THE CAT'S MEOW: What's Good on the Shelf This Week-Year 2 - Week 34 _ _________________________________________________________________________
Reviews by John Norris, April 27 , 2008

MARVEL ADVENTURES FANTASTIC FOUR #35: “Go One Way Orrgo Another” (All Ages)

Paul Tobin (w); David Nakayama (p); Cory Hamscher (i); Wil Quintana (c); Nate Piekos (l); cover by Nolan & Anderson

Publisher: Marvel

Format: monthly series

Concept: Irradiated by cosmic rays and transformed to possess superhuman powers, they joined together to fight evil. Mister Fantastic, the Invisible Girl, the Human Torch and the Thing. Together they call themselves the Fantastic Four!

In this issue : A MODEL DAY: 75% of the Fantastic Four positively agree that it's GREAT to judge an international beauty pageant, but what's Sue to do during the festivities? Well, how about unearthing that the pageant is actually sponsored by A.I.M. in order to smuggle high tech battle robots into the country? Or how about teaming up with a certain long lost model from Marvel's past, and then picking a fight with those battle robots? Yeah, Sue keeps busy in this one. (from marvel.com)

Review: It's not just Sue that keeps busy in this issue; the Thing has his hands pretty full as well: battling Orrgo, an alien with vast mental powers, then being invited (along with the other members) to judge the Universal Beauty Pageant, where the other judge is…ORRGO, the alien with VAST MENTAL POWERS!! Watching Thing and Orrgo go at it both in battle and on the judges' panel is just hilarious. Hamscher inks Nakayama's pencils this time, though I think I prefer Gary Martin (who inks him on MARVEL ADVENTURES HULK). Still, Nakayama is certainly used to drawing big, strong heroes, and he makes the Thing look nice, especially the close-up of him about to punch Orrgo.
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POWER PACK: DAY ONE #2

Fred Van Lente (w); Gurihiru (p/i/c); Dave Sharpe (l); cover by Gurihiru

Publisher: Marvel

Format: four-issue miniseries

Concept: The Pack's origin is revealed.

In this issue: The dying Kymellian sorcerer Aelfyre Whitemane has given his powers to the four Power children so they can rescue their parents and save their world. But unless Alex, Julie, Katie and Jack master their new abilities quickly, they're not going to be able to find Mom and Dad on the Snark Nestship, much less escape with them alive! (from marvel.com)

Review: The Pack pick up where they left off, with Aelfyre Whitemane getting shot and their parents being abducted. From there, Van Lente and Gurihiru take us on a fantastic journey as we learn the history of Whitemane's homeworld, the Snarks and their curse and Elsewhere. The dialogue is fantastic, particularly that of the sarcastic ship Friday, and the “special pony powers” scene is hilarious, yet we really feel for Whitemane as his time draws to an end. And wouldn't you know it, just as Katie gets to the good part…well, I'm eagerly awaiting the next issue, that's for sure.
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RETURN OF THE GREMLINS #2

Mike Richardson (w); Dean Yeagle (p); Nelson Rhodes (backgrounds); Dan Jackson (c); Michael David Thomas (l); cover by Fabio Laguna

Publisher: Dark Horse

Format: four-issue miniseries

Concept: The Gremlins return, based on the characters created by Roald Dahl.

In this issue: The gremlins face a forced eviction, and they aren't going to go without a fight. And when gremlins fight, cars end up disassembled, front porches disappear, and grown men end up trussed in tiny ropes like overgrown turkeys-which is exactly how the house's owner, Gus, found himself last issue! But this issue finds him in just as sticky a situation: the gremlins are convinced that Gus is here to save their home, not sell it! Meanwhile, Mr. Snide and his accomplices plan to scare the living daylights out of Gus in order to convince him to sell the "haunted" house . . . and they're about to get more than they bargained for. (from darkhorse.com)

Review: The gremlins have Gus right where they want him, until Gremlin Gus realizes that he's Old Gus's nephew. (Yes, that's a lot of Guses.) Because of this, everyone thinks he's a hero, here to rescue their home. Mr. Snide, however, has the exact opposite goal in mind, and if playing up the “haunted house” aspect is what it will take, that's what he'll do…although, in a hilarious scene, his accomplices find out that they don't know the half of it. But Snide won't give up easily…and neither will the gremlins! This issue also introduces Bolton 's daughter, Molly. The second chapter is every bit as captivating as the first. Richardson 's dialogue is hilarious and warm, while Yeagle's art overflows with expression. Even a comic book can't contain these gremlins; Yeagle breaks the barriers of the page to wonderful effect. Rounding out the issue are two classic tales of Gremlin Gus and the Widgets, drawn by none other than “Pogo's” Walt Kelly, and they're both shining examples of visual storytelling.
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SUPER FRIENDS vol. 2 #2: “Dinosaur Round-Up” (All Ages)

Sholly Fisch (w); Joe Staton (p); Horacio Ottolini (i); Heroic Age (c); Randy Gentile (l); cover by J. Bone

Publisher: DC

Format: monthly series

Concept: Introducing SUPER FRIENDS — a brand-new series for younger readers to meet the heroes of the DC Universe, based on the hot toy line from Mattel! Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Green Lantern, Flash and Aquaman are here to save the day — and be your friends, too!

In this issue : It's big trouble in Metropolis when DINOSAURS go on a rampage! Will the Super Friends round up the mighty lizards before they make too much of a mess? Plus, activities, fact files and the next part of your Super Friends membership kit! (from dccomics.com)

Review: It's a slow news day at the Daily Planet, but things aren't going to be slow for long…because Fisch and Staton combine two things kids love in this issue: superheroes and dinosaurs! Batman's knowledge of the beasts allows the Super Friends to learn about them, which in turn helps them figure out how best to deal with them. And when the reason for their being here is discovered, Batman ha something to say about using science responsibly. Speaking of Batman, he's got the fact file this time. There's also Batman's Crime Lab, instructions from Flash on how to help Wonder Woman catch a dinosaur, a secret code and a certificate “signed” by the Friends.
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ULTIMATE SPIDER-MAN #121

Brian Michael Bendis (w); Stuart Immonen (p); Wade von Grawbadger (i); Justin Ponsor (c); Cory Petit (l); cover by Immonen & Richard Isanove

Publisher: Marvel

Format: monthly series

Concept: The bite of a genetically-altered spider grants high school student Peter Parker incredible, arachnid-like powers.

In this issue: The return of Omega Red! The deadly assassin is out for blood—J. Jonah Jameson's blood to be exact! Why does he want to slice the Daily Bugle's publisher to ribbons? And what can Spider-Man do about it? Find out in another action-packed issue of the series IGN.com calls “a wonderfully enjoyable read.” (from marvel.com)

Review: If you've ever had to try and explain yourself to your school teacher, then you will certainly relate to Peter Parker, as he tries to explain why his homework assignment was destroyed. This leads to such things as a class counseling session regarding Harry Osborn and Liz Allen to fighting Omega Red at the Daily Bugle. Good luck explaining THAT. Immonen does a nice job with expressions and especially with Omega Red.
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WOLVERINE: FIRST CLASS #2: “Surprise!”

Fred Van Lente (w); Andrea di Vito (p/i); Laura Villari (c); Simon Bowland (l); cover by Kirk & Baumann

Publisher: Marvel

Format: monthly series

Concept: Return with us again to the early days of the all-new, all-different, X-Men for all-new solo adventures of Wolverine and Kitty Pryde!

In this issue: The good news: Kitty's managed to figure out Wolverine's birthday and has arranged a surprise candlelight dinner with the love of his life, Mariko Yashida, as his present. The bad news: The reason Wolverine never tells anybody about his birthday is that every year on that date Sabretooth shows up to dice him into cutlets. And Kitty has put Mariko within Sabretooth's grasp! (from marvel.com)

Review: Do you hate the thought of turning another year older? If you dread birthdays, you should consider yourself lucky; at least you don't have to deal with Sabretooth! Kitty, of course, doesn't know that Wolverine deliberately keeps his birthday a secret; she's just trying to coax him into doing something she wants. Needless to say, she gets more than she bargained for. Van Lente and di Vito keep the dialogue snappy and the action plenty. Wolverine battling Sabretooth (who really knows how to use wasabi) in a Japanese restaurant with ninja waiters with Kitty and Mariko's lives at stake…your birthday doesn't sound so bad now, does it?
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X-MEN: FIRST CLASS vol. 2 #11: “…Canon.” (Teen/Young Adult)

Jeff Parker (w); Nick Dragotta & Colleen Coover (p/i); Val Staples (c); Nate Piekos (l); cover by Carlo Pagulayan

Publisher: Marvel

Format: monthly series

Concept: The next step in human evolution has arrived—Homo Superior. Mankind isn't sure whether this represents hope for the future…or the end of the human race. In a private school in upstate New York, one brilliant mutant is teaching a group of five such gifted students what they'll need to survive in this new world. These are the untold stories of Professor Xavier's first class of X-Men!

In this issue: Whew, that all-Cyclops issue was a little heavy, huh? Let's pick things up with a story that makes the X-Men-go-into-the-Professor's-Head issue look tame. Because our five exceptional students are about to meet the enigmatic MYSTERIO. (from marvel.com)

Review: Comic fans, get ready for one wild ride. Parker's story works on two levels. On one level, the X-Men fight Mysterio. On the other level, it introduces the Continuiteens, a group of comic fans who, as their two-page origin explains, received Diamond shipments from an alternate Earth, which turned out to be comics from the future. (In other words, every hardcore comic fan's dream come true!) They used their knowledge whenever threats to continuity arose, but disbanded after they got too involved. Now, however, Mysterio's compromising reality again. The creative team really nails the look and feel of classic comic books, and they manage to respect AND spoof everything from comic fans, Diamond distributors, Marvel, even FIRST CLASS itself. Check out the re-creation of John Romita Sr.'s BRING ON THE BAD GUYS cover.
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To be reviewed in next week's column:

GARGOYLES: BAD GUYS #2

MARVEL ADVENTURES IRON MAN #12

TEEN TITANS GO! #54

USAGI YOJIMBO vol. 3 #111

By thy side,

John “Figaro” Norris

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