As always, the books reviewed are given five star ratings. Five is the highest, and, well, hypothetically zero is the lowest. Haven’t actually given anything a rating that low, yet. But one of the books reviewed this month comes pretty damn close. Which one? Read on and see…
Batman: Gotham Knights # 33, $2.75 US, published by DC Comics
"Tabula Rasa - Prologue" – Writer: Scott Beatty; Pencils: Mike Collins; Inks: Bill Sienkiewicz
"The Monument" - Writer: Darwyn Cooke; Art: Bill Wray
Rating 2.5 out of 5 stars
The villain known as Bane was originally devised for the “Knightfall” story arc a decade ago, a foe who would not only defeat Batman, but actually break his back. Since then, his original purpose fulfilled, the character has unfortunately bounced around, rather directionless. At various times he’s been depicted as a crime lord, a terrorist, a mercenary, and the would-be heir to Ra’s Al Ghul. Which is a shame, as Bane, despite his origins in a gimmicky crossover, has a certain potential.
In the mid-1990s, I read an interview of one of the people on the Batman creative team explaining how Bane was conceived. I don’t recall if it was Chuck Dixon, Jonathan Peterson, or someone else. But there was one thing that stood out in my mind from that interview. It explained how the Bat editors and writers had set out to create a villain who was like “an evil Doc Savage.”
For those unfamiliar with Doc Savage, he was a pulp magazine hero from the 1930s and 40s. Doc trained himself to the peak of physical perfection and was proficient in various forms of armed & unarmed combat. He mastered numerous scientific disciplines, and was fluent in over a dozen languages. He was a brilliant tactician, usually managing to stay two or three steps ahead of his opponents. (In certain respects, Doc Savage may have helped inspire Batman.) In other words, Doc Savage was a very formidable individual, a physical and intellectual marvel.
And so “an evil Doc Savage” would be one of the most dangerous men on Earth. Which is where I think Bane’s potential lies. He could be one of the most significant villains in DC continuity. Indeed, when he first appeared, Bane was written as just that. He set out on a methodical strategy to destroy Batman, and he succeeded (albeit temporarily).
Since “Knightfall,” I’ve been hoping to see Bane restored to his former heights of infamy. Unfortunately, as I noted before, instead he’s become a second-rate character due to his lack of focus. Of late, he’s been playing the role of spurned disciple, obsessively looking at ways to get back at Ra’s Al Ghul for rejecting him.
And that’s still his goal when Bane once again rears up in Gotham Knights #33. Having destroyed most of the “Lazarus Pits” (the sources of Ra’s Al Ghul’s immortality) around the globe, Bane is now searching for what he believes is the original pit, where Ra’s first gained extended life. But he cannot locate it, and so he turns to Batman for help. As Bane sees in, Batman will be likely to temporarily overlook their feud if it means at last depriving his long-time enemy of immortality.
Batman reluctantly agrees to aid Bane. Even Batman is uncertain where the original Lazarus Pit is situated. But he knows who might. And so the two pay a visit to Jason Blood (the human alter ego of the Demon Etrigan). Blood locates the Pit through sorcery, and also explains its possible magical origins. Location in hand, the unlikely allies set out to destroy the Pit.
This seems like a serious enough plot, but Scott Beatty pens this as a rather tongue-in-cheek tale. I can understand Beatty wanting to inject some humor into this book, considering how grim all the Bat-books have been this year with the “Bruce Wayne: Fugitive” crossover and its aftermath. It was actually amusing to see Batman showing something of a sense of humor at the start of the issue, as he catches a trio of incompetent super-powered burglars.
But once Batman and his confidants return to base, and find Bane waiting for them, I would have expected the tone to become more serious. But there still remains a rather tongue-in-cheek feel to the story. There’s some rather goofy banter between Nightwing, Robin, and Batgirl. Bane himself ends up being depicted as a bit clueless and simpleminded.
And then there are the backpack helicopters. Yep, Batman flies around with one not once, but twice in this issue. This was probably supposed to be serious. But it just seems goofy to me. It instantly reminded me of one of the more silly variations of Batman action figures that came out in the early 1990s. I just could not take seriously a contraption that looks like it belongs with a kid’s toy.
Well, regardless of these faults, the story is still rather good. I enjoyed the inclusion of Jason Blood. It’s a nice nod to the rest of the DC universe, something that one seldom sees in the Bat-books. The suggestion that the Lazarus Pits have a magical origin was more interesting than offering up some pseudo-scientific gobbledygook. And, despite some failings, this was a decent use of Bane.
The artwork on Gotham Knights #33 was something of a mess. Mike Collins has a very clean, straightforward style to his work. So I have absolutely no clue why someone decided to have Bill Sienkiewicz do the inking. Sienkiewicz’s work is always very heavy and shadowy. On more than one occasion, he has overwhelmed a penciler’s work. I still remember an issue of Excalibur from twelve years ago where he nearly obliterated Barry Windsor-Smith’s pencils. While not as bad as that, Sienkiewicz’s inks nevertheless cover up a great deal of Collins’ penciling here. I can understand wanting to make Collins’ work a bit more dark and moody. But having Sienkiewicz do the inks was the wrong way to achieve that. Someone like Dan Green, Bill Reinhold, or Klaus Janson would have been a much, much better choice. Any of them would have preserved much of Collins’ work, while still establishing a more somber atmosphere.
On to the Batman Black & White back-up, this month’s offering is by Darwyn Cooke and Bill Wray. I generally like the Black & White segments, as they provide an opportunity to see creators work on Batman who normally don’t go near the character due to their unusual styles, or who simply cannot fit a full-length story into their schedule. Cooke was the artist on the first arc of the recently rebooted Catwoman series. Here, he’s taken up the role of writer (he also authored a Catwoman graphic novel, but I want to see if it comes out in softcover, since the hardcover edition is a rather steep $24.95). In “The Monument,” Cooke presents a very humorous tale of what happens when a giant statue of Batman is erected in Gotham City. Artwork is appropriately applied by Mad Magazine regular Bill Wray. He was an ideal choice for the goofball, not to mention scuzzy, nature of the story. Nothing like seeing Batman lounging around the Batcave in an easy chair, watching TV with his shirt off! All in all, it’s a clever story that gave me a few chuckles.
Well, regardless, this first installment of "Tabula Rasa" was intriguing enough that I’ll probably be picking up the next issue to see what happens next, and what plans Scott Beatty has for Bane. I’ll also see who is doing the Black & White backup next month. Beyond that, well, it all depends on where the main story goes, and what the quality of the artwork is.
And please, no more of those backpack helicopters!
Harley Quinn #s 23-24, $2.50 US each, published by DC Comics
Writer: Karl Kesel; Pencils: Craig Rousseau; Inks: Dan Davis
Rating 4.5 out of 5 stars
Harley Quinn was definitely an interesting character on the animated Batman series. It was inevitable that, like Renee Montoya before her, this creation of Paul Dini & Bruce Timm would make it into the DC universe proper. However, I was surprised that Harley was given an ongoing series almost right away. And, to this day, I’m still puzzled that her book is selling so well.
Okay, perhaps more jealous than puzzled. Walter Simonson’s superb Orion only lasted up to issue #25, but Harley Quinn, who doesn’t seem too interesting as a leading character in her own right, has her ongoing title steaming towards #25 and beyond, with no end in sight.
I picked up these two issues because the spotlight actually falls on that most underrated of Justice League members, J’onn J’onzz, the Martian Manhunter. I enjoyed the Manhunter’s ongoing series, penned by John Ostrander, until it, too, got canceled. Ostrander did a fantastic job developing J’onn J’onzz as a character, and I’ve missed reading his adventures each month. When I spotted J’onn on the cover of Harley Quinn #24, I flipped through the issue in the comic shop. It turned out to be the second part of what looked to be an interesting story, so I bought both #23 and 24.
Harley Quinn #23 is almost exclusively J’onn’s show. Apparently, in previous issues Harley Quinn died, went to Hell, and got kicked out (probably for annoying the, um, Hell out of the demons there). So now her bodiless spirit is wandering around J’onn’s adopted hometown of Denver, possessing people and causing a ton of mischief.
Issue #23 really tied in to the events in J’onn’s late, lamented series. J’onn, in his guise as retired police detective John Jones, is still making a go at running a private investigation firm with his former colleague Diane Meade. Their current case brings them into contact with one of Harley’s victims of possession. J’onn immediately begins investigating this (to him) unknown psychic entity. At first he believes it is Bette Noir, an enemy who he imprisoned in the mind of another old foe, Dr. Trapps, in the final issue of the Martian Manhunter ongoing. Checking in on Trapps, J’onn finds Bette Noir still caged in his mind. Eliminating her as a suspect, J’onn returns to his investigative firm, only to have Diane Meade make a pass at him. But, of course, it’s not actually Diane, but Harley Quinn possessing her. And so J’onn has to prevent Harley from turning Denver into total chaos. Something that Harley’s irreverent, goofball insanity makes all the more difficult.
Karl Kesel really got a good feel for J’onn’s character here, showing us the Martian’s unique perspective on humanity. Kesel also developed the underlying romantic tension that has always existed between J’onn and Diane. And then he brought in the screwball humor that he presumably utilizes in this series on a regular basis. It was quite fun, since J’onn is usually is involved in very serious plotlines. But everything here is so utterly over-the-top. Harley’s antics did get annoying from time to time, but for the most past they were pretty well done. I definitely enjoyed a sequence where J’onn gets into a no-win argument with a Harley-possessed traffic cop.
The artwork by Craig Rousseau was perfect for this story. Rousseau does some high-energy work here that brings to life the zany quality of Kesel’s plot. He does great facial expressions. At the same time, Rousseau also ably adopts a rather noir-ish style for the sequence in #23 where J’onn conducts his investigation. And the scenes between J’onn and Diane, which have a lot of characterization and emotional undercurrent, are embued with a serious dramatic quality by Rousseau.
Rousseau draws some cute women here. Harley is supposed to be cartoony to begin with, and there are a fair number of females wandering around (including a surprise guest appearance in #24). At the same time, Rousseau also renders the character of Diane Meade as an attractive forty-something.
In comics, many artists seem unable to draw older women. They can draw young babes, and elderly ladies. But they often seem unable to render any females between those two extremes. During J.M. DeMatteis’ run on Spectacular Spider-Man, he introduced the supporting character of Dr. Ashley Kafka. The artist at that time drew Kafka as a woman in her late forties or so. Unfortunately, subsequent artists seemed unable to render Kafka as an older women, and her appearance became younger and younger. In one story, Kafka was shown at a social function, looking like she was in her mid-twenties, clad in a slinky gown. To me, that just said that the artist was more interesting in drawing sexy babes than in preserving the integrity of the characters.
So it’s a relief to see that Rousseau, despite his skill at rendering women, is comfortable to illustrate the character of Diane in a realistic fashion. This definitely makes the emotional attraction between her and J’onn much more complex and believable.
Altogether, a couple of really good issues. I have no idea if I’ll be picking up Harley Quinn again in the near future. But I’ll say this: if the Martian Manhunter is ever again up for an ongoing series, and John Ostrander isn’t available to write it, then Karl Kesel has my vote.
Weapon X # 1, $2.25 US, published by Marvel Comics
Writer: Frank Tieri; Pencils: Georges Jeanty; Inks: Dexter Vines
Rating 1 out of 5 stars
Dear lord, this book is a train wreck!
I tried to look at Weapon X #1 objectively, I really did. Despite the unfavorable reactions I’ve had to most of Frank Tieri’s past work, I really did my best to approach this series with an open mind. But, in the end, this issue was a mess.
Actually, the whole revival of the Weapon X project in recent issues of Wolverine and Deadpool by Frank Tieri has seemed pointless to me. Weapon X has been pretty well played out in the past by Marvel. Sans an absolutely brilliant reimagining of the concept, I could not see any particularly good reason for once again reviving the conspiracy that gave Wolverine his adamantium skeleton. But, like the Dark Phoenix and “Days of Future Past,” Marvel seems determined to run Weapon X into the ground.
In any case, a significant part of the book’s weakness is rooted directly in the flawed premise of the revived Weapon X organization. Within the confines of the actual stories, there has never been a particularly good reason given as to why the Weapon X project has been reactivated. Oh, there’s been some implication that it’s intended to be a covert operation that captures “rogue” mutants and uses them as agents on black ops missions. Which, while not startlingly original, would at least be bearable. Problem is, the Weapon X project hasn’t actually done anything like that. Oh, they’ve forcibly “recruited” a bunch of mutant outcasts, but not for any particular reason.
No, scratch that. There is one reason, but it isn’t a very good one. The mysterious Director of Weapon X has some sort of master plan that hinges on mutants. The Director, you see, bears a grudge. Years and years before, he was a young, naïve soldier named Malcolm who was assigned to guard duty at the original Weapon X project. This was the government conspiracy that kidnapped Wolverine, Sabretooth, and an assortment of other mutants, and attempted to modify & brainwash them to become assassins. Of course, things went wrong, and Wolverine escaped, slicing and dicing a whole bunch of people in the process. Including Malcolm, who since then has a hideously scarred face.
Now, decades later, Malcolm has risen through the ranks and spearheaded the formation of the new Weapon X project. His disfigured face, and his traumatic memories of the attack, caused him to develop a pathological hatred of Wolverine, a hatred that then spread to encompass all mutants. The Director uses the Weapon X project to capture mutants, so he can torture them physically and psychologically. And his “master plan” seems to revolve around eventually capturing as many mutants as possible, imprisoning them in a concentration camp-type facility, and presumably killing them.
This has got to be one of the most flimsy of explanations that anyone could have thought of. The Director’s motivations make little sense. Instead of blaming Wolverine for turning his face into hamburger, the Director should realize that it was the original Weapon X team that was responsible. After all, they are the ones who abducted Wolverine, pumped him full of drugs, performed hideous operations on him, and attempted to brainwash him. That Wolverine then burst loose and, in literally a mindless rage, hacked up a platoon of soldiers, is completely the fault of those scientists and government agents who turned him into a lab rat. But no, the Director seems to have completely cast all logic aside, holding Wolverine, and by extension all mutants, responsible for his disfigurement. And to get revenge, the Director has revived Weapon X, the very project that is truly to blame for ruining his life.
As I pointed out in my review of Marvel Knights, regarding the character of Mister Tune, its one thing to have an insane villain. But it’s entirely another thing to have one who is so crazy that he acts in a completely irrational, indeed stupid, manner. And the Director, like Tune, falls into the later category.
Okay, admittedly, it’s possible the Director is so disconnected from reality that he honestly believes his completely skewed view of events. In what is actually a well-written scene, Tieri flashes back to the night when Wolverine broke out from the Weapon X project, as witnessed by Malcolm. Seen from his point of view, it does make sense that this one experience ended up defining the rest of his life, shaping him into a twisted, vengeance-obsessed sadist.
However, even with that possibility, the new Weapon X project’s existence is still incredulous. Simply put, the Director’s mental state makes it extremely doubtful that he’d ever get appointed the head of a high-tech government operation. Would you put a wacko like that in a position with so much power? Hell, no! That’s because he would rightly be regarded as a loose cannon, someone who could easily turn on you. Even if factions in the government did want to set up a top-secret project to plot the extermination of mutantkind, they would undoubtedly put someone with a much less questionable level of insanity in charge, someone who they could actually trust to follow orders.
And just how did the Director get the approval and funding to restart Weapon X? The operation looks expensive as hell. What did he do, go before a Senate subcommittee and explain “I need you to earmark twenty billion dollars to me so I can revive a covert military project that failed horribly decades ago, so that I can capture dangerous mutants, perform sadistic experiments on them, and turn them into assassins an my beck and call.” Um, yeah, sure. Given a pitch like that, I think it’s much more likely that the subcommittee would instead spring for another stealth bomber. That, and they’d probably have the Director hauled off to the nearest padded cell.
Besides, with all that money, he ought to have been able to find a skilled enough plastic surgeon to repair his face.
The rest of the cast of Weapon X is a pretty unsympathetic lot. It’s one thing to write unsavory protagonists or anti-heroes. It’s another to leave a series completely barren of even a single character who the audience can identify and sympathize with on at least some level.
Tieri’s characterization of Garrison Kane is particularly grating. The cyborg mercenary, while not the most engaging of characters, was at least developed to somewhat interesting levels by both Fabian Nicieza and Jeph Loeb in the pages of Cable. But here Kane is depicted as an arrogant goon who blindly follows the Director’s orders. We aren’t given even a hint as to why Kane’s entire personality has changed.
Tieri’s treatment of the Zodiac Cartel in this issue is also annoying. Tieri writes them as a bunch of pushovers. Yes, the Zodiac is a rather goofy-looking group of super-powered terrorists. But in the past they’ve been written as pretty dangerous foes. At times they’ve fought the entire line-up of the Avengers to a standstill. Not too shabby! Admittedly, this particular Zodiac is a new group, so I don’t know if they would fare so well. But in their past appearances in Alpha Flight vol 2, they seemed formidable enough. Yet, to my disgust, they get demolished by the Weapon X squad in the space of four pages. No way should it have been that quick and easy. The Weapon X agents are not even close to the Avengers league.
Altogether, Tieri’s writing is pretty unimpressive here. The aforementioned flashback sequence at the beginning of the issue was well-scripted. And I did think the scene with Aurora towards the end was effective in showing that the Director isn’t nearly in as complete control as he believes. But aside from those two instances, the writing in this issue alternates between bland and annoying.
At least the artwork by Jeanty and Vines is well done. Nothing spectacular, but pretty good. Vines inking gives Jeanty’s pencils a more stark, gritty edge that suits the material. For the most part, they do their best with what Tieri gives them to illustrate.
One thing about the artwork was irritating, though. Former Alpha Flight member Madison Jeffries shows up, and he is sporting the most hideous-looking mustache and sideburns! I don’t know if this is something that the character had in his last appearance, or if Jeanty came up with it himself. Whatever the case, it has to go! It looks like something one of the Village People would sport. I kid you not.
All in all, there’s little to recommend here. I cannot imagine why Marvel decided to make this an ongoing series. In contrast to most of the other X-Men titles, which are attempting all sorts of innovation nowadays, Weapon X seems like a throwback to the superficial, grim, nihilistic material being churned out in the mid-1990s.
I don’t know how long this title is going to be around for. Maybe there is an audience for this type of thing. But I obviously don’t belong to it.