Review: Animal Man Annual #1

Or, how Jeff Lemire wrote a Before Animal Man that worked quite well.

New 52 Year 0.5: Swamp Thing and Animal Man

We've reached the halfway point of New 52: Year One, and it seems like a good time to go back and look at some of the most outstanding series in total so far. So for the next month, I am going to choose a book each week, read all six issues, and jot down some general thoughts and reactions. This week: Animal Man and Swamp Thing!

52 Pick Up: Analyzing DC's New 52 Creative Team Strategies So Far

     There are reports today that DC is doing some shuffling of creative teams around the New 52. This should come as no surprise, it is not as if the creative teams set forth in the initial announcements were set in stone. Just a few issues into the DCnU we saw changes announced on Green Arrow, Superman, and others. This time, however, things are a little higher profile. DC has taken two of the biggest writers in their stable and shifted them to two moderately successful titles. Newsarama is reporting that Peter Milligan (Red Lanterns, Justice League Dark) is taking over the soon-to-be Paul Cornell-less StormWatch with issue #9. Meanwhile, Comic Book Resources reveals that Milligan's old book, Justice League Dark, will be taken over by Jeff Lemire (Frankenstein, Agent of S.H.A.D.E., Animal Man) that same month. UPDATE: Matt Kindt will be taking the reigns from Lemire on Frankenstein, Agent of S.H.A.D.E.

Comic Reviews Week of November 2nd, 2011

Action Comics #3 - Still solid. As often is the case with Grant Morrison, Action Comics will probably read better in its full form.  Without a doubt the book's biggest flaw is its art. Rags Morales did not even do the full issue and his art looks terribly rushed. I think the book would benefit from a completely new artist, and would not be surprised if that happened in the near future.





Animal Man #3 - Jeff Lemire has a talent for creepy, and Travel Foreman can certainly deliver on the demented stuff in his scripts. This was a bit of a transition issue, it seems as if the proverbial poop is about to hit the fan.  Animal Man and Swamp Thing make me wonder how much Lemire and Scott Snyder are coordinating with one another.  I smell a crossover in the near future.




Stormwatch #3 - Cornell's books (Stormwatch and Demon Knights) continue to improve. The character introductions that made the first couple of issues feel frantic have finally given way to the storyline.  The mixture of old and new characters is finally coming together in a cohesive mixture.  Still has a few abrupt moments that mess with the narrative a bit but, overall, Stormwatch seems to have found its footing.




Swamp Thing #3 - This is my pick of the week.  Yanick Paquette's art is still gorgeous.  Snyder, like Lemire, has a knack for creepiness. This issue both reintroduces an old character and introduces a new character--both of whom are immensely interesting. Despite having read most of the Hellboy catalog, delved into Grant Morrison's crazier work, and read Batman books most of my life, Swamp Thing continues to deliver some of the most frighteningly creepy things I have ever seen in comic book form. I cannot recommend this book enough.

Uncanny X-men #1 - What's this!? A MARVEL book?! That's right, True Believers, Trey is branching out.  Though I did not write a review for it, Wolverine and the X-men was my favorite book last week.  Uncanny was solid, but not quite as good. The highlight might be Carlos Pachecos' art. He is easily one of the best visual storytellers in superhero comics. One of my favorite things about the book is it's setup. I really like the idea of a superhero team having a huge roster with multiple branches that each have their own unique purposes.

DCnU Mini-reviews Week of October 5th, 2011

Action Comics #2 – So far, so good. Grant Morrison's revamp of Superman and his early days in Metropolis might be one of the most interesting things done with the character since Mark Millar's Red Son. Superman acting like a brash young man with an activist leaning might not be what we are used to, but it is a take that makes him a much more dynamic character. It also stays true to the earliest Superman stories. There's something else to this re-imagination—Action Comics is set early in Superman's career. I am sure that stories set later will attempt to make Superman a more rounded character than he was in the Old DCU, but the impulsive, some-what angry Superman of Action Comics is part of a story-arc. He will grow as the story goes on. The biggest problem with the series remains the art. Rags Morales and Brent Anderson just are not giving the book a good look. Morales can be solid when given time, but it is obvious that the month-to-month grind is too much for him. Bottomline is that the art detracts from a story that has been solid so far.

Animal Man #2 – Jeff Lemire knows what he is doing. After finishing issue 1 with a creepy reveal, issue 2 continues to mix family drama with horrifying superheroics. Buddy Baker, one of the little known guys of the DCU, is confronted with events that hold frightening implications. Suddenly manifesting a series of abilities that outstrip her father's, Maxine Baker leads the Buddy on a classic hero's journey. The Hunters Three are creepy, the family drama seems real, and the plot is fascinating. Travel Foreman's art is great—sharp lines, expressive faces, and scary monsters.

StormWatch #2 – I am still not sure about this book, but I know that I enjoyed issue #2 more than the first issue. It is still kind of frantically paced. There are tons of characters being introduced and I am not sure just how well that process is going. While most of the characters are interesting, drawing a bead on where the new characters stand is kind of difficult. That might be on purpose, but it seems a bit ambiguous. Sepulveda's art seems a bit more confident in this issue than it did in the first. Even having read StormWatch 1 and 2 and Superman 1 I am not entirely sure how the three books are connected. If I can't figure it out, I doubt new readers can.

Swamp Thing #2 – For the second month in a row, Snyder tricked me. Like issue 1, issue 2 begins with a ton of exposition and dialogue that is not terribly compelling, but then hits the ground running in the second half. The creepy stuff from last month's issue returns with a vengeance and turns the scary up to 11. The relationship between Swamp Thing and Alec Holland is still somewhat in question. Apparently, there have been other Swamp Thing entities in the past? My knowledge of Swampy continuity is pretty limited. Yanick Paquette continues to draw one of the best looking books of the New 52. The attack of the creepiness, expansion of the Green and Red lore, and a cool reveal at the end of the issue make this book at least as good as the stellar first issue.

DCnU Week 3 Mini-reviews:

Batman and Robin #1– Tomasi “gets” Bruce and Damian. In a relaunch that is about distinguishing characters and their place in the universe for new readers, B&R leaves little ambiguity about how different the two Waynes are. Gleason is on fire—he proves again that he is one of the best superhero artists at DC. This book is one of the ones long time readers should suggest to newbies, in my opinion.

Batwoman #1– So we knew Batwoman would be gorgeous (the comic book, not the character—Ms. Kane is well drawn but fictional...stop looking at me like that!). Issue #1 proves that the character is in capable hands with Williams and Blackman. Interestingly, Batwoman more than any other book feels like it takes place pre-Relaunch. This makes sense considering its been in the works since before the relaunch was even announced, but its still an interesting feeling.

Demon Knights #1– Another week, another Cornell book. Its definitely a more successful issue than last week's Stormwatch. A book filled with interesting characters that have not been used very much. Jason Blood, Shining Knight, Vandal Savage, and Etrigan are personal favorites. Perhaps unintentionally evokes Morrison's Seven Soldiers of Victory (which is a good thing in my book). The art was great. I especially liked how expressive Madam Xanadu's eyes were. (The reason Demon Knights is lower than Stormwatch on the interest-meter is because I wasn't interested in it in the weeks before it came out. So, really, 75% is up...from 0.)

Frankenstein, Agent of S.H.A.D.E. #1- There is a ton going on in this issue—not only is Frankenstein being introduced to readers so but are S.H.A.D.E., Father Time, the Creature Commandos, and even Ray Palmer. The issue works, and I am intrigued but the Creature Commandos are not as cool at first blush as I expected them to be. Father Time's new body is pretty funny. The narrative and storytelling gel into a much more intriguing point toward the end of the issue. Though I miss Mahnke's version of Frankenstein, the art is a medium. Almost somewhere between Lemire's own art and Mahnke's...though I might just been imagining that.

Green Lantern #1– Meet the new Green Lantern, same as the old Green Lantern. Love him or hate him, Geoff Johns consistently comes up with solid stories filled with clever ideas. Sinestro's position in the GL Corp is intriguing and the actions he is forced to take are fascinating. Mahnke's art continues to be solid, but I'm so used to seeing his work take place in space that when he draws Hal is on earth it looks kind of weird. The Green Lantern movie may have been a bit of a flop, but I think I can see its influence on the way Geoff is writing Hal.

Superboy #1– Much more solid than I expected. A first issue filled with entirely passable writing. Yet, about halfway through something happens that is much more interesting than anything else going on in the book. Sadly, this fascinating moment is barely touched on before moving on. I cannot help but feel that other writers would have chosen to give more attention to it. I really like Silva's art, and it seems like a good fit for a teenaged hero's book.

15 DCnU Books to Watch: "Grab Bag Edition"

Look, even to a DC Comics Zombie, the company's September relaunch can seem intimidating. The information is almost overwhelming—52 brand new books, a smattering of new characters interjected into the publisher's traditional roster, and completely new creative teams on almost every book. On top of that, the chances of all 52 (or even a high percentage) being worth buying is minuscule. So, for you gentle reader, I have taken the time to separate the wheat from the chaff, to isolate the cream of the crop, and to highlight the must-haves of the DCnU. Once a week, between now and the end of August, I will attempt to explain and justify my choices for the 15 most important books of DC's upcoming relaunch.

This week, the Grab Bag Edition: Animal Man, Stormwatch, and All Star Western

Animal Man (Jeff Lemire, Travel Foreman, and Dan Green)

     One of the tightropes that the powers-that-be-at-DC have to walk is that they must maintain a reverence for established readers and the things they like while re-branding their line in an effort to attract new readers. None of the New 52 exemplifies that more than Animal Man. On the one hand, Animal Man is a strange choice. He's a character of extremely limited history, starring in only one or two famous storylines total. Heck, at one point his greatest achievement was gracing the roster of a group called the Forgotten Heroes. Granted, that was before Grant Morrison left his mark on the character, but still, that should give you an idea of how limited Animal Man's involvement in the greater DCU continuity is. On the other hand, Animal Man is a fan favorite, thanks mostly to a late 1980s and early 1990s revamp and a starring role in DC's 52 both written by the aforementioned Morrison. What Animal Man lacks in name recognition outside of the realm of comic book shops, he makes up for with his limited but beloved status within those comic-dungeons. Still, it should go without saying that editorial at DC is banking on this new Animal Man series garnering a more widespread following than other attempts in the past.

     Now that I think about it, they may be on to something. While much of the focus among the nerds (ie: me) has been to examine and dissect the characters, creative teams, and continuity changes of the DC Relaunch, a largely ignored part of the entire enterprise is the shift to day-and-date releases. Brand new DC comics will now be sold digitally on the same day they hit store shelves. Some of the sales figures I've seen from digital comic book sales indicate that consumers that buy their comics online tend to buy comics of the more independent and Vertigo-style stripe. (Admittedly, this information may be out of date. After all, I am no comic industry insider.) So in Animal Man, DC has a character that was famously one of the founding members of Vertigo written by current Vertigo wunderkind Jeff Lemire (Sweettooth). Those in the know at DC have mentioned that they want their new 52 to encompass a broader segment of comic book readership and Animal Man is definitely one of their forays down paths that only Vertigo used to travel.

     As I have said before, Lemire is a rising star. He has received critical recognition for his short run on Superboy and his creator owned Sweettooth and Essex County Trilogy. The artistic side of Animal Man will be handled by Travel Foreman who is fairly new to comics, and has mostly worked for MARVEL since breaking into the industry. If the previews are any indication, Foreman's work will fit well with the story Lemire wants to tell. Jeff has said that he sees Animal Man “very much a horror/superhero hybrid. As such, I’m able to take it in some very dark places.” Its an interesting direction to take Buddy Baker and his animal-themed alter-ego, but one that could give new life to a character that has not had a starring turn since the early 1990s.

Stormwatch (Paul Cornell and Miguel Sepulveda)

     A couple of weeks ago, (in a cold-medicine-addled fog) I mentioned that my limited funds were forcing me to choose one Paul Cornell and one Peter Milligan penned book. Since I chose Justice League Dark for my Milligan book, that left Stormwatch as the obvious choice for Cornell. (Anyone that's listened to our podcast's discussions about Game of Thrones knows that I can only take so much fantasy. Sorry Demonknights!) Add to that the fact that one of my all time favorite characters—Martian Manhunter—is now a member of Stormwatch and I'm sold.

     The premise of Stormwatch—a secret group of superpowered people who quietly save the world—is one of those ideas that seems obviously clever but is surprisingly hard to get right. In spirit, the team has been around since the early 90s but only a few creators have been able to write comics that live up to the premise. Of all the writers (other than Grant Morrison) working at DC right now, Cornell seems like the obvious choice to head a revival of Stormwatch. Cornell has packed a lot of solid superhero comic book writing into a fairly short about of time. His recent run on Action Comics starring Lex Luthor lost much of its steam toward the end, but was still a solid story overall. A Dr. Who alumnus, Cornell has shown that he is able to mix imaginative premises with compelling threats. Word coming out of the DC camp is that the villain of the first Stormwatch story-arch will be the Moon. Having read some of Cornell's work at DC, that seems about right.

     Stormwatch is a book with a monstrous amount of potential. The premise and characters are solid, Cornell has a knack for writing interesting comics, and the art (handled by Miguel Sepulveda) looks spectacular so far. Hopefully, it will bear a stronger resemblance to the crisp storytelling of Cornell's early issues on Lex Luthor and not the less intriguing, by-the-book later issues.

All Star Western (Jimmy Palmiotti, Justin Gray and Moritat)

     I'll make this easy: Buy All Star Western. It's strange that I, a comic book collector that literally owns only one western-themed comic book, can say that. But, without a doubt ASW will be one of the most consistently great comics being released by DC in the New 52. How can I know that? Well, the writing team of Jimmy Palmiotti and Justin Gray were able to orchestrate a seventy(!) issue on DC's most recent western book, Jonah Hex, which ran from 2006 until last month. The only way a comic book based in the old west could survive at the Big 2 in today's market is if the writers wrote its brains out. I am sure that they will bring those same energies and sensibilities to ASW.

     No longer confined to just Jonah Hex and his cast of characters, Palmiotti and Gray now have the entire DC Western roster to play with. At least at first, each issue will feature a story starring Hex with a backup featuring other characters. Series-artist Moritat grabbed readers attention with his recent run on The Spirit. His work was perfect for the urban settings of that comic's Central City, but it will be interesting to see how it translates to the wild west. Of course, it may help that apparently ASW is taking place in the Gothic-inspired wild west version of Gotham. He's a talented artist that gives a sense of place and atmosphere to his work, which should serve a period piece comic well.

     Here's the thing: I missed out on Jonah Hex. When it first came out, I decided I wasn't interested in a western comic. Then Palmiotti and Grey quietly built up one of the strongest comic book runs in recent memory while I was wasn't paying attention. This time around, I'm determined to be along for the entire ride of this brand new western series.

15 DCnU Books to Watch: The Dark Side of the DCnU!

Look, even to a DC Comics Zombie, the company's September relaunch can seem intimidating. The information is almost overwhelming—52 brand new books, a smattering of new characters interjected into the publisher's traditional roster, and completely new creative teams on almost every book. On top of that, the chances of all 52 (or even a high percentage) being worth buying is minuscule. So, for you gentle reader, I have taken the time to separate the wheat from the chaff, to isolate the cream of the crop, and to highlight the must-haves of the DCnU. Once a week, between now and the end of August, I will attempt to explain and justify my choices for the 15 most important books of DC's upcoming relaunch.

This week, the The Dark Side of the DCnU : Swamp Thing, Justice League Dark, and Frankenstein, Agent of S.H.A.D.E.

In the interest of full disclosure, allow me to confess that I was sick all weekend. Apparently a head cold and Nyquil makes Trey ramble. So...my apologies. I make no promises for the overall quality of this week's post.

Swamp Thing (Scott Snyder and Yanick Paquette)

     Over a decade ago, I stumbled onto a cache of comic books at my local public library. Among the limited selection was the first collection of Alan Moore's run on Swamp Thing. Teenage Me read it and enjoyed it but was not sure what to make of it. It would be years before I read anything else by Moore and even longer before I revisited Swamp Thing. At the time, I was barely aware that Swamp Thing was even a comic book character. He had already been relegated to DC's Vertigo imprint, a universe I would not venture into until I was a bit older. He had no presence in the 1990s comic books I collected, so I passed him off as a minor character. Having learned the extent of my ignorance, I recently reread the first collection of Moore's run and realized how fascinating and important the character can be.

     There are only a handful of characters that have experienced shifts like Alec Holland. A late Silver Age/early Bronze Age creation by Len Wein, Swamp Thing would be taken and re-purposed by Moore as part of the earliest foundations of what would become Vertigo. Since then, the character has been almost completely confined to the companies “mature” comics line. In that same period some the comic book industry's biggest names have written stories starring Swamp Thing. Moore, Mark Millar, Brian K. Vaughn, and Andy Diggle are just a few of the A-list creative minds that have written the character while he was under the banner of Vertigo. Then, after decades closed off from the DCU, he was reintroduced at the end of a year long story named Brightest Day.

     With the DCnU release of Swamp Thing #1, a new name can be etched in stone along with the likes of Moore and Millar—Scott Snyder. With his critically acclaimed work on American Vampire and Detective Comics, Snyder brings quite a bit of weight to the reintroduction of Swamp Thing to the regular DCU. It almost seems preordained that one of the biggest young guns in comic books would tackle a property that has been a stepping stone for some many other legendary names. He will be joined by artist Yanick Paquette, who has done some incredible work in the last few years. Notably, Paquette has drawn multiple series penned by Grant Morrison, including several issues of Batman Inc.

     Swamp Thing is a book filled with potential. He has not interacted with the denizens of the DCU in decades and is one of the truly unique fictional characters owned by the company. Snyder and Paquette will be able to tap into Swamp Thing and his origins to provide a fascinating story. Snyder is a rare writer with the ability to naturally imbue weight upon his subjects. The upcoming Swamp Thing is destined to be one of the most critically praised books of the DC Relaunch—you might as well get in on the ground floor.

Justice League Dark (Peter Milligan and Mikel Janin):

      No, it's not a superhero-shaped, dark chocolate bar! It's not a Dark Avengers ripoff! It's a team book starring DC's most prominent magical characters under the umbrella of the Justice League! Allow me, if you will, to go on a tangent for a moment. I may be a DC Zombie, but I do not entirely endorse every decision that the company has made in regards to this relaunch. For example, as I will explain shortly, I really like the concept of Justice League Dark (henceforth referred to as JLD) but, at the time of writing this, I loath the name. There are two headlining, mystical teams residing within the new DC Universe—JLD and Demon Knights, and, on the outset, the concepts for both sound great. But am I the only one (and I may be) that thinks that DC has an established mystical team that already has lore surrounding it with a better name that both JLD and Demon Knights? It was not that long ago that an ongoing book named Shadowpact was a fan favorite and a minor critical darling. On top of that, within the pages of said book, it was established that there had been many iterations of the team throughout the ages. So, I am of the opinion that either JLD or Demon Knights should have been named Shadowpact. I know it is not a big deal, and the names were probably chosen very carefully by the authors and DC to attract new readers. I understand the care and thinking that was most likely involved. There's also a really good chance that I pine for one of these two books to be named Shadowpact just so there would be a chance of Detective Chimp being a member. (Actually, let's be honest, that the entire reason I want JLD to be named Shadowpact.)

     Anyways, back to the topic at hand. Justice League Dark is one of the books I have strategically chosen off of a list of several books I was on the fence about. Being of limited funds, I am holding myself to certain number of titles each month, which meant that I had to carefully choose the books I plan on buying. In the end, the choice came down to Peter Milligan versus Paul Cornell. Both writers are penning two books I wanted to read and both are writing a magically based team book. For a combination of reasons I have chosen JLD as my Milligan book. (For my Cornell choice you'll have to come back in two weeks or listen to last week's podcast!)

      In JLD, Milligan is taking a cast of characters that he has worked with extensively and combining them into arguably the most powerful comic book based magical team of all time. Former Vertigo standbys Shade the Changing Man, Madame Xanadu, and John Constantine will be joined by DC Universe regulars Deadman and Zatanna on the team to face an insane, sometimes-villian named Enchantress (ironically, a former Shadowpact member!). Milligan, an industry veteran, knows the formula for writing great comic books, but some people would argue that he sometimes forgets key ingredients. Hopefully, working with a familiar cast of characters will help him produce the kind of comic he is capable of. Spanish artist Mikel Janin will take JLD's reins artistically. His American comics work is limited at the moment, but sample pages from JLD #1 that have been making the rounds on the internet look incredibly promising.

     JLD is, perhaps, most notable for the fact that it stars several characters that have been closed off in the Vertigo universe for almost twenty years. Now Milligan will have the opportunity to place fascinating characters John Constantine, Shade, and Madame Xanadu back into a psuedo-superheroic, magical, trenchcoat-y context within the DC Universe. The cast of characters is interesting and diverse, Milligan can be a great writer, and Janin could be a breakout artist—adding up to a book worthy of being excited about. (Now, if they would just add Detective Chimp to the roster, JLD would be a must-buy for sure!)

Frankenstein, Agent of S.H.A.D.E. (Jeff Lemire and Alberto Ponticelli)

     “Frankenstein?!” you scoff, “why would I want to read a silly book starring a character ripped-off from the pages of Mary Shelley, Trey?” I'll tell you why, Imaginary-voice-in-my-head! Because it's going to be one of the best books in the DCnU! Frankenstein, like many other literary and mythological characters, was appropriated by comic book writers in the Golden and Silver ages of comic books. Generally, these borrowed characters were loose adaptations of their original source material. For example, Marvel borrowed Thor from Norse mythology and both DC and Marvel have featured their own versions of characters like Hercules and Dracula. However, thanks to one of the comic industry's biggest names and one of its rising stars, Frankenstein, Agent of S.H.A.D.E. bears little resemblance to Shelley's original creation.

Back in 2005, Grant Morrison turned his magical distorting lens on DC's version of Frankenstein, effectively Morrison-ifying the character. As part of the Seven Soldiers of Victory mega-event, the new Frankenstein was transformed into an undead agent of a paranormal government body named S.H.A.D.E. (Super Human Advanced Defense Executive). With a gigantic sword, a humungous revolver and the help of a four-armed Bride of Frankenstein, he carved his way through paranormal threats from middle America to the desserts of Mars. Instrumental in the defeat of Melmoth and the Sheeda at the end of Seven Soldiers, Frankenstein resurfaced only two or three more times over the last half decade. More recently, Frankenstein reappeared in the alternate universe of DC's Flashpoint event written by Jeff Lemire. Not coincidentally, Lemire will also pen the the new ongoing series that is spinning out of the revamped universe.

     Lemire is an important up-and-coming creator within the comic book industry. His pre-relaunch work on Superboy was nominated for an Eisner and his creator-owned works Sweet Tooth and the Essex County Trilogy are highly regarded by critics. The art will be handled by Italian artist Alberto Ponticelli whose most recent, notable work was an impressive run on Vertigo's Unknown Soldier. Lemire is a natural storyteller. He knows how to weave an interesting tale, evoking emotions from the reader using characters that are strange, familiar and compelling all at the same time.

     Here's the bottom line: If you like good comics, Frankenstein, Agent of S.H.A.D.E. is a series to keep an eye on—the writer is a rising star, the artist is a good visual storyteller, and the characters will be over the top in an awesome way. Despite Frankenstein, Agent of S.H.A.D.E.'s premise similarities to series like Hellboy and Atomicrobo, Lemire is talented enough that it will certainly be its own animal. Honestly, the idea of Frankenstein and a bunch of monstrous creatures working for a shady government agency should be ridiculously awesome enough to pique anyone's interest, in my opinion. (And if it doesn't get your pulse checked.)

Next week: The Most Important of the Ancillary Bat-titles!