Deathstroke: Rebirth (2016) #1

Deathstroke rebirth

All right, in the interest of full disclosure, I’ve got to open this discussion of Deathstroke: Rebirth with the following disclaimer–I’m probably not going to read another one of these comics. I hope other people buy it, I hope other people read it, I hope Priest sticks around at DC. I would love to read more new Priest books, especially ones with good artists like this series. Carlo Pagulayan draws a beautiful espionage thriller with a little bit of DC Universe connection.

It’s a modern day spy thriller, nothing more, nothing else. Slade is haunted by whatever happened to his two sons and whatever happened to his old handler. But he’s a mercenary in Africa now and there’s this whole Deathstroke mystique going with the locals. It’s kind of cool. Priest writes the dialogue well. But it’s nothing a solid Deathstroke story from twenty years ago wouldn’t have had.

And that solid feel is where I can’t get excited, can’t get motivated for the monthly commitment. I’m glad DC can make this book though. You go back a few years, they wouldn’t have–pretty sure I read the New 52 Deathstroke. It would’ve either been lame or terrible. Not a good mainstream super-anti-hero book.

I just need to remember to check in when the first arc gets collected.

Deathstroke: Rebirth 1 (October 2016)

I just need to remember to check in when the first arc gets collected.

CREDITS

The Professional, Part One; writer, Priest; penciller, Carlo Pagulayan; inker, Jason Paz; colorist, Jeromy Cox; letterer, Willie Schubert; editors, Brittany Holzherr and Alex Antone; publisher, DC Comics.

The Maze Agency 3 (January 2006)

33189 20070316012234 large It’s too bad the last issue of IDW’s Maze relaunch is easily the best. The problems still remain–Padilla is a boring artist who doesn’t bring any personality to anything, not characters, not setting. Forget about ominous mood. And Barr is still writing this comic like it’s the eighties, which might have been the last time someone could have done a fugu fish related story without mentioning “The Simpsons.”

He doesn’t mention the show and it seems like an odd oversight.

There are too many suspects–nine–but the pace of the issue is good and the investigation engages. Barr doesn’t spend much time on his protagonists, except some bickering and cuddling (Padilla can’t do either). The scene where Jennifer mentions being exceptionally wealthy doesn’t play out well here. In fact, it just reminds of better, original series Maze.

Still, it’s nice this Maze goes out on a relative high.

C+

CREDITS

One Fish, Two Fish, Blowfish, Doomfish; writer, Mike W. Barr; penciller, Ariel Padilla; inker, Jason Paz; colorist, Rain Beredo; letterer, Tom B. Long; editor, Dan Taylor; publisher, IDW Publishing.

X-Men vs. Agents of Atlas (2009) #2

Xmen agents2

Wait, what?

Okay, I get it. Agents of Atlas can’t make the grade sales-wise so there need to be team-ups–Parker’s the best writer Marvel has working on their mainstream stuff right now (sorry, Ed, but I can’t forgive some of the Daredevil and X-Men lows)–someone realizes it and doesn’t want him to jump ship to DC, who wouldn’t appreciate him, but he more jibes with their stuff anyway.

This issue reveals the whole series just to be an Atlas comic. It’s got nothing to do with X-Men other than as a McGuffin. I mean, whatever, I get it… but still, it’s shameful Atlas can’t get a solid reading audience.

What am I saying? I should be grateful for any good comic books at all, given the depths of idiocy pop culture has descended to in the last fifteen years.

Oh, yeah. Great comic book.

X-Men vs. Agents of Atlas (2009) #1

Xmenvsatlas1

Ok, so I’m not sure it’s really a “versus” book. I mean, sure, it’s got the Atlas guys fighting the X-Men, but it’s really just an Agents of Atlas issue with an X-Men crossover (much like the New Avengers crossover early in the Atlas series).

Parker does an unsurprisingly fantastic job, though I wish there’d been a little more recap–I can’t remember if Venus got snatched in the Atlas finale, though I know for sure Parker did start laying the groundwork. He mixes the unfunny X-Men brilliantly with the humorous, but serious, Atlas team.

Pagulayan’s artwork is excellent as always, a slick modern Marvel style without sacrificing expressiveness. The backup, which is just a fun insert instead of dramatically important, has lovely art from Samnee. Along with the other Atlas backups, it does more to establish the series’s perceived playfulness than anything in the modern stories.

Agents of Atlas (2009) #8

Agents8

Maybe I need to take a break from going through these straight because everything’s starting to run together. I’d totally forgotten Suwan (not just the name, but the character), though seeing the team in action against the Hulk is fun. Unfortunately, Pagulayan is back and there’s, once again, something way too finished about his art for this book. Maybe for the “Dark Reign” issues I can see it, him doing the “new” Marvel house style, but as Agents of Atlas starts to figure out what it’s going to do without being a tie-in series, he just seems wrong. He spends way too much time on the Hulk’s hair styling, for example.

Lots of references to stuff in between the limited series and the ongoing to confuse the heck out of me, but Parker does well, even in with the “Dark Reign” constraints still somewhat present.

They need some fun.

Agents of Atlas (2009) #7

Agents7

Parker basically undoes what he did in the previous issue–the Namor and Namora romance, at least the impending nuptials–as fast as he can. There are some backstory developments and some supporting cast developments, but it’s really just an excellent exercise in drama. Parker’s undoing of this romance, he does it in one issue instead of twelve (the modern story-arc is so much different than even fifteen years ago), is superior because of his storytelling ability.

It’s hard to imagine the narrative going any differently–especially with all that undersea life for Bob to get naughty, touchy-feely thoughts about–and there’s where Parker truly succeeds. Even though it’s a fast resolution, which retcons Namor and Namora’s entire existence, Parker sells it.

The issue is apparently the last one with the “Dark Reign” tag on the front, which Parker clearly references in the issue, with Jimmy discussing it.

Agents of Atlas (2009) #5

Agents5

The “Dark Reign” tie-in, at least the storyline Parker started with, ends here with a rather convenient uncontrollable outburst from killer robot M-11. It ties into the first issue’s backup story, which probably cuts down on Atlas‘s accessibility to new readers, but certainly rewards the faithful.

Pagulayan’s return is a double-edged sword, while it does present the guest-starring New Avengers in a more familiar light, it (and Parker’s general approach to the narrative) make eighty percent of the issue feel like New Avengers with Agents of Atlas guesting. It’s a neat device, presently the New Avengers with their traditional introduction, but it’s disconcerting, especially for a book only on its fifth issue.

Unexpectedly, Parker makes Temugin into a full member of the team, while still using him as comic relief. It’s a nice move, if sudden (this issue eschews a straight follow-through from the last).

Agents of Atlas (2009) #2

Agents2

Good grief, it’s good.

I’m not actually sure what’s going on with Jimmy’s whole Norman Osborn deal (all indications are it’s a fake-out), but Parker gets in a ton of character development. One quibble has to be how much Parker expects his reader to remember the original limited series. I guess it’s been six or seven months since I read it, but I’ve forgotten some of the nuances in the character relationships.

This issue, Parker integrates the flashback story, running it concurrent to the “Dark Reign” tie-in. I figured, given that format, the two stories would tie together, but I’m not sure. Maybe Parker’s just trying to get readers hooked (though I can’t imagine Atlas would appeal to Marvelheads who buy anything with a “Dark Reign” tag on the cover).

Again, Pagulayan’s art makes the lead story feel a bit overdone. It’s fine art, but it’s definitely awkward.

Agents of Atlas (2009) #1

Agents1

So Castro was mind-controlled into being a Communist?

Sorry, couldn’t resist.

Since I’ve heard about the series, I’ve heard Marvel didn’t know what to do with Agents of Atlas, this incarnation is no different (I think it’s more, Marvel doesn’t know what to do with Jeff Parker–it’s like he’s way too good for them). The issue has a lead, set during “Dark Reign” and a sequel to the previous limited series, and an awesome flashback back-up, featuring some of the Agents meeting Wolverine in Cuba.

The first story, with the rather epic and unfunny Pagulayan art, is fine. It’s good, solid mainstream Marvel comic stuff. How Marvel manages to reinvent itself without having to pound universes or whatever, I don’t know… Anyway, it’s fine.

But the backup is the gold of this issue. Parker gets to let loose and he does a marvelous (no pun intended) job.