THE CAT'S MEOW: What's Good on the Shelf This Week-Year 3 - Week 3 _ _________________________________________________________________________
Reviews by John Norris, September 22 , 2008

ASTOUNDING WOLF-MAN #8 (Teen/Young Adult)

Robert Kirkman (w); Jason Howard (p/i); Howard & FCO 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 : After last issue's status quo-altering events, The Astounding Wolf-Man sets out to find the creature responsible for the wreck his life has become: The Elder. This issue marks the beginning of a new story arc, picking up right where THE ASTOUNDING WOLF-MAN, VOL. 1 left off! (from imagecomics.com)

Review: Gary Hampton has gone from a successful businessman and father to a werewolf superhero to a fugitive on the run in a short time. Traveling as a human by day and a werewolf by night, he's headed somewhere that will be familiar to anyone who has read this series from the beginning. Kirkman continues to excel at making sure we care about the characters, and I can't wait to see what he has in store for both Gary and Chloe. Howard's art keeps getting better and better, and with Plascencia on board, creates some beautiful panels of the Wolf-Man.

Look out for: blood and minor language (one use of “ass,” “hell” and “mother—“, though the character doesn't complete the word)

BILLY BATSON AND THE MAGIC OF SHAZAM #2 (All Ages)

Mike Kunkel (words, pictures, heart); Steve Wands (l); cover by Kunkel

Publisher: DC

Format: monthly series

Concept: Welcome to the brand-new, all-fun adventures of Billy Batson as the World's Mightiest Mortal — Captain Marvel, from acclaimed writer/artist Mike Kunkel (Herobear)!

In this issue: Billy learns that there is a new kid at school – good luck making friends! Theo Adam has magically returned from banishment, and in the process he's completely forgotten the magic word that changes him into Black Adam! What he does know is that Billy has the same power, so he's going to do everything he can to get the secret word out of Billy – even if it means joining Billy's school and playing nice. (from dccomics.com)

Review: Play nice? Theo Adam? THAT'LL be the day. He's called Black Adam for a very good reason. And even though he can't remember the magic word, he can still cause a fair amount of trouble. Kunkel creates some wonderful tension between Adam and Billy, and I like that he acknowledges Jeff Smith's MONSTER SOCIETY OF EVIL in explaining how Theo got here. Kunkel's ability to bring characters to life produces some hilarious scenes with Mary as well as Billy's “bathroom” excuse in class. And if the last page is any indication, the next issue will really be something.

FLASH vol. 2 #244: “This Was Your Life, Wally West, part 1: Infested” (Teen/Young Adult)

Alan Burnett (w); Paco Diaz (p); Drew Geraci & Rebecca Buchman (i); Tanya & Richard Horie (c); Rob Leigh (l); cover by Brian Stelfreeze

Publisher: DC

Format: monthly series

Concept: Wally West returns as the Scarlet Speedster.

In this issue : The epic "This Was Your Life, Wally West" kicks off in high gear as Flash faces a scary blast from the past in a new story written by Alan Burnett (Batman: The Animated Series, SUPERMAN/BATMAN). Plus, Keystone City is abuzz over the new threat in town, who just might be the finish line for the Flash! (from dccomics.com)

Review: Right now, the West family has it pretty good. Iris and Jai have been cured, Wally's on good terms with the Justice League, and Linda wants to, shall we say, put the kids to bed early. He even takes the kids around Dinosaur Island and back to the place where it all began—where Wally West became Kid Flash. It's nice to see Wally and family having some down time, but at the same time, we want to see Flash in action, and we get it as he investigates some mysterious bee attacks and begins to feel pain he hasn't felt since he was a kid. Burnett, who's probably better known for his work on the DC animated TV shows, turns in a nice story, and Diaz and team make both the Flash and Dinosaur Island look great.

Look out for: There's no blood, but there is a page showing the victims of said bee attacks that's a bit disturbing. Imagine bee stings all over a person's body, and their body's reaction to them.

MARVEL ADVENTURES AVENGERS #28: “Power, Man/“Here, Kitty, Kitty, Kitty!” (All Ages)

Jeff Parker/Paul Tobin (w); Rodney Buchemi/Ig Guara/Sandro Ribeiro (p/i); Ulises Arreola (c); Dave Sharpe (l); cover by Leonark Kirk, Terry Pallot & Guru eFX

Publisher: Marvel

Format: monthly series

Concept: Super-soldier from World War II. Weather Goddess. Super-strong alter ego of scientist Bruce Banner. Spider-powered web-slinger. Giant-sized crimefighter. Brilliant armored inventor. Feral mutant brawler. Together, they are the world's mightiest heroes, battling foes that no single super hero could withstand!

In this issue : Luke Cage joins the Avengers. (from marvel.com)

Review: Luke Cage has fighting skills, streed cred…and a mama who don't take none of his sassin'! Yep, Cage gets the Jeff Parker treatment, and I love it. He'd rather beat up thugs than take down robots or mutated plants, although he's good at that, too. Time will tell whether or not he stays on the team, but he's not a bad addition. All I can say about the backup story—which, by the way, takes place while the first story is going on—is that it's very…bizarre.

SKRULLS VS. POWER PACK #3: “The Prophecy” (All Ages)

Fred Van Lente (w); Cory Hamscher & Jacopo Camagni (p); Cory Hamscher & Norman Lee (i); Gurihiru (c); Dave Sharpe (l); cover by Gurihiru

Publisher: Marvel

Format: four-issue miniseries

Concept: Power Pack faces the shape-shifting Skrulls!

In this issue : The mysterious identity of the man (Earthling? Skrull? Kymellian?) behind the intergalactic imprisonment of Power Pack is revealed – but you won't believe why he's framed Marvel's premiere all-kids super-team! This is the beginning of a new era in Pack history – If you're any kind of a PP fan at all, you simply can't afford to miss "THE PROPHECY"! Featuring MINI MARVELS! (from marvel.com)

Review: From the opening scene featuring Power Pack fighting the Warpriest, this issue hits the ground running and doesn't stop. It's great to see H.E.R.B.I.E. get a piece of the action, and he proves himself quite useful while making sweet talk about Friday. The best thing about this issue is that by showing the Jack-impersonating Skrull comparing the way he's treated at home to the way he's been treated by Mrs. Power, Van Lente almost makes us feel sorry for him. Almost.

TINY TITANS #8 (All Ages)

Art Baltazar & Franco (w); art & cover by Baltazar

Publisher: DC

Format: monthly series

Concept: It's all your favorite Titans, in their cutest possible form!

In this issue : School is in session at Sidekick City Elementary and it's time for report cards and parent teacher conferences. Plus, Beast Boy gets more than he bargained for with a trip to the local library and hilarity ensues at Blue Beetle's birthday party with a case of mistaken identity and much, much more! (from dccomics.com)

Review: Ah, report cards and parent-teacher conferences: anticipated by some, dreaded by others. Principal Slade sure has a busy day, and the reports (and the kids' reactions) are exactly what you would expect. Meanwhile, Blue Beetle gets a makeover, Beast Boy gets “lost” in a book, and Aqualad forms Pet Club Atlantis. Proof that there's stuff for adults as well as kids: in addition to parent-teacher conferences, Baltazar & Franco spoof FIGHT CLUB, the Beatles, and the PEANUTS TV specials.

X-MEN FIRST CLASS vol. 2 #16 (Teen/Young Adult)

Jeff Parker (w); Patrick Scherberger (p); Craig Yeung (i); Val Staples (c); Nate Piekos (l); cover by Scherberger & Staples

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 : Here's what it's all been building to! The youngest, most rad members of the X-Men and the Fantastic Four ditch their lame teams and form THE MOST AWESOME DUO IN THE HISTORY OF SUPER-HEROING! Get ready world for ICEMAN and HUMAN TORCH! And Spider-Man shows up too! Chill out and feel the burn! (solicit text contributed by Robert Drake) (from marvel.com)

Review: As Johnny and Bobby point out on the first page, this is the last regular issue for a while. But before they go, Parker allows them to try heroics on their own, and produces the series' most hilarious issue yet. We see both of them split after getting fussed at by their respective teammates, only to help each other stop some bad guys and land on the local news. I love their reason for wanting to take on bigger villains, and thanks to Spider-Man, they get some. What follows is the highlight of the issue: a fight scene that's screamingly funny due to the fact that Parker lets the villains have some great dialogue as well as Iceman and the Torch. Scherberger, Yeung and Staples provider some nice art, and the two young heroes make a winning duo. In fact, there's only one thing that could come between them…and you can probably guess what (or who) that is.

COLLECTIONS

MARVEL ADVENTURES TWO-IN-ONE #15 collects MA FANTASTIC FOUR #33 and MA SPIDER-MAN #41.

POWER PACK: DAY ONE digest collects the miniseries.

To be reviewed in next week's column:

MARVEL ADVENTURES FANTASTIC FOUR #40

MARVEL ADVENTURES SUPER HEROES #3

PERHAPANAUTS vol. 2 #4

RUNAWAYS vol. 3 #2

ULTIMATE SPIDER-MAN #126

USAGI YOJIMBO vol. 3 #114

WOLVERINE: FIRST CLASS #7

By thy side,

John “Figaro” Norris

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