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Reviews and commentary by Tony Isabella
"America's Most Beloved Comic-Book Writer & Columnist"
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TONY'S ONLINE TIPS
for Tuesday, July 26, 2005
I received my subscription copy of COMICS BUYER'S GUIDE #1609 [F&W Publications; $5.99] late last week, so it should be arriving at the comics shops, newsstands, and bookstores any day now. This is the October, 2005 issue, all 276 pages of it.
The cover feature is "The Ultimate Guide to Ultimate Marvel" by James Mishler, who has become quite the workhorse for CBG in its monthly format. Other articles focus on the return of Red Sonja to comics and bad super-hero costumes. Not to mention cool columns by me, Andrew "Captain Comics" Smith, John Jackson Miller, Beau Smith, Heidi MacDonald, Craig "Mr. Silver Age" Shutt, Peter David, Maggie Thompson, and Chuck Rozanski...plus pages and pages of reviews and price guide stuff. Wotta deal!
The theme of my column this time is "Dissecting DC." After a few general comments, I reviewed TEEN TITANS GO! #18, BATMAN: DARK DETECTIVE #1, DAY OF VENGEANCE #1-2, THE RANN-THANAGAR WAR #1, VILLAINS UNITED #1-2, CITY OF TOMORROW #1-2, and DESOLATION JONES #1. For the end of CBG's comics guide, I also wrote a "Tony's Back Page" sidebar on my "Worst Comics Job...Ever." If you want to find out what that job was any time soon, you'll need to make your way to your friendly neighborhood emporium of fine magazines and plunk down your six bucks.
One more CBG-related thing.
CBGXTRA.COM has been up and running for about a month now and the online joint is jumping. There is much interesting talk to be found in the website's forums, reprints from the CBG archives, and, in my TONY'S OTHER ONLINE TIPS forum, exclusive comics reviews and life observations. You can check it out at:
www.cbgxtra.com
Let's see what else I have for you today.
******
RAIDER: DEAD MEN'S TALES
RAIDER: DEAD MAN'S TALES [Maerkle Press; $10.95] is the third volume in the graphic novel series by my good friend Thom Zahler, but, like the earlier books, gives readers a complete and extremely well-told adventure. Nor does this story lack for human interest; Zahler delivers drama and heart in equal proportions to the action and intrigue.
Our world is in a war, but it's a war of which only those who soldier in it - and those in the highest levels of their nations' governments - are aware. On one side, the global conspiracy known as Dominator, which seeks to do just that. On the other, a secret United Nations agency known as the Benefactor Agency.
Raider is the adopted son of the Dominator leader, working to bring down his father's evil using the enhanced powers instilled in him from birth. Solitary by nature, fearful of his own darkness, he now works with Benefactor. There's much more to Raider's story, but a "For Those Just Joining Us..." text piece at the head of this third will quickly bring even new readers up to speed.
The previous volume - COLD DAY IN HEAVEN - saw Raider forced into committing perhaps the darkest act of his campaign against the Dominators and ended with a revelation that put his very future in doubt. This book opens a month later with Raider trying to keep a promise he made to a dying man, trying to cope with what he has now learned about himself, and trying to thwart a terrorist plot which could claim thousands of innocent lives.
Zahler improves with each new book. His characters are real, often flawed human beings. Some seem to be seeking their brighter natures, others succumbing to their worst impulses. Zahler creates genuine suspense as to what their futures will hold.
The pacing of this GN is outstanding. When I finished reading it, I was already eager to read the next one.
Zahler's scripting gets high marks from me. Sometimes he gets a bit too clever in the back-and-forth between Raider and a comely Dominator agent, but, for the most part, he delivers entertainingly solid writing throughout the book.
Visually, Zahler's art is strong, through not as strong as his writing. He gets carried away with grey tones in places and that makes for some muddy-looking scenes.
Do I recommend RAIDER: DEAD MEN'S TALES? I do, but you might not find it at your local comics shop since Diamond Distribution, in its wisdom or lack thereof, opted not to offer the third volume to its retailers. However, the book is available through several sources and from Zahler himself. For the full range of ordering options, head over to:
www.raidercomic.com
RAIDER: DEAD MEN'S TALES earns an impressive four out of five Tonys. I'm thinking it's only a matter of time before some Zahler book achieves the full five out of five.
RAIDER: DEAD MEN'S TALES: 110 pages, black-and-white.
******
BEST OF THE WEST
I've been sorting boxes upon boxes of unread comic books in the hope of catching up on long-neglected titles. This past week, I read several years worth of AVENGERS and AVENGERS-related comics. For the most part, I won't be reviewing these older books anywhere, but, from time to time, when I come across something of particular interest, I'll toss a mini-commentary at you.
BEST OF THE WEST, one of Bill Black's AC Comics, is what I've been reading in between batches of super-hero comics. One of the many cool things about this title is that each issue features five or six complete stories and it doesn't matter what order you read the issues in.
BEST OF THE WEST #6 [$5.95] is from 1999. The lead story is an original Black-written tale teaming up the Durango Kid, Redmask, Black Phantom, and the Presto Kid. Pencilled by John Nadeau, who would go on to become a popular STAR WARS comics artist, and inked by Dick Ayers, the 12-page adventure was great fun. I especially enjoyed seeing a new appearance by the Presto Kid, who didn't use guns but magic tricks to bring owlhoots to justice. He didn't have a long career in comics, but he was one of my favorites characters as I was learning how to read from comics.
Another high point of BOTW #6 was a Black Diamond story drawn by Pete Morisi. When it was originally published, the newly-formed Comics Code had insisted on changes to tone down the violence...and this included removing the knives from a knife fight. In a case of better late than never, Black and company drew those knives back in for this reprint.
Many of the stories in BEST OF THE WEST are readable, but not very notable. They didn't stray far from the usual western plots. However, this Black Diamond yarn - "Redman's Vengeance" - has more drama and emotional weight going for it as the hero must fight one of his friends to the death. Neither the unknown writer nor Morisi back down from giving this story their all.
Also in the issue: Rocky Lane (art by Dick Giordano and Vince Alascia), Redmask (Frank Bolle), the Haunted Horseman (Dick Ayers), and the Durango Kid (Joe Certa and John Belfi).
BEST OF THE WEST #6 picks up four Tonys.
******
Black Diamond also figured prominently in BEST OF THE WEST #8 [$5.99], another 1999 issue. "Rendezvous With Death" is one of the best and most intricate western stories I've read of late with one surprising turn of events leading to the next as a desperate woman seeks a better life by any and all means. The tale is drawn by the legendary Doug Wildey.
The Redmask story - "Death's Hostage" - is notable for Frank Bolle's 3-D-like art. Bolle expertly breaks panel borders with his drawings and creates the illusion of 3-D almost as well as actual 3-D comics. I was never a big fan of 3-D comics, but I love this approach.
From the 1953 BUFFALO BILL WILD WEST ANNUAL, this issue also has the true story of dime novelist Need Buntline as drawn by the great British artist Denis McLoughlin. In a title already big on being different, this was another pleasant surprise.
Also in the issue: Tex Ritter (art by Stan Campbell), Durango Kid (Fred Guardineer), and the Haunted Horseman (Dick Ayers). You probably already know this, but these Haunted Horseman stories are re-titled stories of the original Ghost Rider from the 1950s, long before Marvel Comics came out with their own version of the western character and the current flame-headed biker guy.
BEST OF THE WEST #8 also gets four Tonys.
So, you're thinking, where the heck are we going to be able to buy comic books from 1999? Especially comic books that don't star super-heroes?
Hey, would I leave you hanging?
AC Comics have an online store where you can buy these comic books and *hundreds* of other AC western, super-hero, horror, and science-fiction comics. You'll find it at:
www.accomics.com
BEST OF THE WEST #6: 48 pages, black-and-white.
BEST OF THE WEST #8: 44 pages, black-and-white.
******
COMICS IN THE COMICS
The arrival of BATMAN BEGINS in movie theaters resulted in a great many "guest" appearances in comics strips, comics panels, and even editorial cartoons.
Matt Janz paired Batman with another screen icon for his June 17th installment of OUT OF THE GENE POOL. He brought "Batman" back for an encore on June 18.
You can enjoy the strip every day at:
www.comics.com/wash/genepool/index.html
MIKE LUCKOVICH, the award-winning editorial cartoonist for the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, used the Caped Crusader to scold some lawmakers whose priorities need some adjusting. You can find his latest work at:
www.ucomics.com/mikeluckovich
Watch for more COMICS IN THE COMICS in future TOTs.
******
TONY POLLS
You know the drill. Every Tuesday, I post new questions on my TONY POLLS page. They remain active for a week and then I replace them with new questions.
I went with FANTASTIC FOUR questions for the week of July 12th and here are the results of your voting:
Have you seen the new FANTASTIC FOUR movie?
Yes.....72.22%
No.....27.78%
I saw it opening week with my son Eddie, daughter Kelly, and two of Kelly's friends. We all loved it.
If you've seen it, how would you rate it?
Near-Mint.....11.76%
Fine.....35.29%
Very Good.....17.65%
Good.....21.57%
Fair.....9.80%
Poor.....3.92%
Love does sometime mean saying you're sorry. I love this FF movie and plan on seeing it again, but it did have its flaws. So I rated it FINE.
Now for the actors. Grade the performance of Ioan Gruffudd as Reed Richards.
Near-Mint.....5.77%
Fine.....23.08%
Very Good.....25%
Good.....26.92%
Fair.....13.46%
Poor.....5.77%
I liked Gruffudd as Mister Fantastic more than many critics. I gave him a VERY GOOD.
Jessica Alba as Sue Storm.
Near-Mint.....9.80%
Fine.....17.65%
Very Good.....31.37%
Good.....19.61%
Fair.....13.73%
Poor.....7.84%
Alba wasn't an obvious choice for the Invisible Woman, but I thought her performance was VERY GOOD.
Chris Evans as Johnny Storm.
Near-Mint.....45.0%
Fine.....25.49%
Very Good.....19.61%
Good.....7.84%
Fair.....1.96%
Poor.....0%
His was only the second best performance in the movie, but it still rated a NEAR-MINT from where I was sitting.
Michael Chiklis as Ben Grimm.
Near-Mint.....58.82%
Fine.....31.37%
Very Good.....9.80%
Good.....0%
Fair.....0%
Poor.....0%
The best performance in the movie.
Julian McMahon as Victor Von Doom.
Near-Mint.....1.92%
Fine.....19.23%
Very Good.....19.23%
Good.....19.23%
Fair.....25%
Poor.....15.38%
Casting McMahon as Doom was one of the flaws that I mentioned above. I gave him what I considered a generous FAIR. Should the character return for a second movie, this role could and probably should be recast.
Stan Lee as Willie Lumpkin.
Near-Mint.....71.15%
Fine.....11.54%
Very Good.....3.85%
Good.....5.77%
Fair.....3.85%
Poor.....3.85%
Can you feel the love? I voted with the majority.
This week's lead TONY POLLS question asks you to vote on who should be the main villain in a second FANTASTIC FOUR movie. This is going to be a tough call.
I'm also asking you to give the "thumbs up" or "thumbs down" to three recent Marvel Comics launches: THE NEW AVENGERS, THE NEW THUNDERBOLTS, and YOUNG AVENGERS.
You can cast your ballots at:
www.worldfamouscomics.com/tony/poll
That's all for now. Thanks for spending part of your day with me. I'll be back tomorrow with more stuff.
Tony Isabella
<< 07/25/2005 | 07/26/2005 | 07/27/2005 >>
Discuss this column with me at my Message Board. Also, read Heroes and Villains: Real and Imagined.
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THE "TONY" SCALE
ZERO: Burn your money before buying any comic receiving this rating. It doesn't *necessarily* mean there's absolutely nothing of value here - though it *could* - but whatever value it might possess shrinks into insignificance before its overall awfulness.
ONE: Buy something else. Maybe I found something which wasn't completely dreadful in the item, but not enough for me to recommend it when there are better comics available. I only want what's best for you, my children.
TWO: Basic judgment call. I found some value, but not enough to recommend it. My review should give you enough info to decide if you want to take a chance on it. Are you feeling lucky today, punk? Well, are you?
THREE: This denotes something I find perfectly respectable. There are better books out there, but I wouldn't regret buying this item. Based on my review, you should be able to determine if it's of interest to you. Let the Force guide you.
FOUR: I recommend anything earning this rating. Unless you don't like the genre, subject matter, or past work of the creators, I believe you'll enjoy this item. Isn't it uncanny how I can look right into your soul that way?
FIVE: Anything getting this rating is among the best comicdom has to offer. You should buy/read this, even if the genre/subject matter doesn't appeal to you. It's for your own good. Me, I live for comics and books this good...but not in a pathetic "Comic-Book Guy" sort of way.
Please send material you would like me to review to:
Tony's Online Tips
840 Damon Drive
Medina, OH 44256
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