Nov 27 Comic Week in Review

Every week Pablo Gunner uses the little intelligence he has to muster up some written comic book reviews of the titles that he thinks his fellow nerds would want to know about most and the books that didn’t quite make it onto the Comicast. Enjoy these reviews of DEADPOOL ANNUAL #1, PRETTY DEADLY #2, DAMIAN SON OF BATMAN #2, ABE SAPIEN #1.

Dark Horse Comics

1 FOR $1 ABE SAPIEN #1

(W) Mike Mignola, Scott Allie (A) Sebastian Fiumara (CA) Mike Mignola, Dave Stewart

Right away I was excited to see that the artist was not Mike Mignola. As good of a writer as he is I can’t stand his art style. That being said I thoroughly enjoyed the art in this. It was dark, gritty, detailed, surprisingly colorful and realistic. Instantly it's set up that Hellboy is dead, there's hell on Earth, and Abe Sapien is on the run from the BPRD. Besides that I was kind of confused. I feel that if I hadn't seen the Hellboy movie back in 2004 I really would have been lost. Without that backdrop of knowledge of the Hellboy world and characters I feel like I would have been very lost. It was also disappointing to not see or have Abe speaking until the last few pages of the book . I won't deny that it built anticipation but for a number one issue it didn't do it for me. If I don't know and care about any of the characters by the end of the first issue it failed as a number one of a title for me. I have no doubt the trade is pretty solid but based off this, no matter how much I appreciated the art, it isn't enough for me to care to pick up the issues after this one.
Verdict: SKIM

DC Comics

DAMIAN SON OF BATMAN #2 (OF 4) $3.99
(W/A/CA) Andy Kubert

So this is the issue in which everything starts making sense, almost everything. This picks up exactly where the last issue ended. Supposedly Batman was dead but then Bruce Wayne shows up. He’s there to kick Damian’s and set him straight. In the process of this skirmish Damian shoots his father with a grappling hook gun. The dots are finally connected as to where this story stands, who Batman was, and where Bruce Wayne is. What it doesn’t explain is how Damian is still a shithead after being trained and mentored by both Dick and Bruce approximately ten years down the road. If you haven’t gotten it yet this limited series is essentially a “what if?” title or elseworld story as they are known in the DC universe. A lot of the same issues with the first issue are consistent with this one like its cheesy 90s style writing and art. This one does improve with the interesting revelations as well as a little character development on Damian’s part but I still don’t care enough to keep reading this mediocre book. As a stand alone it’s not bad but I’ve never been very good at separating “elseworld” stories from regular continuity so this type of thing mostly just annoys me since I’m so anal about continuity.

Verdict: SKIM

Image Comics

PRETTY DEADLY #2 $3.50

(W) Kelly Sue DeConnick (A) Emma Rios, Jordie Bellaire (CA) Emma Rios

I've read the first two issues of this title and I'm still not sure what's going on and I can't help but feel like it's somehow my own fault. What am I not getting? I'm not sure but dammit this book looks astonishing. The cover alone is a stunning, detailed, wrap around, spread. There's so many beautiful, gruesome, explicit, gorgeous, and excruciatingly detailed images, panels, pages, and spreads. This is definitely one of those books that requires and warrants multiple read throughs. I felt like with every time I reread it I noticed and picked up more. Much like East of West I don't think that where the book and it's characters are going will be clear until father down the road so I must also suggest that this title would be better in trade. The best way I can explain it right now is to say that it reminds me of a Western mixed with an anime. There's no doubt that this title is worth checking out but as for me I'll be waiting until the first trade comes out.

Verdict: STRONG SKIM

Marvel Comics

DEADPOOL ANNUAL #1 $4.99

(W) Ben Blacker, Ben Acker (A) Evan Shaner (CA) Tradd Moore

This one was weird. You come to expect weird from DP but this issue was just odd. First of all it's set sometime before Secret Invasion so in other words before he was popular. From there it has him about to shoot Matt Murdock aka Daredevil. Some weirdo called Madcap shows up, distracts Deadpool, and long story short becomes a pile of ash. I like that Marvel is explaining how and why Deadpool talks to himself and/or has another voice on his head. Prior to Marvel NOW! the voice(s) in his head were part of him going crazy or being schizophrenic because of all the experiments, brainwashing, and torture Wade Wilson endured during his time with Department H. Most writers had difficulty writing a character with different voices in his head so I prefer the Marvel NOW! direction they took with the title but this issue literally seemed like all it did was explain why Deadpool hears another voice in his head. It was a little sad but it was probably creepier than anything. The writing and art were pretty solid the idea just felt like a waste of time and money.
Verdict: SKIM

You can pick up these comics at Age Of Comics, Kaboom Test Labs, or 

Twin Suns Comics & Games