Whew. Back from Wizard World Chicago and ready to rumble - err – review! Light the candles and the incense…it's party time!

Godhead: The trinity gets called "the trinity" to their faces and with a bit of neat teamwork manages to subdue the alien duo of Konvikt and Graak. Oh, and Jose Delgado once again becomes – Gangbuster!

It’s Heaven: Where the JLA fails, the trinity succeeds. Working together and drawing upon their individual skill sets, our three heroes win out over Konvikt, and there's a good vibe when they do so. It's kind of like one of those old "road" pictures when they good-naturedly rib each other during the wrap-up: sly winks to their friendship. The view from the rest of the JLA for their famous comrades is evident again, this time from Firestorm, and there's also the barest hint of jealously that one may read into that. I also realized this issue that the "out in the country" setting of their fisticuffs with Konvikt lends a bizarre and not-unpleasing surrealism to the proceedings, what with the powerful punches being offset by placid trees and lush green grass. Bagley's really gone to town here, and I noticed again how much of a competent professional he is with layout and posing.

The high point of the "back-up" tale is the triumphant return of Gangbuster. I think everyone who knows the character would have guessed that Jose would suit up again, but it came sooner than I'd have thought. It was definitely an "oh, yeah!" moment, regardless. There's also a great scene with Gangbuster fighting three low-tier villains when one of them, Whiteout, accidentally "erases" the head of his compatriot Throttle. Talk about surrealism!

Threads from the two tales are once again strengthened by the revelation of the creature that wounded Wonder Woman last week as a minion of Morgaine le Fay – and that very same type of creature is also shadowing Jose and Tarot. Connections like these can only help the overall feeling of togetherness and unity within the book, I think, and when adding in the trinity's appearances on Tarot's cards I just don't see how anyone can truly say that the two tales are unconnected. They are orbiting each other, and that's a set-up that's pushing the super-hero comic buttons that matter the most to me.

In Purgatory: I'm still having a tough time at feeling any interest in Tarot's "voice." She's barely come across as anything but a semi-whiny bystander, and there's little to no hint that she holds much in the way of power or abilities. I don't hate the character, just not sure why she's seemingly being hunted by Morgaine – what's her worth? I realize that will be explained but frankly, I'm losing a bit of patience with her.

I also don't think much of Mark Farmer's finishes over Mike Norton's layouts. To go from Jerry Ordway to this rather pedestrian effort is come-down. Its gets the big "ehh."

From Hell: I guess I was reading too much into what I saw as glimpses of prickliness between Superman and Wonder Woman in previous installments, as their hunky-dory "tag" this week seemed to dispel any bruised egos. In fact, I really thought Busiek was building up to it, what with Superman's reference to his ego. Alas, apparently it wasn't meant to be – and I think something of the potential of the circumstances is lost. That was pretty disappointing to me, but again, maybe it was my own expectations that caused it.

Wonder Woman Ascending: Busiek continues to deliver interesting tidbits of brilliance with Diana, this time around highlighting her courage in the face of her own wounds. In addition, she acknowledges that Konvikt is more than she can probably handle alone but urges Clark to attend to Batman's call. A true heroine, I will admit. Loved her little "poke" at Batman and Superman's male conundrum over how to broach the subject of her injuries – it was both playful and all together true. Good job, Kurt! She's a "wonder," as she should be.

Batman Ascending: There's a small, tense moment when Superman seems to think Batman will be torturing his captive, Graak, and when it's dispelled by Bruce's "good cop, bad cop" routine, it highlights something important about the character: even his friends never quite know exactly what he'll do or is capable of. Look at this and then witness Batman's rather nonchalant capture and exposure of Morgaine's minion (and Enigma's continuing "admiration") and you have a multi-textural hero worthy of our attentions. I love this guy – especially when after all that he can be a bit flummoxed over a coy, playful Wonder Woman.

Superman Ascending: All three of our heroes are on the rise this week! While fighting Konvikt and reflecting on his "second wind," Superman affords us a strangely intense smile – and at that moment I felt as if I was looking at the original, Golden Age Superman. Raw, earthy, proud, shorn of some of the more modern baggage of self-imposed morality and rules, the Superman in that scene is a devil of sorts, reveling in the feel of his fists against alien physiognomy, a grinning kid with a whole lot of muscle. Nothing will stand in his way that he can't knock down, and by God, he's going to enjoy his actions. It's also a hoot to see Clark's own attempt at interrogation with the minion – I bet if we could see Batman's face, he was probably grinning.

Dogma: Will it surprise anyone if I hold up "…but Throttle's head will grow back soon." C'mon, even Gangbuster thought that was the line of the book! It gets better when you add in, "Note…to self…do not taser the headless guy who magnifies kinetic energy…" Ahh, only super-heroes talk to themselves like that.

Monsignor Wanty: wants to know if he'll be considered a broken record if he asks if there's still any chance for a teeny-tiny argument between the trinity, maybe over who shall lead, who shall call the shots, who's better equipped to handle a particular situation. It'd add some dimensionality to the relationship, eh? Or, maybe not.

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EDITOR's NOTE: The Bond of Saint Marcel is currently available for pre-order and will be available on July 30, 2008.

Plot: In 1778, Colonial Colonel Avrey Johnstone makes a sinister choice to help the Americans win the war over the British, a choice that is held in secret by the Johnstone family for generations to come. In the present day, Katherine Johnstone, is the young rebel of the Johnstone family, and she's just gotten herself kicked out of a posh private school. On the eve of her being shipped off to a psych ward by her mother, Katherine receives a gift from her grandmother, an heirloom that may bond the shadowed past of the Johnstone family to the present.

Comments: The thing keeping this story from reaching near gold is, unfortunately, one of the most important; the writing. I found the writing to be a bit unclear at some points, I had to go back and reread the last panel or two to make sure I didn't miss a bubble. It jumped a little too far in some spots, leaving gaps in time, messing up the flow. I feel like there could have been a smoother transition between panels. Also some pieces seemed to be out of place; I couldn't figure out why that scene had been put in there. Perhaps it will all play out in the future.

It has a promising story, which, if really fleshed out, could achieve a higher rating. Although I do feel like I've seen many stories like this one lately, whether on television or in comic form, this generally dark mystery of the past which comes to involve an innocent from the present story. It's starting to seem a little played out. In fact, I'm sure I've seen at least three tv shows that are very similar.

The art work is great, especially in the beginning where the story takes place in 1778 Boston; it has a great ghostly feel to it, which enhances the dark mystery. It reminiscent of Christophe Gans, who directed Brotherhood of the Wolf and Silent Hill, and his whole smoky/misty, what's-going-to-come-next look. The colors mesh well with the pencil and ink. Again the first part of the book truly highlights the talent of the art crew, and in fact I've reread the first 11 pages several times. Now the first 11 pages aren't the only part worth reading. Continue to the end, but the beginning is good enough that you may find yourself flipping back just to get another look.

One last thing, which is another gripe, is I would have liked a little satisfaction at the end. It ends on a bit of a cliffhanger, "to be continued" included, but it left me feeling a bit cold. One last splash of action at the end would have tied this package up nicely, but alas, we must wait for the first pages of the next comic for some sweet, and hopefully bloodtastic action. Hey, maybe all 28 pages of that comic will be as awesome as the first 11 of the first.

Final Word: In the end, I'd say pick it up in the store, flip through it, read the first 11 pages, and if you think it might pay off in the end, buy it. If you feel nothing after flipping through it, put it down and move on, that $2.99 is better spent on something you know is a sure thing.

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The fifth and final issue of Long Road Home wraps the tiring journey home to Gilead for Roland and his ka-tet. However, for a final issue to a mini-series there are a lot of lingering questions for readers to chew on while they wait for September and the start of the third Dark Tower series. After turning the final page of this issue I wondered why they didn’t just make the Dark Tower series an ongoing comic. I understand the workload that would be put on the creative team’s shoulders if this were the case, but this story follows the same story structure of an ongoing series, not standalone mini-series. Truth be told, I picked up the first mini, The Gunslinger Born, once it was in hardcover format and while it wrapped on a cliffhanger leading directly into The Long Road Home, the narrative of that mini has a distinct beginning, middle, and end. It was the journey of Roland evolving from a boy to a broken down man, much like the moral of Y: The Last Man, only in far fewer pages. However, with The Long Road Home, I can’t see this story being great on its own, once collected. It’s essential to know Gunslinger Born going into it, and doesn’t begin to wrap up anything once the final page is turned, leaving readers no reason to acknowledge its existence.

The subplot of Sheemie seems to only exist as a deus ex machina to get Roland out of the mystical grapefruit, away from an angry Crimson King, so he can be back home in Gilead within the following few pages. Farson and his gang, who were chasing Roland, never appear in the final chapter of The Long Road Home, instead swept under the rug with a convenient explanation for the lack of confrontation during the closing narration. Everything just seemed to wrap up a lot faster than I had hoped. I think another issue or two to really play these plots out to their conclusions would have been a good idea instead of leaving readers with absolutely no answers and a two month hiatus between series.

However, you can always count on this book to deliver fantastic visuals coupled with strong dialogue and narration. Even with his static imagery, Jae Lee continues to impress. Every image has a surreal feel to it making the whole book seem like a crazy nightmare, tonally fitting for the scripts. Speaking of writing, Peter David once again brings his A-game to Mid-World with creatively written narrations helping guide readers through the plot of the story. David’s dialogue is also no slouch, the strongest example of dialogue coming from the Crimson King’s speech to Roland about how Mid-World use to be, how it should be, once again. It was expertly written and even though I knew Roland wouldn’t take his offer, it was still a convincing argument from a man that’s half spider.

So why the 4 bullet rating? Well, when thinking back on the issue the only real complaint I have is that no plot threads are tied up. But being an avid reader of regular monthly on-goings, this doesn’t really bother me, I’ve grown accustomed. It’s almost like I’m pretending the cover of the issue doesn’t say, "Limited series: 5 of 5,” but instead is just another issue in the continuing adventures of Mid-World. So if you’re in the same boat as me, issue #5 of The Long Road Home will seem like a welcome addition to the Dark Tower lore. For trade waiter, it sucks to be you. Let this be a lesson that you should support the industry and pick up monthlies. Plus the Dark Tower floppies come with extra content the trades won’t have.

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I love Northlanders.

Now that I’ve got that out of the way, I think I can sit down and tell you what I don’t like about Northlanders (and it’s not much). At the end of the third issue of this series, I knew that it was going to be a winner. But two issues in, and the only problem I could find with the book was the fact that its scope was so incredibly narrow.

At that point we had a former citizen of Orkney Island, one who was once in line to take the thrown as his inheritance. We found Sven on his way home to ravage his betraying uncle and steal back his homeland. But the presence of the characters and the weight of the happenings after two issues felt so limited that it actually reduced the tone of the story for me. Sure, the concept was epic. But the way Wood handled it at the beginning felt so tight and focused on Sven that nothing else mattered. I didn’t give a damn about the island or its people at the start. I just wanted to know about Sven. It worked for the series at first, but after two issues I already yearned for more out of Wood and his Northlanders.

That’s when the third, fourth, fifth and sixth issues stepped in and poured the world of Northlanders out onto the table in front of me. I cared about the people on the island. I wondered what was going to happen to Gorm, Hakkar, and even the woman Sven shacks up with in the woods. Suddenly I was concerned with Sven’s past as well, and all at once came this rushing desire to learn so much more.

So that all sounds great right? Well, it is and it isn’t. Those several issues were absolute comic magic in my mind. That’s the good stuff that everyone hopes to pull off the shelves from week to week. But the beginning was weak and it lacked drive, motivation and narrative scope. And that’s where I am again at the end of the seventh issue of Northlanders.

Sven battles the Saxons in this one with the help of an unexpected group of allies. The fight scenes, as always, are spectacular from panel to panel. The conflict even comes to Gorm for a bit, I won’t spoil things, but it reads wonderfully and I can safely say I was psyched the whole way through. But then, as the issue concludes, the wide scope that was brought to fruition by the four issues before it shrinks back down to its original ground. Readers will be able to see that Sven has grown in all directions as a man and, more importantly, as a human being. But the way this issue leaves you will make that earned morality seem pointless.

You will almost certainly think, “Well…now what?” And it’s that feeling of lacked direction that will leave a bitter taste in the mouths of most when they see the beautifully drawn final page. There’s one issue left in this arc, and I have no idea where it’s going.

Okay, Northlanders has been an awesome book so far. I don’t mean to make it out to be this pile of soulless pages that no one should read. Read it! It’s great, really. But don’t be surprised if you find yourself wandering between loving it and being nearly perplexed by it. This issue came home to open arms this Wednesday, and I loved every bit of it…until the end. It’s the return to narrow form that’s knocking some bullets off of this baby. Northlanders, this hurts me more than it is going to hurt you, but ugh, 3.5 bullets for one of my favorite books.

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Plot: CQ is a street solider for a powerful gang in Los Angeles. Lately he's found his plate a little full, being sent out for a hit, a kidnapping, and helping his estranged sister's husband out of a serious debt against a rival gang. But CQ might have bigger problems than the cops and rival gangs. Bringing down his own crew may be the challenge that brings the cool CQ to his knees.

Comments: BOOM! Studios continues to impress. They've gotten themselves one hell of a writer to bring to the table one hell of a comic. Gary Phillips, who's no stranger to hard crime drama (check out Bangers), has put together a great first chapter to what could be one of the best crime stories of the year -- books, TV, and movies included. The excerpt from The Book of the Samurai in the beginning is a wonderful introduction to our anti-hero CQ, a warrior who is a balance of strength and smarts. CQ is a good anti-hero, maybe not the most memorable, but he's still someone you can root for. There is good action on both ends of the story; it opens with a suicide and ends with a shooting. What more could you want from an inner city crime drama? Drugs? Check. Sex? Got some of that, too. Not to mention appearances by strippers, guns, blood, and gambling debt.

The penciling is clean, but nothing fancy. The coloring is certainly nothing special, rather flat at points, like it was done on MS Paint. The lettering could have been a lot better; it looked amateur and was distracting. If the lettering was intended to add a gritty feel, it failed. Slapped onto the page is what it felt and looked like, almost like cut and paste. Hopefully the lettering doesn't hinder the overall enjoyment of readers. The cover art by Brett Weldele is fantastic; which might leave readers wishing the interior art was that good. Brett's work is something that shouldn't be ignored, and is what will most likely get people's attention from the comic rack.

Artwork complaints aside, High Rollers is a good comic. BOOM! Studios could potentially have Hollywood knocking on their door again. Two thumbs up to Gary Phillips -- awesome. Here's hoping the remaining issues are just as good or better.

Final Word: Good, very good. If you liked BOOM! Studios' Hunter's Moon, then you'll like this. Pick up a copy.

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“Iron Horse / Born to Lose”

If you’re following this book on a monthly basis, the plot recap on the inside front cover has become essential. It’s not that the story is especially convoluted or confusing, but it’s really nice to be reminded of all the various plot threads going on among the myriad of dirt-covered, ragged characters as they run around their post-apocalyptic world. Luckily, writer Antony Johnston and artist Christopher Mitten do a great job of differentiating all those personalities through both visual appearance and voice. And their story continues to be compelling, with plenty of action, intrigue, and violence to keep us coming back for more.

The current storyline continues to chug along (pun intended, since an explosive-laden train is the centerpiece of a big scene in this issue), with the battle that began five issues ago continuing to rage through the city of Newbegin. In a risky move, Johnston has removed two of the main characters (Abi and Michael, who set out to find the fabled A-Ree-Yass-I after experiencing some revelations in the previous storyline) from the stage and chosen to concentrate on the city they left behind, which is under attack by the monstrous Sandeaters. Instead, they’ve been focusing on Abi’s adopted son Jakob, various members of Newbegin’s ruling class, and, most interestingly, the Sandeaters themselves.

In addition to the big train scene, we get a big moment with Marcus, the “Lord Founder” of Newbegin, and a surprising cliffhanger that will keep readers guessing for the next thirty days. But just as interesting is a conflict between Skot, a conflicted member of Marcus’ government, and his mother, who has been doing her best to push him into a position of power, leading to a poignant scene that questions the wisdom of putting societal advancement over familial relationships. There’s also a thread about holy man Golden Voice calling the slave classes of the city to use the battle as an opportunity to fight for their freedom.

So, yeah, did I mention that there’s a lot going on in the story? That description only touches on the basic plot points of the issue, but the real pleasure is seeing everything play out, especially in character moments where we see emotions come through their actions and speech in the midst of the chaos.

Mitten’s artwork continues to shine, grabbing readers by the throat with shocking and gory violence, and clearly (for the most part) conveying the often-complicated action. He also does a great job of visually distinguishing the many characters, who are all similarly-dressed but still seem like unique personalities in the midst of big events. Even if you completely put aside the plot, the detailed art that fills every page really makes the book an enjoyable read.

The series continues to be a recommended read, whether you follow it every month or wait for the trade collections. However, reading the monthly issues provides the bonus of travelogue-style text pieces that flesh out the world of the book. Johnston and Mitten are putting out some really nice work here, and it would be a shame to miss it.

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Faerber last left our heroes in a state of desperation as he managed to separate them over their ailing, comatose leader, Maddie. The Dynamo 5 remains broken up in #14, but we get a chance to, once again, see them interact with members of their own, non-team personal lives. Visionary deals with his overprotective mother, Scatterbrain deals with the football team and his school life, Slingshot spends time with her father and Myriad continues the playboy lifestyle.

That leaves me with a few pivotal points of the issue that take it outside of the realm of “standard fare”. The absence of the Dynamo 5 in Tower City has left a, as someone puts it, “power vacuum” and thus the city has been overrun with villainy and despair. Faerber takes this opportunity to introduce a new hero to the mix with Vigil. We won’t get a glimpse of her alter-ego in this issue, but we do see her in action as she beats back the wave of crime in Tower City.

This new display of villainy with not much standing in the way is a defining moment for Scrap. She, to me, has always come off as a potential team leader and demonstrates more of that charisma here. Faerber has built, within 14 issues mind you, such a well developed fabric of personalities and relationships that the moral obligation Scrap has to her city and the team’s cause will not go unnoticed by any reader. If you didn’t know what to think about Scrap, and her infinitely provocative poses, you will after this installment. She has become my favorite of the Fab-5 and will certainly stay that way until someone else in the team steps up in a huge way.

The interactions that Faerber has written between characters on panel here in #14 are solid as per usual. Nothing feels forced, and the moments of in-battle monologuing won’t even bother those that hate the method most. There is some more of the soap-opera feel that Faerber brings with both of his family focused books (Noble Causes being the other), so if you aren’t a fan of that you probably will be bothered by it once more. I, personally, am a sucker for all of the drama and think it adds to the experience.

In terms of plot, not a whole lot in the way of epic happens in this month’s issue. We do, as I mentioned, get a fair bit of action and drama to hold us over, but there isn’t a lot of progression. The characters have been split up, so we have to deal with five people getting five separate instances of story. Add Vigil to that, and now we have six separate people earning significant comic time. It will make this book fly, but not in an entirely bad way.

The art, and you’ll understand why I was pleasantly surprised in a moment, is consistent with the rest of the series. Those that have come to love the bright and varied approach Asrar has taken with this series won’t be disappointed. This is huge because a new artist has been added to the team. One Yildiray Cinar is responsible for half of this issue, and the tone never feels any different than when Asrar is at the helm. Huge bonus points for successfully achieving the same visual feel and theme as an entirely separate artist. I am curious about the artists’ relationship throughout the creation of this book. How close were they?

This is another great book in the Dynamo 5 line. If you’re a fan, you won’t be disappointed. I don’t recommend it as a jumping-on point for newbies, as the world of the team is in complete disrepair. Instead, pick up the first trade. It’s what, 10 bucks!? Why not get it? Dynamo 5 is a great read, and for anyone that wants to take in a new team experience, I recommend this book highly.

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Life is never easy for Heath Huston. When last we saw him, Heath and his giant Siberian pal Nicholas were escaping through a black hole and Heath had managed to press a button that allowed him to escape the clutches of said black hole.

Unfortunately, on the other side of the singularity, Heath and Nicholas find a different sort of desperate situation. The pair is rapidly separated from their spaceship and soon find themselves wandering a desolate desert planet searching for civilization. But wait, it gets worse. There are giant bugs on the planet. Not to mention treacherous robot women and a secret villain.

Yeah, life is never easy for Heath Huston, which makes life a lot of fun for you and me. Part of what makes this series so wonderful is that Heath is eternally stumbling from one adventure to the next, always running into unique situations that threaten to destroy him.

Like Indiana Jones and most other action heroes, what ultimately saves Heath each time is his own sense of indomitable self. He's an intriguingly complex character below the surface. However, on the surface, Heath is never beaten down by anything. He always manages to survive through his wits and intensity and the odd sort of subtle intelligence he carries.

This issue has nice moments where we see Heath at his best as a person. He banters with Nicholas, doing everything he can to help his desperately injured friend from succumbing to the intense desert heat. Readers begin to see a real friendship develop between the two of them as they discuss Heath's family and his dreams of revenge.

But we also see Heath the fighter. When he and Nicholas are attacked by a swarm of bugs, we see Heath battle using every ounce of strength he has to defeat the bugs. No matter that the bugs carry poisonous venom that has blinded him. Heath fights on because he always fights on. He just never stops. He can't. He's unable to ever stop fighting.

Tony Moore does a sterling job as usual of conveying Heath's world. Moore portrays action with an intensity that really adds energy to every situation. Moore is also wonderful at using storytelling tricks like silhouette, close-ups and even the nine-panel grid as story moments dictate. There's even a touch of the great Jack Davis in Moore's art, which is always a treat.

Speaking of treats, readers get a rare art job by the legendary Ronn Sutton in this issue's backup story. Readers rarely get to see art by this 1970s standout, so it's a real joy to get a very pleasing eight-pager in the back of this issue. Sutton and collaborator Hilary Barta deliver a story of a Heath that seems younger than he does in the lead story, but one who is no less a fighter than elsewhere in the issue. It's a goofy tale of UFOs and spongy space aliens, but Sutton and Barta deliver the story with wonderful energy and wit.

Heath Huston is a survivor. I can't wait to see how he survives his travails on this desert planet.

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The Claws Come Out is an utterly charming collection of horror/comedy stores by cartoonist Pat Lewis. Each of the episodes in this graphic novel tells the story of a different woman and her encounter with a different supernatural creature (or creatures)--and what women they are!

The women in this book represent a wide range of characters. There's the utterly clueless Missy, who somehow fails to notice all the obvious symptoms of her boyfriend being a vampire. There's Lisa, the struggling musician who gets sucked back into her old job at a research facility that happens to be housing the Abominable Snowman. And there's Ms. Abigail, the fortune teller who somehow manages to bring back all the world's dead, but is able to use "The Idiot's Guide to Stopping Zombies" to stop them.

Lewis was obviously having a great time when he illustrated this book. His cartoonish but expressive style gives the stories an appealing animated look that shows his passion for the work in every line.

The light style also has the appealing effect of both distancing the reader from the stories and making the stories more frightening. On one hand, the stories have a feeling of whimsy and charm because of the artwork. On the other, it's kind of scary to see an animated-styled zombie getting its brains shot out.

However, what really makes this book enjoyable is the feeling that Lewis is having so much fun in each story. It's almost impossible not to be carried along with his enthusiasm and good humor as we see dinosaurs fight the Abominable Snowman, a female werewolf fight aliens, or a soothsayer fight zombies. Lewis obviously loves wacky old monster movies, and he is totally devoted to sharing that passion.

This is a sumptuously produced 150-page hardback book with a $20 cover price. You can judge value-per-dollar for yourself, but The Claws Come Out is a thoroughly entertaining book by an artist who clearly loves his subject matter.

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Lewis Trondheim is an incredibly prolific cartoonist, pumping out volume after volume of his stylishly goofy comics for kids and adults. He’s also one of the few French creators to get a lot of representation in the United States, with publishers putting out such diverse works as the children’s books A.L.I.E.E.E.N. and Tiny Tyrant, the fantasy riff Dungeon (co-created by Joann Sfar, another French cartoonist who gets some love in the States), and even his autobiographical strip Little Nothings.

Publisher First Second has been one of Trondheim’s biggest supporters, and they continue to do so with their latest release of his Kaput & Zösky. It’s another children’s book (which is just as enjoyable for adults as for the target audience), chronicling the adventures of a pair of aliens who romp around the galaxy trying to conquer whatever planets they come across.

Their exploits make for some incredibly entertaining and funny stories, mostly because they don’t have much of a goal in mind other than causing mayhem and blasting things. In fact, they seem bored by power or riches--preferring, instead, the challenge of dominating a new species.

Invariably, they encounter goofy obstacles to their desires--such as a planet that instantly turns control over to them as soon as they arrive or a society of people that insist on playing games like hopscotch and rock, paper, scissors before answering any of Kaput and Zösky’s questions. It makes for riotously fun tales since the pair are constantly frustrated in their quests to spread destruction.

Trondheim does a great job coming up with stories for our heroes, and recognition should also be given to translator Edward Gauvin. It can’t have been easy to find ways to convey the humor across the language barrier--especially in stories that deal with elements like gambling and politics.

Trondheim also gives the aliens nicely differing personalities rather than just making them an identical pair of crazies. Kaput is more of a force of Freud’s concept of the id, wanting nothing more than to blast anybody he lays eyes on, while Zösky is more of a thinker, trying to come up with a plan of action for taking over each new planet. Yet they remain united in their thirst for wanton violence, so it’s always fun to see them pull out the laser guns and blast away.

While Trondheim is a fine artist, he sticks to writing here, with Eric Cartier providing the art--and he does a great job of it, whether in coming up with diverse alien landscapes or detailing the expressions of our anti-heroes.

Short, round Kaput often seems crazed, with a wide-open, toothy expression and big, round eyes. He often gets a confused, glazed-over look when forced to sit and contemplate strategy or deal with people in a non-violent manner. However, when confronted with the prospect of violence, his face breaks out into a huge, anticipatory grin. In fact, there’s one story in which he gets hit on the head and becomes nice and friendly (a staple in children’s stories; how many cartoons have seen characters reverse their personality traits after cranial trauma?), which leads to some classic comedy of reversed expectations.

On the other hand, the tall, skinny Zösky (who also sports what are either long, rabbit-like ears or a really goofy hat) remains a bit more subdued--though probably only in comparison to his companion. He has simple dots for eyes and a much smaller mouth, which gives him the air of a schemer. But while he looks marginally less psychotic than Kaput, he can still break out his blaster and go crazy with the best of them.

The background art is also exquisite, from the cool space-scapes that we see when the would-be conquerors are cruising around the cosmos looking for planets to attack, to the diverse worlds they end up on. There’s some great variation, with some planets seeming like beach paradises, while others feature crowded cities or lush forests.

The aliens populating these spheres also vary nicely--such as circular blob-like beings, one-eyed lumpy things, giant monsters, and little clam-ish creatures. It’s a great array of weirdness, and Cartier has a flair for fitting in plenty of fun details. At one point, Trondheim’s bird avatar from his diary comics acts as K and Z’s taxi driver.

The book also has a series of interstitial gag strips following a character called “The Cosmonaut.” These are written and illustrated by Trondheim himself, and they detail the wordless adventures of a human space explorer who often has misunderstanding-filled encounters with aliens.

Presented in a grid-like array of panels, often 4-by-4 or 4-by-5, the stories usually show something like, say, the cosmonaut being chased by aliens. However, it turns out they’re just racing to get to a sale of some sort of exotic item! The strips are amusing enough, but they seem pretty lightweight compared to the funny dialog and chaotic wackiness of the main stories.

I definitely give this book a high recommendation for the young and the young-at-heart. I even tested the waters by passing it around to my family members, and they all loved it--including my wife, my dad, and my teenage brother. It looks like a keeper, and one that will entertain most everybody. Pick it up, even if you have to conquer a planet to do so.

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Editor's Note: Kevin Powers and Ray Tate have provided a mini-slugfest for the first volume of Dark Horse Comics'Indiana Jones Adventures. However, given the nature of their reviews, perhaps this is more of a lovefest.

Kevin Powers:

It’s been a little over a month since Dr. Henry Jones Jr. made his return to the big screen. It’s been a few months since collectibles bearing his name were released, two months since the action figures were released, and (whether you loved or hated the new film) one thing is certain: Indiana Jones is back. Indiana Jones fans are rabid right now. We want more Indy, and we don’t care if it’s in the form of kid’s books or not--just give us some action, adventure, and Dr. Jones!

I love Indiana Jones, this is no secret, and I am completely enthralled with Indiana Jones merchandise and memorabilia. Being born in the mid-80s and growing up through the 90s, it was always difficult to find Indiana Jones merchandise. I guess I can say I’m making up for lost time.

However, Indy is also making his way back to comics. Dark Horse and Lucas Books are preparing to bring Indy back monthly--hopefully for the long haul--and I could not be happier. Indiana Jones and the Tomb of the Gods, Dark Horse’s first Indiana Jones series in over 10 years, hits the stands this week, but last week saw Indy’s return to comics in an all-ages adventure.

Indiana Jones Adventures Vol. 1 follows in the tradition of the successful and fun Star Wars digest-sized comics that are quite perfect for every age. Writer Philip Gelatt is actually making his comics debut with this story, and I commend him for taking on such a formidable task.

Basically, this is a very simple story. The storytelling style is geared towards kids, so there is nothing overly complicated going on. The violence is more tame, and it actually feels that if there were to be an Indiana Jones animated series, this could be an episode. However, that’s not to say that Gelatt writes a crappy story that will sell because Indy’s name is on it.

Gelatt actually writes a pretty damn good story here that amazingly, in such a short span of pages, has all the elements of Indiana Jones. We’ve got the macguffin, the girl, the chase scene, the Nazis, globe-trotting, Indiana Jones in disguise, plenty of punches that you can add the sound effects to, a display of the macguffin’s power, and, of course, Indy going home empty-handed. It’s all there, it’s all fun, exciting, fast-paced and a very fun read if you are looking for something like that no matter how old you are.

Okay, so what’s the macguffin? Well, it revolves around an old Viking legend where some kind of recipe contained inside a scroll includes a formula for creating super-soldiers—or, as the Vikings called them, “Odin’s Men.” Okay, so no, it’s not the first time we’ve seen Nazis wanting to create super-soldiers, but it works in the same way.

Except, the Viking formula transforms those who consume it into Berserkers. Hell, this story could be called “Indiana Jones and the Super-Soldier Serum.” The beauty of this story is that while the Nazis are after the scroll for the recipe, Indy is after the scroll because a failed expedition that cost the museum a lot of money would leave him and Marcus going home empty-handed.

So Indy goes out to look one more time, meets a female British archeologist, and they both find evidence of the scroll’s existence. The British woman is also the classic double-crossing beauty. She represents Indy’s “friendly-competition” when it comes to the quest for the scroll and a gold ring that they find. It’s a really fun story with lots of action and lots of adventure. The ending is kind of ridiculous, but I had a lot of fun reading the story so I couldn’t care less.

Now, this story takes place in 1930, so the true horrors of the Nazis haven’t yet been realized. However, Indy already doesn’t like them because they are fascist animals. In fact, Gelatt makes an interesting historical point by having the British woman not know who the Nazis are. Yet, by having this story take place in 1930 (as a prequel to the films) opens the doors for something great.

The main villain of this story is not the British woman nor the German General Krause, no, the true villain of this story is Rene Belloq--the French archaeologist who takes credit for Indy’s work in Raiders of the Lost Ark. Belloq is easily one of the greatest villains of all time--a man who would sell his soul to the devil if there was a profit to be made.

Gelatt writes Belloq as a total scumbag, money hungry and using archeology as a business. There’s no moral question to his motivations, and he’ll aide the German war machine so long as they leave him alone and pay him for it.

For parents wondering about the appropriateness of this book, there are no exploding heads, melting faces, hearts being ripped out or anything of that Indiana Jones nature. There’s one death, of an enraged Berserker, that isn’t even seen. Additionally, there are a few fight scenes that are done in an Indiana Jones style. It’s a fun read. If your kids like Indiana Jones, you might want to pick this up for them for a rainy summer day, for sleep-away camp, or for a budding collection.

The artwork is phenomenal. Ethan Beavers has a very distinct cartoon style that has brought him great success on the Star Wars: Clone Wars Adventures, and it should also bring him great reception here. I really enjoy his work, and it can easily be enjoyed by anyone. It’s clear, consistent and (even in the cartoon style) it feels like Indiana Jones.

There are moments when Indy does have some shades of Harrison Ford, and Beavers’ depiction of Belloq looks amazingly just like Paul Freeman. There’s some great stuff here that really adds to the quality and value of this book.

This book has all the elements of Indiana Jones neatly packed into it--familiar characters, lots of action, and plenty of adventure. Not bad for Gelatt’s first outing.

Ray Tate:

What would the comic book world be like without Batman: The Animated Series? It would be worse. Batman: The Animated Series inspired the creation of numerous related comic book titles distinguished by the term "Adventures." This publishing phenomena acted as a watershed.

"Adventures" has become synonymous with "all-ages," and it often signifies a certain streamlined style of art similar to that popularized by Batman: The Animated Series and Justice League,which was the last descendent from that gem of an idea.

Books flying under the "Adventures" banner tend to be better than the so-called continuity books. They normally offer the reader stand-alone stories lacking all-consuming angst and so-called adult themes. The writers tend to concentrate more on characterization, character interaction, dialogue, and plotting rather than endless padding that benefits a Big Stupid Event of the month or sleaze to shock the media into giving comic book companies coverage.

Indiana Jones Adventures lives up to the quality expected from an "Adventures" title—and, really, what better character to use the word? The story is set before the events of Raiders of the Lost Ark, and we join Indy and his old friend Marcus Brody in Uppsala, Sweden for a foray into Norse legends.

Philip Gelatt does his research and creates a rich excursion. He brings in such basic elements as the Nine Worlds of Norse Mythology as well as some obscurities--Odin's Men, for example. Against this backdrop he employs an underlying global rivalry between friendly powers that I don't believe I've seen before.

Gelatt must have spent many hours reviewing the Indiana Jones movies because his dialogue tricked me into hearing Harrison Ford's voice, and this is no small feat because, even though he captures the basic look of Indiana Jones in the panels, Ethen Beavers does not opt for a cartoon caricature of Mr. Ford. Perhaps, Dark Horse didn't get the licensing to use Harrison Ford's likeness for this project.

The depiction by Beavers is what Indiana might have looked like had Harrison Ford not imprinted his face to the character. Make no mistake, there never will be another Indiana Jones than Harrison Ford. Shia LaBeof may play the next in line for the legacy, but no other actor can be The Indiana Jones.

Beavers creates a world that one expects to find Indiana Jones exploring, and Ronda Pattison chooses her colors masterfully to strengthen Beavers' designs. The Indiana Jones films simply wouldn't be as memorable if they were in black and white. No matter how dark the cave, color was always an important factor in presenting the textures of the environments.

The artwork in Indiana Jones Adventures helps create the illusion that this figure who does not look like Harrison Ford is nevertheless Indiana Jones. He has to be because this is his world. Any doubts you may have had dispel when the Nazis show up. At one point, Indiana categorizes them nicely: "Anti-Semite. Anti-Communist. Anti-Liberal. They feed on hate and fear. They even hate the gypsies."

At the point the story is set, the term Nazi as a shorthand form for the Nationalsozialistische Deutsche ArbeiterparteiKristalnacht.

Indiana Jones Adventures is an all-ages book. Some parents may wonder if such historical education is necessary for their son or daughter. I think Gelatt is about as tasteful as one can be about the subject. Bottom line: Everybody should know who the Nazis were because there are a bunch of nuts out there trying to deny their crimes and re-create the movement.

Nobody should forget the kind of evolutionary throwback humanity is capable of producing. I find Indiana Jones Adventures wonderfully educational in that respect.

The Nazis are portrayed in the book as insidious, immoral, and abusive. They come in many forms: spies who do not wear the Swastika, soldiers that do, and the Hitler Youth Corps--the stupidest species of Nazi. A member of the latter takes the spotlight in a scene that should remind kids to never volunteer for anything.

Using a fertile field, Gelatt crafts a meticulously designed action story that carries Indy around the world and pits him against familiar (and sometimes surprising) foes. The conclusion of the story depends upon clever sleight of hand that's elegantly executed by Beavers. This flourish is in keeping with the spirit and chicanery seen in Raiders of the Lost Ark.

Some wary comic book buyers may balk at the six-ninety-five price tag that accompanies Indiana Jones Adventures, but the book's manufacture explains the cost. It's slightly taller than manga, square-bound, and clocks in at about seventy-six pages. The high-quality paper vividly reproduces the art and the story.

Indiana Jones Adventures should be on every fan's shelf.

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Reprinting:

Adventure Comics #247, #304, #312, #354-355
Superboy and the Legion of Super-Heroes #212
Legion of Super-Heroes #300
Legion of Super-Heroes #0
Legends of the DCU 80-Page Giant #2
Legion #3

The foreword to Legion of Super-Heroes: 1050 Years of the Future is by Paul Levitz, whose work in the volume is mostly represented by Legion of Super-Heroes #300, an issue that is itself is a nostalgic homage looking back to many eras of the Legion’s storied past. In that story, he and Keith Giffen provide the framing device for “visions” that are illustrated by Kurt Schaffenberger, Howard Bender, Curt Swan, Dave Cockrum, James Sherman and Joe Staton respectively.

Levitz, famous for his long run that mixed action and soap opera while never slighting the entirety of the Legion’s huge cast, worked with Sherman, Giffen, and Staton. Swan was Jim Shooter’s frequent collaborator, and Cockrum was best known for his dramatic visual updates of the team just prior to Marvel stealing him for the X-men re-launch in the mid-1970s (take a look at Storm and Shadow Lass side by side).

Unfortunately, the compilers have let the inclusion of Levitz’s anniversary issue do the work of the rest of this book, as it’s both the first and last you see of many of the contributors and characters.

While a lot is included in the selection of reprint issues listed above, there’s also a lot that’s left out. Fortunately, the additional featurettes include such things as the covers of the large-size Limited Collector’s and All-New Collector’s editions that came out during the Legion’s 1970s renaissance, and several other excuses by Sherman, Jiminez, and Davis to celebrate the entire team at once.

Unfortunately, aside from Legion of Super-Heroes #300, there’s not much on Mordru, the Fatal Five, the Suneater or Computo. What’s more, Cockrum’s original art (which led to that afore-mentioned renaissance) receives no story and just a few pages of fact-oriented reprints.

The illustrated roll call of character origins and trivia in this volume, which was a frequent feature in the old days of the Legion, doesn’t use Cockrum’s rendition but a latter-day oddity by the trippy Sherman and hard-edged Jack Abel--an unlikely duo that nonetheless works.

No other Levitz/Giffen stories are included--no “Great Darkness Saga” and nothing from the Baxter run of the 1980s, which lasted until the five-year Gap following the Magic War. Additionally, there’s no Giffen/Bierbaum Legion, no Legion Lost, no Legion Worlds, no Khunds, no Blight, no Jim Starlin, no Greg Laroque, no Laurel Kent, no Miracle Machine, no Luck Lords, no Time Trapper, no Neal Adams monthly covers, no Monstress, no Snekka, no Dawnstar, no Tellus, no Dark Circle, no Dominators, no Moy, no Universo, no Moder. . . .

Okay, so maybe being comprehensive for twenty bucks wasn’t going to happen. While what did happen seems curiously uneven, there’s no argument that some of these stories are quite important, or that the whole package is a fun read. We get the first meeting between Superboy and the Legion, with extra-judgmental versions of Cosmic Boy, Lightning Lad and Saturn Girl. They look like extremely mean Mousketeers, and they put Superboy through his paces before revealing how much they worship him.

Then we get Lightning Lad’s death and Saturn Girl’s first attempt at comprehensive deception--a pattern she and other Legionnaires will frequently repeat; it’s not for nothing that they ultimately form an Espionage Squad or have “Conspiracy” story arcs, as spying is one of the premiere Legion skills. Then we get Lightning Lad’s resurrection, an all-around odd story that really sets up the DCU future as an alien-filled space opera.

Lightning Lad’s resurrection story also sets up the frequent Legion theme of individual sacrifice for the greater good--as long as the individual is a minor player rather than a main one (wink).

There are a lot of interesting parallels between the Legion and the Star Trek mythos, actually; certainly Braniac 5 and Spock would have a lot to talk about. However, again, you’d hardly know it from this collection, which skimps on Brainy.

The ongoing nature of the plots and soap opera character arcs was already beginning to gel in the early 60s. By the time Shooter arrived he took the potential even further with singular new characters and a mix of dark and heroic moments, as well as a greater emphasis on military strategy and long-term enemies.

Look back to the Adult Legion, Days of Future Past, to see your origin in a then-wildly creative attempt to envision a future mixed up with both tragic loss and new hope for the team. Curt Swan’s adult versions of our teen heroes, with receding hairlines, growing families of children, and clear differences in body shape and attire, are wonderfully conceived. This is the story where we see Superman among his adult peers and best friends, so Geoff Johns has forebears to thank as well.

And then, well, okay, we get a beautifully drawn but rather formulaic story by Shooter showing the supermodel-gorgeous Grell Legion beating more powerful doppelgangers though teamwork. Yes, even the mullet on Magno Lad looks good.

The stories were simple in this era of renewed interest for the team, and Grell took Cockrum’s sexy new costumes to the extreme in every panel. Imagine the most outlandish space babe outfits from Star Trek, then put them on the boys as well as the girls, and you’ll almost get there. The team never looked better, but this second run from Shooter lacked the drama of the first (who candidly admits to those shortcomings in a brief essay).

The newer material includes a standout retelling of the team’s origin, with art by Immonen, who with Chris Sprouse was perhaps the lasting artist from the post-Five Year Gap, pre-Reboot era of the team. Immonen also draws the touching story from the Legends of the DCU 80-Page Giant #2, which I missed the first time around--doing that “multiple styles page by page” thing he can do, a nice match for Levitz’ look back at all the 20th century legacies that live on in the futuristic team.

And then the post-reboot era is summed up by one issue of the Abnett/Lanning/Coipel Legion title, which didn’t really achieve the notoriety of their earlier more radical Legion Lost or “Blight” stories, nor the creativity of their Legion Worlds experiment.

Though it’s ultimately pretty good, featuring an attractive team of smart youths, the strangeness of writing a team from the next millennium that is somehow simultaneously fifty years old is touched on by Levitz in his confessional introduction. As assembled, this collection isn’t the Legion’s greatest hits. The principal themes of the team do make it through, however, and there’s no denying the beautiful work of Swan, Grell, Lightle, Jiminez, or Sherman. This is a charming curio for the dedicated Legion fan.

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Editor's Note: Squadron Supreme 2 #1 arrives in stores tomorrow, July 2.

Matthew J. Brady: 3 Bullets
Mark J. Hayman: 2 Bullets
Paul Brian McCoy: 3 Bullets

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Matthew J. Brady 3 Bullets

The Squadron Supreme has had a long, interesting history at Marvel, originally starting as a riff on their rival DC's Justice League. There have been a variety of versions over the years, with the most famous story probably being Mark Gruenwald's 1985 maxi-series, which was kind of like a less-sophisticated Watchmen. The most recent incarnation of the team was Supreme Power, J. Michael Straczynski's ultra-slow-paced look at "realistic" superheroes, with plenty of violence and political manipulations. It was interesting enough, but it got tiresome around the point that it became revamped as a new Squadron Supreme series, gathering its characters together as a team to have some uninspired adventures before disappearing. To make matters worse, the characters got pulled into a crossover with Marvel's Ultimate universe Ultimate Power. This appeared to be a big, pointless romp, with lots of punching and little significance (can you tell I didn't read it?). Apparently, it ended with most of the main characters from Straczynski's run having disappeared, and Ultimate Nick Fury stranded in the Squadron Supremeverse.

So now Howard Chaykin is spearheading a revival of the series, continuing where Ultimate Power left off. One would hope he would try to do something interesting with the characters, since he has a reputation for innovative writing and political commentary. Unfortunately, he seems to be following Straczynski's style of pacing, taking a lot of time to set up the situation and accomplishing little in terms of forward plot motion. In an interesting twist on the Squadron Supreme concept, he seems to be going for a riff on Marvel characters rather than DC ones. Five years after the events of Ultimate Power, the main superpowered characters (people seem to hate them due to their casual destruction and lack of care for humanity, so they can't really be called superheroes) are still missing, and regular humans are trying to recover from all the destruction the crossover caused. The United States sends a new mission to the moon (on a shuttle called Icarus One, which one would think would be a terrible name for any sort of flying vehicle), and the four astronauts on board seem to be experiencing strangeness. At the same time, a female vigilante who spins threads of sticky ooze and wears some sort of web-like costume is starting to appear on the streets, along with a soldier-like fellow who clothes himself in tattered, bloodstained flags. Assumingly, future issues will see the introduction of a guy in metal armor, a godlike, weather-controlling fellow, and a large, uncontrollable monster-man.

Who knows, maybe Chaykin is going somewhere interesting with this, but other than establishing that he is emulating the opposite comics company from other Squadron Supreme stories, he doesn't really do anything worth writing home about. Other than seeing some of the new strangeness occurring, Nick Fury and a few minor SS characters sit around talking about their lot in life. We'll have to see what he has planned next. In the meantime, Marco Turini's art does a decent job, but doesn't do anything too spectacular that would merit further attention. The spider-lady's "webs" seem especially weird, more like gooey mucus than actual webbing. And I wouldn't have realized the super-soldier's flags were supposed to be bloody if a caption hadn't told me so. Also, Nick Fury looks really weird in a few panels.

So while it might turn into an interesting new direction for Squadron Supreme, I can't really say it's worth reading yet. Like so many comics these days, the best course of action is probably to wait for the trade and read the whole story at once.

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Mark J. Hayman 2 Bullets

Once in a while you read a book and have trouble trying to get a grip on it, to find a handle. This new foray into the Supreme Universe is just such a book.

Problems abound, from the flat, cliché dialogue ("If there's something wrong with the crew of Icarus One, the American people have the right to know"), to the evident cover-up of Emil Burbank's central role in a disaster that's supposed to have severely damaged America's economy (though leaving the requisite billions available to send a quartet of bickering stereotypes on a lunar expedition masterminded by Burbank) and caused a "horrific loss of life," to Nick Fury being elevated to virtual folk hero status as an "ordinary man," despite what we're beginning to learn about him over in Ultimate Origins.

Let's for a moment write off these issues and focus on the purely visual. I appreciate that several large cities have been damaged or destroyed, but why after five years of clean-up and recovery is the Capitol building in Washington still covered with Burbank's "alien" goo? In a nation that takes symbols so seriously, and in a comic that's prefaced with a brief polemic on the brutalization of the "nation's psyche" and the elevation of the common man, why hasn't someone hosed off the Capitol, yet? Taking a mop and brush to the monuments would surely be job one?

Marco Turini provides narratively credible if uninspired pages, capturing much of the look and feel of the Supreme milieu established in part by Gary Frank. That there's more grit than gloss seems in keeping with the book's gestalt, one of ongoing aftermath. Apart from his own inconsistent shading techniques, Turini's work is somewhat undermined by the flat pallet from the lads at Guru eFx, who seem determined to prove that they really do have sixteen-million tones from which to choose (though I did appreciate the tint of Burbank's office windows, helping to establish the character as one who sees the world as a big bucket of crap that's continually being dumped on him).

One can't help but believe that this is another in a series of series by committee; the product of editorial statutes based on concept-driven meetings. In this context Chaykin's presence seems purely mercenary. While he's produced some worthwhile work within an editorial framework, there's surely little dispute that Chaykin's best moments have come when he's owned all the marbles. So in a broad sense I don't fault him for the patchwork of themes and sub-plots presented here, as merely being able to remember them all, let alone find some commonality, assumes someone of above-average ability. I can fault him for the dialogue, however, where every single character seems locked in sarcastic bicker mode. Then again, without a single character presented for whom we might be able to root or cheer--even the "victims" tend toward despicable--no fault is had with the actual characterization. It's just tiresome.

Beneath the surface there's a mystery happening, some sort of space-spawned spontaneous mutation that threatens to turn the world into a planet of freaks. The possibility that the underlying cause is yet another attempt by the US military to create a post-human strain--one that they can control this time--speaks volumes about the arrogance and short-sightedness of what we've come to know as the Military-Industrial Complex. Eventually the missing (and generally despised) "heroes" will return and try to sort things out, leading where we can but imagine. On the whole, though, this is a mighty cynical book filled with very cynical people. I don't need to spend money to hear that when I can just listen to myself talk for five minutes. The difference is that my brand of cynicism is coloured with a kind of blind faith in the potential of humanity to grow as a species. I find no such optimism here.

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Paul Brian McCoy: 3 Bullets

I was a huge fan of J. Michael Straczynski's initial run of Supreme Power and also enjoyed, just not as much, its PG-13 continuation, Squadron Supreme. I have to admit, though, it was nowhere near as good once it was pulled from the Marvel MAX line in the hopes of a wider audience and improved sales. And then something happened. Suddenly, the book stopped mid-story with a helluva cliffhanger, and no one would say what was up.

We got a couple of mini-series spotlighting Hyperion and Nighthawk, by different writers, and they were good, but I still wanted to know what happened in the main series. It was never officially canceled that I know of. It just stopped. And, if you ask me, JMS hasn't written anything worth reading ever since. Very curious, eh?

Then, last year, something called Ultimate Power happened, and while I didn't witness it myself, survivors have told tales of horrible excess and nonsensical storytelling that I don't even want to consider. The Squadron Supreme was back, but they were interacting with Ultimate Universe characters and being alternatively written by Bendis, JMS, and Jeph Loeb. And it never addressed the halting of the previous series.

And now, after a couple of years and that latest batch of confusion, Squadron Supreme is relaunching with a brand new creative team: Howard Chaykin is writing and Marco Turini is doing the art.

So I'm coming into this not really knowing what to expect. The only comics I've read that were written by Chaykin since 1996's Cyberella was the first few issues of American Century (2000 or 2001, I can't remember) and 2004's Challengers of the Unknown 6-issue mini. I know he's written a handful of acclaimed works during that time, but none of them have really caught my attention. Which is odd in itself, since American Flagg!, The Shadow: Blood & Judgment, and Black Kiss all still rank highly in my list of favorite all-time comics.

And Marco Turini is an impressive Italian artist, who, from what I can find out online, seems to be inclined to illustrating porn and erotica with a science fiction twist. Most of the samples of the work on his website are in black and white and are both beautifully rendered and extremely NOT WORK SAFE.

But what about this comic, you ask? Hmmm. Good question.

It's okay. Not great, but not too bad, either. It's hampered by the fact that it is set five years after Ultimate Power and none of the big name characters are around at the moment. Sure, Emil Burbank and Arcanna Jones are here (as is Ultimate Nick Fury), but they were secondary characters. Hyperion, Nighthawk, Dr. Spectrum, and Zarda are nowhere to be found (actually, I think Zarda is in the Ultimates Universe now. Maybe. I don't know).

Instead of really getting into their stories, though, we are introduced to a handful of (sort of) new characters with (sort of) new powers and situations. But whereas the original Squadron were variations on DC's Justice League, these new characters seem to be alternate versions of Spider-Man, Captain America, and the Fantastic Four. There are significant differences, of course, and the appearance of these characters seems to have been triggered by the return of four astronauts from a lunar mission. Something is transferred from person to person to person, but so far only one of the people in the chain has definitely manifested powers.

But I'm not quite sure what to make of them. In fact, I'm not quite sure what to make of any of the new characters. Or any of their opening scenarios, really. Nothing really grabs me about this new iteration, and even the art, which I was expecting to really like, is kind of boring. The set designs are nice, and I like the way the story is laid out on the page, but I don't care much for the people that fill the scenes. There are a lot of dramatic angles where we get to see up people's noses, and I really don't like the "costume" designs for the new characters.

I'm not sure what it is about them I don't like, though. I'm confused. I should enjoy this, but I didn't. The feeling is very similar to my reaction to the first new issue of newuniversal: Shockfront, in that there seems to be a lack of momentum that is amplified by the absence of the characters that made me like the original series so much. It's like if you tuned in to watch The Dukes of Hazard, but Bo and Luke weren't there anymore. Instead you were watching the misadventures of their lookalike cousins, Coy and Vance. Or something like that.

Regardless, I don't think I care enough about this new scenario and these new characters to care about the mysterious cliffhanger at the end. It's not poorly done, by any means, and your mileage may vary with the new characters. As for me, I'd have preferred to read something this creative team could put together for the MAX line, instead.

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Editor's Note: Astonishing X-Men #25 arrives in stores tomorrow, July 2.

"Ghost Box"

Steven Bari: 5 Bullets
Erik Norris: 2.5 Bullets
Dave Wallace: 4 Bullets

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Steven Bari 5 Bullets

A beautiful woman floats down unexpectedly from the sky toward the X-Men, their greetings a mixture of joy and apprehension. What do they call her now? How do you address an old friend who's now the queen of an African kingdom? "Hey, 'Roro!" blurts Wolverine, completely unperturbed by the woman's presence and standing. "Is there coffee? I swear why a healin’ factor can deal with bullets and knives but not four lousy bottles of hemp wine is a mystery of the freakin' ages…" Storm turns to him and smiles: "Yes."

In the tradition of Whedon and Cassaday, new creative team Warren Ellis and Simone Bianchi give Astonishing X-Men a very different feel than the other X-books. There is more interaction, more character beats, and more ambiance, which successfully takes the characters away from whatever else they are doing in other titles and lets them play uninhibited.

As the previous arc took place right before Messiah CompleX, "Ghost Box" starts off immediately after the events of Uncanny X-Men #500, where the X-Men are re-formed and headquartered in San Francisco. The original Astonishing crew is here: Cyclops, Emma Frost, Wolverine, Beast, and Armor. Colossus is gone, and in his stead is another Giant Sized X-Man: Storm. After explaining her reason for being in San Francisco (which is too good to spoil), she joins the team again.

That team, however, is not exactly the one she remembers. The X-Men are now consultants to the San Francisco Police Department, and gone are the flashy costumes when responding to alerts: "…We dress in a way they understand, and we jump past all the crap that comes with a costume right now" explains Cyclops-- referring both to the old days and the new apprehension toward government sponsored superheroes.

Essentially, "Ghost Box" is a mystery prompted by death and catalyzed by genetic discovery. Something's going on with mutants, and the X-Men need to follow the clues to get to the bottom of it. Although unintentional, Astonishing X-Men #25 inevitably begins to feel like an issue of X-Factor, given that the team is in street clothes, bantering, and solving mysteries. Nonetheless, the new creative team takes this title in a completely different direction, and makes the experience both unique and refreshing.

The most obvious is Bianchi's layout. This is the first time I've seen his sequential art, and I was utterly amazed. As you see from the preview below, Bianchi opens the comic with three overlapping panels. It may not look like it, but those are three separate panels. Each is over laid on top of the other, which to Bianchi's credit somehow makes the page seem bigger and more erratic. The effect thematically coalesces Armor's concern for a new codename, Wolverine's drunken binge (possibly at the San Diego Zoo), and Beast's early morning private time, which is subsequently followed in the next series of pages. Although at times it may be hard to follow Bianchi's layout, it forces you to look at the page in full first and then follow its pattern appreciatively.

That brings us to the peculiar panel on page two and Ellis' narrative. In panel 2, he is handing the reader a little of piece information, only to then explain the complete significance much later on in the issue. Ultimately, the story seems lopsided as all the exposition happens in one place and all in the final pages.

Yet, Ellis' characterization and story are well thought out and appealing. I particularly liked Beast and Cyclops rapport and their discussion of their respective women. These are two men who have known each other since they were teenagers, and similarly one keeps the other's psychosis in check. "…This is the best it's ever been…," Beast reminds Cyclops.

I echo that sentiment. As a reader of the X-Men for more than ten years, I feel this is the best time it has ever been and Astonishing X-Men is proof. Exceptional writing from Ellis and Bianchi's beautiful art make this comic far above average and an enviable standard of quality.

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Erik Norris: 2.5 Bullets

Before even cracking open the cover of Astonishing X-Men #25, I practically had it in my mind that this wouldn't live up to the twenty four issues prior. What Whedon and Cassaday did with the cast of Astonishing was simply, well….spectacular (I couldn't bring myself to be another reviewer using "astonishing" to describe this book). That creative duo made me care about the X-Men again, much like I used to back when the cartoon aired in the 90's. There were so many standout moments that literally had me gasping for breath, cheering, and even cursing the book because of how easy Whedon and company made it seem to create an epic with as much heart as explosions. Who could forget Kitty's reaction to a resurrected Colossus, Cyclops losing his laser sight only to return as the leader he was always meant to be, or even Wolverine acting like an English school girl. The sheer amount of moments this book produced was astronomical.

Another marvel that the original twenty four issues accomplished was they made the X-Men accessible to everyone. Whether you know which issues Jean Grey died in (all of them), or your knowledge stops at the X-films, Astonishing X-Men was the book for you. Never bogged down by the weight of the franchise's own insane continuity but still upholding it to deliver characters acting perfectly in-line with forty five years of history.

But isn't this review about Astonishing X-Men #25, the start of the new creative team of Warren Ellis and Simone Bianchi? Why yes. Yes it is, so I should probably stop ogling a thing of the past, right? Well it's good to know my thoughts on the last creative team before I approach the new because frankly, it has a lot to do with how I perceived the new direction of the book. I have a bit of a bias.

Right off the bat readers will notice the change in the Astonishing X-Men's setting. With the happenings of "Messiah CompleX" the X-Men have moved from upstate New York to San Francisco, leaving the mansion behind for trolleys and hippies. Even Cyclops, easily the most frustrated with the struggles of Homo Superior, is happy for once. The X-Men are also now working side by side with the San Francisco Police Department to investigate crimes of the "odd" kind. It's all a very different direction from what readers have come to expect from an X-book, but that isn't a negative; it's actually refreshing and helps establish this book's place among the pantheon of X-Men titles currently available.

However, for the strong setup and tone established by Astonishing X-Men #25, there are quite a number of faults that distract me from loving this book. Firstly, let's discuss the art. Simone Bianchi is a hell of an artist. I don't want to take away anything from his craft, but what works for his fantastic cover art doesn't work for his interiors. Bianchi is at his best when his art is simply black and white as his shadow work is simply breathtaking. But for some reason, once colors are applied to his penciling, his artwork takes two steps backwards in visual appeal. And while his panel layouts are unique and dynamic, while still being easy to follow from one to the other, his characters look rather stiff, awkward, and down right ugly. Take his depiction of Emma Frost and Storm, for example. Both individuals are supposed to be the epitome of beauty in the X-verse. Their very presence should have men dropping what they're doing as their pants rise, six to midnight, in the crotch region. However, Bianchi's depictions, sans one panel of Storm, look terrible. I have heard a lot of people say they resemble hookers, but that's an insult to a decent amount of hookers, so let's just say they look ugly. To bring this back around to my introduction in some fashion, Simone Bianchi is no John Cassaday. Bianchi can draw, no doubt about it, but he isn't the best sequential storyteller Marvel could have stuck on this high caliber title.

Then there's the writing. Personally, I'm not a Warren Ellis fan. I love Planetary for its concepts, but he always makes Americans sound like asses which distracts me from his scripts. Truthfully, when I read an X-Men book I don't want his personal politics factoring into my escapism. Also, I have a problem with how Ellis writes Emma Frost. Joss Whedon made her a pretentious bitch, but a pretentious bitch who seemed almost loveable because of her specific use of sarcasms and humor when the situation arose. In Astonishing #25, Emma sounds like a whinny thirteen year old. It was cute in the bedroom scene with Scott, but once they reached X-Base Alpha (or whatever it ends up being called) I was pretty much tired of her talking. If she acts like this all the time, I can't fathom why Scott would want to listen to it all day no matter how hot--or ugly if Simone Bianchi is drawing--she might be.

Six paragraphs and only one was spent complimenting this issue. That might seem rather harsh, but when you, as a reader, approach this book, take into account that this specific reviewer holds up the original run of Astonishing X-Men as one of the Holy Grails of comicdom. If you can overlook that, or like Warren Ellis as a writer, then you will probably find a lot to like here. Let alone that Astonishing gets to play with one of the best casts for an X-book. To wrap up, I would love nothing more than to be enthralled by as many X-Men books as possible, but Astonishing just doesn't do it for me at the moment. Left off with a sub par cliffhanger coupled with the fact that the amazing duo of Brubaker and Fraction step aboard Uncanny X-Men next month with issue #500, I might just leave Astonishing behind while memories are still fond.

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Dave Wallace: 4 Bullets


I've been looking forward to this issue for quite some time. Grant Morrison and Joss Whedon are the only two writers to have ever made me really care about an X-Men title, both managing to pull off the difficult task of stripping down the wealth of X-Men continuity to a manageable level and making the characters accessible and interesting to read about, without ever losing the essence of the X-Men formula. Warren Ellis follows in their footsteps here, presenting his own distinctive take on the flagship X-team, albeit one that also acknowledges the new status quo of the X-books (notably their recent move to San Francisco) and makes a few changes in the team roster in order to incorporate Storm (who replaces the absent Kitty Pryde).

All of the usual Ellis tics are present and correct: there's the faux-scientific futuristic sci-fi (I loved the explanation of exactly how the X-gene works), the unique authorial voice, and the inspired touches of fantastical imagination that make his work so enjoyable to read. I loved the concept of Chaparanga Beach (which I won't spoil here), and I was also impressed to see how the writer managed to slyly extend the possibilities of an X-Universe that has recently found itself limited by Wanda's "No More Mutants" decree.

Ellis also captures the essence of his characters effortlessly, which will be a relief for those who were worried that Whedon's focus on characterisation would be lost with the new creative team. The choicest dialogue is saved for the eloquent Beast ("Abigail asked if I could get the weekend off so that she can tamper extensively with me"), but Ellis' take on Armor is equally satisfying, and I look forward to seeing her develop as a core member of the team. Ellis' construction of the issue also helps to make the characters relatable and accessible, grounding the team in reality as they gather for an early morning cup of coffee and a chat before setting off to investigate an unusual murder that will serve as the catalyst for the plot of this opening arc.

I was also interested by the scenes that detail the X-Men's current approach to their costumes. Both Morrison and Whedon made a point of establishing at an early stage why their teams were dressed as they were - with Morrison eschewing the traditional costumes, and Whedon embracing them. Here Ellis has the best of both worlds, demonstrating a realistic approach to the characters with their decision not to sport their garish duds whilst investigating a murder with the San Francisco police department, but also coming up with a decent rationale for the team to suit up later on in the book.

Talking of costumes, I have to give Bianchi credit for his subtle redesign of many of the team's outfits, the most notable of which is that of Storm. The touches of African design that are added to her costume make perfect sense given the character's lineage, and the regal nature of her accessories fits her perfectly, particularly given her new status. Other team members receive less obvious overhauls that don't alter their costumes too much - although having said that, I've already heard people complain about the red-and-yellow X-symbol that has been applied to the front of Storm and Emma Frost's costumes (presumably they're just disappointed that we won't be seeing as much cleavage as we did before). For my money, it works well as a subtle nod to the previous, gaudier costumes that also allows Bianchi some freedom to experiment with more realistic textures and textiles on the rest of the outfits (ably supported by Simone Peruzzi's delicately shaded colours).

Aside from the new costume designs, I was most struck by Bianchi's unusual layouts. He uses different geometric shapes for many of his panels, constructing his pages out of semicircles and irregular quadrilaterals as well as the usual squares and rectangles. Some of his pages also see the characters bleed outside of the panel boundaries into the negative space of the gutters, with a silhouette that continues their outline outside of the panel borders (sometimes directly into another panel). It gives the pages a unique look that helps to establish a fresh start for the creative team, and although these layouts can occasionally be distracting, it's always nice to see someone try something a little different.

My one complaint with Bianchi's previous work has been that, as with other highly detailed artists, his figures can sometimes look a little static and posed, lacking the dynamism that's often required by superhero comics. Whilst it's possible that that will still be a weakness (we don't get much action here, and what little there is is mostly based around moving vehicles rather than people, which don't change their appearance in motion as much a human being does), the art serves this first chapter well, dominated as it is by talking-heads sequences and scene-setting vistas (such as the lovely opening shots of the Golden Gate bridge at sunrise).

Lately, whenever a new creative team takes over a title for a high-profile run, I've been finding that my reactions often fall into the same pattern. It's been a while since I've been really wowed by an opening issue, because it's becoming the norm for creators to use their first issues to set the scene for the rest of their run, rather than getting to the meat of their story straight away. Whilst this might result in a better structure for the stories once they're complete, it does make it hard to evaluate issues like this one in their own right. With no context bar that of Joss Whedon and John Cassaday's previous run on the title, this feels like a fairly slow opener that exists to (re)introduce the book's cast and set several plot threads in motion. Looking forwards, however, I get the sense that this issue is setting a solid foundation for Ellis and Bianchi's run on the book, and I'm already looking forward to seeing where the story goes. There's more here to absorb than many opening issues of high-profile runs provide, and the tasters of the story that we do get to enjoy definitely have me hooked for the time being. And in the current climate, that's about as good as it gets.

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Editor's Note: Secret Invasion: Front Line #1 arrives in stores tomorrow, July 2.

"Chapter One: The End of the World"

Steven Bari: 2.5 Bullets
Paul Brian McCoy: 3 Bullets

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Steven Bari 2.5 Bullets

Plot: The Skrull Invasion from street level. Follow New York cabbie Jonathan, business mogul Vincent, and Dr. Young of Empire State University Hospital as Ben Urich of Front Line recounts the end of the world!

Commentary: I never much enjoyed any of the Front Line series, as I really couldn't find anything gripping. Yet this comic provides a much-needed dramatic vantage point of the Secret Invasion: how are everyday people dealing with this alien invasion? In this respect Front Line instills appropriate fear and chaos to the streets of New York as straphangers and cabbies watch big green men invade their city.

Unfortunately, this doesn't happen until the second half of the issue. We are first introduced to Jonathan, a yellow-cab driver whose night before the invasion gets worse and worse. First, he finds out his woman is sleeping with another man. Then, the Menace and Spider-Man total his cab. And to top it all off, his recorded reaction to the invasion is erased by Urich for more important "commentary."

The story then jumps around, focusing on our eyes and our ears of the invasion: Vincent, a businessman who works for a merchandising company inside Stark Tower, and Dr. Molly Young, an idealistic emergency room doctor whose willingness to help may get her killed. Although these characters are relatable, they neither resonate emotionally nor visually to garner interest. They are the usual suspects as P.O.V.: Vincent the cynical everyman, Molly the saint, and Jonathan the man seeking vindication with a loved one. These aren't necessarily hackneyed archetypes, but they aren't original either.

As for the art, it is very good and certainly captures the hysteria of the invasion in the latter pages, but doesn't make use of individual character templates. I had to read the issue twice because I was trying to figure why Jonathan was suddenly working in Stark Tower, had a daughter, then came back to the cab company garage. Jonathan and Vincent look the same. So do Molly and one of her colleagues. Only Urich is distinct, and that's because he has glasses.

Nonetheless, Front Line is a obligatory perspective to this event. Again, I don't normally enjoy this series when it pops up (Civil War & World War Hulk), so I'm biased. But if I'm willing to give this series a chance, Brian Reed and the art team need to make Secret Invasion: Front Line far more appealing.

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Paul Brian McCoy: 3 Bullets

Another big Marvel event means another edition of Front Line; this time Brian Reed has been handed the reins, and he does a good job at orchestrating three different storylines following brand new characters during the initial Skrull landing. Is it just me, though, or has this battle been going on for months now?

As with the previous installments, Front Line's core is reporter Ben Urich, who is in the middle of interviewing a sexy doctor about treating gang victims in the ER, as the Skrulls attack. This storyline runs parallel with the stories of a cab driver who's having a very bad couple of days already, and a father and daughter who find themselves trapped in a locked down Avengers Tower (his offices are situated there).

There's a lot of drama in each situation before the actual Invasion starts, so I have hope that Reed will be able to keep them from deteriorating into cliches. I'm also hoping that the book doesn't demonstrate the hostility toward people that Jenkins' run seemed to develop. There were a few extremely misanthropic moments in World War Hulk: Front Line. Reed hasn't really let me down in anything I've read by him so far, but I haven't read a lot, to be honest.

Generally the art in this book is very good. Every character has a distinct look, the backgrounds and settings are very well defined and realistic, and there is only a panel or two where I was confused about just what was happening. The two-page spread of the Skrull ships appearing above New York is breathtaking and really helps to establish the giant pause for breath the entire city takes just before the chaos erupts.

My only real quibble with the art is that the sexy doctor, Doctor Molly Young, doesn't seem to be wearing a top under her white, doctor's jacket. Every other doctor character is wearing his or her coat open over their regular blouses, shirts, and ties. Except for Doctor Young, who keeps her coat buttoned tightly across her ample bosom as if she were wearing a dress-blouse combo. But she's clearly wearing a skirt under the coat/dress. The only justification for it that I can tell, is that she's supposed to be hot, and this shows off her chest, whereas a coat over a blouse wouldn't be as revealing.

It's a strange bit of cheesecake art in the midst of some rather serious situations (including an emergency medical procedure on a gang member who's been gutshot, and, of course, the aforementioned Skrull invasion). I keep expecting her top to burst open at a dramatic moment, like a female Nick Fury. And while in another context that might be something to look forward to, here it just seems out of place and unnecessarily exploitive. If the title of the book were Hot Action Doctors, she would be right at home.

The coloring team of Ciardo and Pinelli do a fantastic job throughout the book, with a soft, water-color style that really makes the book worth taking home on its own. Their use of light and shadow sometimes creates an almost photo-realistic sense of depth. At other times, a marbleized effect is used that gives the stones, streets, and walls believable textures as well as to create artistic backdrops in panels without detailed backgrounds. And you should see the skies above New York. The light filtering through the clouds is just beautiful.

All in all, the artwork gives this comic a very European style that we could use more of in American mainstream works. I'm a little confused by the crediting, though, as the first listing is for GG Studios and "team coordinator" Giuliano Monni. Then we get Castiello listed as penciler and the colorist credits, followed by the rest of the production team. Is this something new? I don't know if I've seen art credited to a studio before. Interesting.

Secret Invasion: Front Line is off to a nicely paced start with a fair-sized cast of interesting characters. And it's easy on the eyes, too. Even without Hot Action Doctor, this is a very good looking book, and yet another Secret Invasion tie-in that may end up being better than the main series.

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Well I’ll be. Turns out Ultimate Spider-Man is like a box of chocolates: You never know what you’re going to get, and what you get this time is a bizarre Forrest Gump homage.

This entire issue is told from Eddie Brock’s P.O.V. as he gives a mini-autobiography to a series of people sitting next to him at a park bench. He tells them of his life since his assumed death, how he has been hiding out and on the lam and p.o.’d at P.P. Then he tells them of attacking Spidey at a museum, and how Silver Sable and her Wild Pack tried to nab him at said museum, but Eddie gave ‘em the slip.

True story: I was once nabbed by and gave the slip to a transsexual stripper who billed her act as “Silver Sable and Her Wild Package.”

OK, that isn’t a true story. Would be awesome if it was, wouldn’t it?

Where was I? Oh, yeah, then after all that Eddie eats a dude, and not in the Wild Package sense of the phrase.

And that’s it for USS this time. Save your dollars for the One Buck Lap Dance, which may be, just like this issue, more tease than please, but it’s also a third of the price.

There was nothing wrong with this issue, per se. Bendis is a terrific writer, no matter how much some people love to knock him. Look at the way he can squeeze dialogue into a single panel – I counted sixty words in one instance – while not crowding out the art or making the story a chore to read. One gets all the vital exposition and realistic dialogue while still maintaining the feeling of not having to, you know, actually read. Hell, it’s called ComicsBulletin, not ProseBulletin.

Bendis also knows how to tell a story. I have a friend with whom I commonly debate the merits of a sp