Before Watchmen: Minutemen #4 Review

Minutemen was always the Before Watchmen book with the most potential for interesting character development. Luckily, Darwyn Cooke has been able to realize that potential. Though issue #4 is fairly scatterbrained in its focus, Cooke manages to deliver some memorable moments featuring just about every player in this troubled group.

Though Hollis Mason's flash-forwards still serve as a framing device, this issue hops all about the lives of the Minutemen during the post-WWII era. The tragic death of The Silhouette provides a loose sort of link between the other conflicts. But the general theme of this chapter is disillusionment. We see everyone from Nite Owl to Silk Spectre to Comedian weighed down by the harsh realities of life in the world of Watchmen. Tonally, this issue is very much a bridge between he more optimistic adventures of earlier chapters and the world as we see it in Alan Moore's story. Surprisingly, Silk Spectre enjoys the strongest scenes of all the characters. Cooke is able to showcase a very different and more genuine side of her character than readers are accustomed to.

Unsurprisingly, the art is a maor selling point once again. Cooke captures all the vibrant energy of this supposed Golden Age of super-heroism without ignoring the seedier visual elements. Cooke is able to capture many of the hallmarks of the original series, from it's rigid grid structure to its many visual gags and games, without remaining bound to those hallmarks or failing to exercise his own unique talents.

If not as focused as it could be, Minutemen #4 is nonetheless proof that there are interesting stories to explore in the shadow of Watchmen, as well as creators talented enough to bring them to life.

Jesse is a writer for various IGN channels. Allow him to lend a machete to your intellectual thicket by following @jschedeen on Twitter, or Kicksplode on MyIGN.

Source : ign[dot]com

Frankenstein: Agent of S.H.A.D.E. #0 Review

Frankenstein is a series I enjoyed as the New 52 relaunch kicked off but eventually fell behind on. Luckily, Matt Kindt's approach to issue #0 is one that welcomes new and lapsed readers. This completely standalone tale focuses on the creation of Victor Frankenstein's monster and the early battles that shaped him into the sword-slinging hero he is today.

Kindt works to subvert the original Frankenstein text a bit by portraying the inventor as a deranged, mad scientist and his creation as a noble hero from the beginning. I would have liked a bit more nuance in Victor's portrayal. While his vendetta against the monster is understandable, his personality is a bit one-note. Luckily, Frankenstein the monster is well-written and perfectly identifiable as the tragic lead. Readers are shown all they really need to know about the character over the course of the book, with some narration courtesy of Father Time to fill in the gaps. The script offers up just the right blend of tragedy and kooky monster action.

Alberto Ponticelli's artwork generally serves the script well. There were instances where a heavier use of blacks and shadows might have been beneficial. However, Ponticelli offers up an effective blend of moody settings and surreal character designs. The scenes set in the Amazon jungle stand out as particularly eye-catching.

I'm pleased to see that the series hasn't suffered from the shift in writers, and I may have to add Frankenstein to my regular slate of New 52 books once again.

Source : ign[dot]com

Scarlet Spider #8 Review

Scarlet Spider suffered a significant blow recently with the departure of artist Ryan Stegman. Luckily, the series is weathering the creative team shift as well as can be expected. The book is no longer the looker it once was, but it still offers a fun and enjoyable look at the newest member of the Spider-Man club.

Having set up shop in Houston, it was probably inevitable that Kaine would bump into the Texas Twisters sooner or later. Christopher Yost offers up a fun battle between Scarlet Spider and this obscure little team. While this issue offers a textbook case of heroes battling each other before agreeing to unite against a common foe, Kaine's tendency to duck and run and subverts the usual outcome. His aversion to all other superheroes is a continued source of amusement.

On a deeper level, the involvement of Roxxon offers Kaine a much bigger and more looming threat to deal with. His quirky, slightly dark relationship with new fling Zoe Walsh isn't as much a focus of this issue as I would have liked, but it does come into play again towards the end. Any attempt to force Kaine to deal with human ties and personal drama is a good one, at the moment.

Khoi Pham is doing a serviceable job replacing Stegman. Certainly, his work lacks the fluidity and energy of Stegman's pencils, but the storytelling is generally clear and presentable. Tom Palmer's inks help smooth the normally jagged edges of Pham's work, and the overall stylistic shift isn't as dramatic as it might have been. As long as Yost keeps steering his hero in interesting directions like this and dragging him into uncomfortable situations, the series can withstand a few visual snafus.

Jesse is a writer for IGN Comics and various other IGN channels. Follow Jesse on Twitter, or find him on IGN.

Source : ign[dot]com

Animal Man #12 Review

With any episodic story there inevitably comes the “recap” installment where the characters spend a majority of the issue reflecting on the past and little else. Luckily, Jeff Lemire and Scott Snyder sidestep the painful parts of this necessary evil and add in just enough new content to set up for the long-brewing Rotworld storyline.

With so much build up to Buddy Baker finding Swamp Thing, their first meeting proves to be underwhelming. Both are some of the best written characters in DC’s current stable, but they wind up having a bland interaction that merely serves as a giant information dump. Where’s the friction and personality to these two heroes that have made their books so enthralling to read? The one highlight of their interaction comes when Swamp Thing lifts up a startled Buddy and leaps into the Rot-pond. The look on Buddy’s face is priceless.

Steve Pugh ups his game for this crossover issue and provides more minute details to the setting than ever before. Vines creep up a railing, haunting figures are showcased in front of an apocalyptic backdrop, and the first journey into the Rot has a sickening amount of bones, teeth, and flies. A montage detailing the interactions between the Green, the Red, and the Rot looks stunning with its veiny structure not unlike Yanick Paquette’s plant-paneling in Swamp Thing. With the marrying of both art style and story concepts, the Animal Man and Swamp Thing creative teams have set up a crossover that I can’t wait to read. Given general hate for crossovers, that is a strange feat indeed.

Joshua is a writer for IGN. Follow him on Twitter or IGN, where he is hell-bent on making sure you know his opinion about comic books.

Source : ign[dot]com