Still on the Shelf #4 - Meridian
Still on the Shelf #4 - Meridian
Originally published April 15th, 2003 on www.ComiXtreme.com. This work is, of course, © Craig Reade.
With Crossgen gaining in popularity, how does Meridian hold up to scrutiny?
Meridian is one of the first books to come out of CrossGen Comics. Admittedly, to this point, the last CrossGen book I read prior to preparing for this column was the CrossGen Primer, and based upon their phenomenal success, I thought this would be an ideal time to take a close look at one of their original titles.
The world of Demetria is the setting for this story- a planet where the surface is uninhabitable. The populace lives on floating islands held aloft by the effects of a mysterious ore, which they travel between using ships made of wood also affected by this ore. Meridian is the first of these islands, and the focus of the story. Sephie, the main character, currently holds the title of Minister of Meridian. Sephie is also a Sigil-bearer of this world. The Sigil is a mark found upon a select group throughout the CrossGen Universe, it indicates those who have been selected to weild certain powers. Sephie posseses “The Power of Renewal.” Ilahn, the major villain of this book, also bears a Sigil, which signifies he too holds a power, “the Power of Destruction.”
Last Issue-
Meridian #34 is a Key Issue, which is a place where CrossGen recommends that new readers interested in investigating the title jump in. CrossGen’s use of these “Key Issues” is a great concept- basically you are treated to something of a recap of the major events that occurred in previous issues that have relevance to the story at hand, without giving a long, boring, and detailed recap of the entire history of the comic. On this concept I commend CrossGen. Though for the regular reader, these issues seem to offer very little that is new, it certainly is a great way of pausing, orienting the reader into the direction the writer wants to take the story, and then taking off from there. Most comics jump from story to story with little or no direction, and that certainly results in some confusion when pieces of a story a reader might find important are dropped with no fanfare. Issues like this one tell you up-front what is important, so there is no confusion. It is a bit much to take in all at once, so I would recommend anyone interested in taking a look at this title begin with this issue, and read it twice.
I also took a look at issue #33, which basically tells the story of Jad, a major character thought dead by everyone. There is no doubt that he is going to resurface in a later issue. As you might imagine, he is alive and well, stranded on another island. Issue #33 chronicles exactly what he does to get a ship from the island’s inhabitants, and escape.
Thoughts-
If you are into art- this is the book for you. The entire book is beautifully drawn, and work is simply stunning. I am also highly impressed with the color- it is vibrant and deep- I really feel that there are few better examples out there of art in comics today. Steve McNiven and the rest of the team definitely deserve a great deal of credit for their work. Unfortunately, the art really seems to be the best thing about this title.
Meridian is supposed to be geared towards female readers. However, though I am not a young female, I still like to think that I can recognize a good story, regardless of whether or not the story is directed at me. While the general premise of Barbara Kesel’s story does lend itself to a deep and complex fantasy tale, I found it to be lacking. The ideas are good, but things progress at a fairly slow pace. While I am all in favor of patient and well thought-out storytelling, I do feel that there is a lack of substance: much of the major happenings in the story are glossed over, in favor of some pretty seemingly inconsequential dialogue and narration. When something major does occur, it just seems to point towards something even MORE major, that will happen sometime in the distant, undefineable future. I find it to be pretty off-putting. Perhaps the story does flush itself out in the long term, but that is something that is very difficult for a new reader to wait out, especially at $2.95 an issue.
Bottom Line-
I can’t recommend that this book remain on the shelf, as there certainly is an audience out there for it. If you appreciate amazing art, and look to that over story when deciding what books to purchase, I highly recommend this one. In addition, this one really is something I feel would be good for young women. Sephie is an intelligent woman with a good sense of responsibility who is not just another example of half-dressed, unrealistically sexy, ditzy comic heroines that are all-too common in an industry that is undeniably dominated by a male customer base.
Meridian #34 is available now, with #35 due on shelves on April 30th. In addition, CrossGen’s website does offer comics for view online- Meridian #1 is available in the free section, with most of the others available there for view with a paid subscription.
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April 8, 2003
Still on the Shelf #3 - Sleeper
Still on the Shelf #3 - Sleeper
Originally published April 8th, 2003 on www.ComiXtreme.com. This work is, of course, © Craig Reade.
Overview-
Sleeper is a relatively new title from DC’s Wildstorm label. Right on the cover of each issue, you can find the words “Suggested for Mature Readers.” I would heed this advice- it is certainly not for the kiddies. The story takes place in a pretty brutal world of criminals- not the “secret layer,” or invincible fortess type of supervillian hang-outs, rather a more modern, more dirty world of sleaze bars and criminal subculture that seems a lot more realistic. You have drugs, sex (of many flavors), murder, and of course, super powers. And not a drop of it is gratuitous.
Holden Carver, otherwise known as (only once, as a matter of fact) as the Conductor, is a member of an underground criminal association of “post-humans” (mutants, superhumans, whatever you want to call them). Mind control seems to be among the most common of powers up to this point, but Holden is a bit unique in that he is completely immune to mind control. His power derives from an alien artifact that was absorbed into his body, acting as a parasite. This parasite absorbs all of the pain and trauma that Holden is exposed to, and allows him to redirect it at other people. There is a pretty telling scene in the second issue where Holden asks to be shot, so that he could then direct that pain to an out-of-control colleague, to snap him out of a killing frenzy. On the more personal side, it seems this parasite also prevents Holden from feeling pleasure, or any other emotions for that matter. This leaves Holden despondant, and he often experiments with different things (sexually and otherwise) to simply feel SOMETHING. Far from a superhero story, this title is all about espionage and the criminal underworld. It just happens to take place in a world where super-powers are a very real thing.
The Story So Far
Tao, the leader of the International Association, the criminal organization which Holden belongs to, starts off the first issue explaining to Holden that he believes that a fellow agent is a spy for the government, and he sends Holden out to asses the situation. A series of events and flashbacks inform the reader that Holden himself is indeed the double agent, imbedded by a man named Lynch and the International Orginization, a security agency described as more top secret than the CIA. It seems that while Tao is highly successful in his endeavors, the government, when it comes down to it, has no idea what Tao is trying to accomplish. Holden is placed in the organization in hopes that he will be able to work his way up the ranks, and try and discover the method behind Tao’s seeming randomness. So, for the last several years, Holden has been operating as a criminal, waiting for the time when he can be of use to the I.O.. Only, as the story pregresses, it becomes clear that he has become less-than-fond of the “Good-guys.”
Thoughts
Personally, I am a story guy when it comes to comics. And while I really feel that Sean Phillips did a superb job with the art (this is a classic example of when the art matches up to the comic perfectly), it was really the story here that grabbed me. Ed Brubaker weaves a very intricate story here, and having heard absolutly nothing about this title before reading the first issue, i was sucked right in. As Andrea Speed mentioned in her Advance Review of Sleeper #1 (this was also posted on comixtreme.com), Brubaker offered a personal, money-back guarantee on the quality of the story in this book. I can see now why he was so confident about that- and it is pretty clear that he will not be paying out too much money to unhappy readers.
While the tale is filled with sex and violence, it is only appropriate considering the nature of the story. And rather than using it gratuitously, Brubaker uses it tastefully, for depth. The most graphic of sex scenes are used to depict Holden’s desire for feeling of some kind, the violence serves the purpose of advancing a major stoy idea, or adding further depth to character’s like Genocide, Holden’s sometime “partner” in the organization who he has become friends with.
Each character thus far has had his or her own brand of sickness and depravity- they are villians, after all, but Brubaker allows that to exist while still putting the focus on the character’s themselves.
Bottom Line-
Get this book. Now. Sleeper #1, #2, and #3 are available for sale now. Sleeper #4 is due out April 27th. Right now, this book has it all. I am not so sure about the long-term, however, since the whole focus of the story seems to revolve around taking Tao down from the inside. Once this occurs, it is tough to see where Holden will go, so the book could really suffer at that point. But, that is a long way away (and any number of twists could occur by then), and by all accounts, this is the best new book I have read in a while.
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March 31, 2003
Still on the Shelf #2 - Birds of Prey
Still on the Shelf #2 - Birds of Prey
Originally published March 31st, 2003 on www.ComiXtreme.com. This work is, of course, © Craig Reade.
Birds of Prey is one of the lesser of DC’s Batman-related books. Oracle and the Black Canary are the focus of this title, but it is not uncommon for characters like Huntress, Nightwing, Spoiler, Blue Beetle, and others to be injected into story arcs, due to Oracles well-known “network of connections,” and other personal relationships. One of the best things about this title is a trait that many of the other of these lesser Bat-titles share: the motivations and experiences of Batman’s chosen circle, without the big guy himself around. It helps to establish a solid, independent foundation for these characters that makes their interactions with Batman himself that much more interesting. For that reason alone, this title is worth an occasional read.
Last issue-
Not a lot of action occurs in Birds of Prey #53, but they did lay a lot of groundwork for the continuation of this story-arc. Dinah and Barbara take a much needed vacation (smell the literary cliché), and while about, Dinah meets a gentleman by the name of Tom, who sweeps both Dinah and Barbara off of their feet over the course of the issue. This leads to the both of them analyzing their current, respective relationships. Dinah seemingly emerges from this crisis of the heart more firmly entreanched in the notion that she is making the right choice by remaining with Oliver Quinn, while Barbara is left much more confused about the state of her relationship with Dick Grayson. And, as all tales of this nature go, no matter how ideal Tom seemed, we are given a hint at the end of the issue that he may have some very shady connections indeed, which will no doubt pop up to cause trouble in the next issue.
Thoughts-
This is a title that I feel suffered a great deal when the “Birds of Prey” television show was introduced on the WB. As anyone who gave the show a shot already knows, the premise of that show was a hodgepodge of concepts from throughout the history of the “DC Universe,” some of which quite blatantly contradicted the current state of affairs in the comic book realm. While this is not unusual, it did lead to some changes in the Birds of Prey title that I found to be pretty distasteful. A lot of the depth in the story was tossed out in favor of some much more shallow, “Hot Chicks fighting crime”-type action, and the whole book was given a feel that would be of much greater appeal to fans of the TV show. This proved pretty disastrous to the quality of the title itself, and it has seen a pretty steady drop in sales over the last few months.
With the cancellation of the television show, the creators of Birds of Prey seem to be very actively engaging in damage control, as pretty evident by the last issue, #53. Some pretty wide gaps in logic were filled in (like how could someone break into the Clocktower so easily?), and stronger ties were reestablished to important characters to both Dinah and Barbara, namely Nightwing and the Green Arrow.
Bottom Line-
Birds of Prey #54 comes out on April 23rd- this is a pretty good time to jump in, since it is the second issue of the new story arc. If this title returns to its focus from a few months ago, it should return to being a very solid book. The art is great, and so long as the story catches up with that, again, all should be well with the title. At this point, I would say that Birds of Prey is definitely worth a look- judging by issue #53, they are laying the groundwork for a solid upswing. Gail Simone and Ed Benes are set to take over the title beginning with issue #56, which should be a real boost to the recovery of Birds of Prey. Gail Simone most recently worked on Agent X (and Deadpool prior it its cancellation). I really enjoyed the work she did on that title and have very high hopes for what her addition to Birds of Prey will mean for the quality of the story.
Next week, I will be taking a look at Sleeper. As always- I appreciate any suggestions you might have for titles you would like to see covered here. See you next week!
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March 25, 2003
Still on the Shelf #1 - Spider-Girl
This was the very first column I wrote for ComiXtreme.com. Needless to say, I got much better at writing Still on the Shelf as the weeks went by. The original column was pruned after a time, as it was old, and we needed the space :). So here, in more-or-less its original form, is Still on the Shelf #1- Spider-girl.
Still on the Shelf #1 - Spider-Girl
Originally published March 25th, 2003 on www.ComiXtreme.com. This work is, of course, © Craig Reade.
I (and I know many of you) have seen many of my pet favorite comics get cancelled with no ceremony. We all know that most X-titles, the major Batman books, and all other titles of that nature are relatively safe from cancellation no matter how bad things get. Their sales are typically to high to worry about getting the axe. However, books like some of my favorites, Slingers, for instance, will get cancelled no matter how much promise they show due to low sales, corperate re-invention, or any other excuse you can possibly imagine. We have all had this happen to us at one time or another.This column is going to focus on the titles that are not in the limelight. You may have heard of it- heck, you may have even read it once or twice, but these titles are not nearly selling as many copies as mainstays like Spider-man and Batman. On occasion, I will focus on a title that comes from one of the smaller, independant companies that I feel warrant some attention. This week, Still on the Shelf highlight’s Marvel’s Spider-Girl.Spider-Girl was the flagship title of the ill-fated MC2 branch of Marvel Comics. MC2 promised to be a “lighter and happier” vision of the future, quite the opposite of “possible future” title attempts like the Marvel 2099 Universe. The vision was simple- a story of the next generation of Marvel superheroes that would not take place in the gloom and doom of a post-apocalyptic future. In addition, the creators attempted to capture some of the magic of comic stories from decades past. In that task, they certainly succeeded.
Spider-Girl started with the same concept that Ultimate Spider-man is trying now- attempting to capture an audience with a new story revolving around familiar themes (with up-to-date dilemmas), where the reader is not encumbered by lack of information from decades of back issues. May Parker deals with many of the same issues that her father, Peter did at the beginning of the Amazing Spider-man run- balancing the busy social life and school obligations with the responsibilities od someone with “Great Power.” Added to that is the pressue of somewhat cynical parents who know of her powers and “superhero identity,” and do not feel she is ready to pursue it.
The strongest secondary characters in the title, as with the original Amazing Spider-man, are fellow student’s at May’s high school. She interacts with these characters constantly and works to conceal her identity as Spider-girl from them. All of them have become quite deep and complex over time, and chances are, you can identify with at least one of them in some way. Peter and Mary-Jane also have important roles, as well as the heroes from the other ill-fated MC2 titles. May also has a unique Rogue’s Gallery all her own, not relying solely on tired retreads of old Spider-man villains.
The current story-arc puts Spider-girl up against the “Soldiers of the Serpent.” As with most of the best stories this book has offered up in the past, May is completely outclassed by the leader of the group, Seth, in terms of power. May is faced with the choice of walking away (her father’s preference), or facing an unwinable situation head-on. As often happens in comic books, the choice is made for her. That, of course, is where the story gets good!
I have to admit that I have been a fan of this title since it’s very first issue. Tom DeFalco created Spider-girl, and has been writing the character ever since. Because of that, there has been real consistency in May Parker’s development and the evolution of the title itself. Much like Mutant X was, this title is self-reliant, and outside the normal Marvel Universe. As such, major plot developments happen in this title alone- no need to worry about a major event happening to May in another title that you don’t read (like the Syrin/Deadpool issue in Wolverine 155). It is generally a light, fun read that I can recommend to anyone. It is kid-safe too: there are no over-sexed heroes and half naked heroines in erotic situations. This is really a rarity in this day and age. You’ll have no trouble showing this book to your kids, or future kids. The writing has been great, and the art has been consistent and good. It is currently in serious danger of cancellation, as it has been many times in the past, so be sure to give this book one last look. You never know- a sudden spike in sales may save this title.
Spider-Girl #58 is out now. Spider-girl #59, due out in stores April 3rd, will be the final part of the Season of the Serpent storyline. A new arch will begin with issue #60, due out May 8th. If you are looking to try something new, now is a good time to give Spider-Girl a shot.
If you have a comic that you do not think is getting enough attention, and want me to take a look, feel free to email me or send me a PM, and I may cover it in a future Still on the Shelf. Just remember to please avoid recommending any titles in the top 25 in sales. Thanks for reading, catch you next week!
Ironically, Spider-girl WAS saved from cancellation, and is still being published today.
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