Broken Frontier

Army of Darkness #20

By Tonya Crawford

Rumors of another "Chosen One" send Ash to England seeking a kindred soul. He gets sidetracked by some monster hunting until he runs into a good-guy American werewolf in London who may have some clues to the other Chosen One – but the revelations could be more than either bargained for.

Having run through most of the classic movie monsters and classic horror movie plots, Mike Raicht takes the caricature-like Ash down a plot that is obviously supposed to echo Jack the Ripper. The thing about the story, like so many of the Army of Darkness comic book stories is that they have fallen into a bit of a rut. And this issue is no exception. Longtime readers will sure see what’s coming a mile away and no matter how well Raicht captures Ash’s particular brand of smart-mouthed jerk the comic does not have Bruce Campbell’s delivery to take some of the edge off. The art by Scott Cohen works well with the piece in that it emphasizes the caricatureness of the whole affair and also definitely plays up the humor but, like the story, there is nothing that makes it stand above.

Army of Darkness #20 will be appealing to hardcore fans of the character, and the series, but it isn’t likely to win any new converts.

Mike Raicht (W), Scott Cohen (A), Dynamite Entertainment, $3.50

Astro Boy: The Movie - Official Movie Prequel #1

By Lee Newman

Astro Boy saves Metro City from a giant monster - again! Seems these attacks are getting more frequent and Astro Boy goes to the underground to investigate.

For 57 years, Astro Boy has delighted audiences world wide with stories of a robot who acts like a real boy. Tezuka’s sprawling epic is one of the cornerstones of Japanese Manga and the cartoon when imported to the United States in the 1960s, it began a love affair with manga and anime across the ocean.

When word of an animated film started surfacing, my heart skipped a beat. It was time to expose a new generation to one of the all time great riffs on Pinocchio. Then I saw a CGI trailer that dashed my hopes. The sterile commercial had squeezed all the charm out of my beloved robot. It was sort of like the Star Wars prequels all over again.

And now IDW has a prequel comic to further my fears of the movie. This is a pedestrian and empty story that you have seen a million times. The weird rendering of the art only sucks more life out of one of the great comic book characters. Gone is the simplicity and life of Tezuka’s expert cartooning.

If you want to a worthy successor to the throne of Atom (the original name of Astro), then you should check out Urasawa’s masterful Pluto instead.

(W) Scott Tipton, (A) Liego Jourdan, IDW Publishing, $3.99

The Boys #30

By Tonya Crawford

Butcher’s Boys may be a fearsome force to be reckoned with but after their last mission all of them are carrying scars – some new, some older than time. Meanwhile, the Powers That Be arrayed against them are considering striking at Butcher more indirectly… through the rest of the Boys…

After 30 issues of bitter, scathing satire, Ennis produces an issue with a little more heart mixed in with the sex and violence. There are some interesting insights offered and readers see that Hughie’s good heart is still beating, even if it may be weakened and, more to the point, Hughie has something that Butcher gave up on – hope. In fact, subtly, throughout the story there are themes and ideas about hope for most of the characters. Darick Robertson produces his usual, high quality rendering for the piece. It is nice to see him be able to do a little quieter, less blood-soaked story for a change. There is a lot of emotion here and he gets to let his faces carry the story rather than the other-the-top action.

For those who are long-time fans this one-off issue acts as a kind of breathing space before the next story arc kicks off. For someone newer to the series or having been away for a time it shows a bit more welcome restraint on Ennis’s part.

Garth Ennis (W), Darick Robertson (A), Dynamite Entertainment, $2.99

Groom Lake #2

By Lee Newman

HEADLINE: NEVADA. It’s all true. E.T., The Blob, probably Close Encounters of the Third Kind as well. Deep below the desert plain is a facility where the government is actively helping assist aliens in the capture and probing (yeah, the prefix is anal) of rednecks. When one doesn’t explode from his private parts, it means that the aliens may be able to finish their weapon, wait.. scratch that, er, thing they are making.

Chris Ryall and Ben Templesmith may watch more South Park than is possibly healthy. That is what this comic boils down to. There are poop jokes, and aliens who point and giggle when they see penises. It is about as base as humor can possibly go and it is a riot. Believe it all is the attitude of the story. Every single abduction and UFO story you ever heard is real and now one redneck threatens it all.

It is like Slither, except it is a comic book and about aliens. It’s like Shaun of the Dead, except it doesn’t star Simon Pegg or zombies. It’s like Black Sheep, except all the livestock is off panel. Oh blast, it’s Groom Lake and it is its own thing. Read it if you want to be a ten-year-old laughing at penis jokes or if you are a thirty-year-old who finds new penis jokes amusing.

(W) Chris Ryall, (A) Ben Templesmith, IDW Publishing, $3.99

Zorro #13

By Tonya Crawford

It is perhaps the oddest love triangle ever! Diego has lost his heart to the beautiful Lolita but she only sees the mask that is Diego and thinks him a fop. Major Pasquale wants the young woman as well but for less than pure reasons. But when Pasquale comes up with a plan to force Lolita into marriage and ruin Zorro’s at the same time the blackclad hero must fight for both love and reputation!

It was my complaint in the past that Wagner’s work pulled too heavily from Isabel Allende’s novel but Allende’s novel ended with Zorro’s origin and so Wagner moves forward into some newer territory. With this story arc he takes a little bit from Johnston McCulley’s original story but not too much and as such the story feels much more original and boundless. There is definitely a sense of the swashbuckling and breezy movies and TV series wrapped up in the story and it brings a smile. The art by Cezar Razek is solid and a good substitute for Francesco Francavilla but his line work is a bit heavier and less detailed than Francavilla’s and that weighs down some of the action sequences.

Zorro continues to provide yet another alternative to the row upon rank of superhero comics – giving readers action, adventure, a well buckled swash to entertain.

Matt Wagner (W), Cezar Razek (A), Dynamite Entertainment, $3.50

Bad Dog #2

By Lee Newman

The unlikely duo of bounty hunters go after a new mark, who happens to be a member of some kind of neo-Nazi cult. Adult mayhem ensues.

Bad Dog is one of those books that makes people feel bad for reading it. Many are calling it over the top vulgarity, but that isn’t fair. The Boys is vulgar for the sake of vulgarity. Crossed even makes me uncomfortable. Bad Dog is a lighthearted romp through the dregs of our society. Kelly uses the most hyperbolic stereotypes imaginable to make a statement about humanity. The statement in the end is that even a werewolf may be better than most people at being human. That is where the real genius of this book comes through. Lou is ultimately a tragic character, unhappy with his vocation and unsure how to break the cycle of bad behavior around him.

Yeah, Kelly and Greco are making the big South Park style satire here. Thing is that you have to skewer a few things to really show their harm to society. Making us laugh while doing it is just icing on the cake. As with Stone and Parker, the creators here are being sure to populate the work with solid and memorable characters. For my money, I’ll take that over safe and boring any day.

Joe Kelly (W), Diego Greco (A), Image Comics, $3.50

Deadpool #8

By Lee Newman

Deadpool feels that Osborn owes him, big. Seems Norman got the glory of the win in Secret Invasion from the info that he stole from the mercenary when he was downloading the data Nick was paying him for way back at the beginning of this run. You would think shoot in the head would be easy to figure out, but Fury needed the intel and when he didn’t get it, Wade didn’t get paid and now he is after Norman’s blood.

I am a late comer to the phenomenon known as Deadpool. I wasn’t really around when he was created and Liefeld can be an intimidating name on the creator line. Fans should rejoice that I am on the bandwagon now. This issue is all kinds of fun as Deadpool gives us a nice summary of the important bits of this current series, makes fun of the former Green Goblin’s infamous hairdo and the head of H.A.M.M.E.R. wonders exactly who the mutant is talking to in an elevator shaft.

Medina is as inspired on the art front as Way is on the scripting. Seems like these guys were born for this job. Getting to see him draw the main baddie in the M.U. as a giant and somewhat mentally challenged hallucination was lots of fun.

Fun - that’s what this book has in spades! Sure, the humor is a little sophomoric but that is part of the book’s charm. Check it out if you like all that National Lampoon, SNL type stuff.

Daniel Way (W), Paco Medina (A), Marvel Comics, $2.99

Guardians of the Galaxy #11

By Lee Newman

Drax and Phyla are dead and searching for Moondragon. Even if that seems to be kind of a moot point, given their life disabled status. Maybe, who knows? It might have all just been a dream.

Guardians of the Galaxy is one of those weird books almost universally lauded, but doing absolutely nothing for this reader. Here we have a very confusing tale seemingly unconnected to the couple of issues right before it that tie into the big "War of Kings" event happening now. Yet in one of the two flagship books of the cosmic characters driving the event, we have some minor characters doing some vague Sandman via Dr. Manhattan on Mars thing. It is almost interesting until the characters start spouting off basic level existentialism and then laughably complaining when another character comes along and returns the favor.

A whole lot of talking happens in this book, but very little explanation as to what is happening. It sure is pretty though. Wes Craig guy sure can draw cool looking mechanical horse head buildings that appear to serve no purpose but look cool.

Dan Abnett & Andy Lanning (W), Wes Craig (A), Marvel Comics, $2.99

Killer of Demons #1

By Lee Newman

Dave is your normal everyday advertising worker. This means he is surrounded by demons who an angel of god wants him to kill. This job means he is a wanted serial killer and his girlfriend is a cop working the case. Oy vey!

First of all, I am pretty sure Image Comics wants me to go to hell. Battle Pope brought me a fornicating pontiff, Bad Dog brought me a foul-mouthed preacher and now I get Uriel, a foul-mouthed blood-lusting angel. Can’t a guy catch a break?

Christopher Yost writes a fun and funny version of Wanted here. There is a lot to sink you teeth into here. The advertising bits alone are priceless and allow Wegener to flex his muscles. He shifts easily from the cartoony style of the book to full on mock add to computer screen game with ease.

This book is not going to help me at the pearly gates, but life is too short for all of that. Give me laughs and more entertainment than a month of Spider-Man and I am sold. Go ahead and check out Killer of Demons. Hell can’t be but so hot!

Christopher Yost (W), Scott Wegener (A), Image Comics, $3.50