moriarty@fluke.UUCP (The Napoleon of Crime) (12/03/84)
A brief change this time... as I have found there are several titles that just don't merit five or six lines of review space, I've added an "In Brief" section to the end of these articles... usually just a grade, with a quick comment occasionally. And now, AWAAAAAAY we go... ------------------------------------------------ "There *are* standards. If you can't see one, you *make* one and stick to it come Hell or high water -- until you see a BETTER one." -John Gaunt **************************************************************************** |==>A< One of the best of the year. Example: Byrne/Claremont's Starlord | |==>B< A very good issue, one of the best of the month (usually 6/month) | |==>C< A well done, entertaining issue. Satisfying. Example: Jon Sable | |==>D< Rather boring, or a few good spots mixed with more bad ones. Ex:Mars| |==>F< Boring AND stupid or childish. Example: Secret Wars. | |==>Z< Actually offensive. Example: Several of Haney's UNKNOWN SOLDIERs | **************************************************************************** MISTER X #2 [B]: Rather like a cross between an episode of "I Love Lucy", "The Shadow", and a range war... with Jaime and Mario's superb art and characters, you just can't go wrong. Last page of the Mr. X. story has the same wonderful culminations of one of Claremont/Byrne's GOOD X-Men stories... with humor. An interesting cover (I don't usually notice these things, but this one looks like a diorama). The backup feature is alright... a good punchline, but too protracted. Gilbert's art doesn't send me, I'm afraid; and the characters here lack the kinks and interesting qualities of his "Heartbreak Soup" stories. ---- ZOT #6 [A-]: (Grade inflation? Who, ME?). We got drama. We got intrigue. We got villains (REAL villains!) We got heroes and heroines (ditto) We got no crab legs, tho'... (huh?) I'm aghast. Check it out, if you haven't already become a fanatic about it (yes, I'm metamorphisizing into Stan Lee). Great characters (the equal of any, anywhere in comics), fantastic dialogue, fine art, engrossing plot, and the best villain since The Joker for combining humor and menace (I mean that, especially with my (ancient) background in comics): "Oh, it's you! Would you hold on a moment? I've got an assasination to do." Manna from heaven! Thank you, McCloud! (Uh, does he look like Dennis Weaver?). ---- STRANGE DAYS #1: [ Paradox: C-; others: D or D+ ] "Strange", huh? Guess next time I better take them at their word... ---- TALES OF THE TEEN TITANS #51: [C] Raises the question of just how much the government knows about the Titans. Any guesses? ---- GRIMJACK #3-7 [C+ to B+]: Hmm... I skipped out on this after #2, which, all in all, was a big mistake. Between the stories of John Gaunt, and the variable (but, when good, *outstanding*) Munsen's Bar tales, this is one of the better books out there. I seem to remember comparing several titles to Eisner's "Spirit" in the past few months; but on reflection, I think Ostrander & Truman probably have come the closest, due largely to the fact that they have built up another cast of characters and another setting bearing the flair and memorable features of the original. Also, the narrative balance -- humor played against drama against pathos, all finely measured -- are much the same. But what is notable (and very unusual) about GRIMJACK is that those involved have not actively borrowed from Eisner in their stories. The Masked Man and Crossfire, while both very enjoyable and well done, seem to be attempting to jump-start our memories of Denny Colt and Central City with their art and dialogue styles (The Masked Man obviously a pastiche of The Spirit). GRIMJACK has created its own, unique mythos; and it may turn out to be one of the best. Things I've enjoyed about it so far: - Constant in-jokes to other strips. - The alternate-dimension John Lennon story. - Grimjack's quotes (I must begin to collect them) - The Bissete & Burchette Munsen stories (both w/Ostrander & Del Close), and the Baron/Rude one also (tho' not as much). Good stuff ---- CRASH RYAN #4 [B-]: An excellent finish -- I would like to see more! Kudos to Harris for avoiding every cliche in the book (i.e. Masters going down with the ship, etc.). Hope it sold well... ---- IN BRIEF : SECRET WARS #11 [F+]: Rehashes Shooter's Korvac Plot SUN DEVILS #8 [D]: Conway is gone from scripting, and it shows. Jurgens writing is poor, and his art seems to be affected by his dual role. MS TREE #13 [C-]: No campy violence. Shoot.... SPANNER'S GALAXY #3: [C-] P.I.s #2: [C] AMAZING SPIDERMAN #262 [C] TIME SPIRITS #2 [C]: Fun. I noticed the Vanir were mentioned... does this mean Tolkein's "angels" (The Simarillion) are Sea Serpents? DNAgents #16 [C+] SURGE #3 [C]: Would have gotten better, but I *hate* Mike Sekowsky art (Sham back-up) with a passion. ---- Please send comments, I do love 'em.... "There's more hoods than we thought!" "Then shoot MORE BULLETS!" Moriarty, aka Jeff Meyer John Fluke Mfg. Co., Inc. UUCP: {cornell,decvax,ihnp4,sdcsvax,tektronix,utcsrgv}!uw-beaver \ {allegra,gatech!sb1,hplabs!lbl-csam,decwrl!sun,ssc-vax} -- !fluke!moriarty ARPA: fluke!moriarty@uw-beaver.ARPA