9 August 2013 – Comics Fondle

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I can’t believe I forgot to mention Indy’s Spanish gypsy sidekick from last issue–he returns here–I think he’s based on Speedy Gonzales. There’s the yellow sombrero and the annoying dialect.

That lame character aside (made worse this issue with Marion falling for his “charm”), Michelinie continues to do pretty good work on Further Adventures. There’s this neat little subplot about these guys after Indy and Speedy continued from last issue; Michelinie just paces it all really well. I suppose Marion arriving so quick is silly, but she plays so well it’s forgivable.

Sadly, the art’s the problem here. Mel Candido is a terrible inker for both Kerry Gammill and Luke McDonnell, who split the pencilling chores. He’s a little better on McDonnell, which means the issue ends better than it starts, but not by much. It starts real ugly.

Great reveal of the relic at the end too.

CREDITS

The Fourth Nail, Chapter Two: Swords and Spikes!; writer, David Michelinie; pencillers, Kerry Gammill and Luke McDonnell; inker, Mel Candido; colorist, Bob Sharen; letterer, Joe Rosen; editor, Louise Jones; publisher, Marvel Comics.

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This one starts a lot better than it finishes. Brubaker sets it during World War II, with Jo getting mixed up with Nazis but these Nazis are really the squid man and his sidekicks. Meanwhile an American soldier sees all these strange things happening and finds himself unintentionally rescuing Jo.

I think the opening is homage to The Keep; I presume the book, but maybe the movie, who knows… But the end feels like Guillermo del Toro’s take on Indiana Jones. It’s this lame, lengthy action sequence. Phillips can draw it, but he’s got no heart in it.

The comic’s easily at its best before Jo even shows up. There’s not a lot of character development on the other cast, so Jo should be the best thing in it. But Brubaker’s forcing her into a predictable comic. It’s almost amateurish.

It’s an okay comic, but not anywhere near Brubaker’s par.

CREDITS

Just a Glance Away; writer, Ed Brubaker; artist and letterer, Sean Phillips; colorist, Elizabeth Breitweiser; publisher, Image Comics.

I think this issue has to be the best in the series so far. Johnson structures it around a redshirt who is writing home to his parents from the Enterprise. The character does have a name–and some ties back to the movie–but he’s sort of interchangeable.

There’s a brief recap of the movie and the series so far, which is kind of cool. Johnson never takes a break to actually write in the other issues, just adapts the old original series episodes. He’s actually doing something new here and it works.

Then there’s an adventure, along with this neat–if obvious–quiet moment where Uhura and Spock flirt in front of the issue’s protagonist. Johnson finishes off with some very self-aware stuff about the redshirt knowing what it means to be a redshirt… a little too meta, but it works.

Maybe Molnar’s best art so far too.

CREDITS

Writer, Mike Johnson; artist, Stephen Molnar; colorist, John Rauch; letterer, Neil Uyetake; editor, Scott Dunbier; publisher, IDW Publishing.

Day: August 9, 2013

The Further Adventures of Indiana Jones 12 (December 1983)

Fatale 14 (May 2013)

Star Trek 13 (September 2012)

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