THE CAT'S MEOW: What's Good on the Shelf This Week-Year 3 - Week 18 ____________________________________________________________________
Reviews by John Norris, January 05, 2009

MARVEL ADVENTURES FANTASTIC FOUR #43: "What's In a Name?" (All Ages)

Paul Tobin (w); David Hahn (p/i); A. Dalhouse (c); Nate Piekos (l); cover by Espin & Quintana

Publisher: Marvel

Format: monthly series

Concept: Irradiated by cosmic rays and transformed to possess superhuman powers, they joined together to fight evil. Mister Fantastic, the Invisible Girl, the Human Torch and the Thing. Together they call themselves the Fantastic Four!

In this issue : Can't vacations ever go right? All the Fantastic Four wanted was a nice simple weekend at the Suite Salem Bed & Breakfast---Agatha Harkness: Propeitor. But the rooms are more than a little odd, and the nearby country fair has an unsettling Hall of Mirrors run by a certain lady known as Moondragon. Worst of all, Baron Mordo's not playing fair at the fair! He's stolen part of the FF's essence to create gargoyle-simulacrums bent on the FF's destruction! (from marvel.com)

Review: Ah, the relaxing weekend getaway. A quaint bed & breakfast, a nice county fair, gargoyles made from your essence.such is the luck of the Fantastic Four. Hahn really shines once again in this dialogue-free issue, and his images range from funny (Ben carrying Reed like a sack) to rather creepy, particularly the way in which Mordo steals each member's essence.

THE PHANTOM #26: "Man O' War" (Teen/Young Adult)

Mike Bullock (w); Zeu & Silvestre Szilagyi (p/i); Bob Pedroza (c); Nate Pride (l); covers by Zeu and Andy Smith & Renato Guerra

Publisher: Moonstone

Format: monthly series

Concept: "The Ghost Who Walks" comes alive, as the classic comic strip character is put through his paces in all new adventures. Thrilling adventure fraught with dire peril!

In this issue: From the Chronicles of the 13th Phantom! While returning to the United States with his wife, Jeannette, The Ghost Who Walks finds himself embroiled in a battle with sea faring slave traders. Will The Phantom be able to free the enslaved members of the Llongo tribe, or join them in chains? And how does this tie in to the life of the 21st Phantom? Find out here! (from grahamcrackers.com)

Review: It begins with the Phantom and Diana conversing about two missing people while the kids play around, and then, thanks to a seamless transition, we're back in time with the 13 th Phantom. It's an adventure on the high seas, as Mr. and Mrs. Walker get more than they bargained for when they have to deal with slave traders. Bullock has crafted a highly entertaining story with a message about slavery, and it's beautifully brought to life by Zeu & Pedroza, who provide some splendid visuals.

VENOM: DARK ORIGIN #5 (Teen/Young Adult)

Zeb Wells (w); Angel Medina (p); Scott Hanna (i); Matt Milla (c); Joe Caramagna (l); cover by Medina

Publisher: Marvel

Format: five-issue miniseries

Concept: Learn how Eddie Brock bonded with the alien symbiote and became Venom.

In this issue: There's no turning back now. The symbiote has finally and fully bonded with Eddie Brock's DNA, blackening his heart, tarring his soul. Now the man reborn as VENOM sets out for revenge! Discover the humanity behind the classic Amazing Spider-Man #300, as a twisted, corrupted human being crosses the final line, and Spider-Man and his monstrous new arch-enemy Venom meet face-to-face for the first time.in a battle that would rock comics for decades to come! (from marvel.com)

Review: Oh MAN, is this issue a thrill ride! Black-suited Spider-Man meets Venom, and the gloves come off! The fight scenes are truly phenomenal, and Medina , Hanna and Milla have really outdone themselves. But it's not just the amazing artwork; each moment, each spoken word, each thought is truly character-driven. Through it all, it's one person who takes responsibility for their actions versus one who doesn't, though it's interesting that Spider-Man compares Brock's situation to the murder of Uncle Ben, which is something I'd never considered. In the end, no one can really be declared the winner. No one's been defeated, and there's even a brief moment when Brock questions the symbiote's loyalty. But to the very end, he takes the easy way out, and the transformation is complete. In my opinion, this is by far the best Venom miniseries published to date, and it is my hope that we will see more stories of this quality. If Wells or Medina are involved, so much the better.

To be reviewed in next week's column:

WOLVERINE AND POWER PACK #3

By thy side,

John "Figaro" Norris

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