One-paragraph reviews: Detective, Secret Avengers, Teen Titans, Traveler

Detective Comics #873

Detective Comics #873
Written by Scott Snyder; art by Jock; DC

Another really strong issue by Snyder and Jock, which brings the first story arc to a satisfying conclusion, in spite of the reduced page count due to DC's "holding the line" initiative. Jock's art is just gorgeous. I've said it before and I'll say it again: this is the best Batman book currently on the stands. AMAZING

Secret Avengers #9 (Marvel)
Written by Ed Brubaker; art by Mike Deodato and Will Conrad; Marvel

Mike Deodato's art continues to be the best thing about this series. This is a very action-packed issue with a couple of really nicely drawn fight scenes. But I still feel like this book is lacking in characterization in a way that makes it difficult for me to get into it as a relatively new reader. People who have been reading Brubaker's long run on Captain America and who are very familiar with the other characters probably don't have this problem, but I have a hard time connecting with the characters or figuring out what their motivations are. I'm still enjoying it, though. GOOD

Teen Titans #91
Written by J.T. Krul; art by Nicola Scott, Doug Hazlewood and Scott Koblish; DC

I loved that first page, mostly because of the cool vintage clothes the boys are wearing. It makes me wish Nicola Scott could draw a coming-of-age comic book set in the 1960s about a creepy homicidal kid. I think I'd want to read that more than I want to read this Teen Titans comic. But let's make do with what we have. This is the sort-of conclusion of the first arc of Krul's run, although a lot of things are left unresolved and will obviously be revisited. It's still enjoyable and I remain onboard, even if I still think Krul's Damian Wayne is a bit out of character. Looking at the solicitations for April, it seems like Damian's going to be out of the book in a few issues anyway. OKAY (but with very GOOD art)

The Traveler #3
Written by Mark Waid; art by Chad Hardin; Boom

This is turning out to be the most frustrating and impenetrable of the three new Stan Lee-created comics Boom Studios is putting out. Three issues in and I still have no idea what the hell is going on. Mark Waid keeps dropping hints that all these random scenes and characters are neatly tied together, but it still seems like an incredibly convoluted way to tell a story. Furthermore, I don't know if this is because the art was inadequate or what, but in every fight scene the main character is constantly explaining out loud what is happening. "Watch this! I'm pressing temporal rewind on every bit of matter Mortar has generated since he attacked. All the junk he's tried to smoosh us with – and I had to wait for him to make enough – it's all rushing back to him in speed-time, i.e., in the temporal rapids, hard and fast enough to knock him unconscious, thus sending him merrily on his way!" For God's sake, haven't you ever heard of "show, don't tell"? I know that's an often abused and sometimes kind of meaningless dictum, but if there ever was a case it applied to, this is it. If the character's powers are so abstract and difficult to draw in a way that the reader can understand them visually, then he's probably just not a very good character. Or you just need a better artist. I think I'm dropping this book. DROPPED

(new rating scale)

Quick Reviews: Secret Avengers, Neonomicon, Traveler, Superior, Superman/Batman, Batman Inc

Secret Avengers #8 

I never seem to have anything to say about this title, but it's pretty solid, in terms of both story and art.

Neonomicon #3

I really wish this book wasn't published by Avatar. Rick Johnston's infantile attempts at hyping it up on Bleeding Cool annoy the hell out of me. It's disgusting that he's using rape as a selling point for this title, while simultaneously denouncing the popularity of rape as a plot device in contemporary super-hero comics. Regardless of what Alan Moore's intentions are with this title, there something really disingenuous about this sensationalistic promotion that relies on shock value while at the same time claiming that there's more going on than just sensationalism.

I realize that none of this actually has anything to do with the quality of the comic book itself, but it does have an effect on my enjoyment of it, because I'm not reading this in a vacuum. As for what it all means and whether or not it's any good, I'm going to continue to reserve judgement until I've seen the conclusion, in the next issue.

The Traveler #2

This second issue is a lot less confusing than the first one was. Plot and characters are starting to fall into place, hinting at a larger mystery that's probably going to to be gradually revealed as the series continues. I like the fast pacing of it and the story, but some of the dialogue really grates me. Especially when the protagonist is speaking out loud about what is happening during the fight scene. "And now I will punch him while slowing down time. Oh, I see that didn't work. In that case, I will try this different approach - speeding up time while kicking him in the face! Yes, that seems to work better." I'm paraphrasing, of course, but it's almost that hackneyed. Is it because the art is so bad that the fights wouldn't make any sense without this kind of exposition? Or is it some kind of self-conscious meta-commentary on comic book conventions and the type of dialogue Stan Lee used to write? I'm not sure.

Superior #3

This is good. I want to write more about it later, but for now I'll just say that I'm really enjoying it and, after the twist on the last page, really looking forward to the next issue.

Superman/Batman #79

I was disappointed that Robot Robin from the future only makes a brief appearance in this, despite being prominently displayed on the cover. But otherwise this was really good. And I love the old-fashioned thought bubbles! I wonder if these are coming back in style. Anyway, conclusion in next month's issue.

Batman, Incorporated #2

Still not convinced. Not that this is a bad issue. Nice art and nothing blatantly wrong with the writing. I'm just not sold on the Batman going international premise at all. Something about it stinks. The American hero going to other countries to show local heroes how it's really done. "My people have to be better than that." What does this all lead to? Some kind of global homogenization of super-heroes? Batman is not just hiring heroes to join his team. Mr. Unknown ceases to exist and is replaced with Batman Japan. It all makes me kind of uncomfortable. I'm giving this a couple more issues, but I think I might drop this one. I think Detective Comics is the only Batman book I'm really interested in at the moment.