The Twelve #9 (of 12)

It's always funny - and a bit sad - when a creative team so completely jumps the tracks that we must wait years between issues (we forgive you, Camelot 3000).

The last regular issue of The Twelve was published in October of... anyone want to guess the year?

Go ahead.

OK, ready?

The correct answer is... 2008. So almost three-and-a-half years later, we're finally getting to the final four issues in this series.

If you want a good laugh, here's my prophetic statement from the end of my review of The Twelve #8:

"The real shame is that we only have four more issues to enjoy - it'll be over far too soon."

Ha! Can I call 'em or what?

Luckily, this has been a series that's worth a bit of a wait. It focuses on a dozen heroes who fought in World War II, were captured and put in suspended animation, to be revived in the modern day world.

Each one has a unique story and faces heart-wrenching challenges. With great writing by J. Michael Straczynski and fantastic art by Chris Weston, fans have been hanging on to see what happens next.

The answer is: death, mystery and grim revelations. The focus is on The Blue Blade and the robot Electro, but lots of stories are bubbling nicely here.

Amazingly, the story all came back to me without having to re-read the series - which is a good sign about how entertaining it is.

I'm so glad to see this series back again, I can forgive the long delay. Almost.

Grade: A-

-----------------

Check Out Doc Curmudgeon

By the way, occasional correspondent (and good friend) Clint McElroy has started up a new column over at the WizardWorld site, which he writes under the guise of Doc Curmudgeon.

He's a funny guy and knows his comics - you can read his weekly rants right here.

Add him to your "favorites" list - highly recommended!

First Comics for February

Here's what I picked up today:

- Action Comics #6 - the origin of Kryptonite.

- Dark Horse Presents #8 - with Hellboy (sorta) and Beasts of Burden stories, I wouldn't miss it.

- The Defenders #3 - Fight to the finish.

- Fatale #2 - Comics noir meets horror!

- Fear Itself: The Fearless #8 (of 12) - the plot unfolds.

- Irredeemable #34 - The path back?

- OMAC #6 - sorry to hear this title's being canceled - it's been fun.

- Swamp Thing #6 - things are looking very bad indeed.

- The Twelve #9 (of 12) - no, really?

- Winter Soldier #1 - he's not dead yet...

And I received review pdfs of Haunted City #2 and Fathom (Vol. 4) #4.

And that's it!

The Classics - Blackhawk #187

From my earliest days as a comic reader, I was a big fan of the Blackhawks.

It's difficult to say why, because on paper, the whole idea sounds silly.

Seven pilots form a team named after their leader, Blackhawk. They all dress in identical black leather flight gear (except for Chop Chop, who thankfully by the '60s was no longer portrayed in the original, '40s racist version of a fighter from China). Each is from a different country, and each brings a different skill - and a different dialect - to the adventures.

Blackhawk's origins are uncertain - he first appears fighting the Nazis in Poland, but he seems to be American. The rest of the team includes Chuck, Andre, Hendrickson, Olaf and Stanislaus.

After the end of the war, they continued fighting against criminals, aliens, monsters and other dangers with the occasional help of Lady Blackhawk.

Through teamwork and strategy they overcome every menace. For most of the book's original run, each issue featured three stories. I always thought that worked against the team, limiting them to these brief, 8-page adventures. (It certainly must have been a challenge for the writers, with few returning villains to use.)

I picked issue #187 (published in 1963) for this review because I have such fond memories of reading this one over and over again. It includes these stories:

"One Of Our Blackhawks Is Missing!" - In which Chuck tries to transport a treasure, gets shot down, gets amnesia, and fights against the Blackhawks when they arrive to rescue him!

"The Porcupine -- Man of 1,000 Quills" - Pits the team against a villain with the same powers as the Marvel version with the same name (no idea which one was first), namely firing powerful quills. They must employ a trick to reveal his secret identity.

"The Portrait That Doomed Blackhawk" - This is the story that really captured my imagination. Blackhawk keeps getting injured in the line of duty. He breaks his wrist, has a head injury and hurts his ankle. The team discovers that a mysterious painting is behind the injuries - an old enemy is using it to get his revenge on Blackhawk. How can our heroes save their leader? The answer was funny and clever - at least my 7-year-old self thought so. It holds up well today.

Sadly, the stories aren't credited - even the Grand Comics Database doesn't identify the writer, though the art is credited to Dick Dillin as penciler and Charles Cuidera as inker.

Those two did an amazing volume of work for DC, creating easy to identify characters and telling the story cleverly and clearly. They were classic DC artists (working in the "house style"), and always at the peak of their profession. There are few artists today who could turn out such high quality work, in a comic featuring so many characters, on time, month after month. (There were giants in those days.)

Whenever I go to a comics convention, I almost always pick up a Silver Age issue or two of Blackhawk (or at least I give it a good try). The series wasn't cutting edge, but each comic was fun to read, filled with the manly adventures of a band of brothers - characters I loved as a kid. Heck, I'm still crazy about them.

It's a title that never fails to give me that warm nostalgic buzz. Great memories!

Grade: B

---------------

Alpha Flight #8 (of 8)

I'm not sure where this Alpha Flight mini-series went wrong.

It has a great writing team - Greg Pak and Fred Van Lente - and a terrific artist in Dale Eaglesham - but the series never quite jelled.

If I was placing a bet, I'd lay odds on editorial interference. The series was originally planned as a mini-series, then it became a regular series, then it was back to being a mini-series again. So perhaps the story unraveled a bit during that tug-of-war.

Or perhaps it was just straightening out the mess the team found itself in - with characters dead, de-powered, driven mad, newly resurrected - that sort of thing.

By the end of the series that's all been resolved (mostly), but it took focus away from the story at hand.

Which is the latest scheme by the Master of the World, who planned to genetically alter the human race to make them soldiers for his intergalactic crusade - or something like that.

There's a lot of punching and screaming and teammates turned against each other - the usual schtick.

It's something of a bummer, because I really like the Alpha Flight team. It has a great mix of powers and characters, and as Canadians they're geographically close enough to have crossovers with any of the usual Marvel crowd.

Now that it's all sorted out, perhaps the next series (and hopefully there will be one) can focus more on stories and less on housekeeping.

This series was a valiant effort, but it fell short of success.

Grade: C+

------------------

Fathom: Blue Descent #4

One of the nice perks of writing over a thousand comic book reviews is that you occasionally receive previews of new comics.

It's fun to see comics I don't ordinarily get to read, although sometimes it can be difficult to sort out the story when you're jumping in late in the game.

That's the challenge with Michael Turner's Fathom: Blue Descent. I read the first few issues of the original Fathom series some years back, but I haven't followed the series since.

So did this issue bring me up to speed? Give me enough info to follow along? Create a compelling adventure?

The answer to the first two is "yes." For the third, it's a "mostly yes."

The story by David Schwartz is an origin story for the undersea superhero Fathom. It tells about the two lost races that live under the sea: the Blue and the Black.

Both are at war with each other, and the members of the Blue are even fighting each other. The parents of Fathom must make the ultimate sacrifice to protect her from the forces in both camps which hope to exploit her secret abilities.

The only weak point for the story is the weight of all the exposition it must labor under, but that's because it has a lot of information to convey.

The art is by Alex Sanchez and Peter Steigerwald, and it's quite good, with some nice emotional moments and some over-the-top action sequences. There are a few small problems with layouts that are a bit confusing, but some of that may be my own lack of familiarity with the locations.

I can't really recommend starting with this issue, as I did - you're showing up for the final reel here. But in a collection it should provide a clear origin for the title character and some background info on her greatest opponents.

Grade: B

--------------

King Conan #1 (of 4)

I was both surprised and delighted to see this latest adaptation of Robert E. Howard's stories about King Conan.

Delighted because it marks the return of writer Tim Truman and artist Tomas Giorello, both of whom turned in outstanding work on the recent "Scarlet Citadel" series (among others).

They're a perfect match, with Truman delivering hard-hitting action and Giorello providing amazing, lush artwork.

I was somewhat surprised, though, to see the Howard story "The Phoenix on the Sword" is the basis for this mini-series, because the original story is very short one.

But to their credit, the creative team has expanded on the story (so far) without it feeling bloated or padded. We meet the older Conan, now King of Aquilonia, as he relates the story of an early attempt to take away his throne. It also features Conan's oldest and most dangerous enemy.

It's always been a favorite of mine, and surprisingly enough, it's actually the first Conan story published (in 1932). Howard retooled a King Kull story, added a supernatural element and cast his newest creation, Conan, in the lead role. The result is a classic!

The series is off to a rousing start, and if you're any kind of Conan fan, don't miss this series!

Grade: A

-------------

Aquaman #5

One of the time-honored traditions of comic book heroes was that they had to have a specific weakness - an Achilles' heel.

So Green Lantern's ring couldn't affect anything yellow, Superman could be hurt by magic and kryptonite, J'onn J'onzz was vulnerable to fire (which has to be the lamest one of them all), and Aquaman could not survive over an hour without exposure to water.

The idea, of course, was to add suspense to the obstacles the hero had to overcome, and to make it possible for normal villains to pose a threat to the hero.

Aquaman's silly limitation was addressed in a story by Peter David some years ago (it demonstrated that Aquaman would not die if 60 minutes elapsed while he was on dry land), but this issue goes the extra step in proving that the old way of doing things is over.

In this issue written by Geoff Johns we see what happens when Aquaman finds himself stranded in the middle of a desert. It's a desperate fight for survival, and the story also offers some tantalizing clues about Atlantis and why it sank long ago.

The art by Ivan Reis is, as always, outstanding, with stunning pages and lots of great action sequences.

I've really been enjoying this series. The issues up to now have established the hero, his supporting cast and his reasons for living along the coast. Each issue gives us more insight into the character and what drives him.

It's going to be interesting to see where it goes from here!

Grade: A-

---------------

Fantastic Four #602

This is a magazine that can handle almost any kind of story, but the Fantastic Four are at their best when they're dealing with a big cosmic concept.

And boy howdy is this story big. And cosmic.

You have the alien Kree armada attacking the Earth, there's the Annihilation wave now under the control of the resurrected Human Torch, Black Bolt and the Inhumans are in the fight, there's the Supreme Intelligence (leader of the Kree) working on a plot to destroy the Inhumans, and just when the pages seem too crowded, the big gun in the Marvel universe shows up (the cover kind of gives that one away).

A lesser writer wouldn't be able to keep all these elements in balance, but Jonathan Hickman has been putting the pieces in place for this story for over a year, and it's all pushing toward the mind-boggling climax.

The big question, of course, is: can Earth survive? The answer seems dubious at this point.

Artist Barry Kitson has lots of fun bringing assorted spectacles to life. His work is clean, dynamic and of great service to the story - not a task for the faint-hearted.

I've raved about this story before, and I feel the same way about this issue - it's the kind of intelligent, cosmic tale that this series deserves. Keep 'em flying!

Grade: A-

-----------------

Justice League #5

If I didn't know better, I'd swear this was a Marvel Comic.

That's because this issue of Justice League is give over to a slugfest between the (finally assembled) team and Darkseid.

The trick to reading this series is that you have to keep reminding yourself that these heroes have just started their careers, so they're not always as... well, competent as we might expect.

For example, there's an incredibly silly moment as the team "tries out" a rallying slogan. Let's just say the Avengers have nothing to worry about there.

The issue is loaded with interesting moments (some work, some don't). For example, Batman tries a stunt that seems completely out of character, Green Lantern goes over the top, and Flash and Superman head off to the races. The rest of the characters only manage cameos.

The rest of the issue is given over to all kinds of intense, over-the-top battles that you'd usually expect from Marvel.

The art by Jim Lee is excellent, as always, though I get the sense that some of his work here was a bit rushed. Maybe it's just me.

Geoff Johns' story has certainly kicked things into high gear, and it's difficult to see how the League can stand up to a powerhouse like Darkseid - but that's all part of the fun!

Grade: A-

---------------

New Comics Day!

Today I picked up:

- Alpha Flight #8 (of 8) - The finale.

- Aquaman #5 - He gets some sand in his shoe.

- Secret Avengers #21.1 - Cap and Hawkeye on the town.

- Captain America & Bucky #626 - Which Bucky is this?

- King Conan #1 (of 4) - Beginning "The Phoenix on the Sword."

- FF #14 - Fighting the Celestials.

- Fantastic Four #602 - And now, Galactus!

- The Flash #5 - Wrapping up the Mob Rule story.

- Justice League #5 - Throwing down with Darkseid.

- Mighty Thor #10 - Beginning the comeback.

- The Ultimates #6 - An impossible fight.

And I received a review pdf of:

- Fathom: Blue Descent #4 - Battles under the sea.

And that's it!

The Classics - The Black Terror #1

Here's a golden age character who was a complete mystery to me.

His origins are long before I started reading comics, and practically every time he pops up in the modern era, he's a completely different character.

The reason The Black Terror shows up every now and then is thanks largely to the fact that the character is in public domain. He last resurfaced about four years ago in a not-so-great new series from Dynamite Entertainment, and he appreared in some of Alan Moore's ABC comics (with Tom Strong) - but his first reappearance (after his original Golden Age run) was in a Prestige mini-series from Eclipse Comics in 1989.

Written by Beau Smith and Chuck Dixon (in what must be the manliest writing team-up of the century) and painted by Dan Brereton (in what I believe was his first work in comics), the series brought the Black Terror back as a (more or less) normal man working undercover to bring down the mob.

The story begins with a nightmarish dream sequence that doesn't seem to have much in common with the rest of the story, but from there we get into the grim and grisly world of crime.

As Ryan Delvecchio, The Black Terror is working as a gunman for the mob. One mission gives him possession on a computer disc that links to a mysterious plot known as Romulus.

Using his insider information, the Terror is able to wreak havoc on the gang, but he has a tall order in front of him. Not only does he face a powerful and ruthless gang of criminals, he's also being pursued by the FBI, who don't appreciate his "freelance" crimefighting - and did I mention that the gang is being run by the state's governor?

So lots of wheels turning in this one, and lots a grim violence to go around.

Brereton's painted art for this issue is brilliant in places and very shaky in others - but you can definitely see the promise of the excellent artist that he would become.

As far as I know, this series hasn't been collected and reprinted, while at least three volumes of the most recent (and far less entertaining) stories are available.

Now that's a crime!

Grade: A-

-----------------

Memorial #2

Comics are somewhat imitative by nature, so it's never a surprise when a comic shows up that tries to tap into a past success.

This new series Memorial, for example, seems to be trying very hard to be the new Sandman (or perhaps the new Fables).

And that's ok, because it's always good to aim high.

I should add that the book is not a direct swipe at all, although it hits some similar notes.

The story by Chris Roberson follows an amnesia victim named Em. She works in a bookstore, and while on her lunch break she discovers a magical store loaded with books, toys and knick-knacks.

But she also finds herself in great danger as living statues come after her. She steps through the door of the shop and finds herself at the ocean. Oh, and she discovers a cat who talks.

Em is likeable enough (though we don't know much about her, she's obviously plucky) and the mystery unfolding is entertaining. The story moves things along briskly (being chased by strange, vicious creatures helps keep things crackling).

The art is by Rich Ellis, and I like it - it suits the story well. Sometimes dark and moody, sometimes rumpled and real-worldish (if that's a word). He does seem to struggle with the look of the cat in a couple of places, but that's a minor dig.

There's plenty of room in the world of comics for another thoughtful and intelligent fantasy comic, and that's the niche for Memorial.

It should do well as long as it resists the urge to get too cute with its own premise (as it almost does with the names of the queens of the three mystic realms - a little too much Gaiman lifting going on there).

But if you like that sort of thing (as everyone should), then this is well worth checking out.

Grade: B+

---------------

Lord of the Jungle #1

Here we have a comic that dares not speak its name.

The cover says Lord of the Jungle, but that's only because of the legal restrictions over using the name Tarzan prominently.

As I understand it, the first Tarzan book (Tarzan of the Apes) is now in public domain, so the story is fair game for adaptation - thus only a cursory mention on the inside cover that this series is "based on stories by Edgar Rice Burroughs."

As written by Arvid Nelson, it's a fair adaptation (though one added story element seems quite odd), but like the Warlord of Mars adaptation, he's spooling this story out very slowly. By the end of the first issue, we've only seen the title character as a baby (not counting a panel showing his back and another showing his hand).

The art by Robert Castro is well done, though there are a few minor gaps in the story progression. The characters and the creatures are expressive, and the art benefits from strong coloring by Alex Guimares.

I can't help but feel that this story is going to suffer from the same dragged-out fate that led me to drop Dynamite's version of John Carter, too.

I know, decompressed stories are all the rage - and sometimes they work - but Burrough's stories were famous for hurtling along at breakneck speed, pushing you on to reading that next chapter.

I don't get that here at all.

Grade: B-

-----------------

Conan: Road of Kings #12 (of 12)

With this issue we reach the end of Roy Thomas' welcome return as writer on Conan.

Thomas, of course, was responsible for the original Conan the Barbarian comic book series that Marvel began in the 1970s, and he wrote it for a decade before leaving the company.

Dark Horse wisely brought him back to the fold for this maxi-series, which has followed the barbarian's adventures (and misadventures) along the Road of Kings, which winds across several countries. He wraps up his adventure in Messantia - in a jail cell, to be exact, as he faces "justice" at the hands of a less-than-honorable judge.

The writing on the series has been solid - very much in the style of the original series, with a bit more graphic violence thrown in. But this issue seems to feel the burden of having to set up the next series in line, which brings Conan and Belit together (which is to say, that seems the only point of this issue).

The art has been something of a sticking point for fans (and for me as well). This issue is drawn by Mike Hawthorne, and while he's a good artist, I don't think his style is a good match for Conan. The character is more grim and gritty, while this style is more mainstream and clean-cut. I think he'd be a great fit for most superhero stories.

So the series has been a nice bit of nostalgia for long-time fans, but it doesn't quite measure up to past efforts.

Grade: B-

----------------

Dead Man's Run #1

So what happens after you die?

It's a great question - the ultimate question - and one we (probably) won't know the answer to until it's our turn.

It's a favorite playground for books, television, movies and (especially) comic books. Virtually every hero has been "dead" at least once in his or her career. (Oh, if you're looking for a good movie, try Albert Brooks' Defending Your Life. Great flick.)

It's the topic of this post is the new comic from Aspen, Dead Man's Run.

Written by Greg Pak (whose work I loved on the Incredible Hulk), this comic focuses on a man named Sam Tinker, a prison guard who cares deeply for his sister Juniper.

A surprising series of events (not to be spoiled here) results in death, and Sam finds himself in the worst prison imaginable - hell itself.

Can he escape? Was he drawn there for a reason? What happened to his sister? And most importantly, can he survive?

Those of some of the questions raised, and to tell more would be wrong. The story has a definite Lost feel to it (high praise indeed), as we care about this brother and sister and wonder what will happen next.

The art is by Tony Parker, and it's very, very good. He has a nice style of his own, with clear storytelling, some great flourishes and a dark, compelling design for the afterlife.

The mystery is set, the characters are interesting and in place, there's danger and action aplenty (though no superhero costumes to be seen) - I can't wait to see what happens next.

That's what I call a great start!

Grade: A-

----------------

The Avengers #21

One of the things that makes Marvel's comics interesting is the fact that, sometimes, the good guys lose. (It's usually just temporary, of course.)

That's exactly what's going on in The Avengers. The latest version of the team has been outflanked by Norman Osborn and his allies (which include Hydra, AIM and H.A.M.M.E.R. (still no definition for the abbreviation - it's been, what, three years? My guess: Hydra, AIM Master Many Exotic Resources. I didn't say it was a good guess).

The Avengers have done the tried and true "split up into teams and try to solve the mystery," but Osborn is taking advantage by throwing everything he has - including some surprisingly powerful agents wielding familiar abilities - against the heroes.

From all appearances, it doesn't go well for the good guys.

Brian Bendis is pulling out all the stops to put the Avengers in a bad corner - and it's going to be interesting to see how they get out of it. As always, great dialogue and some good character moments.

The art is by Renato Guedes (I thought Daniel Acuna was the regular artist on this story?), and it feels rushed somehow. There's some strong work here, but there are also panels with weak anatomy and others where I'm not sure what happened.

Much as I'm tired of Osborn, the story has me hooked so far, and I'm looking forward to seeing the big comeback by our team... or a really surprising ending.

Grade: B

---------------

Batman #5

It's rare for a creative team to manage a new way to play with the comics medium - and to their credit, that's just what they've done with this issue of Batman.

Writer Scott Snyder and artists Greg Capullo and Jonathan Glapion continue to build a new mythology in Gotham City around a organization known as the Council of Owls. The implication is that the group has been operating secretly in Gotham practically since it became a town, and they have many secrets.

One of them is a vast underground maze where Batman has been wandering for days. Is it real, is he dreaming or drugged? We don't know, but it's shocking to see the World's Most Dangerous Man struggling to survive.

This is more like a horror story than a superhero comic, and isn't recommended for young readers.

The art is terrific, with Capullo doing some amazing, clever things to tell this nightmarish story.

I don't want to say too much or give anything away, because it's a terrific comic - one of the best since the "New 52" started.

We're a long way from the "Best of 2012" list being compiled, but I confidently predict this comic will be on it.

Highly recommended!

Grade: A

--------------

At the Comics Shop

Today I picked up:

- Avengers #21 - Bring on the Bad Guys!

- Batman #5 - One of the most unique comics I can remember in a while.

- Conan: Road of Kings #12 (of 12) - End of the road.

- Daredevil #8 - Locking lips with the Black Cat!

- Fear Itself: The Fearless #7 (of 12) - Wolverine brings the pain.

- Invincible Iron Man #512 - Heart trouble.

- John Carter: A Princess of Mars #5 (of 5) - The title just doesn't work like that.

- Lord of the Jungle #1 - Kreegah!

- Memorial #2 - On a recommendation.

- Wonder Woman #5 - Fish story.

Also (in the interest of full disclosure), from Aspen I received pdf's of:

- Dead Man's Run #1 - What happens after a Live Man's Run?

- Charismagic #4 - Magic and sexy women - what's not to like?

And that's it!

The Classics - The Futurians

In looking at Marvel's Graphic Novels of the 1980s, I came across a nearly-forgotten favorite - The Futurians.

Dave Cockrum rose to fame handling comics that featured large casts, including the Legion of Super-Heroes for DC and the "New" X-Men for Marvel.

He helped create new characters for each group, and most of those characters are still active today. Cockrum was a master of design and took a lot of inspiration from Wally Wood and Gil Kane (among others), but he brought his own sensibilities to every project.

This graphic novel gave Cockrum lots of room to run with. He created his own "reality" and populated it with numerous original heroes and villains, and based it on a complex science fiction idea.

The story started on the Earth millions of years in the future, when two warring super-science races tried to take control of the planet. The evil Inheritors realized they couldn't defeat the noble race known as Terminus, so they escaped into the past and destroyed the sun in the process.

Unable to follow, the scientists of Terminus instead sent "seeds" into the past, which connected with various humans and ultimately gave them super-powers which would allow them to fight back when the Inheritors launched their city-destroying attacks.

Whew! It was a complex concept, but it served its purpose - giving a solid explanation for the new heroes and villains, and allowing Cockrum to design and create seven original heroes, supporting casts and armies of bad guys and monsters for them to fight.

Best of all, it was all written with strong characters and a great sense of humor. I love the costume and character designs on display here. They may be a bit garish and somewhat dated (which is to be expected in a story created 30 years ago), but Cockrum had a great sense of what worked and his creations seemed to roll out with Kirby-like proficiency.

The story also gave him lots of room for some incredible, over-the-top action sequences - sort of the equivalent of today's blockbuster action films.

Sadly, the series never quite caught on. Perhaps the concept was too bulky, perhaps there were just too many characters and too much dialogue. Whatever the reason, this graphic novel led to a series of five (or six) regular-sized comics, but that was the end of it - a sad finish for a strong idea.

His string of successful works far outweigh the ones that flopped - but as The Futurians shows, even his lesser-known work was outstanding.

Dave Cockrum was a true giant of the industry, and he is sadly missed.

Grade: A

------------------