| CHASE #9
DC Comics www.dccomics.com |
| Writer:
Pencillers: Inkers: Colours:
|
D. Curtis Johnson
J.H. Williams III & Charles Adlard Mick Gray & Charles Adlard Lee Loughridge Comicraft Alisande Morales Dan Thorsland |
| Well, this isn't the best issue
of CHASE to date ... but neither is it the worst. It's sad that this
is, essentially (it's a good bet that CHASE ONE MILLION won't continue
the current story threads too much), the last CHASE story. A wonderful
series ends too soon.
After watching "In Darkest Night- The Green Lantern Story" Chase and Knob recount to Chase's sister Terry their own encounter with Green Lantern, a tale involving human sacrifice, the Cult of the Broken Circle and Gods in ATM machines. Yeah, this issue *was* a little silly. But Johnson and Adlard pulled it off nicely. I don't think Johnson and Williams could, as Johnson's art doesn't lend itself to humour or silliness. Adlard's, on the other hand, *does*. In fact, he reminds me of what Keith Giffen used to draw like, until he went insane and started drawing in the freaky, line-heavy, detail-heavy style he now employs. Johnson's writing is never too serious, and it's rather pleasant to see the terminally bitter Chase in a lighter mood. Knob is (was ?) also growing on me ... like mould grows on cheese, I suppose. I still hate Peter, Chase's boyfriend, but that's okay. Maybe he's meant to be hated. I'd also like to commend Johnson on his expert use of computers in this issue, and in the series. In so many movies, computers are a generic, default tool to either solve or create problems. In fact, many of the things they are seen doing are impossible or extremely implausible in real computers. For examples, look no further than Mission: Impossible or Independence Day. But Johnson knows how to use computers, but use them without drowning casual, more computer-illiterate fans in techspeak. For example (not in this issue, but you can check it out if you need proof), Johnson understands how the Internet and newsgroups in particular work. In so many comics it seems like the Internet is simply a buzzword as writers have no clue how to correctly use it. Johnson does. And for this and all the other computer appearances in CHASE, he is to be commended. As for the art ... like I said, I enjoyed Adlard's loose style, but I'm mildly annoyed that Johnson couldn't do the art on this ish. CHASE is a monthly title, but already in its short eight-issue run, CHASE has had guest artists; in #5 and now #8. It's ridiculous if you ask me. When an artist can't do *at least* six uninterrupted issues of a comic, he needs to do something different. That said, Johnson's art *is* gorgeous ... ;) Really, my only problem with the issue is the Cult of the Broken Circle. They're incompetent. They're impossible to take seriously as threats. This isn't a good thing. You can have humorous stories with capable threats, just look at any number of issues of FREAK FORCE. Sigh. Oh CHASE, we hardly
knew ye ...
Score: B
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