Tag: Paul Cornell

Soldier Zero (2010) #3

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I think Cornell fell asleep here. It might explain why he thinks the alien soldier fused with the protagonist mentioning Tony Danza is a good joke.

The mistake seems to be having the alien soldier talk through the whole issue–he calls the protagonist “marine” and everyone else calls the protagonist “soldier.” It makes for some real lively conversation.

Actually, the bigger mistake is the pacing. This issue takes place over twenty or thirty minutes, enough time for a police interrogation (where Cornell tries implying something and fails) and then the start of a fight with the bad alien. In other words, nothing like what made the first issue of the series compelling. Cornell’s gotten rid of all the character stuff–the protagonist is one of the most boring things about the comic at this point.

Ariño’s art is serviceable.

The art really doesn’t matter, it’s not the problem here.

Soldier Zero (2010) #2

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It’s actually kind of impressive how substantial a read Cornell makes this issue… especially since it takes place over about an hour. Unfortunately, Cornell’s writing failures here are the kind of thing….

A big part of the issue is what voice Soldier Zero is talking to the protagonist with. The Soldier Zero part (which goes from a Dick Tracy wristwatch to a full-sized armor thing) mimics voices—the protagonist’s, his brother’s, a girl he kind of knows… Obama’s.

Somehow Cornell didn’t take into account the reader is reading this comic book, not listening to it. He has these cues in the dialogue to let the reader know what voice Soldier Zero is using, which just makes it even more painful.

The series reminds me of an eighties sci-fi show, only updated to be “support our troops” friendly. They should put a ribbon on the cover.

Plus, Pina’s inconsistent.

Soldier Zero 2 (November 2010)

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It’s actually kind of impressive how substantial a read Cornell makes this issue… especially since it takes place over about an hour. Unfortunately, Cornell’s writing failures here are the kind of thing….

A big part of the issue is what voice Soldier Zero is talking to the protagonist with. The Soldier Zero part (which goes from a Dick Tracy wristwatch to a full-sized armor thing) mimics voices—the protagonist’s, his brother’s, a girl he kind of knows… Obama’s.

Somehow Cornell didn’t take into account the reader is reading this comic book, not listening to it. He has these cues in the dialogue to let the reader know what voice Soldier Zero is using, which just makes it even more painful.

The series reminds me of an eighties sci-fi show, only updated to be “support our troops” friendly. They should put a ribbon on the cover.

Plus, Pina’s inconsistent.

CREDITS

One Small Step for Man, Part Two; writer, Paul Cornell; penciller, Javier Pina; inker, Sergio Arino; colorist, Archie Van Buren; letterer, Ed Dukeshire; editor, Bryce Carlson; publisher, Boom! Studios

Fantastic Four: True Story (2008) #4

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And it’s a happy ending for everyone not looking at Domingues’s art.

Seriously, it’s really bad.

But the final issue has a lot of charm–even if the ending is too short and Cornell wastes the cast of The Wind and the Willows. Having Toad run around with Johnny Storm seems somehow perfect and Cornell only hints at it.

Cornell’s rules for the story and its logic are pretty loose (I think Reed refers to it as the “fictoverse,” but only one time… as someone noticed how stupid it sounds). It all comes together nicely so the issue can end with a bow on it.

The problem with True Story is how unimportant the Fantastic Four are to the story–it could be anyone having this adventure in the… groan… fictoverse. It might even be better with other characters.

And with the Domingues art, it’s too ugly to be precious.

Fantastic Four: True Story (2008) #3

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The third issue has some very weak moments–oh, the Austen characters are from Sense and Sensibility–but it ends with the Fantastic Four all dead, shot by firing squad.

Along with the little kid from Sense and Sensibility. So Cornell gets some respect for shooting a little kid. Even if it’s not shown on panel (Domingues would just screw it up anyway).

Cornell reveals the villain to be Nightmare, who through some complicated sounding way is all of a sudden able to invade fiction. What’s idiotic about this detail is the timing. Cornell ties it to a particular book being written. Only… no one’s done it until now? No one’s ever written about the conceptual idea of the character Nightmare (who gives people nightmares) until now? Given the intelligence Cornell writes with (most of the time, at least, excepting his scenes between Sue and Reed), it’s a tad contrived.

Fantastic Four: True Story (2008) #2

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Well, if it weren’t for Domingues, Cornell might really have something this issue.

Cornell tasks Domingues with drawing various literary figures and he comes up with something out of a “Scooby Doo” cartoon. The artwork here does not cut it–Marvel should be embarrassed. Domingues’s style is unfinished (they should have given him an experienced inker at the least) and almost entirely thoughtless. True Story, this issue shows, needs a visual tone. Domingues can’t bring it.

This issue excels past the first (it’ll probably be the best issue of the series, given the events) as Cornell starts teaming the Fantastic Four with the heroes of Pride and Prejudice. At least, I think it’s Pride and Prejudice, it’s an Austen novel for sure. But it lets Cornell be funny–he’s got a great sense of humor (Dante bickering with an Austen hero).

The end has issues, but it’s a fun read.

Fantastic Four: True Story (2008) #1

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I really wanted to love Fantastic Four: True Story, but Cornell just isn’t able to make it precious enough. The concept is somewhat complex–Sue is suffering from melancholy and discovers it has to do with not wanting to read fiction. It turns out the whole world is suffering from a similar melancholy (a major problem with the narrative is Reed “discovering” that universal ailment–someone else would have noticed first).

So the Fantastic Four journey into fiction to find out the problem.

Cornell does a great job with Johnny and Ben–he even abbreviates their bickering, which only lasts a page, but is a fine approach to what otherwise would have been something familiar.

It’s Sue and Reed who come off wrong. Cornell has them blathering to each other like they’re out of a romance novel.

Plus, Domingues’s art fails. He doesn’t do either element–superhero or magical–well.

Fantastic Four: True Story 4 (January 2009)

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And it’s a happy ending for everyone not looking at Domingues’s art.

Seriously, it’s really bad.

But the final issue has a lot of charm–even if the ending is too short and Cornell wastes the cast of The Wind and the Willows. Having Toad run around with Johnny Storm seems somehow perfect and Cornell only hints at it.

Cornell’s rules for the story and its logic are pretty loose (I think Reed refers to it as the “fictoverse,” but only one time… as someone noticed how stupid it sounds). It all comes together nicely so the issue can end with a bow on it.

The problem with True Story is how unimportant the Fantastic Four are to the story–it could be anyone having this adventure in the… groan… fictoverse. It might even be better with other characters.

And with the Domingues art, it’s too ugly to be precious.

CREDITS

Johnny Storm Saves Books; writer, Paul Cornell; artists, Horacio Domingues and Rick Burchett; colorist, Nestor Pereyra; letterer, Dave Lanphear; editor, Tom Brevoort; publisher, Marvel Comics.

Fantastic Four: True Story 3 (November 2008)

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The third issue has some very weak moments–oh, the Austen characters are from Sense and Sensibility–but it ends with the Fantastic Four all dead, shot by firing squad.

Along with the little kid from Sense and Sensibility. So Cornell gets some respect for shooting a little kid. Even if it’s not shown on panel (Domingues would just screw it up anyway).

Cornell reveals the villain to be Nightmare, who through some complicated sounding way is all of a sudden able to invade fiction. What’s idiotic about this detail is the timing. Cornell ties it to a particular book being written. Only… no one’s done it until now? No one’s ever written about the conceptual idea of the character Nightmare (who gives people nightmares) until now? Given the intelligence Cornell writes with (most of the time, at least, excepting his scenes between Sue and Reed), it’s a tad contrived.

CREDITS

Total Nightmare; writer, Paul Cornell; artist, Horacio Domingues; colorists, Nestor Pereyra and A. Dalhouse; letterer, Dave Lanphear; editor, Tom Brevoort; publisher, Marvel Comics.

Fantastic Four: True Story 2 (October 2008)

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Well, if it weren’t for Domingues, Cornell might really have something this issue.

Cornell tasks Domingues with drawing various literary figures and he comes up with something out of a “Scooby Doo” cartoon. The artwork here does not cut it–Marvel should be embarrassed. Domingues’s style is unfinished (they should have given him an experienced inker at the least) and almost entirely thoughtless. True Story, this issue shows, needs a visual tone. Domingues can’t bring it.

This issue excels past the first (it’ll probably be the best issue of the series, given the events) as Cornell starts teaming the Fantastic Four with the heroes of Pride and Prejudice. At least, I think it’s Pride and Prejudice, it’s an Austen novel for sure. But it lets Cornell be funny–he’s got a great sense of humor (Dante bickering with an Austen hero).

The end has issues, but it’s a fun read.

CREDITS

Grimm’s Fairy Tales; writer, Paul Cornell; artist, Horacio Domingues; colorist, Nestor Pereyra; letterer, Dave Lanphear; editor, Tom Brevoort; publisher, Marvel Comics.