Sunday Splash Page #105

"Child Endangerment, Marvel Style," Captain Marvel (vol. 7) #17, by Kelly Sue DeConnick (writer), Filipe Andrade (artist), Jordie Bellaire (colorist), Joe Caramagna (letterer)

I ended up going with what Marvel says for the volume number. It includes Mar-Vell's series from back in the day, plus Genis-Vell's two series (it is crazy to me that guy got two ongoings that ran a combined 60 issues), plus a trio of mini-series that starred Monica Rambeau, Genis, and Mar-Vell (or a Skrull imposter), respectively.

Anyway, this was Kelly Sue DeConnick's first turn as writer of a Carol Danvers' ongoing. It's when Carol took the name Captain Marvel - I wanna say as a result of something that happened during Avengers vs. X-Men? - got the new costume, although almost none of the artists on the book actually drew her with that sort of faux hawk Ed McGuinness gave her for the cover.

This run deals a lot with Carol's past. The first story throws her back through time, ultimately gives her a choice of whether to let her past self get these powers or not. That segues into an old Kree enemy coming back with reality manipulating powers, plus Carol losing all her memories. That woman's brain is the equivalent of the surface of Io. Just a huge, constantly reshaped disaster area. I enjoyed the build up to that, Carol trying to refuse to acknowledge any weakness that might inhibit her, and it backfiring. There was also a two-part team-up with Monica Rambeau that was fun, which also brought in Frank Gianello from Carol's first ongoing series as another way to present problems for her to solve.

It was a mixed bag of a book, although I liked the attempt to build Carol a supporting cast of superheroes and civilians, new characters and old. There were tie-ins to things I wasn't interested in, and I felt like the first arc could have been shorter than six issues. Keep things moving, build some momentum. 

The book was not helped by the constant shuffle of artists, none of whom had styles similar to each other. The initial time travel story had at least 3 or 4 pencilers for 6 issues, including Dexter Soy, Karl Kesel and Emma Rios, and it was not a case of each artist drawing a specific time period. Then you get Andrade for several issues, a crossover with Avengers Assemble (which DeConnick was also writing) drawn by Scott Hepburn and Gerardo Sandoval, an Infinity tie-in by Pat Olliffee, and then back to Andrade.

It's too bad, because this book came out less than a year after Daredevil, which would have Chris Samnee as the regular artist to pair with Mark Waid by then. The Matt Fraction/David Aja Hawkeye book started about 3 months after Captain Marvel. That whole Marvel NOW approach of actually trying to giving a regular creative team a book, and just letting them do it. Captain Marvel could have been in a similar vein, but it never developed a style that was distinctly it. Unless mass confusion counts.

They'd try again in early 2014, and we'll take a look at that next week.

What I Bought 12/30/2015 - Part 4

Rocket Raccoon and Groot #1 shipped last week, but Diamond asked stores not to put in on the shelves until this week. Why they didn't just wait another week to ship them, I don't know. But either way, I found a shop that didn't wait, so screw it, I'll buy it now.

Patsy Walker aka Hellcat #1, by Kate Leth (writer), Brittney L. Williams (artist), Megan Wilson (color artist), Joe Sabino and Clayton Cowles (letterer) - I'm disappointed none of Patsy's fans are representing the costume she briefly had in that Engelhart/Breyfogle mini-series. With the blue and yellow reversed? Surely there is someone out there who defends it as the superior costume choice. Or is that up to me, because I'm not the best person to rely on as an advocate.

Patsy loses her job working for She-Hulk, but makes a friend in a young Terrigen-activated guy named Ian. And it's through Ian she realizes there are plenty of people out there with powers with no interest in fighting crime, or who just need work, and resolves to start her own temp agency to help those people out. Though this will require her to start working in retail to raise the funds. Except she also ran into her old friend Tom, who told her Hedy had signed some deal to re-release all of the old Patsy Walker comics, which netted him a handsome payout. Shouldn't Patsy be seeing some of that cash? Even if she's pissed at Hedy for doing it, she should still get some of the money, right?

There's this conversation with Ian in his apartment - although most of the book is an extended conversation with Ian, it just sometimes involves other people, not meant as a criticism, just an observation - where Patsy alludes to her difficult past relationships, and says she's trying to move on. And I guess I had taken it that she already had. They brought her back back from the dead in 2000. Even with Marvel's slow progress of time, that should have been a few years ago. And I guess I'd figured she'd mostly made her peace with that and moved forward. It isn't a big deal at the moment. I liked the book, the humor of it, and I thought Leth had a pretty good grasp on Patsy's character, that she enjoys getting to fight evil and uses it as a way to escape her other problems, but she means well and makes friends easily.

The combo of Williams and Wilson on art helps things out. Williams does this thing a few times where she simplifies Patsy's face - mostly removing her nose, enlarging the eyes, and giving her a sort of cat mouth - that I like. Tends to represent her mischievous side. The "angry She-Hulk" gag, where even the force of slamming the door is gamma-irradiated (and thus colored green). Though I think my favorite panel is that one of Patsy reacting to Tom telling her Hedy claimed to have Patsy's blessing. The gritted teeth, the way her shoulders are higher than normal (like she's arching her back, like a cat?), the narrowed eyes. It's a really good example of barely controlled anger. Wish they'd used the icicle effect on the speech balloon.

Rocket Raccoon and Groot #1, by Skottie Young (writer), Filipe Andrade (artist), Jean-Francois Beaulieu (color artist), Jeff Eckleberry (letterer) - I'm curious why Marvel gave each character their own solo book first, then went with the team-up title (although Groot was in Rocket's book constantly).

The rest of the Guardians of the Galaxy presume our title characters are dead, for some reason. But a familiar looking cloaked figure hires two mercenaries, Pockets and Shrub, to deliver something to evil Lord Rakzoon, who promptly orders them tortured, then executed until he learns they brought him a gift. Then he just orders them tortured. Then he inspects the package, which turns out to be Groot, with a bunch of stuff carved into him. Oh, and Rakzoon is Rocket.

Not the most gripping first issue. Didn't feel as though much happened. I know there's a mystery to be revealed as to why Rocket's acting like this, and what happened to Groot, but I don't find myself caring. Will Pockets and Shrub become recurring characters, or was that an one-off joke? Depending on how this "evil Rocket" plot plays out, they could have a serious grudge against him.

Andrade's art remains a mixed bag. I don't really enjoy the figurework - although the fact most of the characters are aliens, and most of them are cloaked in robes and masks obscures some of Andrade's issues with anatomy - but some of the layouts are well done. On one page, Pockets and Shrub are being pursued through space and towards the right side of the page. Pockets "gets his swerve on" and the steering wheel's position leads the eye to the panel of them basically pulling a hard turn to get behind their pursuer. That panel's basically in the middle of the page, and the movement of their ship is aimed for the lower left corner, which is where they are in the final panel, and now the pursuing ship is on the right side of the page, because it's continued on in the same direction. I feel maybe the actual swerve could have been depicted a little better, but the overall concept was sound. So pretty much the same reaction I had to Andrade's art when I first encountered it on DeConnick's Captain Marvel.

This was kind of a letdown, especially compared to Hellcat, so I don't know if I'll be back for issue 2.

What I Bought 3/24/2015 - Part 8

When I ordered all these recent releases, I also bought some back issues, most of which were various Iron Fist mini-series from the '90s or early 2000s. Marvel's releasing a trade of them sometime this summer, but I figured this would be cheaper and involve less waiting. None of them were what I'd call winners, and it seems like all of them were either about someone stealing the Iron Fist from Danny, or him wanting to give up being Iron Fist entirely.

Rocket Raccoon #8 and 9, by Skottie Young (writer), Filipe Andrade (artist, #8), Jake Parker (artist, #9), Jean-Francois Beaulieu (color artist), Jeff Eckleberry (letterer) - Well, Groot may have grown to enormous size and begun destroying the city, but Rocket's got his fists taped up, so I'm going with him. He could have anything hidden under that tape. Brass knuckles, attack bees, anything.

Rocket and Jink are trying to steal the yolk of a Nogu egg, because that will save Groot from the Nogu venom. Along the way, they talk a little, Rocket about how he and Groot met (it involves a prison break), and Jink about why she's helping (her father forbid her from making a similar trip months ago to save her mother). They find the nest, Rocket makes too much noise getting the yolk, and Jink kills the Mama Nogu from the inside. The day is saved, but as they leave the planet, our hero and his tree get a message from a guy who says Rocket should let Groot die. This fellow, Yak, sees possible futures, and in one of them, Groot joins the Avengers. They try to use his regenerative ability to cure diseases, but it somehow makes him grow to gargantuan stature and go berserk, to the point he's going to destroy Earth.

Iron Man tries to convince Rocket to come help talk him down, which doesn't work, then fails miserably at forcing Rocket to come to Earth. Though I guess he succeeds, because Rocket comes there mostly to kick Tony's ass, only to find Groot did it already. Rocket tries transforming his spacecraft into a mecha-Raccoonbot, and still gets destroyed. But this act brings Groot back to himself, and he helps make Earth into a paradise. It turns out what we saw was a simulation Yak had them run as a way to avert the future he saw. Quite why weird alien slug guy gives a crap whether Groot destroys Earth, is not explained, but his plan worked, so hooray?

Rocket didn't exactly live up to the recap page's promise that raccoons are great burglars. Oh right, he's not a raccoon. Well, that explains it. He made too much noise, nearly got eaten, then nearly got eaten again. Everyone has an off day. Very "power of friendship!" couple of issues. Rocket risking his neck for Groot (and his willingness to do so convincing Jink to defy her father and help him). Then Rocket dying (in a simulation of a future that won't happen) to help Groot snap back to his old self.

I'm not sure what to make of issue 9. Groot wants to join the Avengers, be a hero, Rocket didn't want to. So they parted company, and Groot ultimately gives too much, while Rocket grows bitter and alone. So this Rocket needs Groot around to remind him people are worth helping, but Groot needs someone to temper his selfless nature, someone who would have looked out for Groot, since the big fellow won't do it for himself.

I did like that when Stark tries to justify getting Groot to join to Rocket, he uses the same line about running through the door rather than walking he used to justify sending the Hulk off to die against Grootzilla at the start of the issue. Even in simulated alternate futures, Stark's still an ass.

Beaulieu's color work is really impressive on these two issues. I didn't think they were actually done by the same person, because they look so different. In issue 8, it's almost a painted quality to it, it reminds me a little of Dustin Nguyen's work when he paints the colors himself. There are these deep blues, and splashes of red or magenta for blood. It's less orderly, more Expressionistic (or what I see in my head when I think of Expressionism). Big splashes of color at times just hinting or suggesting the shape of clothing, or some huge creature. It's pretty cool, and very different from the next issue, when it's more what you might expect for a Marvel comic. It's mostly bright, sharply defined colors, staying inside Jake Parker's lines. There isn't that bleedover or anything like that.

What I Bought 1/26/2915 - Part 3

How's everybody's week going? Well, I hope.

Rocket Raccoon #5-7, by Skottie Young (writer, artist #5), Jake Parker (artist #5 & 6), Filipe Andrade (artist, #7), Jean-Francois Beaulieu (color artist), Jeff Eckleberry (lettering) - That's a really effective use of negative space there. And Young even drew Rocket's eyes as slits, to make him look like he's squinting against the wind in his face.

Each issue is a separate story, though issue 7 is the part of at least a two-issue arc. 5 is Rocket and Groot out camping with some alien kids, and Groot tells a story about the two of them finding a treasure map, which leads them on a quest involving a poker game (where Deadpool is involved, oddly), killing a cyclops (but not Cyclops, sadly) with a big sword, and finally, selecting the right treasure chest from three belonging to an alien pirate ghost. Except it was all just a birthday gift from the Guardians to Rocket, which just annoys our hero since it means no pile of loot. Just friendship, and cake. The joke is that since Groot tells the story, all the dialogue is variations on 'I am Groot'. But Young and Parker tell it easily enough with the art, so it's fine (although the "I am Groot" thing is starting to get old. But I recall that when Giffen first brought him back in Conquest, he knew more than three words, and used them frequently).

In issue 6, Cosmo calls in a favor Rocket owes him (for something that happened in the current Nova series), which involves helping Brute. Brute was a war mech that was discarded on an abandoned world with other obsolete mechs. But they possess intelligence, and built a peaceful civilization. Except some interested parties found it and stole 4 of the mechs, to turn them back into war machines and sell them. Cosmo's a law dog, so he can't get officially involved, but Rocket is a wild card with a questionable rep, so he's perfect. He and the robot (which speaks in binary, so no more intelligible than Groot) find where the mechs are being sold, rescue them, beat hell out of everyone, and the mechs go home, where they make baked goods. Including dog biscuit topped cupcakes for a certain head of security at Knowhere. Parker handles art chores solo on this issue, and his style is a bit more simplified than Young's. Rocket looks a bit more cutesy than Young's stringy, slightly feral version, but that works. This Rocket is actively trying to reform a bit, do good deeds for money (since he had to repay those princesses for all the cash he bilked them out of). He still complains a lot, and he's still violent, but he's at least showing greater selectivity in who he's being violent towards, and more critically, why.

Issue 7, Groot and Rocket are stranded on an ice planet, because Rocket didn't check the fuel gauge before they left home. They get attacked by things that vaguely look like enormous jackalopes, and saved by the princess of the locals, but not before Groot is bitten. And the creature's venom blocks his regenerative ability, so he's really going to die this time, unless they can get an egg from the mama of the Nogu. But the princess' father nixes that idea, meaning Rocket will naturally go by himself. Except Jink didn't appreciate being called a Daddy's girl, so he's got her on his side. But the Mother Nogu is large. Like Fin Fang Foom large, so good luck gettin' that egg.

I haven't seen Andrade's art since the end of the previous Captain Marvel series. This involves fewer human beings, which works to his advantage. If I think Jink's eyes seem oddly small and widely spaced, well, she's an alien. I can't see that being an evolutionary advantage, but maybe it is. His Rocket looks a bit nastier than Parker's or even Young's. More snarling, less smirking. The dark color Beaulieu's using around the gums really highlights the small, sharp white teeth Andrade gives him. When Jink's dad grabs him by his jacket and hauls him up, Andrade gives Rocket a posture that suggests a small creature being threatened. His teeth are bared, his nose is kind of wrinkled, even his hands and arms are held in a manner that almost suggests trying to flash his claws at the threat. It's a style that emphasizes the animal Rocket was created from, moreso than usual.

Beaulieu's color work, like on Avengers Arena and Undercover, is superb. Andrade uses heavier blacks in his work, but it plays well against an ice planet, which is a lot of white and various shades of blue. The colors tend to be brighter in the earlier two issues, but so is the tone of the stories. A lot more warm oranges, and vibrant reds. It suits tales that are emphasizing the size and strangeness of the universe, but in a sillier way. Contrasted with issue 7, where the strangeness is hostile and dangerous, where even the traits you think will keep you safe can be circumvented and rendered useless.