Greek Street #1

In his new series, Greek Street, writer Peter Milligan sets his sights on modernizing and, perhaps, romanticizing a vaguely familiar set of myths and parables. In this instance, those influences are noticeably (and, given the title, predictably) Greek. Although the timeframe is decidedly modern and the location undeniably British, (The real life Greek Street is situated in London) there's no mistaking the origin of many of the stories within this issue. Eddie, the first chapter's fleeting focal point, wastes no time in revealing himself as a modern-day Oedipus. The mafiosos that control much of the city call themselves the Fureys. It's not exactly rocket science if you're aware of the subject material, but Milligan does a decent enough job of casting these ancient myths in a modern light and freshening things up.

Which isn't to say this is a particularly easy read… actually, quite to the contrary. We're introduced to so many new faces, expected to remember so much, that many of the finer points of each personality undoubtedly slip by the wayside. Some characters speak in riddles, others try to make sense of it, and in the end the readers are left feeling like they've just tangled up a big mess of cords behind the entertainment center. The more we try to settle down and understand where these people are coming from, the more tightly that little ball of confusion squeezes together.

David Gianfelice brings a visual sense to the title that's right at home in a Vertigo series. His stylized, restrained efforts show the influences of a broad variety of artists, Chris Bachalo and Mike Mignola in particular, while adding a graceful, European sensibility to the mix. Although his methods are minimalist at heart, Gianfelice doesn't shy away from details, neither in the foreground nor the scenery that fills his backdrops. In fact, the world represented within the pages of Greek Street is surprisingly vibrant and lush, detailed with the utmost care but also not obsessed over.

This issue moves along fairly quickly, but Gianfelice maintains a firm hold on the reigns and never lets the pace get out of control. His storytelling abilities are admirable, able to do their job and step out of the way without drawing too much attention. And although his illustrations are generally very simple, the grace and elegance of his linework is unusual in a good way. At a glance, his work doesn't seem particularly involved or even all that special, but upon closer inspection it really begins to shine. Keep an eye on him.

It's tough to climb in on the ground floor of a series like this one and offer a definite verdict, because there's still so much that's yet to be revealed. Certainly, all the pieces seem to be in place for Greek Street to deliver something significant, but that's neither here nor now. As regular-sized debuts go, this piqued my curiosity, if nothing else. Like many of his Vertigo predecessors (and contemporaries) Milligan's writing leaves a lot up in the air, with even more open to interpretation. His teammate, artist David Gianfelice, is more immediately appreciable. If you're a fan of the imprint, first issues like this one should come as no surprise – you'll know that the eventual payoff is usually worth the initial tease. It's worth a longer look than usual, but isn't something that's going to grab your imagination with both hands and start twisting. Not right away, at least. Borrow it.

On a scale of 1 to 10, where 1 is poor and 10 is amazing...
Overall Score: 7

Justice League: Cry for Justice #1

After all this time, why haven't the mainstream heroes taken a more proactive stance against their enemies? That's the question posed, more or less, at precisely the same time around the planet by the Green Lantern, Green Arrow, Supergirl, the Atom, Shazam, Congorilla and Starman. United by a terrible sense of personal loss and motivated by a shared yearning for justice, this unlikely group of heroes seems destined to meet up sooner than later. The real question isn't how far they're willing to go, but rather how their actions will be perceived by their more straight-laced former teammates.

James Robinson's take on Hal Jordan is about as solid as they come. When the Green Lantern stands before DC's big guns and asks what the “Justice” in Justice League stands for, it's more than just a rhetorical question. As he observes the changes their enemies have made over the years, notes the terrible losses they've suffered and bemoans the super group's stagnation, it becomes clear that none of the other leaguers have an answer for him. Robinson delivers a Green Lantern that's stern, but not without reason. He nails the close friendship shared by Hal and the Green Arrow, although the two only share a few brief pages together. Just about any time there's an emerald-themed hero on the page, in fact, you're in for a treat.

That statement doesn't always hold true when the book turns its focus to the other protagonists. While the writer's rendition of the past and present Atoms (Ryan Choi and Ray Palmer) is equally effortless, I can't say the same for Starman or Congorilla. The same level of care and personal investment that Robinson delivers to the better-known heroes isn't afforded to their associates, which is odd because the writer actually cut his teeth on Starman years ago. Either way, this results in a plot that starts out exceptionally well and slowly fizzles away over the course of its final pages.

Mauro Cascioli's blend of traditional pen and ink with vivid, picturesque painted colors is also initially impressive, but eventually overstays its welcome. When Cascioli gets a powerful scene to really dig his teeth into, as he does more than once in this issue, his work is dazzling. The shot of Ollie and Hal levitating away from a tongue-tied Justice League is some fantastic work. It's the moments in between – the meat of Hal's speech to his teammates, the unsettling quiet in the Congo after a massacre – that don't seem suitable to such precise detail, such intense visual scrutiny. That makes for an issue full of tense, postured, constantly flexing characters, even when the situation is wholly inappropriate for that kind of pose.

Does it look good? Frequently, yes. I'm a big fan of painted sequential artwork when it's done well, and on a few occasions I'd absolutely use that phrase to describe Cascioli's work in Cry for Justice #1. But I also believe that painted visuals can be just as much a detriment to the story if handled irresponsibly. And, more often than not, that's the case here. Is Superman always clenching his stomach to show off his perfect abs? Even when one of his oldest, dearest friends is threatening to walk away? This issue's artwork largely plays out like a series of sparsely related pin-ups, rather than a single cohesive piece. The continuous word balloons may be enough to tie it all together, but that shouldn't be their concern.

While I get that the one thing unifying these heroes is their shared, renewed sense of purpose, by the end of the issue things begin to seem a bit redundant. Yes, they've each suffered a loss, understood. They each seek justice, okay, also understood. Did they all really need to take the time to shout the word at the top of their lungs, even if it made no sense in the context of their conversation? JUSTICE! Yes, that's fine, I see it's the title of the mini-series… but damn, could it have been any cornier?

Ultimately, my opinion of this issue is split. When it's focused and relevant, it's genuinely moving. Hal's scolding of his JLA teammates makes for some fantastic reading, and then ends with a conundrum with no easy solution. Pity it isn't always that driven, and when the writing begins to slump, the artwork follows suit. Flip through it and pay close attention to the first half-dozen pages. It's downhill from there.

On a scale of 1 to 10, where 1 is poor and 10 is amazing...
Overall Score: 5

In Brief - June 2009

The Ultimates: Book 2 - This was Secret Invasion, done properly, five years before Elektra was revealed to be a Skrull. Quite a bit more action-oriented than the first story arc, and as a result not quite as smart, I'd still call it a top-notch experience. Millar takes a few more chances with the cast and their abilities in this arc, which distances their world a bit from the vivid reality represented in the first storyline. He also adds a few pieces to the supporting cast in Hawkeye, the Black Widow, Quicksilver and the Scarlet Witch. Fortunately, the new faces only serve to compliment what was already a fantastic group of distinct personalities, filling roles that were left vacant during the earlier adventure. I didn't remember there being quite so many punchlines in this collection, which took a bit away from the mystique that had been previously established, but at least it's actually funny when it tries to be. Good stuff, good stuff.
9/10

Batman and Robin #1 - A bit of a slow start for the new series, which isn't necessarily a bad thing. Not every story needs to be an unstoppable destruction derby from start to finish. I did find it a bit strange that either the entire issue took place during an overcast afternoon or Frank Quitely doesn't have a thing for long shadows and dark backgrounds. Batman and Robin are so consistently associated with the night that it seems off to catch them going about their business against a well-lit skyline. I liked the rapport between Dick and Damian, with neither side of the new partnership fully trusting the other, and the give and take certainly put a new spin on an old, traditional relationship. I'm not at all sold on the villains yet - they seem skewed and twisted just for the fun of it - but again I suppose that's intended to put a fresh stamp on this classic pair of characters. Did Wayne Tower always have pointy Batman ears on the roof? Isn't that a bit obvious? I found this to be acceptable, not blow-me-away good like the pair's run on All-Star Superman but also not a complete let-down. I'll give it time to fully develop before I dive into any harsher criticisms.
6/10

The Walking Dead #62 - After what happened to the group last month, it's understandable to burn an issue on reactions and recoveries, both emotional and physical. Of course, it wouldn't be Walking Dead without a random appearance by a stumbling, mumbling gang of zombies, but that's over and done with in a few pages and then it's back to the mourning. Not sure where Kirkman is going with the upcoming "Trackers" storyline, but he's certainly foreshadowed the hell out of it so clearly there's something important about to go down. I keep wishing he'd just get on with it, reaching the end of the issue and deciding that surely next month is the moment the cat gets out of the bag. But then it doesn't, and the process just repeats itself. At least this month the shadowy men lurking in the background have taken some sort of action, so it seems that they're finally ready to make their move. That is, until next issue rolls around and it's more of the same. Still, these are minor complaints and even during a slow month this remains a tip-top series.
8/10

Last of the Independents - I'd bought this when it was first released, having been a somewhat regular reader of Matt Fraction's blog at the time, and haven't picked it up again since. I can remember finishing it the first time through in a single sitting, and fortunately enough it's handled the years very nicely. The story is simple enough - an aging low-level mastermind and two buddies aim to hit it big by clearing out a small-town bank, only to find the unexpected: three enormous bags of mafia property sitting in the vault when they arrive. The rest of the developments spiral outward from there. It's a simple heist tale with a trio of complex, well-rounded personalities and no shortage of imaginative explosions or sudden gunfights. Fraction's writing is astonishingly concise and terrifically effective, but the show's really stolen by his artist, Kieron Dwyer. Dwyer brings a fresh face to every character in the drama, whether it's a lead or one of the nameless suits unfortunate enough to step on a land mine after a single panel. The entire issue is presented in a wanted poster-style duotone: brown, white and khaki on a newsprint stock that gives things an extra layer of western authenticity. I felt like I needed to wash my hands after sitting down to read this, and could've sworn I tasted some of the dust that was kicked up during one of its crazier action scenes. Loads of fun, easy to pick up but painfully difficult to set back down again.
9/10

Ex Machina #43 - I can't shake the feeling that I'm missing something here, because from all indications each of the major characters are focused on one specific direction and I haven't the foggiest what on Earth it is. Reading this issue was like watching the trials at the end of Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade without realizing they were after the Holy Grail. Why are they going through all this trouble? What do they expect to find? What could possibly be worth this kind of a risk? Eh... we'll just tell you when they get there, mmmkay? That nothing much of consequence really went down this month only makes things worse. It was just thirty-odd pages of characters gearing up, saying their farewells and getting ready to face, literally, the great unknown. Except they know what it is. Maybe I'll appreciate it more once the series has concluded with issue #50.
6/10

The Dark Knight Strikes Again #1 - After a few years on the shelf, I wanted to see if this was still as bad as I remembered it being. Well, as far as the first installment goes... it is. If I dig deep enough, there's plenty of great conceptual work here to get excited about - the Atom's entrapment inside a petri dish, the idea of an artificial President of the United States, the extremes the media has gone to in order to gain an upper hand in the ratings - but it's all tangled up in such a forced, convoluted plot that it's tough to pay attention to the good stuff. Miller's writing is infuriating, he spends half the issue testing to see how much slack the DC editorial staff is willing to give him and to call the other half sloppy does a disservice to the word itself. The plot is all over the place, introducing unnecessary changes on a whim while never really explaining the motivation, and the artwork... fuck, the artwork. It's HORRIBLE. I've admired the risks Miller has taken with his style for literally his entire career. He never stands still, always trying something new. Take a look at his Daredevil, his Ronin, his Sin City; when he's motivated Miller is a genuine renaissance man. He can try anything, take any inspiration to the page, and still come out smelling like roses. The Dark Knight Returns is his masterwork, a gorgeous blend of frantic linework, meticulous details and careful omissions. Professors could spend entire semesters on the lessons he taught in that mini-series, but in TDKSB he's utterly lost his mind. With the exception of the aforementioned petri dish scene, in which Miller reverts back to the style he employed on Ronin, this is inexcusable work. If I were the editor upon whose desk these pages had arrived, I'd have been strongly motivated to reject them, for all the brass balls that kind of move would have required. I know that as a culture, we afford legends a certain degree of lenience out of respect for what's come before, but there's a limit to what I'm willing to accept and this is well, well beyond that. It's just awful, and I fear my memories are correct: the worst is yet to come.
2/10

Dark Avengers #6 - I might be able to write the same review for just about every issue of this series. For the moment, at least, more Osborn means more entertainment and this issue provides yet another playground for his personality to fool around with. Of course, the green-shaded voices that keep filling his head are cause for concern, but for now I'll give Bendis the benefit of the doubt. He hasn't gone completely over the top with Norman yet, and the scene he delivers with the fearless leader and Namor this month is good enough to momentarily erase any worries about the future. Deodato could stand to make Norman a bit less of a Tommy Lee Jones clone, but otherwise his artwork is showing continued signs of improvement. He's a bit different than what I'm used to in a high-profile Marvel book, but this is anything but your typical team of superheroes.
8/10

Daredevil #119 - Feels like the calm before the storm - there's a lot of talk, double-crossing and maneuvering this month, without a lot of action. Every issue of Brubaker's run has seemed like it's moving to a completely different tempo, which may make for good reading in the trades but it's a bit disorienting when you're following month-to-month. If anything, he knows how to keep me guessing - I haven't known where this arc has been going from word one, and I'm pleased to report that hasn't changed this month. Bru keeps surprising me with the duality of his characters, which means there are very few truly good or evil men and women in this series. Matt's made some serious mistakes recently, and rather than confront them he's chosen to sink back into his work as Daredevil and neglect his personal life. The Kingpin has been through the wringer since his disappearance, and while he's clearly not the same man who took charge of the city years ago, that isn't stopping him from giving the old business another serious shot. Eventually something's got to give, but we've all spent so much time getting to know these individuals that it's going to make quite a thud when one of them falls. It gets pretty dry in parts, but otherwise this is some really complex, fascinating work.
7/10

The Dark Knight Strikes Again #2 - Even worse than the first issue. How long did Miller spend on this? One long weekend sounds about right... there's so little effort involved with these illustrations that they almost transcend their own genre and become great comedy. Maybe more disappointing than Frank Miller's own failures in this series are those of his wife and collaborator, Lynn Varley. Throughout the first Dark Knight, she was an easily-overlooked but essential part of the team. Her colors brought just as much to the scene as Miller's pencils, inks and storytelling, and in an era before computerized colors, she really helped the series to stand out. None of its competitors looked anything like it. Now, a decade and a half later, she's trying her hand at the magic computer box with embarrassing results. Easily fascinated by gradients, Varley pays more attention to blur filters and awkward, pixelated special effects than she does to coloring inside the lines or adding anything to the visuals. Her failures just throw one more shovelful of dirt on the unmarked grave of this awful mini-series. No matter where I look, there's something to furrow my brow and frown about.
1/10

The Dark Knight Strikes Again #3 - I'm a little confused about why this is even classified as a Batman book, since the caped crusader quite clearly plays second fiddle to Superman in ever single issue. Even the lead villains, Luthor and Brainiac, are shamelessly pillaged from Clark's Rogues Gallery. Despite being little more than an afterthought in issues 1 and 2, the imposter Joker finally shows his hand with about ten pages left in the third chapter, climaxing in Bruce's one true moment to himself and a surprise revelation that should probably carry more weight than it does. Miller's artwork remains crazily inconsistent in this issue, with some pages showing actual promise and others displaying the same callous lack of interest that damned his first two showings. His writing does show a slight improvement, but Lynn Varley's colors don't enjoy the same fate. This sequel is a disappointment from start to finish, uncomfortable at its best and insulting at its worst. Did I really drop close to thirty bucks on this when it first came out? What a shame...
2/10

Batman and Robin #2 - I wasn't so sure about the direction proposed by the first issue, but should've known better. Morrison and Quitely hit the ground running this month and never look over their shoulders. This issue moves quickly, asks more questions than it answers and shows off the inherent difficulties in Dick and Damian's relationship. It's an uncertain time in both characters' lives, and they each seem to feel that the other is holding them back from realizing their own true potential. I didn't really care for the freakshow villainy squad last month, but they're beginning to grow on me, particularly as more of their odd eccentricities are revealed. I love the tiny, campy little nods to the old TV series that Quitely has been working into his artwork so far. The string of S's left behind in the smokey trail of that departing rocket, the "smash" spelt out by the cracks in the wall after a scuffle, they're subtle enough to blend in, but not so much that they go unnoticed. This is starting to be just as much fun as All-Star Superman.
9/10

Red Robin #1

The recent death of Bruce Wayne has affected his extended family in different ways. Dick Grayson has assumed his role as Batman, Alfred mourns by throwing himself into his work, Jason Todd has… well, he's become even crazier. Naturally, the news has affected his long-time sidekick and adopted son, Tim Wayne, perhaps most dramatically. Thing is, Tim doesn't entirely believe that Bruce is dead, and in a way of dealing with his conflicting emotions, he's set out on a quest to prove it. Having left behind the role of Robin, Drake has embarked on a broad tour of Europe in search of his fallen mentor wearing a new outfit and a different moniker: the Red Robin.

He's got a lot of ground to cover in this first issue, but Red Robin's writer, Chris Yost, does so magnificently. In his first test drive with Batman's traditional players, Yost shows no hesitation. He dives right into the impending confrontation between Dick (the new Batman), Damian (the new Robin) and Tim (the odd man out), lets the events play through to their logical conclusion, and moves us forward to the present. This month's narration travels quickly, jumping from the Bat Cave to a hostage sitation in Madrid, a rest stop in Spain to a street-side explosion in Prague, but it hardly feels strapped for time. No single scene lingers for longer than it needs to – there simply isn't enough room for wasted pages – but it also doesn't seem excessively rushed or short on detail. From all indications, this is going to be a breakneck tour of Europe but not at the expense of good storytelling.

Yost tells much of the story via Tim's own internal narration, but show similar restraint there as well. He doesn't muddy up the artwork with a flood of narrative boxes, but instead uses them sparingly and effectively. The brief glimpses we're given into Tim's thought process are enough to establish the character, convey his mindset and reaffirm his reluctance and frustration. No one is more uncertain of what he'll find on this little adventure than Tim himself, but he knows undoubtedly that it's something he has to do before he can move on with his life. He's growing as a character and as an individual right before our eyes, graduating from sidekick to standalone in what's becoming a natural progression for former Boy Wonders.

For the character's new ongoing series, artist Ramon Bachs has brought along a more appropriately mature visual style. Blending the talents of Tony Moore, Tony Daniel and Darick Robertson, Bachs envisions a series of cities that are consistently gritty, seedy and filthy without producing an uncontrollable flow of linework in the process. His work is simple but serious, uncomplicated but not juvenile. In that respect, he reaches a nice balance between the relative innocence of the youth Tim's left behind with his Robin costume and the more serious, no-nonsense landscape he'll be dealing with as one of the big boys. It's perfect for the lead character's current predicament: no longer childish, but not quite ready to be a grown-up.

In a word, this is good stuff. Well, actually that's two words but you get the point. It's unusual for such a well-defined character to get as fresh a start as Tim is enjoying in Red Robin, so it's great to see his creators acknowledging that fact and taking full advantage. All the familiar aspects of this character that you've loved are still intact, but the apparent death of his mentor has changed him fundamentally and Tim is still trying to understand precisely what that means. This issue was just the first step. It's a wild ride that navigates a variety of emotions, before delivering a teaser at the end of the chapter that's left me hungry for more. Buy it.

On a scale of 1 to 10, where 1 is poor and 10 is amazing...
Overall Score: 8

Batman #687

Dick Grayson is Batman. After Bruce Wayne's heroic death in the line of duty, a series of imposter Batmen and the inevitable decision that he was born for this moment, the original Boy Wonder is now the one true Dark Knight. But, as he's beginning to learn, the responsibilities of a Caped Crusader go far beyond the decision actually don that famed grey and blue uniform.

The flashback that starts this issue has noble, appropriate intentions – reminding us of Dick's constant yearning to learn from, impress and become more like his mentor, then revealing just how close he's come – but the timeframe is all wrong. Robin had been around for seven years before the infamous giant penny first decorated the cave, and even if the scene in question was meant to take place later in the duo's career, I can't imagine the phrase "you got served" was yet a part of the public vernacular. I'd shudder to overhear the current Robin using that phrase, let alone the guy who's now wearing the cape and cowl. Are these little things to be picking at? Sure. But I have to imagine the goal of this little scene was to add a touch of legitimacy to Dick's new job role, and such authenticity lies primarily in these details.

Fortunately, that opening scene is just a small bump in the road for the book's author. Judd Winick spends the rest of the issue more or less in the present, dealing with the countless ramifications of Bruce's death and the impact it has on the DCU as a whole. He takes a long, hard look at Dick's reservations about taking over, at Alfred's forced resolve amidst trying circumstances, and at Damian's restless impatience for someone to take charge. While many of these characters have been explored quite thoroughly over the years, Winick is using the special circumstances to unveil new facets of their personalities. As he should. As the situation demands.

I don't have nearly as many good things to say about Ed Benes, the issue's artist. A DC regular, Benes has made the rounds with many of the publisher's best-known titles: he followed Jim Lee on Superman, spent some time with Supergirl and Birds of Prey, and has most recently contributed to Justice Leage of America. This is my first exposure to his work, however, and I'm not especially impressed. For one, Batman, Robin, Gordon and even Alfred are usually posed in such stiff, uncomfortable positions that I felt compelled to overemphasize my own posture, like I was the only one slouching at a funeral service.

I like a nice balance between detail and restraint in an artist, but Benes brings an overload of the former. The excess of crosshatch shading, paired with the obsessive folds and creases he brings to each visible bit of fabric make the pages feel heavy and cumbersome. There's often just too much going on at one time, although some pages are much worse off than others. Benes does enjoy a few rare moments of clarity, where he displays an ability to pull off that elusive balance, but they're regularly outnumbered. He can't decide if he wants to be Jim Lee in the '80s, Joe Madureira in the '90s or something different for today.

There's a lot of pensive, bottled excitement brewing around the books in the Batman family right now, and rightfully so. Although the promise of Bruce's imminent return is already hanging ominously above this whole house of cards, for the time being it's a new day in Gotham, both for the characters and for the creators. As far as Winick and Benes's run on the flagship title goes, this is a mediocre start. Flip through it and enjoy the occasional moments of brilliance, then hope they're a bit more frequent in subsequent chapters.

On a scale of 1 to 10, where 1 is poor and 10 is amazing...
Overall Score: 4.5

Ultimate Spider-Man #133

In case you missed the update like I did, this would be a wrap for Ultimate Spider-Man: Volume I. Yes, despite Marvel's assurances that the series was safe from the kind of extinction that seemed inescapable for Ultimate X-Men and Ultimate Fantastic Four, the current run of USM ends with number 133. Following two issues of Requiem, the festivities will resume in August with a new number one, a new artist, and (perhaps) a new Spider-Man.

I suppose if the current run had to end, this would be the right way to do it. In light of the book's conclusion, writer Brian Michael Bendis chose to publish its final issue without a single line of dialog. That lack of diction could've made for a very quick, disappointing read, but between Bendis's thrilling plot and Stuart Immonen's fantastic visual storytelling, it never felt short on substance. In fact, the silence played into the story brilliantly. When the issue opened, moments after an enormous explosion had rocked the concrete beneath Spider-Man and the Hulk's feet, it produced a shell-shocked, white noise sort of sensation. I felt like my ears were ringing as everything fell into slow motion, surrounded by a faint light haze. As the issue progressed, that effect transformed to embody more of a stunned, speechless disbelief while it became less and less likely that Kitty and Spider-Woman would find Peter's body. No words could have delivered a stronger impact.

In Stuart Immonen's swan song with the character, he's delivered what is likely his strongest performance. Naturally, a wordless episode seems tailor-made to showcase the skills of the artist above and beyond those of the writer, but that sword has blades on both sides of its hilt. Under such circumstances, a bad artistic showing could be amplified just as much as a good one, if not more so. And despite my general love for his work, I must confess that I've seen some slack in Immonen's Ultimate Spider-Man efforts lately.

In this issue, though, that's all a distant memory. This is Stuart Immonen taking over the show, pulling every last tool out of his box and putting it all on display right there on the page. Nobody delivers a sense of staggering perspective like Immonen, as evidenced by the fireball engulfed two-page cityscape that opens this issue. Few show restraint as effectively as he does a few pages later, during the fight scene between an enraged (and, literally, inflamed) Hulk and a fleet of Military helicopters. And, perhaps most impressive of all, he has few rivals when it comes to the kind of complicated emotions that flood the faces of Spider-Man's supporting cast as the tale goes through its paces. From the unrestrained fury of the Hulk to the heartbroken concern in the face of Kitty Pryde, there's nary an expression that goes untouched in this issue's thirty-two pages, and Immonen nails every last one. Incoming artist David LaFuente has some humongous shoes to fill when he takes over later this summer.

After finding myself terribly disappointed by last month's story, this provided a nice rebound that left me upset about the impending relaunch. Why screw around with something that can still work this well? Buy this one and enjoy it, because who knows what twists and turns the future might hold.

On a scale of 1 to 10, where 1 is poor and 10 is amazing...
Overall Score: 8.5

Dark Avengers #5

Norman Osborn's crew of evildoers masquerading as heroes seems to have achieved its ultimate goal of unconditional public acceptance. While the old Avengers are out on the streets, struggling to evade arrest, Osborn and company are thriving under the public spotlight, taking credit for their good deeds and living the high life in their old headquarters. It's funny how much good a little well-timed PR can do for a team's image.

Although it's certainly a dangerous proposition, I love that Brian Michael Bendis has such creative freedom at Marvel. He seems unbound to try just about any idea that floats into his mind, for better or for worse, with this issue providing no exception. If he wants to explore the seedy underbelly of crime in the Savage Land, we're headed straight for the land of the lost. If he suddenly decides he'd like to spend an entire issue on Norman Osborn's live TV interview with Katie Couric, by God, we're getting a full issue of talking heads. And that's just the kind of indulgence this month brings us, with a few very brief glances around at the rest of the squad for completion's sake.

Compared to the last few months, when the former Goblin single-handedly carried the narrative to its conclusion, this wasn't a great issue. Norman had plenty of time in the spotlight, which is always a good thing, but his dialog wasn't nearly as revealing, nor was it as charming. Rather than finding a new respect for the character via another introspective peek into his psyche and a few well-placed compliments, I just saw him as a conniving snake – and that's nothing new. He did a decent enough job of deflecting Hawkeye's public criticisms, which was basically the point of this out-of-armor appearance on the evening news, (I especially loved his calling out the fact that Clint himself was a reformed felon) but his points weren't convincing enough that I could see anyone buying into him as America's new, improved white knight. Instead of giving the majority of our population something to blindly throw their faith behind, he went on the offensive, attacking Barton's past but not his criticisms. It's like Bill O'Reilly has been given the keys to our nuclear arsenal.

After five issues, the jury's still out on the work of Bendis's artistic partner, industry veteran Mike Deodato. While his style has changed markedly since the mid '90s, when he was just another wave in the sea of Jim Lee clones, I can still see a lot of that era's influences in his new work. He's worked diligently to minimize the amount of detail in his artwork, but it still has a tendency to feel overworked and excessively meticulous. Although he's nailed Osborn as the smarmy, arrogant leader of the pack, he still hasn't quite come to grips with most of the rest of the cast. His male characters seem lumpy and heavy, his females uncomfortable and awkward. With his continuous use of deep shadows painting the entire team in a suspicious light, I can see why he was chosen for this series, and Deodato could still prove to be the definitive Dark Avengers artist. He just isn't there yet.

Conceptually, this has become one of my favorite mainstream comics. There's plenty of embedded social commentary in the prospect that most Americans wouldn't know or care if the men in charge of their well being were violent repeat offenders, and Bendis seems as content to delve into that as I am to buy it right up. Dark Avengers is still going strong, but its pace has slowed and during the down time I've noticed a few cracks in the veneer. Borrow it.

On a scale of 1 to 10, where 1 is poor and 10 is amazing...
Overall Score: 7