Din's Geek Reviews: Wednesday Shuffle #1

Hello, and welcome to Wednesday Shuffle where I take a few minutes to give my opinion of some recent comic book releases.

Alright, people. This is my first review, and frankly, I couldn't have picked a worse week to begin on. Why? Because all three books I picked up this week were pretty darn good, and positive reviews just don't sell.

However, before getting into that, I feel a little disclaimer is required: I am not a huge comic-book fan. I mean, I love the genre, and will defend to the death Batman's infinite superiority to Superman, but I'm just not the kind of guy who buys ten or more books a week. A heavy week for me includes four books, so let's not get too excited, shall we? Agreed? Then on to the issues.

Buffy the Vampire Slayer #27
Ah, the continuing misadventures of Sunnydale's pint-sized powerhouse.

Plot
Continuing directly from Issue #26, Buffy and company are on the run from a pro-vampire society, and secret military plot, and the looming threat of "Twilight." Having landed a submarine in Tibet, (don't ask) the team has now met up with Oz, and are in desperate need of hiding their magics. The issue is mostly background and exposition, framed as Oz explaining how he got to be here, and what happened to him after leaving Sunnydale (the second time, in Season 4). The flashbacks are quality, and provide a nice bridge for the character.
Meanwhile, Warren, Amie, and Reilly continue their work for Twilight, who is growing more and more impatient with their failures. Eventually, the Baddies begin to close in on Team Slayer.

Artwork
The artwork in the issue is pretty mediocre. For some reason, the second page is wildly different from the rest of the book, (being much worse, in fact) which puts one in the wrong mood for the rest of the issue. In general however, the colors are bright and fetching, and the brown overtones in the flashbacks are subtle enough to provide ambiance without drowning us in it.
The only major artistic qualm I have with this book is the continuing lack of definition with the characters. Though it's pretty easy to spot characters like Giles, Xander, or Willow (who all have defining physical traits) characters like Dawn, Faith, and even Oz can sometimes look a little samey.

Writing
The writing of this issue is, by and large, the same stuff we've gotten used it in BuffyS8. Sometimes there'll be an issue that makes you feel like you're watching the show, other times... Well, there isn't. This issue is one of them. Due to the generally serious and plot-driven nature of this issue, the characteristic banter of the Scooby Gang is kept pretty minimal. That being said, the issue is still engaging, and the characters are presented fairly accurately.

Thoughts
This issue of Buffy was a nice, plot-heavy issue. The artwork was decent, the writing was decent, and the over-all feel was one of above-average good-times. As always, Buffy is a tad hard to jump into, but I suppose now is as good a time as any. Buffy #27 retails for $2.99

Angel #24 - Drusilla Pt. 1
♪Run and catch, run and catch...♪
Since this issue is so heavily focused on Drusilla, I have largely reviewed it in its role as the "first Drusilla comic," rather than as an issue of Angel.

Plot
Taking place "Just Before" the fall of Los Angles, (see Angel: Season 5) this two-part story begins by revealing that Drusilla (Juliet Landau) was recovered from her encounter with Angel by seemingly normal police officers. She is currently committed to a mental hospital, and the issue largely follows her and her doctors, as they discuss, treat, and cover-up-the-murders-of the vampiress. This issue seems to be more of a set-up for the second part of the story, establishing Dru's position, and hinting that someone, somewhere, is willing to cover for her.

Art
Alright, this is something I can honestly complain about. Angel has never had the strongest art since arriving at IDW, and that's a very large part of why I haven't been reading it until now. This issue is no real exception. Although the art over-all is not bad, the fact is that tie-in books must be held to a different standard than your average comic, and that's where this issue fails. For a book centered on a character so stunningly distinctive as Drusilla, the artist sure didn't seem to know what she looked like. In fact, the only time the character in the book looks like Landau is after she "vamps out," and only then for a handful of panels. At least the cover art is good enough (I have the type-C variant) and the back-up photo gallery was a nice, if unneeded, addition. In short, a tie-in comic needs to be true to its source material. By and large, this book fails that duty.
That being said, the action scenes were well done, and Drusilla's dance-like movements were captured quite well.

Writing
The writing for this issue is pretty standard Angel, in the sense that it is stronger than Buffy, while only mildy above-average in its own right. Dialogue is strong and seems natural, and, in a book with no narration, that's really all you can ask for. Drusilla's character in particular is well written (it ought to be - this issue was co-written by Juliet Landau herself) and her eerie, whimsical nature is not lost in the jump to comics.

Thoughts
This book is very, very solid. I enjoyed it quite a lot, and am glad I jumped on to Angel for this story. Unlike past comics such as Dark Horse's Spike & Dru books, this issue has really captured the Drusilla's dark flare, that insane childishness that made us love her in the first place. Now we can only pray for a spin-off. Angel #24 retails for 3.99, and is worth the price tag, if you already like Drusilla.

Captain America Reborn #2
The continuing adventures of some people who aren't Captain America.

Plot
Trying to make sense of this plot is like trying to explain the sexual implications of Lady Macbeth’s "out damn spot" speech to an autistic capybara.
Okay, strained metaphors aside, it goes something like this:
Steve Rogers (Captain America) was shot last year (or two years ago, I dunno) by a merc at the end of Marvel's Civil War cross-over. Now Bucky Barnes (aka Winter Soldier) is the new Captain America. However, it turns out that Steve Rogers isn't actually dead, he's just an unstable point in time and space (it's... it's just what Marvel does. Let it go), so while his body remains fixed, his mind floats all round the history of his life. So now Bucky and Black Widow (a super heroine I've never really followed) are trying to rescue Rogers' remains, while Agent 13, (Rogers' love interest) is undergoing tests by Reed Richards (Mr. Fantastic) because she actually shot the bullet that "killed" Rogers, but was under some kind of mind control-
Damn.
Screw that. Get the background yourself, why don't ya.
So this issue begins with my favorite part of any Cap book - Flashbacks! Yes, that's right; we get to see WWII through Cap's eyes once again. This is where Brubaker really shines, but more on that later.
So there's some fighting in the past, some fighting in the present, Norman Osborn let's Crossbones and Sin out of jail, and then captures Barnes and Widow. Osborn reveals that he's now leaked that 13 shot Cap, and that he will kill Bucky if she doesn't turn herself in. I guess he's trying to solidify his power base by having his own honest-to-goodness Captain America? Hell, I don't follow Dark Reign...
That's pretty much it. Its issue #2 of a 5-issue series, composed significantly of flashbacks. What did you expect?

Artwork
The monthly Captain America books have always had stellar art, and this issue continues this proud tradition. The dark, gritty colors of WWII provide a wonderful atmosphere, contrasting quite well with the more color-heavy tones of the modern world. The browns of the battlefield, the blues of the helicarrier, the greens of Richards' lab, and the sick washed-out lemon-lime of Crossbones'/Sin's prison cell all culminate in the flashback to the creation of Captain America, ending the scene in a full-page splash of death and flame.
The characters are well represented, and even non-costumed characters are easily told apart. Special kudos to the F.D.R. cameo - they even got his smile down.
Also of note, this issue has a full, wrap-around cover, showing Cap and Bucky fighting the Nazis in WWII. Captain America with Hitler in a strangle-hold? Hell Yes.

Writing
This issue of Reborn is above average, even for the already high-standard Captain America books. Particularly, Rogers' internal monologue is very well-done, and quite touching near the end of the book. Norman Osborn is well-voiced, and I could even hear Willam Dafoe's voice in my head at times. The flashbacks were touching, and the suspense is beginning to mount in the present.
However, I can't help but think that this book is not just well suited for, but actually designed for the hardcover/trade-paperback market. Each issue so far has been solid, but the actual plot points are few in number. It will probably read much better as a collected edition.

Thoughts
This book is very good, probably the best of today's three (although Drusilla has different up-sides).
Stellar art is usually a good starting point for any book, and this one has it down pat. Likewise, the writing continues Brubaker's narrative, and keeps the characters true to both their roots, and their developments. The flashbacks continue to be the book's strong-suit, but the modern stuff works well too. If the entire series continues at this level of quality, it will be a welcome (if convoluted) chapter to the Captain America mythos. Captain America Reborn #2 retails for $3.99 and is worth every penny.

Conclusion
This week was one of the better ones I've seen in quite a while. Though a little tie-in heavy, the differences between Buffy and Angel are pretty vast, so it didn't come off crowded. Each book provided a different feel, and each was strong in its own way. Buffy was plot heavy and colorful, Angel was dark and foreshadowing, and Captain America was exciting and beautiful. This was a very solid week.

Coming Soon to Wednesday Shuffle:
Tales from Wonderland #6 & 7
Escape from Wonderland #1
The Marvels Project #1
Captain America: Theater of War