VAMPIRELLA THE DARK POWERS #2 DYNAMITE ENTERTAINMENT
While I still have multiple issues here with the general theme of the story, Dan Abnett’s amazing use of dialog and character attitudes have sort have won me over. While I still do not see the classic Vampirella as a super-hero team player, the fact that many of her teammates (as well as herself) do not either is refreshing. And the conversations between Vampirella and the Green Lama as well as the Flame and Flame Girl are priceless! Golden Age characters in a new format, terrific strip, plus some really gory art from Paul Davidson make it worth a read. I give it an 8 out of 10 Grahams.
MARVEL #4 MARVEL COMICS
It doesn’t seem that long ago when we comic readers had graduated from arguements over who would win a battle between the Sub-Mariner and the Human Torch to arguements over who wrote or drew them the best. Syd Shores vs Bob Davis, Bill Everett vs Joe Simon. I felt those days return with this issue. Showcasing artists and writers such as Alex Ross, Kurt Busiek, Daniel Acuna, Hilary Barta, Doug Rice, Sal Abbinanti, and Steve Darnall (apparently taking some time away from his hosting duties of the Those Were the Days radio show!) to give us some terrific flashbacks of an era of comics now gone. Cameos and alternate versions of so many wonderful Marvel characters who don’t get a lot of print. Night Rider, Red Wolf, Killraven, Doctor Droom! I remember Doctor Droom! And throw in some Wesley Wong colors for the sprinkles on this delicious sundae and serve it in a Alex Ross X-Force cover and your good to go! I give this a 10 out of 10 Grahams.
THE OTHER HISTORY OF THE DC UNIVERSE #2 DC COMICS
An amazing retelling of one of the most turbulent times in the early days of the Teen Titans. The brutal honesty and the variations between the same tale being told by two different people makes for some excellent reading. John Ridley also manages to intersperse some real life happenings into the story. But I will admit that the main reason I picked this one up was the panel of Mal in his Hornblower outfit by Giuseppe Camuncoli and Andrea Cucchi! Lasting through only one story, this horrible costume has one of the shortest histories in all of the DC universe. Even by 1970’s standards this one was laughable at best and DC was quick to figure it out. And this tale does justice to two heroes that seemed to be shoehorned into the title and maybe didn’t get the respect they needed back then. I give this a 10 out of 10 Grahams.
