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PIPELINE COMMENTARY AND REVIEW #43
29 March 1998
by Augie De Blieck Jr.
http://www.nic.com/~augie/pipeline
I got the chance to read a lot of comics this week, so why don't I just touch on a few of them and call it a column?
DEADPOOL #16 continues the story of the most compelling character change in the history of Marvel Comics. OK, maybe that's a bit of hyperbole. I don't know. I've only been reading comics for 9 years. But in comparison to the quick changes of other villains, such as Venom, this one is being done correctly, thoughtfully, and masterfully by Joe Kelly. He infuses Dead Pool with a quirky trait to make it just look like a fun enough comic on the surface. He's the "Merc with a Mouth." And Kelly throws some wonderfully witty dialogue in his mouth, with more pop culture references than MST3K on a good day. That alone would make it entertaining. But, no, it is Dead Pool's slow progression from self-centered bad guy to something more closely approximating a good guy that is the compelling side of the book. It's seen through the viewpoints of the characters around him. It's done through his own self-examination. And it's done over a course of time. This isn't a panel-to-panel change. Nope, we've gone 16 issues or more now with Dead Pool learning about himself.
In this issue Walter McDaniel's artwork really shines. It's the best stuff I've seen from him in a long time, maybe going back to the ShadowHawk special. It's remarkably detailed, given everything Kelly wrote in to this issue - from crowded fight scenes to herds of "sheep." It's easy to follow and exciting to look at.
So, yes, please do follow DEAD POOL. It's well worth it.
Thank goodness for THE BATMAN ADVENTURES: THE LOST YEARS #5. It cleared up one very big item for me. Just how it is that Nightwing can fly? Thank-you DC for providing us with the answer! Whew, now I can stop laughing at the cartoon again. ;-) And past that, this mini-series has proven indispensable. It's worthy link to the new series from the old series and I think manages everything quite nicely. Hilary Bader did an excellent job telling these tales, infusing them with the proper characters and action. Hampton and Beatty provided the type of art we have come to expect from this series: nothing but the simplistic best. This is stunning stuff.
The TROUBLEMAKERS [in issue #16] are on the verge of being exposed! Nevermind, Acclaim is going under...
NEVADA is the new Vertigo title brought to us by Steve Gerber and drawn by Phil Winslade and Steve Leialoha. It's a quirky story, to be sure, with language and situations making it suitable for mature readers only. Just like all the promotional material has said and the cover suggests, this is the tale of a woman and her ostrich. It's set in Vegas, there are some murders happening of a very weird sort, and there are a bunch of new characters. Hey, it's the start of a mini-series, whaddya expect? There's also some nice storytelling bits, such as the intermittent text pages. (And, yes, I agree with the 'homeless' guy about how easily they're faked. ;-) This one looks to be interesting.
An interview with Alan Moore in WIZARD this week says that he might leave SUPREME after issue -- Nevermind, Awesome is going under.
WIZARD is sporting a slightly newer look, and it works for me. I wish they'd go back to printing letters longer than two lines, though. =) But the return of the reader art is good to see. And the ASTRO CITY ad on page 122? I want a poster of that one. WITH the copy on it. I really like that.
STORMWATCH #5 is written by Warren Ellis and drawn by Bryan Hitch and Paul Neary. There haven't been any announcements as to the fate of this book, but it doesn't look good. The art inside, however, has never looked better. Yes, Hitch is a Davis clone, but he's added a lot to his style past that. His characters look a little, er, "beefier," I suppose is as good a word for it as any. And with Neary on inks, the stuff is just gorgeous. It would be a shame to see this series taken off the schedule just as the art was looking better than ever. As for the story -- it has its moments, and I'm looking forward to the third part of the story for some actual answers.
Warren Ellis also wrote the GEN13 BOOTLEG ANNUAL that came out this week, with art from Steve Dillon. It's typical Ellis, in both the way it is paced and in the way it is written. Nothing straight-forward super-heroic about this one. It's an unsettling read, with an unsettling ending. I liked it.
Ellis also wrote the long-awaited final book of the X-MEN/WILDC.A.T.S crossover which came out this past week. I didn't read it, though, as I didn't buy it. Funds ran low after everything else this week. So maybe next week!
The lineup is finally determined in AVENGERS #4 - just so long as you don't look at the poster or last pages first, you're in for a pleasant surprise. It's a good story with good artwork. What more do you want for your funny book dollar?
CAPTAIN AMERICA #5 hits a major snag at the end of the issue, as well. All of a sudden, the storyline takes a major twist. This is all after, however, some wonderful character bits between CapAm and Thor. Well worth picking up.
SUPERGIRL #21 is on quite a roll these days. This issue doesn't disappoint, either. Leonark Kirk hands in some wonderful pencils, although he doesn't apparently pencil it all. (Or is this just the nice way to include inkers these days in the credits?) The story arc is moved along quite nicely with, again, some great character moments, including one or two shockers. It's another series you should be reading. Peter David writes. If your faith in him was shaken by the past couple of years' worth of HULK, or if AQUAMAN just wasn't your thing, read this and restore your faith. (And the whole discussion of faith is ironic, given the material covered in the comic.)
-Augie
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