THE CAT'S MEOW: What's Good on the Shelf This Week-Year 3 - Week 23 ____________________________________________________________________
Reviews by John Norris, February 09, 2009

AGENTS OF ATLAS #1: “First Contact” (Teen/Young Adult)

Jeff Parker (w); Carlo Pagulayan (p); Jason Paz (i); Jana Schirmer (c); Nate Piekos (l); cover by Arthur Adams & Guru eFX; variant cover by Ed McGuinness

Publisher: Marvel

Format: monthly series

Concept: The heroes of the 1950s are back with big plans for the 21 st Century!

In this issue : When Federal enforcers under the hand of NORMAN OSBORN burst into an armory under control of the Atlas Foundation, Jimmy Woo's Agents go head-to-head with the new powers that be. How it all goes down will make the playing field of the modern Marvel Universe more volatile than ever! PLUS: A 12-page 1950s flashback to the Agents of Atlas' first savage encounter with the man known as Wolverine! (from marvel.com)

Review: One thing I love about Parker is the humor he injects into comics, and nowhere is this more evident than in his introductory pages. “Gorilla Man's Continuity Catch-Up” not only brings us up to speed as far as Marvel's recent big events such as “House Of M,” “Civil War,” “Secret Invasion” and such are concerned, but it pokes a bit of fun at them as well. Then we're in the middle of the action, with some great artwork from Pagulayan…and, of course, Gorilla Man's great lines. The backup story “Wolverine: Agent of Atlas” is quite entertaining, with some nice, classic-style artwork from Benton Jew.

SUPERGIRL: COSMIC ADVENTURES IN THE 8 th GRADE #3 (All Ages)

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

Publisher: DC

Format: six-issue miniseries

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

In this issue: As if being an 8th grader wasn't hard enough, a meteor strikes and makes all of the students at Stanhope Boarding School really super. And why is Belinda Zee suddenly being so nice? (from marvel.com)

Review: Lena wants to be Linda's friend. Belinda pretends to want to be her friend. Then suddenly Supergirl tries to stop a red meteor which ends up giving almost all the other kids at school superpowers. Chaotic, but every day seems to be that way for Linda. This issue has something to say about friendship, and the fact that it's not super powers that make one special.

WOLVERINE AND POWER PACK #4: “Alex Power: Master Ninja” (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: Alex Power is about to become a Ninja Master -- on one of Japan 's most popular game shows! But first, he and the rest of Power Pack will have to fight a horde of real-live ninjas if they plan to get Alex to the show's taping in one piece. Luckily, Wolverine is in town and ready to lend the Pack a much needed hand against the Hand! (from marvel.com)

Review: One minute, Alex Power is practicing defensive formation 12-A with his team, and the next minute he's heralded as a young hero…and a contestant on the Japanese game show “Ninja Master!” (It should come as no surprise that Jack had something to do with it.) While there, they get to assist Wolverine in dealing with the magical ninja clan known as the Hand. Sumerak uses these two scenarios to deliver a message about the guilt of cheating and where power really comes from. And I love how Katie notes the difference between the land of Godzilla and Pokemon and the Japan that looks like Times Square with billboards you can't read.

X-MEN FIRST CLASS FINALS #1: “Senioritis” (Teen/Young Adult)

Jeff Parker (w); Roger Cruz (p/i); Val Staples (c); Nate Piekos (l); cover by Cruz

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 : Youth is fleeting, powers are growing, and the first class of Charles Xavier's School for Gifted Youngsters is about to move on to a bigger, scarier world. What does the future hold- and how will it all end? Plus: Colleen Coover shows us... Jean and Scott on a DATE! (from marvel.com)

Review: Parker gives us another great first-page introduction from Bobby, and the issue begins. The team experiences Jean's dreamscape and then fights some demo versions of villains they've faced before. The question is, why? And where is the professor? Those answers have yet to be revealed, but it's great to have Parker & Cruz back on the title again.

COLLECTIONS

TINY TITANS vol. 1: WELCOME TO THE TREEHOUSE trade collects TINY TITANS #1-6.

To be reviewed in next week's column:

MARVEL ADVENTURES SPIDER-MAN #48

MARVEL ADVENTURES SUPER HEROES #8

PHANTOM: THE GHOST WHO WALKS vol. 2 #0

SUPER FRIENDS vol. 2 #12

By thy side,

John “Figaro” Norris

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