| FROM GEMSTONE'S SCOOP 01/02/09 Dynamite Entertainment |
| What happens when you mix dinosaurs, seemingly primitive humans, modern day adventurers, and a dangerous blonde jungle queen? Well, the creative team of Frank Cho (Mighty Avengers, Liberty Meadows), Doug Murray (The 'Nam) and Adriano Batista seem to think that's the formula for bombastic adventure. So far, through the first mini-series and two issues of this one, they're right |
| NIGHTWITCHES #2 REVIEW ON COMICBOOKRESOURCES 12/08/08 Dynamite Entertainment |
| by Timothy Callahan Once upon a time not too long ago, Garth Ennis wrote a series of war comics for Vertigo under the banner "War Stories." A couple of trades have appeared, reprinting those stories, and they are worth checking out because, in his "War Stories" mode, Ennis and his artistic collaborators focused on one small perspective to tell very human stories about something as inconceivably massive as warfare. His "War Stories" installments were often brutal, ironic, somewhat reverential, and emotionally powerful, dealing with intense drama in unlikely situations of heroism. It seems this new "Battlefields" banner from Dynamite is pretty much the same thing. And that's fine with me, because I like Ennis in his "War Stories" mode, and I'm always happy to see what perspective he adopts next. In "The Night Witches," he tells the story of an all-female Russian air force squadron and their battle against German forces. The Night Witches themselves -- so named by the Germans -- are the focus of the story, but the only narrative captions in issue #2 are given to a reluctant German soldier who is tormented by his own leaders. Ennis does a lot of things well in this series, and one of the most prominent is his emphasis on characterization. This is a high-concept piece of historical fiction (women flying fighter planes in WWII!) but he doesn't oversimplify the situation or glorify anyone on either side. He shows the conflict within the ranks -- both Russian and German -- and allows both sides to show their troubling humanity. And yet, Ennis doesn't flinch from showing the savagery of war, either, and though the theme isn't as simple as "war is hell," there's an underlying acceptance that such a statement is true, and this is all a manifestation of that. Perhaps the most powerful scene in issue #2 involves the rape and murder of one of the female pilots. The contrast between her brutalized body in a darkened cellar and the nobility of her comrades flying on their missions is a shocking indictment of war in particular and the human race in general. It's not a pretty sight, and it's not just a cheap way to startle the reader. The rape evokes a deep sadness and a horrifying awareness of the price these pilots are being asked to pay. Ennis uses the potential exploitative scene to its full thematic effect. Russ Braun, another Vertigo alum, provides the art on "The Night Witches," and his work here resembles a cleaned-up Darick Robertson. It's not quite as gritty as Robertson's, but his faces look similar, and his storytelling flows as smoothly. And, most importantly, there's a physical weight to his characters. These aren't superheroic figures dancing through the skies. They are individuals who carry the weight of their countries on their shoulders, and you can feel the burden in the way they stand. "The Night Witches" is only three issues long, so I don't expect any radical plot reversals or shifts in quality in part three. It's not the kind of story that hinges on plot points anyway. It's about characters trapped in situations beyond their control, and it's about what they do to rise above their surroundings or die trying. "The Night Witches" is a high-quality war comic, and, without a doubt, I'm looking forward to other "Battlefields" installments from Garth Ennis and company. |
| BEST SHOTS EXTRA: THE LONE RANGER #14 10/09/08 The Lone Ranger |
| The Lone Ranger #14 From: Dynamite Writer: Brett Matthews Art: Sergio Cariello Color: Marcelo Pinto of Impacto Studio Lettering: Simon Bowland Cover: John Cassaday Part Three of the "Scorched Earth" arc pulls off the trick of being totally accessible for new readers. Sure, you have a benefit if you've been following the revamped adventures of the Lone Ranger and Tonto from the beginning of the book, but it's a rare third part these days that allows one to pick it up cold and feel in on the action. Wrapped in an iconic John Cassaday cover that demonstrates the long-delayed adoption of the classic costume, the book manages to be a good solid read on just about every front. One of the best things about this book is easily Tonto. From the outset, Matthews has shown us the quiet power and dangerous nature of the man. What he's evolved at the same time are Tonto's flashes of biting wit and deadpan humor. As the duo (together with the Commissioner Gordon-esque Sheriff Loring) conduct an investigation into a series of brutal murders, Tonto encounters unexpected cheer from the townsfolk (who appear to just be happy to have someone handling their business) at the same time as he hears casual racism from the bartender. Tonto's response to the crowd is self-deprecating and funny as it sly pokes at the character's history of interpretation across media. Matthews also depicts the Ranger well, deftly bridging the gap between the character's status as an incorruptible icon and his humanity. The Ranger is deeply troubled by the carnage that he and his allies have witnessed, and his sense of moral outrage is evident. As he moves from to tenderness in dealing with a traumatized child to the steely professionalism of justice-drive avenger, this version of the Lone Ranger emerges as a terrific embodiment of past versions delivered in a modern aesthetic. Speaking of aesthetics, the art by Cariello continues to impress. His Kubertesque leanings are perfectly well-suited to this book, and his occasional minimalism (particularly when it comes to showing just enough of a ravaged body to make a point) is smartly played. My one nitpick about the art is the way that the mask sometimes looks; it occasionally sits on the Ranger's nose like it's a hardpiece (like Batman's mask) rather than fabric that would show the contour of the face (as Cassaday does on the cover). Perhaps it's an effect of the aforementioned minimalism, but I find it occasionally distracting. Overall, The Lone Ranger has been entertaining from the start, but I now feel a sense of drive from the title that underscores how serious Dynamite is about turning familiar properties into vital characters for today's audience. |
| BSG:ORIGINS #8 ON WIZARDUNIVERSE.COM 07/30/08 Battlestar Galactica |
BATTLESTAR GALACTICA: ORIGINS #8 Dynamite Entertainment Robert Place Napton (W)/Jonathan Lau (A) ANDY: "If you're looking for the road map to how your favorite BSG characters landed on that old rust bucket, then this series has the directions you'll need to follow. This ish wraps up the four-part flashback tale to how Bill Adama took over as Battlestar Actual, and it's a road that's paved with tragedy: Here, he's chastised for not killing a former squad leader who was captured and tortured by the Cylons; he's forced to send his buddy Bulldog on a suicide mission that ends with him getting captured; his son Zak is killed in a training exercise; his wife Carolanne leaves him; and he winds up in command of a 'floating museum' called the Galactica. Napton does a solid job of weaving the already established threads from the show continuity with his own twists and turns, and Lau's manga-inspired art really punches up the sci-fi elements of this military drama." |
| THE GOOD, THE BAD AND THE UGLIER #2 07/07/08 Dynamite Entertainment |
| I won't lie, I was a bit skeptical about one of the greatest film characters of all time, the Man With No Name, coming to comics. Clint Eastwood's iconic Western anti-hero is an institution in the film realm, a character that is as much a legend as the man who played him and the genre he represented. However, following the first issue of the character's first comic series, I really liked where writer Christos Gage and artist Wellington Dias were taking the story. But still, there was a part of me that remained skeptical. The story was taking place literally 5 minutes after the end of The Good, The Bad and the Ugly and my main concern has been how far Blondie, the character's pseudonym in the film, can be developed without tarnishing the iconic legacy of the character. If you check out my review of the first issue (at this link HERE), I talk quite a bit about the history of the character and how he never really remained the same over the course of the three Leone films and subsequent Eastwood films. Thus, I feel that I was rightfully a little wary of a continuation of The Good, The Bad and the Ugly. As a student of film, there is a part of me that says "that film should not be touched," but you know me, I enjoy a good story and the first issue started off pretty solid, so hope springs for the continuation of this series. Well, all my fears and worries about tarnishing the character are more or less wiped out after reading this issue. The story opens with two soldiers waiting for Blondie. There's a reward on his head, but word has gotten out that he's taken the gold from the unmarked grave, the final scene in The Good, The Bad and The Ugly. So as Blondie makes his way to a mission corrupted by both Confederate and Union soldiers, he gets side-tracked by the two soldiers who try to set a trap for him. The bizarre twist is that they don't want the reward on his head, but are after the very gold he stole in the film. This scene is brilliant and it really highlights why I am falling in love with this series. It is also true homage to and a continuation of Blondie. When Blondie has the upper hand in any situation, he gets whatever he wants very quickly. That is very much the case in the opening scene, but it also shows his level of compassion and the fact that he is not a cold-blooded killer, he the classic morally ambiguous anti-hero. What's my absolute favorite part of this issue? Blondie's dialogue. Gage writes this dialogue in this issue so well that as I was reading it, I could hear Eastwood's voice in my head. Hell, I even read a few lines out loud in an Eastwood-like voice. The important thing about this was that Blondie felt like he just jumped out of the film. This is crucial to the continuation and success of the series and if Gage continues to write the character as he was naturally depicted by Eastwood, then we are in for one memorable series. That's also the reason for my initial optimism. Could Gage capture the essence of this character? Yes, he can, he nails the character. Reading Gage's depiction of the character, I feel like just seeing a comic book version of Eastwood, it's fantastic. And while Blondie has a lot more dialogue in this issue, he doesn't speak a word of wasted breath. What I mean is that the Man With No Name is the stoic, mostly silent, but completely bad-ass icon of the Western genre. Gage captures the very essence of this man, his dialogue is short and to the point and there's that small level of sarcasm Eastwood brought to the role. But even more than that, there is zero narration. Not first person, not third person. Nothing. I could go total film geek and blast Ennio Morricone's magnificent score during the scenes where there is no dialogue, just scenery and actions, but I think that's a bit much, even for me. The plot fits right in with the depiction of the character as well. This is a key element to the story because in the films, all the action revolved around the character and every move he made. It's almost as if everyone was racing against him. But true to form, Blondie is a bit of a con-artist and the classic morally ambiguous hero. He's on his way to the corrupted mission, but he realizes that he's vastly outnumbered by soldiers playing both sides of the Civil War. So in true fashion, Blondie decides he's going to join them. Not only does this keep the heat off of him for a while, but it allows him to essentially "do the right thing" and take down some of the corruption plaguing the innocent people of the land. I'm really digging Wellington Dias's artwork. As I said in the first review, it's difficult for any artist to capture the same cinematic qualities that Sergio Leone could in his films. After all, it's a completely different medium and there are even directors that have failed to capture the same essence of Leone's beautiful imagery. Regardless, Dias captures some beautiful scenery, draws fantastic characters and captures the spirit of the films, but also brings his own stylistic touches to it. His artwork really makes Gage's direction stand out. The lack of narration is balanced with the beautiful scenery Dias creates as well as the fluid and clear actions the characters make. Sure the depiction of Blondie doesn't look a whole lot like Clint Eastwood, but who cares, it's still fantastic. I especially love the fact that we do not see his eyes. That mythical nature of the character is captured perfectly in comic book form just by the simple element. Just beautifully done artwork and storytelling all around. I absolutely love what Christos Gage and Wellington Dias are doing with this series so far. All my doubts and fears have been mostly suppressed by excellent storytelling and the fact that Gage and Dias are perfectly capturing the essence of Clint Eastwood, the Man With No Name and Sergio Leone. I really hope the quality of this series only improves because it is certainly carving quite a place for the character in comics. This is one of my Picks of the Week. |