May 5th, 2006 - Indies, Infinite Crisis & Civil War

Picked up the first two books (can’t really call them “issues”, they’re more than that) of SKYSCRAPERS OF THE MIDWEST. I won’t be buying the third whenever it should publish. As well done as these are, I can’t handle the unrelenting pessimism and glumness. The darn things come with their own dark little rain clouds that hover over you as you read them and then follow you around for the rest of the day.

The first book is sort of a “life sucks” montage that serves as a nice primer to Joshua Cotter’s state of mind. Some of the stories were good, some just okay. The second book is more cohesive and nuanced, and perhaps slightly less depressing as you can tweeze out a few upbeat notes if you close your eyes and squint in the right places. Though not my poison of choice, Cotter's work is very affective.

For a bit different perspective read Guy LeCharles Gonzales’ review of book two and the interview with Cotter that follows it.

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Staying on the Indie circuit.

I picked up the first two volumes of Scott Chantler’s NORTHWEST PASSAGE and if you like “pulse-pounding western action” or “two-fisted historical adventure” this is for you. I lean more towards heart-hammering frontier exploits, but I loved these anyway.

The pacing and storytelling are very solid across the two books and Chantler ably balances a large cast without crossing the line into caricature and stereotypes. As a period piece it really holds up well, although Chantler has taken unabashed Hollywood style liberties with certain character and plot points – all to the best in my opinion.

My understanding is the third volume hits in August. I can’t wait.

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Did it feel to anyone else like Perez’s cover for INFINITE CRISIS #7 should have been a wrap-around?

Not  a completely unsatisfying ending but the whole of it could have used much more cohesive pencil work and the Wonder Woman resolution was way too pat. I felt kind of bad that Gail Simone’s wonderful set up from the VILLAINS UNITED special was resolved in about six panels. But that’s the way of these things. And there’s a half dozen or so other threads still dangling so I guess we’re lucky for what we got. My general feeling is one of a rush to the finish. You get the sense DC wanted to just wrap this baby up and move on with 52 and the One Year Later stuff. Whether or not the plot was intentionally loose, allowing the ongoing books and relaunches to address all the unresolved plot points or forcing them to, would make for an interesting debate. Some combination of the two, I suspect. For all the long-range planning and promotion, I think Johns let this get away from him somewhat.

Nice wrap-up for Breach, by the way. Made me think of that line from the penguin skipper in MADAGASCAR, “You didn’t see annnnnything.”

And Hoover Dam! That last two-page spread was intriguing, wasn’t it?

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CIVIL WAR.

This one just doesn’t quite grab me like IC or even HOUSE OF M. The overriding theme isn’t particularly original and maybe a little too grounded for my taste. Superheroes divided over legislation. Whoopee. Of the various Marvel bullpenners I wouldn’t have thought Mark Millar the obvious choice for this type of saga -- Ed Brubaker perhaps -- but maybe that means this will take a turn towards the grand, exploding dénouement, which would be fine by me.

The first issue was solid enough, although the whole Captain America sequence felt extremely compressed and forced. Or maybe I’ve been reading too much Bendis lately.

I’m also skeptical of this event-in-seven-parts having a lasting impact on the Marvel Universe. Which is fine if the event itself is entertaining, but the build-up so far hasn’t been. Time will tell I guess. If this thing boils down to the government deciding maybe they went too far on the superhero registration thing, but to go ahead and register mutants, immediately followed by six new X-books, I may swear off Marvel “events” for good.   

Comments

[Mark Fossen]

We're sharing a brain it seems ...

I just reviewed Northwest Passage, and had much the same reaction.

Also, I completely understand and share your reaction to Skyscrapers Of The Midwest.

[Kurt]

It was actually your mentioning of it that got me to pull my copies of Northwest Passage of the shelf. I should have credited you in the post.

[Bully]

Superheroes divided over legislation

You've just put into words the nagging feeling of distrust, dislike, and distaste I have for this project, because when you termed it this way, I suddenly remembered the last SF high adventure saga that had tax tariffs, economic discussions and senatorial filibusters shoehorned into it...and that also gave us Jar Jar Binks.

[Zilla]

join me w/ the folks decidedly unexcited about Civil War. Nothing about this project except Millar writing it is the least bit interesting to me for some reason...