THE CAT'S MEOW: What's Good on the Shelf This Week-Year 3 - Week 37 ____________________________________________________________________
Reviews by John Norris, May 18, 2009

AGENTS OF ATLAS #4: “The Dragon's Corridor, part 3/Inside America ” (Teen/Young Adult)

Jeff Parker (w); Gabriel Hardman & Clayton Henry (p/i); Elizabeth Dismang & Jana Schirmer (c); Nate Piekos (l)

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 : What a difference a half-century makes: As the Agents of 1958 find themselves battling deep behind the Iron Curtain, the Agents of today are locked in mortal conflict with Captain America! And if Bob Grayson loses his mind, that may very well be the end for the Agents of today! (from marvel.com)

Review: If Bob Grayson loses his mind, it won't be good for anybody, because it's Bob who provides this issue's opening recap (or, as he calls it, “Bob's Psychic Psummary”). Thank goodness Ken (Gorilla Man) is around to correct him. Both Bob and Captain America are the links between past and present here; it's quite interesting to see them fight and capture a man they found in suspended animation in the 1950s. Hardman and Henry's artwork suits the stories well; the scene in which Ken and Jimmy relive Cap's WWII memories is beautiful.

THE ASTOUNDING WOLF-MAN #15 (Teen/Young Adult)

Robert Kirkman (w); Jason Howard (p/i); Fco & Ivan Plascencia (c); Rus Wooton (l); cover by Howard

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: Prison Rampage! While locked away, Gary Hampton experiences his moon rage –- are the guards of Stronghold Prison equipped to handle a completely out of control Wolf-Man? And how does this affect the diabolical world ending plans of THE FACE? (from imagecomics.com)

Review: Poor Gary —even in prison, he gets no rest! (Well, except when he gets knocked unconscious by The Face and Powerplex.) While Gary tells his story, Kirkman briefly ties things in to INVINCIBLE #60 and 61. And as usual, what Gary goes through during the course of the issue is nothing compared to what awaits him at the end. The best thing about the issue is that I admire Cecil Steadman for the way he treats Gary even though I feel the exact opposite for the way he treats Invincible.

FLASH: REBIRTH #2: “Dead Run” (Teen/Young Adult)

Geoff Johns (w); Ethan Van Sciver (p/i); Alex Sinclair (c); Rob Leigh (l); cover by Van Sciver & Sinclair

Publisher: DC

Format: five-issue miniseries

Concept: From Geoff Johns and Ethan Van Sciver, the visionaries responsible for the blockbuster GREEN LANTERN: REBIRTH and THE SINESTRO CORPS WAR, comes the start of an explosive and jaw-dropping epic that will reintroduce to the modern age the hero who single-handedly birthed the Silver Age of comics! DC history will be made, and the Flash legacy will be redefined!

In this issue: What's happened to the Speed Force? One of the world's most powerful speedsters is dead, and Barry Allen must discover who – or what – is responsible! But the reborn Barry is a man haunted by a dark secret in his past. A secret that drives him to push far beyond his limits. A burden that, if he's not careful, could send him right back into oblivion! Geoff Johns and Ethan Van Sciver's reinvention of the Scarlet Speedster picks up the pace – we dare you to keep up! (from dccomics.com)

Review: The mysterious events continue, as we find out not only which speedster is dead, but what's happening to the others as well. Johns and Van Sciver take us through Barry's life, all the while making him—and us—wonder what he's really here for. And when that answer is revealed…well, that's not for a review to tell you. Suffice to say that things are bound to get a lot more interesting.

To be reviewed in next week's column:

MARVEL ADVENTURES SUPER HEROES #11

M ARVEL ADVENTURES SPIDER-MAN #51

SUPER FRIENDS #15

By thy side,

John “Figaro” Norris

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