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HOUSE OF PENANCE #1
WRATH OF THE ETERNAL WARRIOR #6
THANOS: THE INFINITY FINALE OGN
DOC SAVAGE: THE SPIDER’S WEB #5
HOUSE OF PENANCE #1
Writer: Peter J. TomasiArt: Ian Bertram
Publisher: Dark Horse Comics
Reviewer: MstrCpp
Each different medium of art has its own specific language comprised of tools and tricks to transmit its message to its audience. How a book communicates to a reader is distinctly different than how a movie talks to a viewer. Horror movie makers engage multiple senses at a time, able to unsettle you not only with visuals, but with aural cues to let you know that you ought to be scared. This language abounds in our culture and is familiar even to those who don’t watch scary movies. The language of books on the other hand, happens not in one’s eyes or ears, but in one’s mind. Instead being able to sit back and watch a story unfold in the theatre, a reader must actively ingest the story and generate for themselves that fear. Consequently, the language that a creator uses in a book has to be precise and the upmost of strategic. Rather than inserting “scary bass drone” sound effects as the protagonist rounds the corner, comic book creators such as writer Peter J. Tomasi and artist Ian Bertram have to instead craft a new set of cues with each new story to tell their readers that yes, you should be afraid. In HOUSE OF PENANCE, they are absolutely successful in this goal and it makes for one spooky story.
From page one, the mystery begins and tension is established. Tight, specific panels communicate only enough to establish time and place, describe a mission to transport a pair of coffins, and to pique one’s interest in why this is happening at all. Then page two reveals the focal point of this story: The Winchester Mystery House. Regardless of whether or not you know the real-life story behind this fictional comic book one, these opening images trigger suspicion and unease starts to grow. Like the Frankensteins and Draculas of old Hollywood, the Winchester Mansion looms in the distance, your brain starts to make those connections and log curious information to keep track off as you can’t help but jump to worrisome conclusions while you sit and soak in Betram’s excellent artwork.
At the center of the mystery is Mrs. Winchester, the heir to the Winchester Rifle fortune. A real historical figure, Sara Winchester generated national attention when she commissioned a mansion in San Jose in 1884. As the story goes, she thought herself haunted by all the ghosts that were killed by Winchester rifles, so she demanded that the construction on the house would never cease, which it didn’t till the day she died. Thus, the mansion still stands as a tourist location that has stairs leading nowhere, doors that lead to nothing, and all sorts of other oddities that came along during construction.
In HOUSE OF PENANCE, Tomasi and Bertram seek to make their own addition to the ghost story lore, though in this issue one, what exactly that addition will be is not quite clear yet. Each page introduces more and more information about this house and its owner, establishing a language of art and words that alarm you more and more. The iconography of eyes and guns and blood keep reappearing, and you begin to understand that these things have significance. The rules of the house are instructed and deeper mysteries are alluded to. A character enters with his own agenda and you have to speculate on what his affect will be.
That’s how you do horror right. In a first issue of multi-part story, Tomasi and Betram, with the help from the Wild West color palette of Dave Stewart, hit every beat needed to set up a supremely creepy story. They slowly reel out their key players, a world in which they live, and the rules that govern it, while also establishing the themes, icons, ideas, and mysteries that make up the language of this book. Despite the challenge to create this new set of language, by making this toolbox of tool for themselves, they now can continue to twist and warp the events of the story, leading the audience in very much the same way as the “scary bass drone sound effect” leads you in a movie. Consequently, HOUSE OF PENANCE is an exciting addition to the creepy world of scary stories, and it’s already shaping up to be excellent competition for its film-focused rivals.
WRATH OF THE ETERNAL WARRIOR #6
Writer: Robert VendittiArtist: Juan Jose Ryp
Publisher: Valiant Entertainment
Reviewer: Masked Man
Valiant’s Highlander inspired hero Gilad AnniPadda, aka the Eternal Warrior, continues his new life in the new Valiant comics. FYI, Gilad’s more famous brother is Armstong, from ARCHER & ARMSTRONG fame.
In current day, Gilad has finally died and he’s been running around in the afterlife. So, the comic has shifted to his past, running around ancient Mesopotamia. Spoiler time, as we get to the recap! So the Queen (who is most likely, “the Immortal Enemy”, who isn’t immortal like Gilad, he/she just reincarnates over and over again), has had Gilad’s wife killed and abducted their baby, Kalam for her own. Gilad is hot on her trail and basically murders everyone he runs across in the big city. Of course, when he meets the hire thug who did the dirty deeds, Gilad tries to make it a bit more memorable. But he’s too late, as the Queen knew what kind of can of whup-@$$ she opened and left town with the baby.
So as this issue goes over the past and a rather unpleasant past for our hero, the single word to describe these pages is carnage. Lots and lots of carnage (which is odd, because that’s exactly what’s going on in X-O MANOWAR which is also written by Venditti- huh). Seems that Valiant is becoming the rated R comic verse. Even more so with WRATH OF THE ETERNAL WARRIOR, as it doesn’t have too far to go to become a CROSSED book. Storywise, Venditti is laying some good ground work for the introduction of a ‘new’ villain, but that’s only like four pages and the rest is blood-letting.
Spanish artist, Juan Jose Ryp, who has done some work for Marvel, has a very raw and detailed style. Which very much fits this book ancient violence. His story telling is good and his attention to detail is most impressive. Although I feel he overdraws just a little; as every square centimeter doesn’t require texture. Still any one who enjoys violent gore will appreciate his work.
Overall there is just not enough going on in this issue and is bit over the top with its gore. Hopefully, it will come together nicely in the trade, as this issue is just one long drawn out scene.
THANOS: THE INFINITY FINALE OGN
Writer: Jim StarlinArtist: Ron Lim
Publisher: Marvel Comics
Reviewer: Masked Man
Well Jim Starlin, the man who created Thanos and whom really put Adam Warlock on the map, has ended his latest tenure with the characters. Seems like about every 20 years or so (70’s, 90’s, 10’s), Starlin tries to do something big with the characters. These past two years he has cranked out: THANOS: THE INFINITY REVELATION, THE HULK VS THANOS, THANOS: THE INFINITY RELATIVITY, THE INFINITY ENTITY and THANOS: THE INFINITY FINALE.
The first three were written and drawn by Starlin, THE INFINITY ENTITY was drawn by Alan Davis. And now the THANOS: THE INFINITY FINALE is drawn by Ron Lim, the guy who helped Starlin finish THE INFINITY GAUNTLET. As always, his work is very well done. While Lim’s backgrounds might not always be best, his superheroes figures are. And in here he gets to draw a few epic fight scenes with many of Marvel’s A-list, as well as the cosmic two-some.
In an attempt to avoid spoilers, this OGN (original graphic novel) gives us the climax of the battle between Annihilus and Thanos. It’s fun, epic and stuff we’ve kinda seen too much already from Starlin. And that’s the big strike against this finale, not enough originality. He also does some interesting borrowing from the LORD OF THE RINGS. To be fair though, Starlin using Annihilus is very new. Almost the real high point of this all. He credits Keith Giffen’s ANNIHILATION with giving him the idea to match Annihilus against Thanos. But then things kinda go the way they usually go with Starlin and his god-like characters.
Now if you don’t want any spoilers, skip this paragraph. Easily, the high point of the OGN is the slugfest between Annihilus forces and the heroes of Earth (something we missed out on in ANNIHILATION). And the low point had to be the destruction of the universe- again. Seems like Starlin can’t write a Thanos story anymore that doesn’t involve the destruction of the universe. This time he does push it a bit farther by have team Thanos/Warlock meet God or as he put it, Above-All Others. It would have been nice if God said something along the lines of, what again guys!? Instead, Thanos strikes a bargain with God. Using the theory that God created the multiverse to experience the plethora of worlds created by each human choice. An interesting enough concept, but kind of ignores the whole concept of karma, which most religions claim is God’s main focus. Either way God accepts, and returns Thanos universe, and Adam Warlock then recreates his universe (see THANOS: THE INFINITY REVELATION if you didn’t get that). This all leads to another weak point of the OGN, everything wraps up a little too nicely, almost as if nothing happened. Lastly, I’ll say I was bummed with Mephisto’s lack of involvement in the Finale. Especially, after the whole build up to his reveal.
Still I enjoy the over tale and Ron’s artwork here. On some level watching Adam Warlock and Thanos play a full game of chess would be interesting to read under Starlin’s direction. So while this wasn’t Starlin’s best outing with the cosmic pair, it was nowhere near the worst outing either. And the format of the three OGNs is very nice.
Now I’m curious if Marvel will let Starlin play with his boys again, anytime soon. As they seem to want the straight up badguy Thanos, as in Hickman’s INFINITY crossover. Fostering his ultimate badguy role in the upcoming Avenger movies. Mind you, if Adam Warlock doesn’t play a big role in those films, I will be quite disappointed. Lastly, I’ll say it again: Come on Jim, you had THANOS: THE INFINITY REVELATION and THANOS: THE INFINITY RELATIVITY, how the hell did you miss “Thanos: The Infinity Resolution”?!
So despite some “Infinity Retreading”, yet the overall fun of the other OGNs, THANOS: THE INFINITY FINALE, on the Masked Man’s scale of Crap, Poor, Decent, Good, & Great, just scores a GOOD.
DOC SAVAGE: THE SPIDER’S WEB #5
Writer: Chris RobersonArtist: Cezar Razek
Publisher: Dynamite Entertainment
Reviewer: Masked Man
Dynamite’s second Doc Savage series comes to a close, with a resounding whiff, through out the ballpark. Roberson’s first go at the Man of Bronze was far more successful.
So what went wrong in this latest mini-series. One, it was boring. The action was held to a minimum, and in flashbacks! As Doc and team spent most of their time talking about what’s going and who the badguy is. This leads us to point number Two, the shadowy badguy! That any 4th grader could have figured out who he was after the first issue! Seriously, if you are going to make the identity of the badguy that obvious, you can’t play if off as a big reveal at the end.
The main thrust of this final issue was the climatic showdown between Doc and the villain. I’m sorry, did I say showdown? I meant conversation. Which may have been interesting if the villain was notable like Dr. Doom or Joker (to Mr. Fantastic or Batman), instead Roberson uses a no-name. I suppose Roberson was going for a, frail sickly villain in a wheelchair vs Doc Savage’s paragon of perfection foil. But he gave us no time with the villain, so at the end, who cares.
Cezar Razek does well enough with his art in this final issue, as he did through out the series. His figures are good and overall he’s a decent artist. Though he still has some work to do in getting the best compositions, to really sell the action and drama. He’s clearly working on though, as some pages are better than others.
Now, while I still look forward to the next Doc Savage title from Dynamite, on the Masked Man’s scale of Crap, Poor, Decent, Good, & Great: THE SPIDER’S WEB: DOC SAVAGE scores a POOR.
Proofs, co-edits & common sense provided by Sleazy G
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