for Marvel and DC including some classic story-lines like the Avengers' Kree-Skrull War. 

Most recently, I hear that Thomas has been adapting classic literature for the Marvel Illustrated series. He is also editor of the comic fanzine Alter Ego, from TwoMorrows Publishing which focuses on Golden and Silver Age comics. The May and June issues will be Earth-Two companions. Thomas will be writing volumes for TwoMorrow's new series "American Comic Book Chronicles." He is one of the major comic historians of our time.  

Torch Sightings

The original Human Torch has been popping up all over the place during this 70th anniversary of Marvel Comics. What a fitting time for this character's renewed exposure since he was one of Marvel's first superheroes, gracing the cover of Marvel Comics # 1 back in 1939. In fact, this comic was recently reprinted and features the Torch's origin.  

The recently concluded Avengers / Invaders series had the Torch traveling forward in time from World War II to the present. At the series conclusion, Toro, the Torch's sidekick had been given a new lease on life in the present day.

A new 8-part series, The Torch, picks up this thread and develops it. The series begins with the original Human Torch still in the grave, but a rebirth is promised. Meanwhile, the shocking never-before-told origin of Toro is unfolding. With three issues now under our belts, I'm hoping that Toro will turn out to be the Torch's real son--but we'll see. 

This new and excellent series is co-plotted by Alex Ross, who also does the beautifully painted covers. Ross was the artistic talent on Marvels a few years ago which retold the history of Marvels' heroes, including the origin of the Human Torch, through the eyes (or eye) of a photo-journalist. 

The new series, Marvels Project, also retells the history of Marvel's Golden Age, this time through the eyes of the original Angel. Three issues into this eight-part series and I can see why Ed Brubaker is considered one of the best writers in the business.

Here we can see how the plots revolving around Nick Fury, The Human Torch, Sub-Mariner, the Angel, and the Ferret intersect at various points. New origin details and deeper character development of all these characters help us to better understand how they became who they are and why they behave as they have. All this and World War II espionage too! What more could you want? 

Further Golden Age exploits of the Torch can be found in Human Torch 70th Anniversary issue which includes a newly written story set in the Golden Age and some back-up reprints including the first meeting of Torch and Toro. 

In summary, here is a categorization of some recent appearances of the Human Torch: 

Origin Reprinted or Retold:

Marvels (now in trade, art by Ross)

Marvel Comics # 1 70th Anniversary reprint (includes all original back-up features as well)

Marvels Project 1-3

Golden Age Exploits:

Marvels

Marvels Project

Human Torch 70th Anniversary

Golden Age Marvel Comics Omnibus collection (reprints Marvel Comics # 1 & Marvel Mystery Comics 2-12; $125; around $80 from Amazon)

Modern Exploits:

Avengers / Invaders (time travel to the present) (completed 12-part series)

The Torch (rebirth)

My Pull List (September 2009)

So here is what I'm reading these days:

Marvel Comics

Marvel 70th Anniversary One-Shots

I've really enjoyed this retro return to the Golden Age era. Each issue includes a new story, usually set in the World War II era, and back-up reprints providing a good history of Marvel Comics and of the state of popular culture in that era. 

Marvel's Project

A retelling of Marvel history written by Ed Brubaker. The first issue blew me away. The Human Torch, the Sub-Mariner, and the Angel. Classic characters with story and art that are up to modern standards of excellence.

Torch

An eight-parter co-written by Alex Ross who proved that he could write with the publication of JSA Kingdom Come Special: Superman (one of the best comics I may ever have read). It seems that this all new tale might be bringing the Golden Age Human Torch and sidekick Toro back together again. This will pick up some threads of sub-plot that were introduced in Avengers/Invaders, which had plot and covers by Ross.

DC Comics

Justice Society of America

This remains the only ongoing title I collect. The characters continue to fascinate me and the stories are still good despite the departure of Johns. I hear that a new title will be spinning off from this one as the JSA divides into two different teams. The other series will be called JSA All Stars. I don't know that I'll be getting both, but I was of the impression that the JSA was getting too big. If the teams are divided evenly between older and younger members, I'll go with the more established team.

Dynamite Entertainment

Project Superpowers, Chapter Two

While the first mini-series left much to be desired, it did set the tone for the excellent spin-off mini-series Black Terror and Masquerade. This one seems to be as good so far.

As usual the comics I collect are typically either revivals of Golden Age heroes or are set in the Golden Age era. I'm wondering if the final issue of Marvels: Eye of the Camera will ever be released. But maybe there's more hope for that than there is for the completion of The Twelve limited series. Anyway, I'm not holding my breath.