THE CAT'S MEOW: What's Good on the Shelf This Week-Year 3 - Week 14 _ _________________________________________________________________________
Reviews by John Norris, December 08 , 2008

JINGLE BELLE: SANTA CLAUS VS. FRANKENSTEIN (Teen/Young Adult)*

Paul Dini (w); Stephanie Gladden (p/i); Felix Serrano (c); Troy Peteri (l); covers by Gladden & Jorge Molina and Greg Horn

Publisher: Image

Format: one-shot

Concept: Paul Dini's Jingle Belle comes to Top Cow in a special “Halloween collides with Christmas” one-shot written by Dini and drawn by Stephanie Gladden (Powerpuff Girls, Chowder, Hopster's Tracks).

In this issue: In years past, Santa has triumphed over a variety of enemies including the Devil himself. Now, St. Nick gets ready to face his greatest challenge ever in Jingle Belle: Santa Claus Vs. Frankenstein! Inspired by Mary Shelly's original novel (sort of), the story of Frankenstein's monster takes a new twist when he is found by Jingle in the Arctic wastes and “rehabilitated” to fit in with the elves at Santa's Workshop. All goes well until an ultra-PC city declares Santa Claus taboo and awakens Frankie's monsterous side in a misguided attempt to help his friend. It's up to an ailing Santa and a reluctant Jingle Belle to stop their monstrous “apprentice” before he destroys the town and ruins the reputation of Christmas forever! (from grahamcrackers.com)

Review: Some of you may know Dini from his work in the DC Animated Universe. JINGLE BELLE is, I think, one of his best comic creations. JB is Santa's impish, fun-loving daughter. She's been known to cause trouble for her dad, but this time, someone else is responsible. Leave it to a town council member to suggest banning Santa Claus. How Frankenstein's monster fits into things is not for a review to tell you, but with him and Belle determined to clear Santa's name, things get interesting. Dini and Gladden send up Santa, Frankenstein and politics in a totally irreverent, and totally hilarious, way.

*Look out for: I had a tough time trying to decide if I should label this as all-ages or teen/young adult. I decided on the latter because I'm not sure that young children would “get” some things that the council member says. There's also one use of the word “hell.”

SUPERGIRL: COSMIC ADVENTURES IN THE 8 th GRADE #1 (All Ages)

Landry Q. Walker (w); Eric Jones (p/i); Joey Mason (c); Pat Brousseau (l); cover by Jones

Publisher: DC

Format: six-issue miniseries

Concept: Supergirl stars in her own all-ages miniseries.

In this issue: Meet Linda Lee! She's the newest kid on the block – and the planet, too! Find out how an ordinary girl from Krypton became the most extraordinary girl on Earth in the pages of this brand new monthly series. And if you think life is tough as a hero, try being in the eighth grade. (from dccomics.com)

Review: I must admit that I wasn't exactly looking forward to this series. The ads (“She's SOOOOO Super”) didn't make much of an impression on me. But I decided to check it out anyway, and I'm glad I did. Walker makes Supergirl an easy character to identify with. Beneath the “S” logo and red cape is a story about a young runaway (a decision she regrets) trying to discover herself and make sense of the new world she finds herself in. It's a very engaging story with a pleasing artistic style and a likable main character.

WOLVERINE & POWER PACK #2: “Kickin' It Old School” (All Ages)

Marc Sumerak (w); Gurihiru (p/i/c); Dave Sharpe (l); cover by Gurihiru

Publisher: Marvel

Format: four-issue miniseries

Concept: The Canadian mutant joins forces with the Power kids.

In this issue : FIELD TRIP!!! The Power kids are excited to be visiting the coolest school on the planet -- the Xavier Institute! But even the home of the world's most powerful mutants might not be safe when the Sentinels come knocking! It's mutant mayhem in the mighty Marvel manner! Plus…MINI MARVELS! (from marvel.com)

Review: After hearing about the Savage Land in the last issue, Wolverine and the Power kids are now IN it! Well, actually, they're just in the Danger Room at the Xavier Institute. Here they can hang out with mutants their age, attend classes…and fight Sentinels! Gurihiru deliver the great artwork I've come to expect from them; everything from the Danger Room dinosaurs to Jack's hilarious love-struck facial expressions is wonderful. But it's the message (and the way it's presented) that make this one of the better Power Pack issues I've read. The X-Men have always been about using their mutant abilities to protect humans in an effort to live together in harmony. By having four young super-powered non-mutants do battle against forces that want to harm their mutant friends, Sumerak reminds us that humans have to do their part as well.

ASTOUNDING WOLF-MAN #10 (Teen/Young Adult)

Robert Kirkman (w); Jason Howard (p/i); Howard, Fco & Ivan Plascencia (c); Rus Wooton (l); cover by Howard

Publisher: Image

Format: monthly series

Concept: When Gary Hampton is mauled and left for dead, his life takes a drastic turn. Gary is cursed — when the moon is full he transforms into a beast of the night — a werewolf! But this curse will not be used for evil — witness the birth or the world's most unlikely new superhero — The Astounding Wolf-Man!

In this issue : Zechariah, the Astounding Wolf-Man's former mentor has a long, dark history filled with tragedy, betrayal and murder. Now is the time for that story to be told. At long last, the secret origin of Zechariah. (from imagecomics.com)

Review: If there were any doubts regarding Kirkman's ability to write three-dimensional characters, there won't be after reading this issue. We feel Gary 's pain as his training intensifies, and we chuckle as Hunter and his partner share a humorous moment. But the heart of the issue lies with Zechariah, whose origin is finally revealed as he visits a dying old man in the hospital. Vampirism is not romanticized here, but Howard and the Plascencias make it look beautiful anyway, and Howard shows us a glimpse of—could it be—sorrow and regret as he talks to the old man. It's a great scene made all the more moving when the man's identity is revealed. And then there's Chloe. While her appearance is brief, it speaks VOLUMES. Her expression suggests she may not be such a sympathetic character.

COLLECTIONS

MARVEL ADVENTURES HULK vol. 4: TALES TO ASTONISH digest collects MA HULK #13-16.

MARVEL TWO-IN-ONE #18 collects MA AVENGERS #18 and MA IRON MAN #6.

To be reviewed in next week's column:

INVINCIBLE #56

MARVEL ADVENTURES SPIDER-MAN #46

By thy side,

John “Figaro” Norris

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