FIRST IMPRESSIONS
A quick look at various 'first' issues of the last month.

Reviewed by Gregory Dickens, Brian Domingos, Scott Grunewald, Paul Hanna, and Pindaros

INHUMANS #1

Writers: Carlos Pacheco, Rafael Marin
Artist: Ladronn
Colorist: Studio F
Letterers: Richard Starkings, Wes Abbott
Published by Marvel Comics
$2.99

Open up this comic, and you'll be shocked it's a mainstream Marvel product. It looks much more like a relic from the Epic line or HEAVY METAL. Ladronn's similarities to Moebius are acute, but his Kirby discipline explodes here, in gesture, design and scope. The color palette is sumptuous, and nearly swallows up fine line detail. His previous work on CABLE does not prepare you for what you see here. The story? It seems to rely on the unseen narrator a bit much, but it aptly sets the tone that Attilan is a closeted world and nicely follows the Jenkins/Lee maxiseries. Good action, fun script. This is grand Marvel sci-fi. GD

In this follow-up to the Jenkins/Lee maxiseries, Attilan is disturbed once more, this time by the Kree. Ladronn’s linework is nothing short of phenomenal, the visuals rendered with mind-blowing intricacy. It looks like he’s trying to make both Moebius and Kirby proud here; I only wish this book was available in a larger format in order to better enjoy the pictures. Unfortunately, the story is a bit lacking; the narrative tends to give away much more than it ought to, and excessive narration boxes and word balloons clutter the panels. The biggest problem with INHUMANS is that there is just a pseudo-cliffhanger at the end of the story; that’s our draw to issue two; there is nothing else particularly mysterious or wonderful going on in the background that makes the reader wonder what will happen next. PH

THE AUTHORITY #13

Writer: Mark Millar
Artists: Frank Quitely, Trevor Scott
Colorist: David Baron
Letterer: Ryan Cline
Published by DC/Wildstorm Comics
$2.50

For those of you who thought that Millar/Quitely could not eclipse the scope of this title with all of its eye-candy wonder and high-powered action, think again. What they have done is succeeded in adding depth to a title that was previously on par with ARMAGEDDON or MEN IN BLACK in terms of sophistication (and visuals). Furthermore, THE AUTHORITY #13 is the only book that has taken a cue from the deconstruction of superheroes; simply making the villains bigger and more threatening is not necessarily the answer to improving upon the genre. THE AUTHORITY #13 begins to explore this in a way that Warren Ellis hadn’t done before. Ellis/Hitch cranked the volume of their run of THE AUTHORITY up to 11; Millar/Quitely are on their own decibel system. This is superhero reconstructionism at its best. PH

With Ellis, Hitch, and Neary jumping ship, I was a bit worried about the direction of THE AUTHORITY. But here we have, Mark Millar, Frank Quietly, and Trevor Scott over filling the gap. From page one, they drag us face first into a brave new world. Millar asks, 'Why do super-people never go after the real bastards?' It's a god-damned good question. Millar’s Authority moves from the "otherworldly" threats and begins kicking arse on the home turf. He firmly places them in the world spotlight and gives Jack Hawksmoor his much deserved spot as leader. Quitely’s debut issue gives us only more hope. He’s grasped the position as penciler tightly and, along with Scott, make THE AUTHORITY that much more threatening. THE AUTHORITY looks to be in good hands and is full steam ahead. BD

SHOCKROCKETS #1

Writer: Kurt Busiek
Artists: Stuart Immonen, Wade von Grawbadger
Colorist: Jeremy Cox
Letterer: Richard Starkings & Comicraft's Jason Levine
Published by Image/Gorilla Comics
$2.50

I wasn’t really expecting much from SHOCKROCKETS. While I’ve always enjoyed Kurt Busiek’s stories, I’m quickly falling out of love with the clichés of the superhero genre. And this comic only intensifies those feelings of love lost. The fact that Kurt Busiek can produce solid and exciting comics like SHOCKROCKETS, and yet is still pigeonholed as a superhero writer, is truly a crime. SHOCKROCKETS was an almost perfect example of the wild and exciting things that can be done with comics. Busiek wrote a wonderful story that could really only have been told by the energetic and detailed artwork of Stuart Immonen, an artist who is criminally underrated. SG

I never thought I’d see Kurt Busiek do an ongoing series that had zip to do with superheroes. SHOCKROCKETS is not without its riffs on genre archetypes, however. The main character exhibits the dreaminess of a young Peter Parker and the brashness of Johnny Storm; the ShockRockets themselves are a sort of Justice League who pilot extraordinary air vehicles. The book maintains a tone of whimsical innocence throughout the explosions and high adventure. There isn’t much that’s particlarly shocking about SHOCKROCKETS, but it remains a pleasant diversion. The art team of Immonen and von Grawbadger also really help in this regard. PH

This is STAR WARS. Plain and simple. A young man doesn't want to join his family in manual labor and dreams of joining fighter pilots against a conquering alien foe. He suddenly finds himself in the middle of a dogfight and pilots a small craft into the heart of a gigantic enemy vessel. His confusion and panic is quelled by a sudden, older presence within his head, and he disables the bad guy's big toy. The ships are cool and the action's fast. But of all ways to insert a gifted rookie into a Top Gun squad, why use a way that most of us have already seen? GD

X-FORCE #102

Writers: Warren Ellis, Ian Edgington
Artists: Whilce Portacio, Gerry Alanguilan
Colorist: Avalon Studios
Letterer: Chris Eliopoulos
Published by Marvel Comics
$1.99

If Pete Wisdom was any further into Ellis Hero Mode, his birth would have been retconned to Jan. 1, 1900. He's sardonic, ruthless and liable to explode into righteous sermons at the drop of a hat. He's much darker than the last time I saw him, but X-FORCE 102 is a dark book. Mixing Ellis' AUTHORITY and PLANETARY, the gang is now busting up secret agencies and avenging hidden evils. The kids are leatherclad and hellbound, more efficient under Wisdom. The pages are also averaging 40% flat black ink. It's a better book already, but this is stuff you're seeing somewhere else without Comic Code restrictions. It reads less as the promised "revolution" and more of a Wildstorm adaptation. GD

Ellis/Edgington/Portacio have concocted a neat blend of a superhero comic in X-FORCE #102. It has the grand action and adventure of Ellis’ THE AUTHORITY, but exhibits a kind of examination into the underbelly of the world towards the end, things we aren’t meant to see (like in Ellis’ PLANETARY). Portacio’s art is sharp, dynamic, and well-suited to the title’s direction. Edgington’s script captures a smooth sense of dialogue. This looks like it will be a title full of downright strangeness, something that is already apparent from the get-go. It’s a lot of fun, but it will probably read like "Warren Ellis 101" to those already familiar with his work. PH

X-FORCE #102 marks the release of Warren Ellis’ third Counter-X book, as well as the long awaited return of artist Whilce Portacio to the X-family. Ellis and Ian Edgington throw the militant X-team into battle. The artwork by Portacio and Alanguilan is everything expected; their portrayal of X-Force is commanding and the new costume designs are great. When I first saw the sketches I wasn't sure how they would pan out, but they seem to have worked out nicely. And with the addition of Ellis’ Pete Wisdom and a streamlined roster, X-FORCE is back in full effect. The team is revamped into a proactive fighting force. They’re out there making a difference because, well, someone has to. BD

BLACK HEART BILLY #1

Writer/Artists: Kieron Dwyer, Rick Remender
Published by Slave Labor Graphics
$2.95

Who, or what exactly, is Black Heart Billy? Beats the hell out of me. He seems to be some kind of robotic-headed skater punk with a serious beer belly. Neither Dwyer or Remender seem to be in any hurry to explain him, and I’m not even sure I’d want to know. Like Dwyer’s LCD, BLACK HEART BILLY is chock full of poop and dick jokes nasty enough to make the biggest prude chuckle. It doesn’t reach the level of revoltingly insane genius that LCD does, but it’s still pretty funny, and rather refreshing in its own sick way. It’s worth the cover price alone to see what Dwyer does to a Pee Chee folder (Remember those?) alone. SG

Kieron Dwyer’s gutter humor from his own LCD is very much a part of his and Rick Remender’s BLACK HEART BILLY. The gags are very funny and in great abundance. One can read the whole thing straight through, and then read it again to look at the sordid one-liners and sight gags Dwyer and Remender have inserted in the background. Billy himself is some bizarre, burnout skater punk with an attitude and an iron head. From mauling Deadheads to mentally scarring Bible-thumpers, BILLY is, above all, full of slapstick and laugh-out-loud funniness from left field. PH

PROPHET #1

Writers: Rob Liefeld, Bob Napton
Artists: Chad & Eric Walker, Ian Churchill
Colorists: Steve Sanchez, Matt Yackey
Letterer: Richard Starkings and Comicraft
Published by Awesome Entertainment
$3.50

Awesome continues to find good artists to render Rob Liefeld's militaristic fantasies. The Walker brothers are young enough to show their influences pretty clearly (Charest and Churchill especially), but talented enough to suggest that regular work will allow them to solidify a distinctive style of their own. Unfortunately, working for Awesome, they're unlikely to be forced into the kind of discipline that could do this for them. Say what you will about Marvel's sleaziness, but they got some lazy bastards to work hard. As far as story goes, there are two of them. In both Prophet goes nuts and kills a lot of people. In the first one, Prophet is a guy being resurrected about 25 years from now, in the second, Prophet is a female clone of the original, in the 23rd century. If you've got that Awesome itch, this will scratch it. P

Thanks to all our staff and contributors for this month's First Impressions.

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