The Spirit #5
Writer/Artist: Darwyn Cooke

The Spirit tangles with a vicious new villain: The Cossack.

We’re five issues in now and, yes, it’s a phenomenal looking book. The content still has a tendency to tow the typical superhero party line too strictly, though. Don’t get me wrong, this fifth issue of The Spirit — like the others in the series — isn’t a bad comic. It goes down easy, but lacks personality and tension.

The Brave and the Bold #3
Writer: Mark Waid
Artist: George Perez

Batman and Blue Beetle vs. The Fatal Five.

Besides All-Star Superman, Waid and Perez’s new Brave and the Bold series is an effortless success and already one of the best superhero comics around. This stupendous third issue offers continuity-and-pretention-free fun and excitement, a driving narrative, and genuine unpredictability. Wheeeeeee.

The Damned #1-5
Writer: Cullen Bunn
Artist: Brian Hurtt

Although it is very similar to the film, Miller’s Crossing with demons is a description that doesn’t quite do this consistently inventive, superbly drawn, and creepy five-issue mini-series justice. The creators craft a fascinating, living noir/horror hybrid world and fill it with compelling characters, and Hurtt’s precise, atmospheric work contains some of the best use of lights and darks this side of Miller and Mazzuchelli.

Overlooked as a monthly, The Damned should find an appreciative audience as a trade.

Glacial Period
By Nicolas De Crecy

Enthralling artwork almost saves De Crecy’s paper-thin story about a futuristic archaeological expedition that uncovers the Louvre beneath decades of snow and ice. There are a couple of neat ideas — the most insightful of which concerns the archaeologists’ interpretations of the museum. But unfortunately this sometimes thoughtful and mischievous import is too uneven for its own good.

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SHAZAM! THE MONSTER SOCIETY OF EVIL #1 (of 4)
Writer and Artist: Jeff Smith

It’s been a loooong time since there was a prestige (1980s represent!) title from DC “worthy” of the format, and I’m not entirely sure this first chapter of Smith’s Captain Marvel reworking/Year One proves the series is going to be worth your hard-earned $24. However, I am willing to bet it’ll make a great trade. One of the best storytellers and comedic artists in modern comics, prime examples of Smith’s careful, economical style and gentle, character-based humor can be found here in spades. The wonderful last four pages alone almost changed my mind about the whole monthly v. trade debate.

A bit precious in a couple places near the start and overall lightweight, I predict Shazam is going to be massively lauded all over the place for being old fashioned and “good for the kids,” which is nice and all, but there’s no reason to overrate it at this point as a Savior/Classic of Superhero Comics (see: New Frontier, All-Star Superman, et al) and put far too much responsibility and expectations on its shoulders. Just let it be and enjoy the ride — I’m guessing all it wants to be is much like those old C.C. Beck and Otto Binder stories: imaginative, fun, and entertaining. And that’s fine.

THE DARK TOWER: THE GUNSLINGER BORN #1 (of 7)
Writers: Stephen King, Robin Furth, Peter David
Artists: Jae Lee, Richard Isanove

The Dark Tower: The Gunslinger (and the unbelievably bloated It) marked the end of an intense middle/early-high-school love affair I had with King’s books, so one might say I’m predisposed to not enjoying this prequel to the bestselling author’s ambitious meta-epic. Sure, the genre mashup (Western + dark fantasy) and basic premise are kind of interesting, and King’s developed an original-ish and fully realized world. Which all leads to me being sorry to say I found this first chapter of the comic series just as preposterously silly, self-indulgent, heavy-handed, and predictable as the Dark Tower novels. Looks great, though.

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New Universal #1
Writer: Warren Ellis
Artist: Salvador Larroca

I don’t agree with Dan that Loeb and Liefeld’s new Onslaught series was a bold move — it reeks of that musty cash-grab smell. But reintroducing Marvel’s biggest disaster of the 80s, the New Universe? Now there’s some real brass balls. Ellis’s multiple-storyline, ensemble approach to everyday people discovering they have powers is a bit tired, and it’s too bad somebody told Larroca, a solid artist, to make like Bryan Hitch because he can’t pull it off. Still, Ellis keeps things moving as always. A diverting, mildly promising start.

Justice Society of America #1
Writer: Geoff Johns
Artist: Dale Eaglesham

The JSA takes the first step in recruiting new members. The issue is somewhat fascinating in that it’s very close to being a genuine soap opera. Look, it’s melodramatic, aimed at a very specific audience, there are like 80 characters, 12 different storylines, references to obscure continuity, clunky dialogue, little to no sense of humor, and almost nothing to care about unless you’re a long-time DC fanboy — it’s cornball fiction for adults. Although there’s a serious undercurrent of sadism and erotica at work here that’s kind of interesting.

MORE AFTER THE JUMP!

Detective Comics #826
Writer: Paul Dini
Artist: Don Kramer

Cliched Comic Commandment #47: good writing can save mediocre art. That’s exactly what happens in this jolt of a Joker story from Dini, who continues to excel at transferring his concise and economical storytelling approach from TV to comics.

Midnighter #2
Writer: Garth Ennis
Artist: Chris Sprouse

Sprouse’s work is so smooth he makes it look easy, and what self-respecting geek didn’t sit around as a kid and at some point bring up the old “if you could go back in time, would you kill Hitler?” quandry that’s explored here. The anti-gay comments are still a bit ham-fisted (Memo to GE: we get it, buddy), but this is a tense and unpredictable good time.

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‘Nuff said.

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Spidey Sez: This is the stuff. Crisp, clean, and classic in appearance. This sucker just pops ight out at you and lets even the most non-comic book literate filmgoer know what they’re in store for with the third flick. It may not be breaking any new ground, but it gives ya what you want.

Spidey Sez: What the hell were they thinking? They created the perfect story in a photo and went stupid on it with Photoshop. Note to studio – this is Spider-Man, not Sin City. Save the stylized designs for product that it fits, not a classic, straightforward super-hero story. Someone missed the boat with this one.

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Museum of Terror Vols. 1-2
By Junji Ito
$13.95

MUSEUM OF TERROR 1-2: The Lovecraft-inspired Ito might be the best pure horror creator in comics, which means this series is one of the essential releases of the year. These first two volumes collect the superb “Tomie” stories, a series of darkly humorous tales about a beautiful, manipulative Japanese girl/demon/ghost/something who can’t be killed but inspires psychotic obsession and stomach-turning violence. Excelsior!

Abandon the Old in Tokyo
By Yoshihiro Tatsumi
$19.95

ABANDON THE OLD IN TOKYO: As you can tell from the title, these dark, gritty tales of sexual and social repression among Tokyo’s lower classes are the height of hilarity! One of the best books of the year.

Who Fighter
By Seiho Takizawa
$11.95

WHO FIGHTER: Three superbly drawn weird war tales that take themselves much too seriously and don’t really go anywhere. Zzzzzz.

The Walking Man
By Jiro Taniguchi
$16.99

THE WALKING MAN: A series of Buddhist parables? A portrait of a dissolving marriage? A portrait of a dissolving society? A suggestion to slow down one’s life and pay attention to the world around you? However one interprets these quiet and plaintive tales about a man walking around suburban Japan, Taniguchi’s work contains a strange and affecting power. It’s devil horns for you, Taniguchi!

Sincerely,
Your Pal Spidey

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We have a new staff member joining us to give even more opinionated and mildly informed views on everything: 67-Points-of-Articulation Spidey (67POAS)!

Seriously, this dude is more flexible than I am and can pop lock with the best of them. Please make him feel welcome.

Ok, let’s get on with it.

Fantastic Four: The End #1 (of 6)
Writer/Artist: Alan Davis

Translation:
Looks wonderful and Davis excels at old school world-building — but it takes its sweet time getting started. Actually, does it ever really start…?

Midnighter #1
Writer: Garth Ennis
Artist: Chris Sprouse

Translation:
Very routine: lots of punching against unbeatable odds and the use of “the Midnighter’s gay!” for easy characterization/sympathy. The second half picks up a little, though. My curiousity = piqued.

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