THE CAT'S MEOW: What's Good on the Shelf This Week-Year 3 - Week 41 ____________________________________________________________________
Reviews by John Norris, June 16, 2009

ASTRO BOY MOVIE PREQUEL: UNDERGROUND #1 (All Ages)

Scott Tipton (w); Diego Jourdan (p/i); Tom Smith/Scorpion Studios (c); Robbie Robbins (l); covers by Jourdan & Ashley Wood

Publisher: IDW

Format: four-issue miniseries

Concept: He's back! Astro Boy makes his amazing return to comics, paving the way for his exciting feature film debut later this year!

In this issue: It's an all-new Astro Boy adventure, with Astro exploring a strange subterranean kingdom in search of his lost father, encountering weird creatures large and small. But are they friend or foe? (from grahamcrackers.com)

Review: “Astro Boy” began as a manga by Osamu Tezuka and became a television show in the 1960s. Now he's getting an animated feature film, thanks to the folks at Imagi Studios, who also made the 2007 TMNT film. Until then, we have this prequel. There's no history regarding Astro Boy's creation; perhaps a future issue or the movie will cover that. But what we get is first-rate. Tipton and Jourdan drop us right in the middle of the action, and it's one great page after another from then on. Jourdan, whose work on PET ROBOTS I loved, provides some wonderful artwork, and makes Astro a wonderfully expressive character. Whether you're already a fan or not, I highly recommend this, and I look forward to the next issue.

MARVEL ADVENTURES FANTASTIC FOUR #48: “Moving Day” (All Ages)

Paul Tobin (w); Denis Medri (p/i); Sotocolor (c); Nate Piekos (l); cover by Roger Cruz & Sotomayor

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: All good things must eventually end. Sure, our universe had some great times, but all shows must close, and the Fantastic Four are summoned to the Ends of Time to help one of the show's brightest stars pack up for the long sleep until the next universe is born. That's right: Galactus has survived one Big Bang, and is making plans to pull off the same trick! But what does a guy like Galactus pack for this journey, and why does he need the help of the Fantastic Four? (from marvel.com)

Review: Like lots of other people, the Fantastic Four take time out of their day to text each other, even when they're fighting someone. But they're about to receive a most unexpected call from a most unexpected person (Galactus) for a most unexpected reason: the Devourer of Worlds wants their help! While the Four try to decide if they will accept, Tobin shows us that even powerful beings need help sometimes.

MUPPET ROBIN HOOD #1 (All Ages)

Tim Beedle (w); Armand Villavert, Jr. (p/i); Mara Aum (c); Marshall Dillon (l); covers by David Petersen, Shelli Paroline and David Alvarez

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) joins with the Merry Men — Sherwood Forest's infamous gang of misfit outlaws — to take on the stuffy Sheriff of Muppetham (Sam the Eagle) and the wicked Gonzo of Gisbourne! (from boom-kids.com)

Review: The solicitation does not lie, folks. If you don't even crack a smile at least once while reading this, you should check your pulse. Beedle and Villavert obviously have a love for the characters, and what makes the issue work is that the Muppets remain completely in character even as they portray others. Thus we find Sweetums playing Little John, even though he's much taller than everyone else. Rowlf is the piano-playing wandering minstrel, Alan-A-Dale. And Miss Piggy…well, what is there to say about Miss Piggy? I'll say this, though, if you're a Muppet fan, or if you're just looking for a good laugh, this issue is an absolute MUST-HAVE.

TOY STORY: THE MYSTERIOUS STRANGER #1 (All Ages)

Dan Jolley (w); Chris Moreno (p/i); Veronica Gandini (c); Deron Bennett (l); covers by Michael Cavallaro, Mike Decarlo & Gandini, and Moreno & Gandini

Publisher: BOOM! Kids

Format: four-issue miniseries

Concept: The toys from TOY STORY are back!

In this issue: Andy has a new addition to his room-a circuit-laden egg. Is this new gizmo friend or foe? While Woody and Buzz welcome the mysterious stranger, Mr. Potato Head and Rex are terrified of it, plotting to destroy the orb before Andy comes home! Can they do it? (from grahamcrackers.com)

Review: Andy has brought something new into the room. You'd think after welcoming Buzz Lightyear, everyone would be receptive to the stranger. But while half of the toys are welcoming, the other half want to destroy it. Amid the zany action, Jolley and Moreno deliver a story that has something to say about freaking out just because you don't understand something.

ULTIMATE SPIDER-MAN #133 (Teen/Young Adult)

Brian Michael Bendis (w); Stuart Immonen (p); Wade von Grawbadger (i); Justin Ponsor (c); Cory Petit (l); cover by Immonen & Richard Isanove

Publisher: Marvel

Format: monthly series

Concept: The bite of a genetically-altered spider grants high school student Peter Parker incredible, arachnid-like powers.

In this issue: The end of an era? The last issue of Ultimate Spider-Man? Peter Parker is Spider-Man no more? Is Spider-Man dead and gone in the events of Ultimatum? This final issue will leave you jaw-on-the-floor shocked at the turn of every page! (from marvel.com)

Review: In the previous issue, Spider-Woman found the Hulk and Spider-Man battling magic creatures. Then the Hulk destroyed Strange's magic, causing a massive explosion. Now, Spider-Woman and Kitty are helping others and desperately trying to find Peter. There's no dialogue in this issue, almost as if we're mourning the loss of a loved one. And really, words aren't necessary. Immonen's art speaks volumes.

USAGI YOJIMBO #120: “What the Little Thief Heard” (Teen/Young Adult)

Written & illustrated by Stan Sakai; cover by Sakai and Tom Luth

Publisher: Dark Horse

Format: monthly series

Concept: Once a loyal retainer until his lord's death in battle, Miyamoto Usagi is now an unemployed ronin walking the warrior's pilgrimage, in search of harmony.

In this issue: There's no calm after the storm for the rabbit ronin as Usagi grapples with the fallout from "Traitors of the Earth" and uncovers a new mystery. While Kitsune recovers from her encounter with the wizard Hatakeyama, her protégée, Kiyoko, works to keep money coming in, using the performance and pickpocket lessons Kitsune has taught her. Hiding from the police in an abandoned temple, Kiyoko overhears a plot to murder a rich merchant. She tries to get Usagi involved, but there's not much he can do when the merchant doesn't want help, and it's still not clear who wants the merchant dead, anyway. (from darkhorse.com)

Review: Sakai 's multi-chapter stories are fascinating and epic in scope. But his self-contained stories are gems in their own right, and this story is no exception. Kiyoko's doing what she does best—pickpocketing—which, of course, gets her in trouble. Hiding from the cops, she overhears a murder plot and tells Usagi about it. How the plot is resolved is not for a review to tell you. But I love that Sakai keeps us guessing the identity of the man who initiated the plan until the very end, as well as the way his identity is revealed. The last page provides a happy ending to an entertaining story.

ASTOUNDING WOLF-MAN#16 (Teen/Young Adult)

Robert Kirkman (w); Jason Howard (p/i); FCO & Ivan Plascencia (c); Rus Wooton (l); covers by Howard and Dale Keown

Publisher: Image

Format: monthly series

Concept: When Gary Hampton is mauled and left for dead, his life takes a drastic turn. Gary is cursed — when the moon is full he transforms into a beast of the night — a werewolf! But this curse will not be used for evil — witness the birth of the world's most unlikely new superhero — The Astounding Wolf-Man!

In this issue : As the world-ending plans of THE FACE draw nearer to completion -- Stronghold Prison is attacked! Amidst the chaos Wolf-Man must face off against Zechariah for the final time. Will it lead to his escape -- or his demise? (from imagecomics.com)

Review: Finally, the showdown Wolf-Man (and us readers) has been waiting for! Zechariah and Wolf-Man finally have it out, and Zechariah finds out the hard way that Gary 's been getting some help. This, of course, makes the fight VERY interesting. Kirkman does a great job at making the reader really feel for—or against—the characters. When Wolf-Man wonders if he really never knew Zechariah, he verbalizes what I'd been thinking for a while. And just when our hero gains the upper hand, Chloe steps in, which just makes things even MORE interesting. For their part, Howard and the Plascencia produce some images that leap off the page as if they were rendered in 3-D. It's a bloody well done issue…literally.

Look out for: blood

By thy side,

John “Figaro” Norris

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