THE CAT'S MEOW: What's Good on the Shelf This Week-Year 3 - Week 51 ____________________________________________________________________
Reviews by John Norris, August 25, 2009

AGENTS OF ATLAS #9: “Terror of the Jade Claw” (Teen/Young Adult)

Jeff Parker (w); Dan Panosian (p/i); Elizabeth Dismang (c); Tom Orzechowski (l); covers by Leinil Yu & Dave McCaig

Publisher: Marvel

Format: monthly series

Concept: Reunited in the present to save their leader Jimmy Woo, an incredible team of 1950s FBI agents discovered Woo was the heir to an ancient underground empire known as the Atlas Foundation! Assuming command of the worldwide syndicate, Woo and his fellow agents plan to use its far-reaching influence for good. Now Master Woo, Gorilla-Man, Namora, the Urania, Venus and the killer robot M-11 are regarded as global threats—and known to the underworld as the AGENTS OF ATLAS.

In this issue : The Agents of Atlas find themselves racing around the world to rescue their leader! Jimmy Woo and M-11 find themselves under the talons of the most terrible power in China ...the deadly- and beautiful- JADE CLAW! With more minions than the Atlas Empire and the more advanced killer robot M-25, it seems nothing can stop her, and Jimmy has now set off war with her organization THE GREAT WALL. Lesson: never look up your ex-girlfriend! (from marvel.com)

Review: Jimmy Woo and M-11 have caught up with Jade Claw, which does not bode well for them. Not only has she formed her own organization and gotten her own advisor, but she has a killer robot even more advanced than M-11 on her side. Meanwhile, the rest of the team takes care of some unfinished business from the last issue. But the whole team may soon realize just how much they're in over their heads. Parker and Panosian keep things entertaining, and as always, Gorilla Man provides some much-needed humor.

Look out for: Gorilla Man takes care of the last of the mutated freaks from last issue with a gun and a knife.

FINDING NEMO: REEF RESCUE #2 (All Ages)

Marie Croall (w); Erica Leigh Currey (p/i/c); Marshall Dillon (l); covers by Amy Mebberson & Currey

Publisher: BOOM! Kids

Format: monthly series

Concept: The biggest selling DVD of all time comes to comics!

In this issue: Nemo, Dory and Marlin embark on a journey to save their dying reef. Facing dangerous waters and incredible odds, Nemo travels the great blue sea to save the one thing that matters most of all—home. In this issue, Nemo's old friend Gil lends a helping fin! (from boom-kids.com)

Review: Marlin, Nemo and friends have set off to find out why the reef is dying. Nemo suggests finding Gil, who's probably the only fish around that hasn't lived on the reef his whole life. The tank gang's all here, but unfortunately, things are no better for them. And then the threat is discovered. Croall manages to make the story accessible for all ages while maintaining an ever-present sense of danger. Those two things balance each other out nicely, and that's part of what makes the book so much fun. Another reason is that Croall understands the characters; Gil and the tank gang are every bit the likable characters they were in the film. And let's not forget Currey, who gives the characters (especially Marlin) some WONDERFUL expressions.

IRON MAN & THE ARMOR WARS #1: “Down and Out in Beverly Hills ” (All Ages)

Joe Caramagna (w); Craig Rousseau (p/i); Val Staples (c); Dave Sharpe (l); cover by Skottie Young

Publisher: Marvel

Format: four-issue miniseries

In this issue: Cash, cars, boats, houses…Tony Stark has got it all. The only thing that could ruin his day? If every single one of his IRON MAN armors were stolen, and then turned against him. Join us for a nail-biting, strapped-to-your-seat adventure as Tony battles his greatest creations, and tries to discover who could (gasp) OUTSMART him!?!? (from marvel.com)

Review: Tony Stark's moved his company to Los Angeles , he and Jim Rhodes can't afford to pay their staff, their products are pretty much going nowhere, and Tony refuses to make weapons. Despite this, Tony is still optimistic about his latest design, the Peacekeeper Armor…that is, until Crimson Dynamo shows up, and then he discovers that ALL of his armors are gone. And you know what? That's not even the WORST part. The good news, though, is that Caramagna and Rousseau start things off with a bang (and several “KSSHs” and “FRAKKAs”). Once the action starts, it doesn't let up until Rousseau and Staples' great final splash page, in which a certain Latverian villain shows up.

MUPPET ROBIN HOOD #3 (All Ages)

Tim Beedle (w); Armand Villavert, Jr. (p/i); Kat Valliant (c); Marshall Dillon (l); covers by David Petersen and Christopher Schons

Publisher: BOOM! Kids

Format: four-issue miniseries

Concept: The Muppets tell the Robin Hood legend for laughs, and it's the reader who will be merry!

In this issue: Robin Hood (Kermit the Frog) and his band of outlaws steal from the rich and give to the poor. But much to the Merry Men's disbelief, Maid Marian (Miss Piggy) has stolen Robin's most valuable possession—his heart! (from boom-kids.com)

Review: This series just gets better and better. Three issues in, and Beedle continues to surprise and delight. Who else could put a little Sex Pistols reference into an all-ages comic and make it clean and funny? (And it is totally clean; those who don't know of the band probably won't even get the joke.) Beedle also cleverly breaks the fourth wall in a couple of panels. But what's really great is that for a few moments, amid all the comedy, he makes us feel sympathy for Friar Tuck. Which is really saying something, considering we're talking about the Muppets.

By thy side,

John “Figaro” Norris

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