Men of War 3 (January 2012)

Vankin defines Men of War‘s target audience this issue in his backup. It’s pro-war, bigoted twits who are too stupid to ask questions. And Vankin makes it very, very clear. I’m not sure if he’s happily appealing to that audience or if it’s a joke. I don’t care either. His writing is awful.

Also terrible is Brandon this issue. Brandon’s front story–with Derenick’s art cramping a lame story’s style even more–is a rip off of the Iron Man “Five Nightmares” arc. People are weaponized and blow up.

But here, the good guys manage to take out the Muslim bad guys. In the new DC, I wonder if the big summer crossover will be about Lex Luthor’s secret Muslim heritage.

But I didn’t hate the comic. It’s DC doing ad work for the Army. The creators should be proud of doing such a soulless, artless piece of crap.

CREDITS

Last Clip; writer, Ivan Brandon; artist, Tom Derenick; colorist, Matt Wilson. Human Shields, Part Three of Three; writer, Jonathan Vankin; artist, Phil Winslade; colorist, Thomas Chu. Letterer, Rob Leigh; editors, Kate Stewart and Joey Cavalieri; publisher, DC Comics.

Men of War 2 (December 2011)

I wouldn’t say I enjoy reading Brandon’s comics—he’s not a good writer—but at least there’s always something funny to say about his writing. Some snide remark, whatever. But not this issue of Men of War. I think it’s goofy he’s got Sgt. Rock Jr. Jr. meeting up with a Greek goddess (Circe), but Derenick draws the heck out of the scene.

But the reason I’m not mocking Brandon isn’t just because he had the better artist this issue, but because Jonathan Vankin’s scripting on the backup story is laughable. It’s unbelievable an editor let this kind of dialogue pass in 2011. Vankin’s truly incompetent. It’s hard to describe; someone should sit down and study how not to write dialogue. And Winslade’s artwork is weak on the backup too but it’s not like good artwork would make a difference.

Still, I’m mildly impressed at Brandon’s atypically not terrible script.

CREDITS

Above the Air; writer, Ivan Brandon; artist, Tom Derenick; colorist, Matt Wilson. Human Shields, Part Two of Three; writer, Jonathan Vankin; artist, Phil Winslade; colorist, Thomas Chu. Letterer, Rob Leigh; editors, Kate Stewart and Joey Cavalieri; publisher, DC Comics.

Men of War 1 (November 2011)

I realize DC’s got to have something to sell to their pro-war readers, but come on… they couldn’t do any better than Men of War?

First up is Sgt. Rock’s grandson. Now, it’s iffy on the years when people are born and all, because Sgt. Rock III isn’t fighting in Iraq or Afghanistan, he’s cleaning up after superhuman Army agents. But that aspect isn’t the silliest. Or even Ivan Brandon introducing first person narration halfway through.

It’s just a stupid character. Brandon’s got a stereotype handbook and he uses it step by step—smarter than the West Point guys, but no formal education, check… invalid mother, check. It’s painfully unoriginal.

Tom Derenick’s art isn’t good, but he does spend time on it.

Jonathan Vankin and Phil Winslade’s backup suggests again the U.S. is paying DC to produce pro-war propaganda. It doesn’t go any deeper.

Men of War stinks.

CREDITS

Joseph Rock; writer, Ivan Brandon; artist, Tom Derenick; colorist, Matt Wilson. Human Shields, Part One of Three; writer, Jonathan Vankin; artist, Phil Winslade; colorist, Thomas Chu. Letterer, Rob Leigh; editors, Kate Stewart and Joey Cavalieri; publisher, DC Comics.

Star-Spangled War Stories (2010) #1

I don’t know if Justiniano and Tom Derenick draw exactly alike or if Andrew Mangum is just a really strong inker. If it’s just Magnum, he’s got have been going crazy to make it all fit.

The issue is a slick espionage story set in occupied France. There’s a decent twist at the end and Billy Tucci writes a strong Mademoiselle Marie. She’s not just smart, she’s cunning to a vicious degree. It’s a nice characterization.

It’s a shame Tucci’s dialogue is weak and his plotting is confusing.

The comic reminds me a lot of a slick Hollywood blockbuster. The pitfalls in the plot don’t matter because it’s moving very fast and is sufficiently compelling—I mean, at times it feels like the comic is missing pages because it’s so disjointed.

Some of the fault lies with the artists (regardless of it being smooth, it’s boring), but it’s Tucci’s responsibility.

DC Universe: Legacies (2010) #10

Dcl10

The story ends before Infinite Crisis, with an OMAC showing up and attacking the narrator. The narrator’s nurse at the assisted living place ends the issue suggesting he’s full of crap, which ends Legacies on a decidedly negative note. Not because the reader would believe he’s a loon, but because it’s such a mundane thing, being elderly and dismissed. It’s a defeat. What’s the point of getting all excited about the superheroes if the elderly are being dismissed in the DC Universe? What, is Superman going to deal with nuclear proliferation next?

Saiz only handles a handful of pages then Derenick takes over. It must be at that point DC finally stopped pretending they cared about Legacies being a professional job. Derenick’s expressions get hilarious at times.

The backup is an Infinite Crisis prologue with Blue Beetle. Nice Frank art, I guess, but totally useless.

Kind of like the series.