Review: JAMES BOND #12 - Eidolon

JAMES BOND, VOL. 1 No. 12
DYNAMITE ENTERTAINMENT – @dynamitecomics

[This review was originally posted on Patreon.]

WRITER: Warren Ellis
ART: Jason Masters
COLORS: Guy Major
LETTERS: Simon Bowland
COVER: Dom Reardon
32pp, Color, $3.99 U.S.

Rated T+

“Eidolon”

“James Bond” is the fictional British Secret Service agent created by Ian Fleming, a British writer and novelist.  Fleming introduced James Bond in the 1953 novel, Casino Royale, and featured the character in 12 novels and two short-story collections.  Of course, most people know Bond because of EON Productions' long-running James Bond-007 film series, which began with the 1962 film, Dr. No.

Over the past 50+ years, Bond has made sporadic appearances in comic books, and the latest Bond comic books come courtesy of Dynamite Entertainment.  James Bond, Volume 1 is written by Warren Ellis, drawn by Jason Masters, colored by Guy Major, and lettered by Simon Bowland.  Vol. 1 comprises two story arcs, with the second entitled “Eidolon.”

“Eidolon” began with a man named Mr. Hawkwood doing a little killing because someone exposed “Eidolon.”  On the 007 side of things, James Bond arrived in Los Angeles.  His mission was to extract fellow MI6 agent, Cadence Birdwhistle, from the Turkish Consulate.  Her cover was blown, and it was too late to fix things.  “Eidolon” turned out to be a stay-behind cell of the infamous SPECTRE, and now it had infiltrated the homeland protecting part of British Secret Service, MI5, which was out to put its foreign service counterpart, MI6, out of business.

As James Bond, Volume 1, #12 opens, Mr. Hawkwood initiates the endgame of his plot against MI6.  With most of his cell gone, he eschews subterfuge and goes directly at his enemy.  And he may be a bit too tough even for MI6 agent-extraordinaire, James Bond, to handle.

With that final panel of Bond having a smoke and simply saying “No,” Warren Ellis' run on Dynamite's James Bond comes to an end.  Even the cover art for issue #12 by Dom Reardon, with Bond striding into the background, his back to the viewer, says goodbye.  Bond's shadow casts a montage of images from “Eidolon.”  Maybe, Ellis has written Bond out of his system, but I hope for more Ellis Bond at some nebulous later date.  “Eidolon” has such an abrupt ending, so I think that the conclusion was rushed when it certainly could have breathed for at least another half-issue.

However, I have praised Ellis enough during his Bond run, and now, it is time to praise his artist and collaborator on “Vargr” (the first story) and “Eidolon,” Jason Masters.  I don't thing these two story arcs would work quite as well as they do without Masters.  His crisp, clean compositions and his ability to design pages that maximize action in a series of connected static images marks Masters as a masterful comic book storyteller.  Those skills turn “Eidolon” into a bracing, page-turning read.  I hope to see more of Masters soon, and I would hope Dynamite considers him as the go-to-artist to make other writers' Bond comics really work.

A

[This comic book includes an advanced preview of James Bond: Felix Lieter, written by James Robinson; drawn by Aaron Campbell; colored by Salvatore Aiala; and lettered by Simon Bowland; with a cover art by Mike Perkins and Andy Taylor.]

Reviewed by Leroy Douresseaux a.k.a. "I Reads You"


The text is copyright © 2017 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this blog for reprint and syndication rights and fees.

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Review: IRON FIST #1

IRON FIST No. 1 (2017)
MARVEL COMICS – @Marvel

[This review was originally posted at Patreon.]

STORY: Ed Brisson
ART: Mike Perkins
COLORS: Andy Troy
LETTERS: VC's Travis Lanham
COVER: Jeff Dekal
VARIANT COVERS: Mike Perkins with Andy Troy; Alex Ross; Kaare Andrews
28pp, Color, $3.99 U.S. (May 2017)

Rated T+

Iron Fist created by Roy Thomas and Gil Kane

Iron Fist a.k.a. Daniel “Danny” Rand is a Marvel Comics superhero.  The character was created by Roy Thomas and Gil Kane and first appeared in Marvel Premiere #15 (cover dated:  May 1974).  Iron Fist is a practitioner of martial arts, and he wields the mystical force known as “the Iron Fist,” which allows Danny to summon and focus his chi.

Iron Fist has had his own comic book series numerous times, but is best known for his association with the character Luke Cage/Power Man.  The two were stars of the long-running comic book series, Power Man and Iron Fist (which was recently revived).  Now, there is a new solo series, Iron Fist.  It is written by Ed Brisson; drawn by Mike Perkins; colored by Andy Troy; and lettered by Travis Lanham.

As Iron Fist #1 opens, we learn that Danny Rand is in a funk since the destruction of K'un Lun, the mystical city where Danny became the Iron Fist.  Now, Danny travels the world finding fights wherever he can, but these dudes he fights, no matter how skilled they might be, are beneath Danny.  Now, someone is about to call Danny out and offer him a way to find answers.

I think I picked up this Iron Fist #1 because it was (1) a first issue and (2) I like Jeff Dekal's cover art.  However, this is actually a good read.  I am not that crazy about inconsistent Mike Perkins' art, which ranges from good pages to hot mess pages.

There are several fight scenes and sequences in Iron Fist #1, but there is a page-turning quality to the funk writer Ed Brisson depicts in Danny Rand.  By the end of this issue, I really wanted to know, “What's next?”  For a superhero comic book, that's a good mark.

Reviewed by Leroy Douresseaux a.k.a. "I Reads You"


The text is copyright © 2017 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this blog or site for reprint or syndication rights and fees.

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Review: "The Uncanny Inhumans #0" Has Soule Power

THE UNCANNY INHUMANS #0

WRITER: Charles Soule
PENCILER: Steve McNiven
INKER: Jay Leisten
COLORIST: Justin Ponsor
LETTERER: VC's Clayton Cowles
COVER: Steven McNiven with  Justin Ponsor
VARIANT COVERS: Simone Bianchi; Jim Cheung; Jerome Opena; Siya Oum; Mike Perkins with Christian Ward

“Things to Come” Double-Page Spread by Brandon Peterson

“End Times”

Marvel has been pumping up the Inhumans for a while.  They have been popping up all over the Marvel Universe.  Inhumans and Ms. Marvel have been two good additions to the Marvel line-up of series.  Now, they give us The Uncanny Inhumans.  Everybody is “uncanny” these days.  I can't wait until the Uncanny Power Pack hits the stands.

Back to the reason for this review:  As an appetizer for the main course, The Uncanny Inhumans #0 left my mouth watering.  Charles Soule subtly foreshadows future conflicts that Black Bolt and the Inhumans will be facing.  Just in this issue, we get to see some street level crime, some royal family drama, father-son conflict, and an evil master of time.  Soule piqued my interest with each of these story lines.

With Black Bolt, a writer has to use other characters and events to direct us through the story line.  Even then, we can only assume what Black Bolt's intentions are in relation to the true direction of the story.  Medusa claims that she knows what Black Bolt is thinking, but who really knows.  Black Bolt is the biggest mystery in his own stories.  Soule uses this aspect of the character to build our anticipation of coming events.  Oh, yeah!  Black Bolt is an awesome “insert your own slang.”  Mine included a lot of profanity and bureaucrat was not one.

As a “0” issue, this has been one of the best reads in awhile, and Soule was effective in his use of what is basically a preview of things to come.  Most of the time, “0” issues are epic fails, and I don't like to waste energy on them.

“Evolution”
Writer: Ryan Stegman; Artist: Ryan Lee; Colors: James Campbell

Marvel was so kind as to give us a bonus feature in The Uncanny Inhumans #0.  Like we are willing to give $5 for anything they deem worthy.  This was a cool back-up featuring Iso and Flint.  We get good action, and the characters reach turning points in their lives.  This story added a different flavor to the issue.  The issue just keeps drawing you into the Inhuman universe.

This is the book for all comic book art aficionados.  Give all the artists who worked on this issue their credit.  You go through page after page of beautiful Steve McNiven art; then, BAM! you get hit with the Brandon Peterson spread.  This is the kind of art that makes you feel like you owe Marvel some money.  I wonder if Peterson saw McNiven's art before he did his spread and knew he had to turn up.  Wait.  I'm going back and look at this book again.

I rate this issue “Buy Your Own Copy” (#2 on the Al-o-Meter), and the art alone is worth every penny!

Reviewed by Albert Avilla

The text is copyright © 2015 Albert Avilla. All Rights Reserved. Contact this blog for syndication rights and fees.

I Reads You Review: SUPERIOR IRON MAN #1

SUPERIOR IRON MAN (2015) #1
MARVEL COMICS – @Marvel

WRITER: Tom Taylor
ART: Yildiray Cinar
COLORS: Guru-eFX
LETTERS: VC's Clayton Cowles
COVER: Mike Choi
VARIANT COVERS: Yildiray Cinar; Tom Fowler with Brad Anderson; Mike Perkins with Andy Troy; Sara Pichelli; Alex Ross, Ty Templeton; Skottie Young
28pp, Color, $3.99 U.S. (January 2015)

Rated “T+”

“Be Superior” Chapter 1: Nightmare Scenario

Superior Iron Man is a new Iron Man comic book series, launched as part of Marvel Comics' “Avengers NOW!” initiative.  The series follows the events depicted in the miniseries, Avengers & X-Men: Axis.  One of the changes to come out of that story is that Tony Stark a/k/a Iron Man now has a changed personality.  A more sinister Tony Stark has special plans for the world.

As Superior Iron Man #1 (“Nightmare Scenario”) opens, She-Hulk is fighting a new villain that calls himself “Teen Abomination.”  The Lady Green Behemoth gets a helping hand from Iron Man, but all isn't as it appears.  Meanwhile, Stark has launched a new app called “Extremis 3.0.”  This is a techno-virus designed to make people the very best they can be – physically, at least.  This is the dawn of a new day in San Francisco...

I didn't expect much from Superior Iron Man #1, but I also hoped that it would be good and that I would enjoy it.  I thoroughly enjoyed it.  I often read the first issue of a new comic book series and decide not to even try the second issue (the recent Deathlok, for example), but I have already purchased the second issue of Superior Iron Man.

Tom Taylor's script is clever and filled with mystery and also with a sense of dread that really awful things are coming.  I like Yildiray Cinar's matter-of-fact storytelling and his conservative Bryan Hitch-like style.  The art emphasizes the darkness beneath the pretty surface, a darkness that is going to get really ugly, really soon.  There is potential here for Taylor and Cinar to be one of the great Iron Man creative teams, and I hope that comes to pass.  I recently decided not to give first issues a letter grade, but I am going to break that new policy for Superior Iron Man.

A-

Reviewed by Leroy Douresseaux


The text is copyright © 2014 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this blog for syndication rights and fees.

I Reads You Review: DEATHLOK #1

DEATHLOK (2014) #1
MARVEL COMICS – @Marvel

WRITER: Nathan Edmondson
ART: Mike Perkins
COLORS: Andy Troy
LETTERS: VC's Joe Sabino
COVER: Mike Perkins with Andy Troy
VARIANT COVERS: Clayton Crain: Skottie Young
28pp, Color, $3.99 U.S. (December 2014)

Rated “T+”

“The Enemy of My Enemy”

Deathlok is a Marvel Comics cyborg character that first appeared in Astonishing Tales #25 (cover date: August 1974).  Also known as “Deathlok the Demolisher,” he was created by artist Rich Buckler and writer Doug Moench.  There have been several different versions of the character, but the recurring theme for all these characters was that a dead human was reanimated with cybernetic technology and became Deathlok.

Now, there is a new Deathlok, and he appeared in the eight-issue event miniseries, Original Sin.  This Deathlok is Henry Hayes (an African-American), who works for Medics Without Borders, a job that cost him a leg.  Hayes received a composite fibers prosthesis from a company called Biotek, but the company also placed him under mind-control.  Apparently, Hayes is now an operative who works as an assassin, killer, and soldier.  Henry Hayes is the star of a new Deathlok comic book series from writer Nathan Edmondson, artist Mike Perkins, colorist Andy Troy, and letterer Joe Sabino.

Deathlok #1 (“The Enemy of My Enemy”) finds Henry getting some fine-tuning on his Biotek prosthesis.  A week later, he is on a mission in Ludzern, Switzerland.  Back home, Henry's teenaged daughter, Aria, is mostly ignoring him.  S.H.I.E.L.D isn't ignoring him, however, as Director Maria Hill has assigned Agent Hope, a researcher, to investigate Deathlok.

I really like Mike Perkins' art in this first issue.  It seems like a blend of Bryan Hitch and styles not seen since the 1970s and 80s, especially in the depiction of human anatomy and of the domestic scenes.  Nathan Edmondson, who can write intriguing stories, does just that here.  Deathlok #1 is a well-put together first issue.  I am curious enough to read more issues, but I don't see myself paying $3.99 per issue for the pleasure of reading this new Deathlok past the first story arc.  That might change if I hear things about the second arc that really intrigues me.

PREACHING TIME: By the way, I have nothing against Nathan Edmondson.  I always enjoy his writing.  However, I have to admire the contortions through which Marvel Comics will go in order to avoid hiring Black writers, even on books starring African-American characters.

I had to laugh at Marvel Studios' announcement of a Black Panther movie, when I know that no Black man will play a major part in this movie beyond Chadwick Boseman as the film's star.  I don't see a Black woman doing much in the film other than playing a small supporting role, either.  Will a Black man or woman ever write, direct, or produce a Marvel feature film?  I certainly don't see that happening during this round of films that Marvel has mapped out to the year 2028 (or 2029). PREACHING TIME OVER

Oh, yeah.  Once again, Deathlok #1 is good and has potential.

Reviewed by Leroy Douresseaux


The text is copyright © 2014 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this blog for syndication rights and fees.

Albert Avilla Reviews: Astonishing X-Men #55

Astonishing X-Men # 55
Marvel Comics

Reviewed by Albert Avilla

Writer: Marjorie Liu
Artist: Mike Perkins
Cover: Phil Noto

Spoilers!
The bullets on the cover must have all been blanks, because that is what this story was shooting. I was under the impression that this title’s purpose was to give us cutting edge X-Men stories. This misses that mark completely.

The most intriguing part of the story was the flashback to Susan Hatchi’s earlier life. Hatchi turns the pressure on the X-Men to take over Madripoor. The airport is destroyed by a group of imposter X-Men. This group is so lame that they don’t have a name and the members don’t have code names. Normal humans using technology to imitate mutant powers; for the amount of effort it took the X-Men to defeat them they need to get a refund for that technology. The X-Men had them out of the picture before they could say two lines, and the X-Men had their powers taken away.

Tyger Tiger arrests the X-Men and takes them to a warehouse where Karma’s supposedly deceased father is waiting for them. Susan Hatchi shows up with a rocket launcher and blows up the warehouse. She expects to find buried bodies. They survived being buried under the rubble of a building and also survived attacks by some of the most powerful evil mutants ever. Why waste a rocket when you have nano-worms that control the X-Men’s bodies? Didn’t she threaten to kill Warbird and Northstar with the nano-worms? Am I the only one asking these questions? Who is to be held accountable for this? This is just irresponsible writing.

Overall the art is bland. The characters look roughly drawn. There is no detail in the background just a lot of pretty colors hiding a lack of effort. A few of the headshots do reveal some talent that is inconsistent.

I rate Astonishing X-Men #55 Read it in the Store. #4 (of 5) on the Al-O-Meter Ranking

Albert Avilla Reviews: Astonishing X-Men #54

Astonishing X-Men #54
Marvel Comics

Reviewed by Albert Avilla

Writer: Marjorie Liu
Artist: Mike Perkins
Cover: Phil Noto

(Spoiler Alert)
The story starts with the X-Men buried under tons of rubble. With the super-human effort of Cecilia Reyes, the X-Men escape. The moment the X-Men are free, Hatchi shows up and infects them with nano-worms. She blinds Northstar to demonstrate her power over them. She orders the X-Men to take over Madripoor for her or she'll infect New York City. The X-Men find their way to Madripoor. Wolverine arrives on the island in his Patch persona. The X-Men meet with Tyger Tiger in a steel mill. Northstar and Iceman get into an argument about whether they are taking over Madripoor. Iceman ends up falling into a cauldron of molten iron.

The story flows well, and it is eventful with mild action. The big shocker of Iceman dying at the end is interesting. Eagerly anticipating finding out how Bobby will escape this predicament. Liu does a good job of handling the group; all of the characters make a contribution to the storyline. No one seems to just be along for the ride.

The art is uninspiring. It's hard to distinguish any facial features. I had to look closely at times to tell which character was speaking.

I rate Astonishing X-Men #54 Read a Friend's Copy