THE CAT'S MEOW: What's Good on the Shelf This Week-Year 3 - Week 40 ____________________________________________________________________
Reviews by John Norris, June 08, 2009

AGENTS OF ATLAS #5: “Taking the Fall” (Teen/Young Adult)

Jeff Parker (w); Carlo Pagulayan (p); Jason Paz (i); Jana Schirmer (c); Nate Piekos (l); covers by Billy Tan & Frank D'Armata and McGuinness, Vines & Ponsor

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 : Issue #5 brings the throwdown to end all throwdowns! The Agents of Atlas face off with the NEW AVENGERS!!! What a perfect time for M-11 to take one of his unpredictable courses of decisive action. (from marvel.com)

Review: In this issue, it's Venus who provides the musical recap (to the tune of “Singin' in the Rain,” no less). Then Parker lets us wait a few more pages before finally bringing the two teams together. And then he toys with our expectations again through Spider-Man. Leave it up to M-11 to do something quite unpredictable and get things going. Action and humor abound in this issue, and Pagulayan, Paz & Schirmer make it all look thrilling.

Look out for: The word “hell” is used a couple of times. Oh, and M-11 blasts Wolverine's arm.

BATMAN: THE BRAVE AND THE BOLD #5: “The Case Of the Fractured Fairy Tale!” (All Ages)

J. Torres (w); Carlo Barberi (p); Terry Beatty (i); Heroic Age (c); Sal Cipriano (l); cover by Scott Jeralds

Publisher: DC

Format: monthly series

Concept: Jumping out of your TV and into your comics comes the highly anticipated new cartoon BATMAN: THE BRAVE AND THE BOLD! Each month, The Dark Knight Detective faces challenges that only he can solve – with a little help from his DC Universe pals! Thrill as Batman visits new places and old friends. Chill as he chases down the most powerful villains in the DCU, armed with only his Bat-gadgets and his wits!

In this issue: Children everywhere are missing thanks to the Queen of Fables! It's up to Batman and Captain Marvel to give this mystery a happy ending! (from dccomics.com)

Review: Fairy tales have their dark sides, which is just what the Queen of Fables lives off of. She uses enchanted forests and creatures to capture children. Why, you ask? Because drinking their tears quenches her thirst for eternal youth. But Captain Marvel knows something about being a kid as well, and he and Batman are about to put a twist in the Queen's plans. Torres and Barberi handle the creative duties this time, and it's great to see them both on a DC all-ages book again. Also included is info on the Queen and Captain Marvel from the secret Bat-files.

CARS: THE ROOKIE #2: “Big Break!” (All Ages)

Alan J. Porter (w); Albert Carreres (p/i); Emily Kanalz (c); Deron Bennett (l); cover by Allen Gladfelter

Publisher: BOOM! Kids

Format: monthly series

Concept: Lightning McQueen and the cast of Disney/Pixar's CARS return in this miniseries.

In this issue: Lightning McQueen's untold origin story continues! McQueen has just befriended Mack, and the two ragtag dreamers hit the road together. When they arrive at Piston Cup's pre-season testing track, McQueen and Mack are ignored by all the pros. But McQueen will do anything to get his big break! (from boom-kids.com)

Review: In this second issue, Mack takes over as narrator, which means that the story he tells is accurate. McQueen wants desperately to get his big break, and he's not afraid to start at the top, with Dinoco's King and Mr. Tex themselves. But when they turn him down, it's one reject after another as McQueen works his way down the line…until Mack introduces him to two guys he'd ordinarily have nothing to do with. In McQueen, Porter and Carreres beautifully capture the frustration of anyone who's ever aimed for the top and ended up with a string of rejections. There's also something to be said about slipping in through the “back door,” as it were. And Carreres' artwork can make you feel both the need for speed and the pain of a blowout.

INVINCIBLE #62 (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: CONQUEST is here. Invincible is confronted with the most dangerous threat he's ever faced. He will not come out of this unscathed. This issue is not to be missed. (from imagecomics.com)

Review: Invincible just finished fighting one battle only to have to fight another in the form of the aptly-named one-man army known as CONQUEST. To make matters worse, Conquest is doing it for the pleasure. There's not much story here—the whole issue is basically these two characters duking it out, with a short, great appearance by Oliver—but that doesn't mean the issue is a quick read. In fact, I don't believe there is such a thing as a “quick read” as far as this book is concerned. It just means that there's more time to study and marvel at the artwork. From the dynamic opening splash page, it puts you right in the middle of the action and keeps you there the whole time. Believe me, there's a LOT to look at. Ottley, Rathburn and Plascencia bring their “A” game to every issue, and this one is no exception.

Look out for: some language and BLOOD. Like I said, Conquest does it for the pleasure, and he holds nothing back.

WOLVERINE FIRST CLASS #15: “Rock Gods” (All Ages)

Peter David (w); Scott Koblish (p/i); Ulises Arreola (c); Joe Caramagna (l); cover by Calero & Sotocolor

Publisher: Marvel

Format: monthly series

Concept: Return with us again to the early days of the all-new, all-different, X-Men for all-new solo adventures of Wolverine and Kitty Pryde!

In this issue: Kitty Pryde's got a crush, and she's depending on Wolvie to help her get the hook-up. But what can she really expect him to do when that crush is THOR? (from marvel.com)

Review: Kitty's had her share of crushes, and she's now got another one. The problem? The new object of her affection is none other than Thor! How does one even get close to a guy like that? As Wolverine says, “something'll come up,” and boy, is he right. Koblish's art is engaging, and David gives Wolverine and Kitty some hilarious dialogue.

To be reviewed in next week's column:

THE ASTOUNDING WOLF-MAN #16

MUPPET ROBIN HOOD #1

USAGI YOJIMBO #120

By thy side,

John “Figaro” Norris

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