Day: December 27, 2013

The Further Adventures of Indiana Jones 23 (November 1984)

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Herb Trimpe’s writing is far better than his first art issue and his writing isn’t good at all. It’s just not downright bad. The art is bad and incompetent–though I guess Trimpe does try a couple things as far as panel composition. They’re simplistic and unoriginal, but they do show off the only times Trimpe tries hard with any aspect of the art.

The writing, both dialogue and story, is simply lame. Trimpe seems to enjoy the character and setting (based on callbacks to Raiders and time period details) but he doesn’t know what to do with them.

The plot’s stupefying. Indy becomes a stunt man to do a high dive on an uncharted Pacific Island. The Hollywood director actually talks about how cheap it will be to travel past Hawaii for one shot… Okay, he doesn’t say Hawaii but still.

It’s a bad comic, harmless enough but bad.

D 

CREDITS

The Secret of the Deep; writer and artist, Herb Trimpe; colorist, Robbie Carosella; letterer, Joe Rosen; editor, Eliot Brown; publisher, Marvel Comics.

0

Prophet 41 (December 2013)

Prophet 41 1

Wait… Did I really read the whole thing? It feels like there should be more. Graham and Roy are back to splitting the issue between new and old John Prophet–though here it’s mostly the sidekicks of the Newfather and not much for the old John’s team–and nothing gets resolved.

Even the cliffhanger is goofy, bringing in a new threat in the last couple pages and then the comic just stops.

Then comes Ron Ackins strange back-up about a black cop defending a city in the future where some African nation has built a new civilization for African Americans. Ackins can’t write–for the first two pages, I thought it was an ad for a music group–and he doesn’t draw well either.

Like I said, it’s an awkward issue. Even in the feature, Graham and Roy rush through their character moments, which they usually spend time on.

B- 

CREDITS

Writers, Brandon Graham and Simon Roy; artists, Giannis Milonogiannis, Roy, Matt Sheean and Malachi Ward; colorists, Joseph Bergin III, Sheean and Ward; letterer, Ed Brisson. Lancaster Bleu; writer and artist, Rob Ackins. Publisher, Image Comics.

0

Batman 383 (May 1985)

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After my many complaints Moench never writes Bruce Wayne at length (and sensible, as he did write him at length and ludicrous during the Jason Todd adoption thing), he dedicates an entire issue to Bruce.

It’s a day in the life and it’s a comedy. There are angry women, parent-teacher conferences, buffoonish builders, not to mention the eventual street thugs. All the while, Bruce just wants to get some sleep.

It’s not rocket science and it’s often contrived, but contrived is kind of the point. It’s a funny enough concept and Moench executes it quite well. I’m just shocked how much fun he makes of Batman and Bruce Wayne. It’s humorous, yes, but it also suggests the character is often acting out of sleep deprivation rather than intelligent thought.

Gene Colan is an odd penciller to do light comedy but it works out.

Batman as sitcom… Thankfully sans camp.

B 

CREDITS

Just As Night Follows Day…; writer, Doug Moench; penciller, Gene Colan; inker, Alfredo Alcala; colorist, Adrienne Roy; letterers, Ben Oda and Albert De Guzman; editor, Len Wein; publisher, DC Comics.

0

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