As you may notice in the photo above, I also picked up a comic called Starstruck this week - an impulse buy off the shelf, since it was issue #1, and it had a woman wearing not a lot on the cover. But I gave up trying to read it after a few pages, so I'm not even going to attempt a review - I don't want to say it was bad, but it was just so wrapped up in unconventional presentation of writing and imagery that I was really put off by how difficult it was to get to grips with what was happening. Saying that after having admitted to picking it up because of the female butt on the cover probably doesn't make me sound very smart, but hey, I read complex comics - the impression I got here, though, is of something trying to be along the lines of Sky Girl, but without the ability to reach the reader. Maybe it's just not my kind of thing, this time - anyway, on to other comics:
Farscape: D'Argo's Trial #1 ~ This kicks off another between-episodes flashback story, this one following D'Argo in the gap between the third and fourth seasons, when he's found the identity of his wife's killer and is off to find him. While I did enjoy this comic, two things make me uneasy about it. One: we already saw the final showdown between D'Argo and Macton Tal, as well as a quite satisfying summation (albeit in truncated form) of their conflict from the beginning, so I don't really see how this story is going to go anywhere in its 'present' timeframe. Two: the issue barely gets two pages before going into full flashback, showing us how D'Argo and Lo'laan met - it's entertaining to read (and follows up nicely on the flashback from D'Argo's Lament, which was chronologically right before this one), but again, we know how it ends, we saw it already on TV, and exploring it in greater detail, while interesting, doesn't seem like the most ambitious story idea - and Farscape was always ambitious, that's what made it work. While I'd quite like to see the rest of this flashback story (and since I don't intend to stop buying this, I guess I will), what I fear will happen is that the fait accompli of D'Argo's arrest and trial will crowd out any real exploration of what he did between seasons three and four, between leaving Moya and turning up at Jool's archaeological dig - and that's a complete blank slate, and something I'd much rather see explored.
Hack/Slash #25 ~ This has always been one of my favourite comics, so it's with quite a bit of surprise that I'm finding I didn't really enjoy it much this issue - it's my problems with issue #24, but moreso. Samhain's plotline eats up the majority of the issue, and it's not anything I'm enjoying especially, since it's largely based on arbitrary sci-fi/fantasy ideas, not genuine human motivations, and Cassie and Vlad are really reduced to spectators for a lot of it. Then there's the art, which is annoying me even more than it did before - not only do I not particularly like it for its own sake, I find its cartoony style (and, at times, careless nature) makes it difficult to be interested in the story behind it. Luckily a quick glance at Previews shows that there's a different artist coming up, and - without giving anything much away - this issue seems to wrap up the current stortline, so hopefully the balance of things will shift back to the way it was in earlier issues. There is at least some interesting material (in a couple of scenes) between Cassie and Vlad, which builds on prior issues - though I do hope its note of finality isn't too final, as it has the potential to be an unsatisfying reset-button approach to the interesting complications that this comic had been developing for itself. Anyway, on the strength of earlier issues, I'm sticking around - we'll just have to see what happens next.
Agents of Atlas #9 ~ I liked this issue, but I'm getting a weird vibe off of it - I think perhaps this title is one that I may be happier reading in trade paperback form, rather than issue by issue, since although it's got a strong grasp on how to make itself properly serialised (rather than just chopping one big story into several parts and thinking that works the same way), the interwoven nature of all the plot points... well, it just makes me think I'd like it more if I read it all at once. On the other hand, I have a nasty tendency of deciding to read comics in TPB form, then basically forgetting to buy the TPB when it finally turns up. One other concern I have is that with this issue we're not dealing with more familiar Marvel World settings like Norman Osborn's Dark Reign, or Namor's aquatic realm - here the Agents of Atlas and properly off in their own little slice of the world, and (unusually for me) I find I'm missing the larger continuity. I think what I may be worrying about is that this feels like a standalone indie comic - I mean that in a good way - but I fear the characters may still have that unchanging, immune-to-development nature that Marvel/DC characters have, since no-one wants to change or kill off anyone they may want to use in another comic later on. Granted the Agents aren't big names (aside from Namora, I suppose), but the tease at her having genuine development during the Namor issues, which got neatly reverted back to status quo, has got me a bit worried that, ultimately, all the machinations of the plot won't actually amount to any consequences. I'm still enjoying myself, so we'll see how it goes in future issues.
Marvel Divas #2 ~ After the surprising first issue, this one feels like it's on more well-trodden ground - with the establishment of a problem that the girls have to face (even if it's something quite different from the usual rampaging supervillain), there's more of a familiar feel to the way the storyline is structured, rather than the first issue's feel of 'Wow, that's unusual'. I don't mean that at a criticism, just an observation - this remains a heavily character-centric story, and besides the central dilemma, other subplots are moved forward as well, giving everyone some room to shine on their own, as well as in a group. Tonci Zonjic's art continues to be just what's needed, light and carefree, but capable of conveying a lot of emotion when required; my only concern (which may just be my lack of background knowledge) is that June Chung seems to be colouring Black Cat's hair blonde when she's not in costume, as if her familiar white hair is a wig; I'd been under the impression that (for whatever reason) she just has pure white hair. I'll have to go back and check 'The Evil That Men Do' to see if that sheds any light on it. Anyway, so far as this goes, if you read the first issue and liked it, this should find favour too.
JSA vs Kobra: Engines of Faith #3 ~ Continuing strong writing and confident, understated artwork makes this a comic I'm coming to look forward to finding in my weekly haul, and this issue doesn't do anything (much) to dampen my enthusiasm. The fallout from last issue's big whammy sequence plays out in sombre fashion for the JSA, while Kobra moves on with its mysterious plan; narration from both sides (Mr. Terrific on the JSA side, Jason for the baddies) adds extra layers to the overt action, especially with the neat trick of having the two providing counterpoint narration to each other's sequences at times. My only slight concern is that Power Girl gets portrayed as headstrong, and while that's not necessarily inaccurate, I like to think (and the early issues of Justice Society of America also indicate) that she's moved beyond that being an outright character flaw - she has the counsel of 'older and wiser heads' like the JSA's elder statesmen to provide her with other viewpoints; in this issue it's left to Michael to be the sole guy who realises they're being played, and that seems to sell the rest of the team a little short. On a lighter note, I spotted the almost obligatory art error for Cyclone - the pencils/inks for her tank top are missing in one panel, though the top's red is coloured in regardless (and, in the process of studying her appearances closely, I was very surprised to notice a panty shot - I wonder if that was deliberate, her omnipresent updrafts usually aren't that exhibitionistic).
Ms. Marvel #43 ~ This 'War of the Marvels' thing is actually starting to tick me off just slightly - ironically, because it's doing what I hoped it'd do from the beginning, which is explore how it affects Karla to be cast in the role of a hero. Here we see it's had an effect on her, but because we're already into the big conflict between her and the real Ms. Marvel (whichever that is) - and because I suppose she can't really be allowed to change in this book, since she has to remain villainous for Dark Reign proper - she just comes across as insane, basically. And given that, the 'war' of the Marvels really doesn't seem that big a deal - there's a bad Ms. Marvel, the good Ms. Marvel is eventually going to pull herself together and reclaim her title. The possibilities offered by the mysterious 'Catherine' are interesting, but so far as this issue goes, it's being played out too slowly - I think in general I may be becoming less friendly towards comics that spin out their stories too long, since really, 12 issues a year is not a lot of storytelling space; here, since Reed can't really do anything with Karla, I'd rather her side of things (and the various Avengers, good and bad) be left in the background, and Catherine/Carol get more of the focus.
G.I. Joe Special: Helix ~ This was a random buy - I didn't even know Helix existed until I saw her among the toy line for the G.I. Joe movie (I don't know if she's in it or not, they may just have padded the line out with extra characters; Transformers does that plenty with its movie toys). The comic is a modern day espionage kind of story, in the vein of Bourne and so on - lots of tersely-delivered exposition broken up by fast-paced fight sequences, and plot twists aplenty. It does a decent job of showing off Helix - although (as is often annoyingly the case with 'spotlight' issues, I'm finding) a more familiar character, Duke, actually gets most of the screen time. However the plot itself is thin, and has a couple of rather clunky plot holes in it which mar it when you finish the issue and think about it. Joe Suitor's art reminds me very much of Steve Uy, who did art for Avengers: The Initiative now and then - sombre and muted, and the faces can often seem unappealingly twisted and over-lined.
