THE CAT'S MEOW: What's Good on the Shelf This Week-Year 3 - Week 25 ____________________________________________________________________
Reviews by John Norris, February 24, 2009

FIREBREATHER vol. 2 #4: “All the Best Heroes Are Orphans” (Teen/Young Adult)

Phil Hester (w); Andy Kuhn (p/i); Bill Crabtree (c); cover by Kuhn & Crabtree

Publisher: Image

Format: monthly series

Concept: Divorce is tough for any teenager, but when your mom is a normal human housewife and your dad is a 300-foot-tall, city-stomping monster, things get a little tougher. This is Duncan Rosenblatt's reality. His mom wants him to keep up his grades and go to community college. His dad wants him to ascend to his rightful place as king of all monsters.

In this issue : Duncan is faced with an unthinkable task in the shocking conclusion of our first story arc. Will he follow in his father's footsteps and commit an unforgivable crime to secure his current way of life, or follow his mother's lead and put everything at risk to preserve his humanity? (from imagecomics.com)

Review: When we last left Duncan , he was following his father's astral projection to a battle scene, only to find that the real Belloc has been mortally wounded. The stage is set for Duncan 's most difficult situation to date. When I first started reading the series, I felt that Belloc saw his son's humanity as preventing him from reaching his full potential, and that Duncan saw his father as…well, something of a monster. But this issue shows that the bond between father and son truly runs deep, and that the two really love each other. It's an emotional powerhouse, and Hester, Kuhn and Crabtree deliver what I believe is some of their best work to date. Fialkov and Fleecs' Li'l Firebreather backup story, “Daddy Day Care,” is much lighter in tone, and wonderfully entertaining. Belloc's comments about TV are hilarious, and Fleecs draws him quite nicely.

Look out for: some blood

INVINCIBLE #59 (Teen/Young Adult)

Robert Kirkman (w); Ryan Ottley (p); Cliff Rathburn (i); Fco Plascencia (c); Rus Wooton (l); cover by Ottley & Plascencia

Publisher: Image

Format: monthly series

Concept: Follow the adventures of young superhero Mark Grayson.

In this issue: Meet PowerPlex! He's out to rid the world once and for all of the menace known as Invincible! (from imagecomics.com)

Review: By his own admission in the letters page, Kirkman tried something different in this issue by doing it from a villain's perspective. We learn why PowerPlex feels the way he does, and while his grief is understandable, he takes it way too far. In Kirkman's dialogue and Ottley's expressions, you can feel the tension mounting with the turning of each page. So from my perspective, I say darned if the attempt doesn't work.

JOHNNY MONSTER #1 (Teen/Young Adult)

Joshua Williamson (w); J.C. Grande (p/i); Owen Hunter (c); Leif Giese (flats); cover by Grande & Jason Ho

Publisher: Image

Format: three-issue miniseries

Concept: From the acclaimed writer of DEAR DRACULA and Necessary Evil, Johnny Monster mixes Tom Strong with Godzilla movies by way of Tarzan and the Phantom to create a compelling and different monster mash!

In this issue: Johnny Monster is the world's foremost super-star monster hunter, but what the world doesn't know is that he was raised by the same monsters he's "hunting"! Now, in order to save his adoptive family... he must fight them!

Review: New York City is the scene of a giant monster fight, when suddenly Johnny Monster shows up! He's America 's newest monster hunter and teen heartthrob, who seems to be able to take down the monsters in a friendly way…and he doesn't do interviews. That, of course, doesn't stop a determined reporter from getting the inside scoop, and what she finds will surprise her. I picked this up on the strength of Williamson's delightful book DEAR DRACULA, and he delivers another entertaining story, with Grande providing some nice monster art.

MARVEL ADVENTURES AVENGERS #33: “You're Driving Me Crazy” (All Ages)

Paul Tobin (w); Ig Guara (p); Sandro Ribiero (i); Sotocolor (c); Dave Sharpe (l); cover by Roger Cruz & Val Staples

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: Ka-Zar's in town, and needs the Avengers' help! While
helping the Natural History Museum install a new dinosaur diorama, Ka-Zar decides he should get a driver's license, and the Avengers are pegged to help the lord of the Savage Land learn to drive! As if THAT isn't bad enough (and it IS) the manical villain Stegron steals a rare dinosaur bone he believes can raise his powers to enormous levels, and he's right! Drive on up to this issue for action x 3 with slugfests, dinosaurs, and driving lessons, in "You're Driving Me Crazy!"

Review: There's very little New Yorkers or the Avengers haven't witnessed, but a bunch of dinosaurs roaming the streets and Ka-Zar driving the streets is a lot to handle. And that's not counting Stegron and his increased power. The story is action-packed and just plain hilarious as it alternates between driving lessons and dinosaurs. Anyone who's ever tried to teach someone to drive will relate to Spider-Man. As for the dinos, thanks to Guara, they look pretty darn cool.

SONIC THE HEDGEHOG #197: “Consequences/Knight Time” (All Ages)

Ian Flynn (w); Tracy Yardley! & Matt Herms (p); Jim Amash (i); Jason Jensen/Michael Watkins (c); Teresa Davidson (l); cover by Yardley, Amash & Jensen

Publisher: Archie

Format: monthly series

Concept: Follow the adventures of Sonic and pals, based on the hit video game.

In this issue : Sonic is traversing the Cosmic Highway to the Multiverse with Scourge the Hedgehog in custody, but he doesn't get far before he learns that all the zones are in lockdown. What threat has caused such drastic measures, and can Sonic defeat it? Meanwhile, a hearing is underway to determine whether Princess Sally is guilty of treason. All this, plus a development of cataclysmic proportions that could well mark the beginning of the end as the countdown to issue #200 continues! (from grahamcrackers.com)

Review: I'll say one thing for Scourge: he's nothing if not persistent. After last issue's fight, he's still got enough left to give Sonic one more fight on the Cosmic Highway . But the Highway is in ruins, and Sonic learns why as Zonic tries to deal with Scourge. It's good stuff, but the best part about this issue is the well-written hearing, in which Sally proves that she can hold her own in court as well as on the battlefield. Also included is a backup story that ties in to the new SONIC AND THE BLACK KNIGHT video game.

And I just have to say that I LOVE Sonic's expression on the cover!

TINY TITANS #13 (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 : Everyone's favorite know-it-all, Psimon, is back and the Science Club will never be the same. Meanwhile, Raven shows just what a tough cookie she is, and Aqualad and his new friend come to a Pet Club meeting in stately Wayne Manor. (from dccomics.com)

Review: This issue is definitely for the birds…and other animals! Raven likes to feed the animals only to turn around and tell them to scram, Psimon invites a few friends to his “science club” meeting, which turns out to be something more, the Titans have a Pet Club meeting, Hotspot and Flamebird join the Bird Scouts, and Kroc shows us how to pick up the dry cleaning. It all comes with the art and sound effects you expect…and if you're not careful, you just might learn a little something about isotopes or why an octopus squirts ink.

COLLECTIONS

MARVEL ADVENTURES AVENGERS vol. 8: THE NEW RECRUITS digest collects MA AVENGERS #28-31.

MARVEL ADVENTURES TWO-IN-ONE #20 collects MA HULK #10 and MA SPIDER-MAN #46.

ULTIMATE SPIDER-MAN vol. 10 collects USM #112-121.

To be reviewed in next week's column:

ASTOUNDING WOLF-MAN #13

BATMAN: THE BRAVE AND THE BOLD #2

MARVEL ADVENTURES FANTASTIC FOUR #45

ULTIMATE SPIDER-MAN #131

USAGI YOJIMBO vol. 3 #118

WOLVERINE FIRST CLASS #12

By thy side,

John “Figaro” Norris

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