August 18, 2003

1602 #1 (Marvel Knights. August 2003. $3.50. Writer: Neil Gaiman. Artist: Andy Kubert)
There’s no questioning the fact that Sandman was a highpoint in comics history. It certainly wasn’t the first series to blend literary concepts with pop culture aspects, but it was the first one to be financially successful at it. Goth kids with wealthy parents have ensured that this series will remain in print indefinitely. Since its demise, however, Sandman creator Neil Gaiman hasn’t done much comics work. What little he has done suffers in comparison to his opus series, and plenty of it downright stinks.

With 1602, Gaiman seems to be making a turn for the better. The premise: it’s the Marvel Universe, re-created four hundred years ago. Despite the fact that it takes place in merry old England during the Renaissance, there are plenty of familiar faces. Peter Parker, Nick Fury, Matt Murdock and others fill the landscape, albeit in slightly antiquated forms. Fury is an advisor to Queen Elizabeth, while Matt “Daredevil” Murdock is a blind troubadour, singing the tales of “The Fantasticks” and Count Otto Von Doom.

One segment deals with ‘Javier’s Men’ (an Elizabethan X-Men) rescuing the mutant Angel from his tormentors. It seems the silly folks of yesteryear thought mutants were “witchbreed,” and wanted to burn them at the stake. There are Shakespearean conceits peppered throughout, such as Jean “Marvel Girl” Grey’s transvestite-appearance as “John Grey,” similar to Viola in “Twelfth Night.” Other 17^th century aspects help create the canvas of a wonderful world which will hopefully be fleshed out throughout the remainder of this eight-part series. Kubert’s artwork is top-notch, as always.

Tokyo Storm Warning #’s 1 & 2 (DC Comics/Cliffhanger! July-August 2003. $2.95 each. Writer: Warren Ellis. Artist: James Raiz and Andrew Currie)
Warren Ellis has always been vocal about his love of Japanese culture. His column in the now-defunct Manga anthology Pulp extolled the virtues of the mega-successful anime Neon Genesis: Evangelion. His latest mini-series shows just how much he enjoyed the cartoon, as he’s basically performing the same tune note for note.

In case you’re unfamiliar with NG:E, the plot can be summed up quite succinctly. In the Japan of the near future, giant monsters from outer space invade and cause wanton destruction. It’s up to a special government organization, backed by giant robots controllable only by teenagers, to hold off the inevitable invasion. To get the plot of Tokyo Storm Warning, simply re-read the preceding two sentences.

Is this series a tribute? If so, it’s in the same way that Oasis is a tribute to the Beatles. It’s one thing to be inspired by an earlier creation, but blatantly ripping it off doesn’t do anyone any good. He even calls the robots “Arcangels,” for crying out loud! (In the original, the monsters are known as Angels). The artwork is very intricate and detailed, but during some scenes these very details cause the panels to be far too confusing and muddled. You may have to give certain sequences a once, twice or even thrice-over before you can figure out what the heck is going on.

Having said that, any comic with a pseudo-Godzilla vomiting blood over the streets of Tokyo is one you should have in your collection. Knowing Warren Ellis, he’s probably got something crazy lined up for the final issue, a surprise that will have us all thinking how cleverly duped we’ve been. Then again, he did write Strange Killings, so maybe he’s not so clever after all.

POWERS #33 (Image Comics. August 2003. $2.95. Writer: Brian Michael Bendis. Artist: Michael Avon Oeming)
It’s always nice to end on a high note. And nowadays, they don’t come much higher than Powers. Originally conceived as a crime comic, it’s been moving in some strange directions the past few months. Two beat cops, Walker and Pilgrim, deal with the ‘Powers’ crimes: those committed by supervillains. The most recent storyline takes a step back. Way back, to the dawn of time, for a revealing look at the origins of the superpowers and how they first came to the Earth.

It sounds like a corny premise, but the execution is nearly flawless. Bendis is renowned in the comic world for his dead-on dialogue, but it’s his insane plot twists that keep me coming back for more. The past few issues have all been heavily inspired by various films, which is another of Bendis’ passions. The first chapter in this storyline was highly reminiscent of the ape-man sequence of Kubrick’s 2001. This issue gives a knowing glance towards Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon.

As for the art, imagine the Batman animated series drawn by someone with a little more depth. The comparisons to Bruce Timm are unavoidable, but it’s a nice style that many pop culture fans are familiar with, and it actually suits the gritty feel of the series quite well. Frank Oz recently optioned Powers as a motion picture, and with any luck we’ll all be watching it on the big screen some day. The odds are it’ll be stripped down to the basic premise: Cops try to solve Supervillain crimes


Please send review copies to:
Scott Semet
Ssemet1@comcast.net
185 Asbury Road
Egg Harbor Township, NJ
08234