Paging Doctor Aphra

Doctor Aphra - TPB #1 "Aphra"

Kieron Gillen - writer
Kev Walker - artist

One of the more delightful surprises in my reading stack has been Doctor Aphra.  The recent incarnation of Star Wars comics have, overall, been good to excellent.  Marvel has put its full force of top quality writers and artists behind this corner of their comics division.  With Kieron Gillen writing and Kev Walker doing the art, you’d think that this would be a title that everyone is talking about but unfortunately it’s not getting the attention that it deserves.

The best way to describe Doctor Aphra is “a female Indiana Jones set in the Star Wars universe,” or “Tomb Raider in space with a sprinkle of Wookie dipped in the Dark Side.”  The titular character Doctor Aphra appeared as a supporting character in the revamped Star Wars and Darth Vader solo series.  She was hired / forced (depending on how you look at it) to work for Darth Vader.  After her role was complete, I didn’t think much would come of this character.

I put off reading the first trade, titled simply “Ahpra” (collects #1-6), for a while.  I enjoy the Star Wars books but when it comes to reading the offshoot titles, I’ll let them build up and go on a Star Wars binge.  This is when I’ll catch up on the Lando’s, Chewbacca’s, Princess Leah’s, etc. of the Star Wars universe.  Doctor Aphra was such a surprise because it is exciting, funny and expands on her own story.  

Taking place between during the time of the original trilogies, it’s a period we’re familiar with but Aphra’s story isn’t beholden to any of the plot points that sometimes traps the other character’s storylines.  We know where the likes of Luke, Leia, Vader, Solo… are heading but that’s not the case with the dear Doctor.  She’s even amassed her own rag tag crew of Triple-Zero and Beetee (the very evil versions of C-3PO and R2-D2) and the equally villainous Black Krrsantan (evil Chewbacca).  Mix in a few other familiar faces and her own family issues, Doctor Aphra is a great way to explore the universe and tell new stories not involving the Skywalker clan.  With the recent news that Disney is going to make new movies set in the Star Wars universe but are sans-Skywalker centric, this is hopefully the kind of adventures we can expect.    

Thanks, 

WK

@wkbear on Twitter 

3 Good Reads / Must Buys

Eclipse (Image / Top Cow) #1-4

Zack Kaplan - writer

Giovanni Timpano - artist

For a newcomer, Zack Kaplan doesn’t waste any time.  Within the first four issue story arc, Kaplan’s got me hooked.  The premise of Eclipse is fairly simple but with artist Giovanni Timpano, they quickly drop you into this post-global warming hell-scape that Earth has turned into.  Oddly, Pitch Black has been on TV a lot lately and the basic premise of Eclipse reminds me of the failed idea of its sequel, Chronicles of Riddick which the sun is so dangerous everyone must find safety underground or at least in a secured covering during the day otherwise you’ll burn instantly.  

Instead of a convoluted (and poorly executed) attempt at a space opera, Kaplan uses this idea as a backdrop for a murder mystery.  Sprinkle in a little bit of a political thriller and you’ve got Eclipse.  Our main character is straight out of the Bruce Willis hero text book.  Put John McClane into an Armageddon spacesuit and you’ve got our hero.  

Add in the sci-fi element of our possible mystery villain who seems to be able to walk freely around during the flesh melting daylight, we’re ticking all the boxes.  There’s a chase scene, a fight, an assassination attempt, a damsel in distress, a rescue… you’ve got it all.  Again, this is all happening over the course of just four issues.  Trust me when I say, it all works.  I’m ready for the next arc and hopefully a little slower pace, even for one issue, so we can get more exposition on the world and the characters.  

The main thing I look for, especially with indy titles, is am I having fun reading this.  If you can take a brand new world, with new characters and have fun… you’ve got yourself a successful comic.  This is another BUY and Kaplan is a creator to watch.

Black Hammer (Dark Horse) #1-6

Jeff Lemire - writer

Dean Ormston - artist

Dave Stewart - colorist

Have you ever wondered what happened to a team of superheroes after an epic universe saving event?  What if the Justice League saved the world but was lost to a different reality?  Black Hammer tells the tale of a group of heroes lost with no way to return home after saving billions of lives.

Or so we are to believe…

Jeff Lemire (w) is telling a tale that could be a straight forward “fish out of water” take on a lost super team but my guess is that we’ve got a long way to go.  Not every hero that is lost seems to be cut from the Joseph Campbell hero’s journey.  Dean Ormston (a) and Dave Stewart’s (c) art sets just the right tone for a twist or two.  Everything about this book is off, just by a little bit, which I mean in a good way.  It seems that every “hero” has a secret or something to hide from their fellow castaways.  Some seem down right crazy and even until…well… they don’t.  With all this subterfuge we’re still learning key plot points and characteristics of each member.  Even the titular “character” Black Hammer is barely shown through the first six issues.  When we do get glimpses of their home world, the picture of who’s good and who may be evil becomes even less clear.

Lemire seems to be the guy who replaces “the guy” after a strong run on a series at Marvel (All-New Hawkeye / Old Man Logan / Moon Knight / Thanos) and DC (Animal Man / Justice League Dark / Green Arrow).  So far, Lemire continues if not surpasses the books he takes over.  His slow burn styles seems perfect for a crazy superhero mystery box series.  

  

Buy this book.  It’s an interesting story.  Even though the first arc is a tiny bit slow to unravel, it’s only because Lemire gives each character their chance to be weird and for the audience to get hooked in.  The story never bogs down and as soon as each issue was done, I was ready for the next one.  

Weirworld (Marvel)

Trade(s):

- Secret Wars tie-in 

Jason Aaron - writer 

Mike Del Mundo - artist

- Trade #1

Sam Humphries - writer

Mike Del Mundo - artist

Two Trades, two totally crazy books.  The first reason to pick up these Trade Paperbacks is the art.  Del Mundo is one of the best cover artist over the last few years.  Now you get him for 12 full issues!

Del Mundo’s art is the only thing that connects the two books.  There are a few small connections and references that carry over from one book to the next but nothing of significance.  In fact, the second book stands alone better due to not being beholden to any other Marvel story AND just being batshit crazy.  While the first book is slightly better written and does reference the Secret Wars event that would eventually reboot the Marvel Universe, I enjoyed the second book more as a standalone story.  

Jason Aaron writes the first trade like an informal nod to a Marvel version of the Twilight Zone.  There are twists and turns and it’s not until the end when everything comes together and you realize what’s going on.

In the second Trade, Sam Humphries takes you on a completely wild ride around this crazy world.  What if I told you that the last chapter even contained homage to an old Tribe Called Quest song and album cover, and that would be the least “weird” thing that went on in this book?  Even as I describe the madness of this book, the second Trade is a more conventional story.  A girl finds herself lost in this world, she goes on a path to find home, gains friends and foes and the story concludes with a battle.  Imagine Wizard of Oz on acid.  

Both are definite reads.  Marvel cancelled the regular book but the initial story wraps up cleanly.  This is the kind of book that would have been a risk for Marvel to keep printing but done as an anthology series in which a new writer and artist could play in this sandbox for a six issue run would have been a fun ongoing series.  Alas, it was not meant to be.  But being a Marvel property for about 40 years, I wouldn’t count out a return by a new creator at some point.  

Thanks,

WK

@wkbear on Twitter

DC Rebirths The Man of Tomorrow From The Ashes of Their Past

90% of The New 52 was crap.  I have long and short boxes filled with half read series and cancelled storylines.  Before The New 52, DC wasn’t doing much better.  Needless to say, if DC books were flying off the shelf and / or getting rave reviews they would not have felt the need to restart their entire DC universe.  

Before we go on, let me lay my cards out on the table.  You don’t need to be Mike McDermott to read me like KGB in order to tell that I’m not a fan of Superman.  No sir, I don’t like it.  Creating a compelling Superman story is one of the hardest jobs in comic book writing, if not in all of storytelling.  Don’t confuse the idea of Superman with the need of a good Superman story.  You can’t have DC without Superman, which makes him an even more daunting character to write. Superman is one of the world’s most recognizable symbols.  Every kid, even me, at one time wished he (or she, let’s be politically correct without shoehorning Wonder Woman in as a token) had the unlimited powers and strength of Superman.

And there lies the problem.  Essentially Superman is unbeatable.  In reality, any earthly problem could be resolved in a laser blink of an eye, a puff of frozen breath, a flick of his wrist or at the speed of a bullet.  With no apparent weakness, even the best of writers would inevitably lean on the same tropes; some new and unusual way to use Kryptonite (which for an element only found on an exploded dead planet lightyears away, seems to run abundant on earth…), an other worldly galactic enemy or a lack of exposure to a yellow sun (global warming couldn’t come soon enough for Supes) as being the only way to defeat The Man of Steel.  

There’s been some good Superman stories over the past few decades but it’s been few and far between for the main character in DC’s stable and a character that usually has no less than two solo books per month and is in various other team books.  Geoff Johns had two great arcs.  Grant Morrison ripped off a good 12 issue All-Star run.  Scott Snyder’s Superman Unchained was surprising good.  I might be one of the few to enjoy J. Michael Straczynski’s Superman: Earth One graphic novels.  In fact, the best part of The Death of Superman, was the aftermath and chaos that ensued when four separate characters all claimed to be “Superman” and the stories that unfolded.

How do you break the unbreakable?  How do you defeat… literally… The SUPERMAN?

DC Rebirth found a way.  Take his universe away from him.

On my regular monthly trip to my favorite comic book store (shoutout to Jud and crew @ Blastoff), I went through my pull list, checked out the various new books and Indy section.  Since the end of The New 52, I’d vowed to switch all DC pulls to Trade Paperbacks or Hard Covers only.  I wasn’t going to get caught up on monthly issues of a crap product, especially if they were going to now be putting out bi-weekly issues.  In the immortal words Roger Murtaugh, “I’m getting too old for this shit.”  Soon the new “DC Rebirth” Trades started to roll out.  I had read a few reviews online (as you are doing now) and was surprised to see more positive takes than in past years for many of the DC series.  I asked Jud, “So, is Superman still a complete shit show?”  Jud and I have known each other for years and our relationship extends into a personal friendship at this point (reason #1 to frequent your local comic book store).  I know he’s much more of a Superman / DC fan than I am and he knows my feelings (or lack there of) in regards to Superman.  There’s no bullshit.  He’ll tell me if I’ll like something or not at this point.

Again, get up, get out and go to your local comic book store, run by comic book people.  

I was shocked at what his response was, “Buy it.”  Not only that, he referred me to Superman: Lois and Clark.  “Start with that and pick up Superman Vol. 1, trust me.”  I’ll never forget his tagline that really hooked me, “It’s OUR Superman.”  That got me interested.  Never did I think a Lois and Clark Trade would be good.  I thought is was some sort of retcon of the old TV series.  Dan Jurgens has been writing Superman forever so what possibly could he have to say?  But I trust Jud so I picked up both Trades, added it to the rest of my stack and went home.  

I build up my comics in runs and will read them in Trades or when I’ve collected full arcs of 6-12 issues.  I also like to flip between Marvel / DC / Indy books just so I don’t get board.  I couldn’t get Jud’s words out of my head.  Reluctantly and with no expectations I started to read Superman: Lois and Clark.  God damn, it was really good.  It took an old version of Superman and set him in a post-New 52 world where the young / hip Superman had just died.  Somehow this older version of Superman had been able to escape the collapse of his universe, bring Lois and their newborn child with them this new universe.  Not to spoil anything, but once the “new” Supes died, this wiser family oriented Clark Kent emerged from the shadows to take up the mantle of Superman, because the world always needs a Superman.  This time, he was a reluctant hero.  This Clark would much rather stay at home with his family but with great power comes great… sorry, wrong book but you know what I’m getting at.  

There were touches of Robert Kirkman’s Invincible within the relationship and growth of his son Jon.  Superman Rebirth #7 is probably the best single “bottle” issue example of the family’s new universe dynamic.  Writer Peter J. Tomasi has always been an underrated favorite of mine.  His work with artists Patrick Gleason and Doug Mahnke have been some of my favorite works even when DC was at it’s darkest (Superman #7’s art was by Jorge Jimenez).  You can find some of their combined and solo works on Green Lantern, Green Lantern Corps and Batman & Robin if you want some solid overlooked gems from past years.   What DC has done is stressed the “man” part of SuperMAN.  He’s older and wiser than his younger, now dead, counterpart was.  He may have lost a step or two but he’s still Superman.  His drive to have a good relationship with Lois and raise a decent son is more important than the “threat of the week” that befalls earth.  No longer treated as an invulnerable god, this Superman has died before and fears it could happen again.  This Superman has lost everything except his wife and child and will do anything to protect them.  He’s more vulnerable, inside and out, than he’s ever been.

In the second Trade of the latest Superman series, we get a great storyline between Superman and his son, and Batman and his son Damien.  This Batman still doesn’t totally trust the man that took over the mantle from his former friend.  What they do have in common is that they both want to raise the next generation of heroes the right way, and be the true fathers that neither of them had.  Not inconsequentially, Jon and Damien now have their own series, Super Sons.

Dan Jurgens is still turning out a solid story in Action Comics.  It is a more broad comic that shows Superman interacting with the rest of the world, including a maybe / maybe not to be trusted version of Lex Luthor?

I’m now a recovering Superman hater.  While I’ve found great joy in these latest offering of The Man of Steel, I found myself increasingly angry at DC comics.  I’ve spent tons of money and too many hours slogging through reading hundreds of horrible Superman titles.  For years Superman has been a mess.  The New 52 reboot was a disaster.  Not even Grant Morrison could lay the groundwork for a solid series in his initial run on Action Comics a few years back.  This more simplified Superman story and motivation has proven to be exactly what the character needed.  I’m still shocked and couldn’t recommend starting with Superman: Lois and Clark and continuing with the Rebirth Superman series more.  

Thanks,

WK

@wkbear on Twitter

Spider-Man: Miles Morales TPB #1 and #2 review

Do you remember when Ultimate Spider-Man first came out?  Not only was Brian Michael Bendis’ quick-witted Sorkin-esque-lite writing refreshing but also this new Spider-Man didn’t have decades of exposition to tip-toe through.  BMB has captured that again with Miles Morales.  This time he’s able to expand storylines and characters by having Spider-Man be a minority.  Additionally, Morales has a few new spider-powers to explore.  And the return of web-shooters is never bad.     

None of this is completely new.  Miles Morales comes from the Ultimate Universe when the Ultimate Peter Parker was killed off (spoiler alert, oops).  Morales quickly became a fan favorite of the Ultimate Universe and was one of the few characters to make the leap to the 616, post Secret Wars company reboot.  

None of this matters when sitting down to read this new series.  All you need to know is;

• Miles Morales is a new Spider-Man still learning his powers
• High School aged
• Black (father) / Hispanic (mother) mix
• His best friend is Ganke (yes, he knows Miles is Spider-Man)
• And he’s already an Avenger

Okay, so that’s kinda a lot, but you’re ready to go.  

I’ve read all of the past Miles Morales stories, including his origin from the Ultimate Universe.  They're enjoyable if you want to go back and read them but you don’t need any of it to start enjoying this series.  

Best read in Trade form due to the occasional issue where nothing happens except character development.  As with most BMB stories, his writing is enjoyable, humorous and most importantly a quick read.  

So far, I really haven’t told you anything you probably don’t already know.  

The real standout, especially through the first Trade, is Sara Pichelli’s art.  With inking assists from Gaetano Carlucci and coloring by Justin Ponsor, the first trade is beautiful.  Pichelli’s ability to handle fast paced dialogue and then transition to double page splash action scenes is fantastic.  The second Trade’s main arc is handled by Nico Leon (art) and Marte Gracia with Rachelle Rosenberg (color), which provide a slight drop-off from Pichelli but still very high quality and a similar style.  

The main drawback is most of the second Trade is bogged down with a Civil War II crossover story.  Join the club Spidey.  I can’t totally rip Marvel for dragging this Spider-Man solo book into the Civil War II storyline when Spider-Man plays a huge roll in the Marvel event but these are definitely the weakest of the 10 issues covered in the two Trades.  There’re also two sub-plots involving Miles’ father and grandmother, the father seeming to be more important to the overall Marvel universe but the grandmother’s is probably the one BMB is more interested in telling and exploring, since it includes BMB staples Jessica Jones and Luke Cage.  To BMB credit, even these “lulls” are good reads and you get through them quickly.  In lesser hands, the subplots and Civil War II tie-in’s would be a mess.

My recommendation is a huge yes.  As someone who is 5+ years behind on all the Dan Slott, Peter Parker Spider-Man stories, this is a great way to jump in a Spidey book that very much is intertwined with the current Marvel Universe.  I hear great things about Slott’s Spider-Man but I haven’t taken the time and effort to get caught up with the Parker world.  Sometimes you just want a good awkward teenaged Spidey who’s just trying to get through school while becoming one of the most iconic superheroes ever.  With BMB and Miles Morales, you can get right in and have fun.

Thanks,

WK

@wkbear on Twitter