Randy's Reviews for 10/1/2003 - SPOILERS

Alias #27
Astro City: Local Heroes #4 (of 5)
Authority Vol. 2 #6
Detective Comics #787
Hawkman #20
Ruse #23
Spider-Girl #65






Alias #27

Written by Brian Michael Bendis, Art by Michael Gaydos
Publisher: MAX

Synopsis: Jessica is unable to get the information she wants from 
Killgrave. She leaves to tell her client this information, then discovers 
that Killgrave has just escaped from prison. She calls several people, 
including her mother, Carol Danvers and her own office in order to warn 
them. She calls Clay Quartermain, but when he sends a team to get her for 
her protection, she escapes and chases down Scott Lang. They spend the 
evening together, and in the morning she finds Scott dead in the bed 
covered with ants.

Good Stuff: This is weird, but good. There are a great many questions 
raised about Jessica's status within the Marvel universe, as well as 
continuity.

I loved Bendis' portrayal of the Purple Man as an extremely creepy and 
dangerous person, and I also liked his mind games. Also, I thought the 
artwork did an excellent job of creating the necessary tension to make 
the story come to life--you're almost forced to read at a faster pace, 
even if you don't want to.

It remains to be seen what the lasting repercussions of this issue are. 
It wouldn't surprise me in the slightest to discover that this particular 
story has all been taking place in Jessica'a mind, nor would it surprise 
me to discover that everything is incredibly real. A great comic.

Not so Good Stuff: Nothing to complain about here.

I give this book 10/10. 











Astro City: Local Heroes #4 (of 5)

Written by Kurt Busiek, Art by Brent Eric Anderson
Publisher: Wildstorm

Synopsis: We meet an attorney named Vincent, whose job it is to defend 
the son of a Mob boss from a murder conviction. He comes up with the 
clever idea of using the fantastic goings on within the city as a way of 
discrediting the testimony of expert witnesses, as well as casting doubt 
on all of the eyewitnesses. However, his stratagem backfires in a way, as 
the mob boss wants him to come work for him full time, and won't take no 
for an answer.

Meanwhile, a vigilante named the Blue Knight is killing underworld 
characters.

Good Stuff: This is really quite interesting. In one fell swoop, Busiek 
manages to explain why prisons in the world of super hero comics seem to 
have a revolving door. Using such hoary clichés as villains who can 
perfectly imitate other people, evil twins from another dimension, and 
the idea of an open door between life and death, he comes up with a 
plausible reason why villains don't stay in jail--with everything that 
goes on around them, it's very difficult to prove anything beyond a 
reasonable doubt.

I also have to admit that I enjoyed the ethical discourse about the 
responsibility of the defense attorney. Whether you agree with the 
argument or no, it's quite interesting.

Not so Good Stuff: I really liked this comic.

I give this book 10/10. 











Authority Vol. 2 #6

Written by Robbie Morrison, Art by Dwayne Turner, Sal Regla
Publisher: Wildstorm

Synopsis: We meet the Reverend John Clay, a preacher with a new ideology 
of transcendence. However, it's apparent that part of his ideology does 
not allow for the tolerance of other opinions, as he and his minion, 
Sister Voice, destroy Salt Lake City. He particularly has it out for 
metahumans like the Authority.

We see the Authority attempting to enjoy some downtime. The Engineer and 
Jack Hawksmoor explore their relationship while the Doctor looks on from 
his retreat. Apollo and the Midnighter attempt to create secret 
identities in order to send Jenny to school. Swift goes to Tibet where 
they want her to be an ambassador, but she is attacked there.

Good Stuff: I'm dropping this title. I guess that's the best that can be 
said for this drek.

Not so Good Stuff: The same problems I've been harping on for a while 
now. Lack of characterization, lack of interesting villains. Really just 
not worth the three bucks a month.

I give this book 1/10. 











Detective Comics #787

Written by Brian K. Vaughan, Rick Spears, Art by Rick Burchett, John 
Lowe, Rob G.
Publisher: DC Comics

Synopsis: The first story is a done-in-one set prior to the incidents of 
"Officer Down". Batman faces off against the Mad Hatter as well as 
Hatter's Arkham psychiatrist who has been infected by Man-Bat's serum.

In "The Dogcatcher", the day to put the Joker's dog to death arrives, but 
before the dog is killed the Joker shows up.

Good Stuff: It seems as though there's been an effort the last few years 
to inject some menace into some of Batman's lesser rogues, and this is 
just another such effort. It's a solid story.

Not so Good Stuff: The lead story was solid, but not particularly 
inspired. Also, the Dogcatcher continues to limp towards it's conclusion.

I give this book 6/10. 











Hawkman #20

Written by Geoff Johns, Art by Morales, Bair, McMurray
Publisher: DC Comics

Synopsis: Hawkman and Hawkgirl rescue a family from a burning building. 
Hawkman pursues and captures the Firefly, who apparently is the one who 
set the fire.

Carter is filling in for Professor Manus at the local university. Kendra 
invites him to lunch. She tells him she wants to go on a date with a guy 
from her building and asks if he's okay with that, to which he says yes.

Later on, he goes on patrol with the Atom, and they stop for burgers. 
After dinner, Hawkman goes back on patrol alone. He spots a man beating 
his wife and goes to intervene, when he's struck by a pain. He is 
attacked by a character holding a voodoo doll. When Hawkman cuts the 
doll, he bleeds and is left at the mercy of his attacker.

Good Stuff: I always like to see situations where super heroes do things 
other than fighting the criminal of the week. It's especially nice to see 
them doing other things like saving people from a fire.

It's also cool to see the Atom hanging out with Carter, and to see Carter 
acting a little more vicious than many of his contemporaries when faced 
with a villain.

Not so Good Stuff: I'd like to see a little more of our villain here. I 
can understand the voodoo doll concept, but a little more background 
would be welcome, as I'm unsure whether Hawkman's attacker is the villain 
or one of his pawns.

I give this book 8/10. 











Ruse #23

Written by Scott Beatty, Art by Butch Guice, Michael Perkins
Publisher: CrossGen Entertainment

Synopsis: There's a sniper running around at the University of 
Partington. Meanwhile, Michelle is buried and while Pete wants to chase 
her killer down, Simon tells him not to pursue the matter.

After the funeral, Emma discovers that all of the girls have been asked 
to leave. She also finds out that Simon has imprisoned the manservants in 
a dungeon cell.

Simon goes to the University to investigate the sniper, and he ends up 
teaching a class in criminology. He discovers that one of his students is 
the sniper.

Good Stuff: The artwork was very nice, as usual.

Not so Good Stuff: There are times when I really wish Scott Beatty would 
spend more time focusing on the mystery at hand and less on building the 
characters of Simon and Emma. Not that I mind characterization, I'd just 
like to see a little more mystery and investigation.

I give this book 5/10. Given the current situation with CrossGen, one 
wonders if the number of "done-in-one" stories will continue for a while 
until things stabilize.











Spider-Girl #65

Written by Tom DeFalco, Ron Frenz, Art by Ron Frenz, Sal Buscema, Pat 
Olliffe, Al Williamson
Publisher: Marvel Comics

Synopsis: Spider-Girl attends a briefing about the Black Tarantula. She 
wants to help because she thinks she can track Mr. Nobody that way, but 
she is asked to stay out of things, as Mr. Nobody is not essential to the 
needs of Agent Weadon.

She goes home and asks her father for help with Mr. Nobody. Peter gives 
her one of his old spider-tracers--which doesn't work, because it's 
attuned to his spider-sense. However, he has another device which can 
read the signals, so she uses that instead.

She goes to school and runs into Sandra, who has been beaten up by 
Howard. She counsels her to leave him. She then goes into the school's 
costume department where she is accosted by Howard. He wants her to stop 
telling Sandra that he's no good, but she tells him to leave Sandra 
alone.

She disguises herself and goes to the Kingpin's funeral. She spots the 
Black Tarantula there, then Mr. Nobody makes an appearance. She manages 
to keep him from killing whomever he came to kill, and she gets the 
tracer on him as well. She follows him back to his hideout and defeats 
him, and rescues DarkDevil.

Good Stuff: There were some nice moments here. I liked the return of the 
spider-tracer, and I liked seeing May give it to Howard in the way she 
did. I also enjoyed the comment about high heels as well.

Not so Good Stuff: After reading a few issues of this comic, it seems as 
if there's simply too much going on. It's something of a daunting task to 
keep track of all of the various and sundry sub-plots going on, not to 
mention the relationships between every one.

I give this book 7/10.


-- 
Randy Jackson
http://fourcolorexplosion.com