This Week’s Reviews: last week of May 2009

Time once again to take the stuff I’ve read and tell you about them. Only three comics this week, which isn’t bad. It just makes for an easier review, and makes it easier on my wallet. On the novel side, I’ve picked up the prequel novel for the next Transformers movie, Allan Dean Foster’s The Veiled Threat. I’ve read one review, and it wasn’t exactly a glowing one. But as I’ve said before: sheep.

Per usual, spoiler-blocked version at ComiXology. Spoiler-happy reviews to follow here.

Batman: The Brave and the Bold #5

PUBLISHER: DC Comics (July 2009)

WRITER: J. Torres

PENCILER: Carlo Barberi

INKER: Terry Beatty

COLORS: Heroic Age

LETTERER: Sal Cipriano

EDITOR: Rachael Gluckstern

BATMAN CREATOR: Bob Kane

After a surprise helper in a quick fight with the Key, we switch to Billy Batson: Boy Reporter for WHIZ radio. An enchanted forest appears out of nowhere, and is connected with disappearing kids. Batman is investigating, but when flying monkeys come out to snare kids in bulk, Billy is among the taken, so enter Captain Marvel. The heroes figure out that the “Queen of Fables” is behind the forest and kidnappings, using the kids’  tears to remain young. A force field keeps adults out, but Billy is able to sneak in and change into Captain Marvel, the magic bolt weakening the field enough for Batman to break through. After the Queen turns Captain Marvel into a dragon, Batman tricks him into destroying the book, which also destroys the Queen and the forest, thus releasing the kids.

What they got right: Although a different writer this round (TV Series writer Matt Wayne is supplemented by J. Torres), the spirit of the cartoon is intact. On the show this week, they used Bat-Mite and has a cameo with Ace the Bat-hound. For this month’s comic we have a cameo by the Haunted Tank of World War II, which matches last month’s Sugar and Spike cameo as using this section to spotlight the history of the DC Universe nicely, while still not requiring newer (younger) readers to know who they are. The story is fun and fast-paced, just like the cartoon, even though to my knowledge, Torres isn’t one of the series writers. I do like Torres’ Billy Batson/Captain Marvel, for what little we see of him, being as this is a one-shot story with no character development. The character models used in this comic I actually like better than the usual show-based model. However, this is one case when the positive is also a negative.

What they got wrong: Although I’ve complained about the terrible model used for Power Girl (and to a lesser extent, Luthor) in issue #1, the fact that they stayed close to the show models is a good thing. Marvel had a bad habit of making their toon-spin-off titles look more like the mainstream title (look at most of the Spider-Man Adventures comics from the Fox years). DC’s “Adventures” titles, however, came close to matching the toon counterpart, often to the point of feeling like an actual episode. This was true from Batman Adventures all the way through Justice League Unlimited, and even the new style of WB’s last Batman series, The Batman (entitled The Batman Strikes for the comic). That formula shouldn’t be messed with. Also, why does Billy have to give the Queen the whole spiel about Shazam? If it’s for the audience’s benefit (who may not know Shazam!, and I should note that they use the Billy Batson logo rather than the usual one), the whole thing is spelled out nicely in the “Secret Bat-Files” section, and isn’t needed here.

Recommendation: Even with a non-show writer, the love of the DCU is still easy to see, in a fun little story that is worth a read.

Muppet Robin Hood #1

PUBLISHER: Boom Kids! (April 2009? Not really, on second check, they have the indicta from The Muppet Show #1)

WRITER: Tim Beedle

ARTIST: Armand Villavert, Jr.

COLORIST: Mara Aum

EDITOR: Paul Morrissey

COVER “A” (shown): David Petersen

COVER “B”: Shelli Paroline

RETAILER VARIANT COVER: David Alvarez

In 1192, Sir Robin of Loxley (Kermit) returns to his beloved swamp to find it’s been turned into a miniature golf course by the wicked Prince John. After escaping the Sherrif of Nottingham (Sam the Eagle) and Sir Guy of Gisborne (Gonzo) alongside Squirt (Robin–the usual one…that could get confusing, I know) into Sherwood Forest, Robin comes upon Little John (Sweetums), and bests him in a battle of quarterstaves. He later meets the other Merry Men (I’m not listing them all), changes his name to Robin Hood, and swears to take Prince John down a few pegs. Oh, we also meet Maid Marian (Miss Piggy, who would probably hunt me down if I didn’t mention her).

What they got right: Although The Muppet Show TV show itself already did a parody of Robin Hood, this is a lot longer and doesn’t need sets or deal with jealous co-stars, so it should be more interesting on that note. Writer Tim Beedle gives us a fun, modern parody and even gets the Muppet characters right. (Gonzo has to remind Sam that he’s playing a British character at one point.) At the same time it’s also faithful to the usual Robin Hood telling (you know, as much as a parody does). Also, the price: $2.99, with slightly less quality paper, but still good quality. See, this is how it can be done. The pages don’t have to be all glossy and feel like the cover. The cover should be like that, but the internal pages do not. That’s how you make a kids comic at a fair price. (For today’s prices, anyway.)

What they got wrong: Again, Gonzo and especially Kermit suffer from similar character models from the regular Muppet Show comic. Also, Robin (who looks older than usual) and everyone else is fully clothed in period garb, but Kermit just has a hat, cape, and quiver strap. Finally, seriously STOP WITH THE VARIANT COVERS! And yes, I will keep harping on this because of the target audience. Do they really care if a 35 year old man is reading a comic marketed towards 7 year olds? Oh, and the indicta is from The Muppet Show #1, not Muppet Robin Hood, at least for my copy.

Recommendation: Seeing how the regular series sells out, you should get this while you have the chance. Even with a different writer, it’s just as fun to read.

Sonic Universe #4

PUBLISHER: Archie Comics (July 2009)

WRITER: Ian Flynn

PENCILER: Tracy Yardley

INKER: Jim Amash

COLORIST: Jason Jensen

LETTERER: Teresa Davidson

EDITOR: Mkie Pellerito

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF: Victor Gorelick

Shadow and Rouge are sent into the Special Zone to get another Chaos Emerald. There they come upon the god-like Faust, who makes them take part in a challenge to get the Emerald. They lose, and Shadow isn’t happy about it. After failing to “save” Metal Sonic and Gamma, he isn’t feeling like the “ultimate lifeform” he was created to be. However, a pep talk by Hope and adding Omega to “Team Dark” sends him back to try again. Faust again gimmicks the game, only this time “Team Dark” trick Faust into giving up the Emerald and return home. Then we shift 30 years into the future to tease the next story arc, with Knuckle’s daughter.

What they got right: A nice finish to the “Shadow Saga” arc, as Shadow finally finds himself challenged by something other than a certain blue hedgehog. Shadow’s not the kind of guy to have a crisis of faith (in himself, anyway), but even he has a breaking point. And when he reaches it, how he recovers from it may not only make him a better person but a better teammate. Also, Hope is just a great character, the little scientist girl done right. The whole arc was really good, although the side-trip with Sonic now feels out of place in retrospect.

What they got wrong: Nothing really comes to mind, outside of not giving Team Dark their own title, and giving Knuckles and the Chaotix back their own series. But Sonic Universe should still clear up what drove me from the Sonic title years ago.

Recommendation: I’m curious what they’re going to do with Future Knuckles and his daughter. But I recommend picking up all four parts of this story.

Best Scene of the Week

Batman: The Brave and the Bold #5

I've got your Dark Knight right here!

And now I can relax with a good book and prepare for the next Transformers movie. I have been getting the comic adaptation, but I’m not going to read it until I see the movie, so I don’t know when it will get reviewed, if at all, on this site. the first issue didn’t get a rave review, either, but it’s Furman, so I’m not all that surprised. I’m not sure adapting movies, even one based on one of his old concepts, is really his “thing”, you know?