Day: December 2, 2014

Prophet: Strikefile 2 (November 2014)

Prophet: Strikefile #2

Strikefile continues with more strangeness. This time, in the individual subjects, the strangeness has to do with Rob Liefeld. He contributes a page of art–a superhero team, of course, called Youngstar. Plus there are some further Liefeld references later. It’s strange; even though Prophet never shied away from the references to old Image books… in Strikefile, they stand out more.

The issue opens with the history of the universe–courtesy Simon Roy, Matt Sheehan and Malachi Ward. It’s strange, imaginative, engaging, makes you want to pay more attention to the details while still wanting to skim them to get to the artistic eccentricities. In other words, it’s definitely a Prophet comic.

Opening with it, however, makes the rest of the issue–all of the subject topics getting a page or two (a pinup and a paragraph)–a bit sluggish. Grim Wilkins’s final contribution is a neat one page strip.

B+ 

CREDITS

Writers, Simon Roy and Brandon Graham; artists, Matt Sheehan, Malachi Ward, Gael Bertrand, Rob Liefeld, Roy, Addison Duke, Lodroe, Grim Wilkins, Sandra Lanz, Xurxo G. Penalta, Graham and Tom Parkinson-Morgan; colorists, Sheenan, Ward and Joseph Bergin III; letterer, Ed Brisson; publisher, Image Comics.

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Wool 2 (June 2014)

Wool #2

It can’t really be so obvious, can it? So much of Wool’s cast not seeming to be able to see what’s going on has to do with them being simple silo folk, used to living a certain way and absolutely unable to see the obvious. Like poisoned water.

Even though Broxton does a great job with all the content he’s got to fit into the issue… It doesn’t come off. Palmiotti and Gray aren’t just doing a packed issue, they’re doing a packed issue without thinking about it like an issue. This issue needs to introduce the new sheriff. They don’t structure it for that purpose. They keep the main story going and just through her into it.

It doesn’t work. There’s not enough character development given the series has a new protagonist. And the supporting cast is so jumbled they just appear.

It’s still interesting, just poorly executed.

B- 

CREDITS

Writers, Jimmy Palmiotti and Justin Gray; artist, Jimmy Broxton; letterer, Bill Tortolini; editor, Matt Hoffman; publisher, Jet City Comics.

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Judge Dredd 19 (May 1985)

Judge Dredd #19

Wagner and Grant amp up the block war storyline, but turn it into a long investigation. Dredd is trying to track down the person responsible for the block war mania. It’s strange, once the suspect is identified, he also refers to the condition as block mania. It’s a small thing, but it does show where Wagner and Grant aren’t paying attention.

The investigation is exciting, with some very nice art from Smith and Steve Dillon. There’s enough content the issue feels very substantial, especially the way the story of the suspect goes. The cliffhanger is a good one and kind of cool to be the aftermath of a mundane investigation. It’s well-done, but it’s not as interesting.

So a good feature. Then the second, shorter story has Dredd stopping criminals while the people around them respond with apathy. It’s neat one.

The big story was far more impressive though.

B+ 

CREDITS

Writers, John Wagner and Alan Grant; artists, Ron Smith, Steve Dillon and Brian Bolland; colorist, John Burns; letterer, Tom Frame; editor, Nick Landau; publisher, Eagle Comics.

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