THE CAT'S MEOW: What's Good on the Shelf This Week- #161 ____________________________________________________________________
Reviews by John Norris, October 05, 2009

AGENTS OF ATLAS #11 (Teen/Young Adult)

Jeff Parker (w); Dan Panosian & Gabriel Hardman (p/i); Elizabeth Dismang with Sotocolor (c); Tom Orzechowski (l); cover by Adi Granov

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.

Review: This is it...the battle between Atlas and the Great Wall concludes here. Every scene is wonderful; the opening beach scene with Woo and Suwan, Woo and Temugin being pursued through the Dragon's Corridor, the dialogue between Lao and Yao , and the great battle. But honestly, you should read this issue for one reason: to see (and hear) M-11 getting mad and channeling Muhammed Ali. If you don't find THAT entertaining, something's wrong.

MARVEL SUPER HERO SQUAD #1: “Freaky Fractal Friday” (All Ages)

Mark Hoffmeier (w); Cort Lane & Hoffmeier (story); Christopher Jones (p/i); Sotocolor (c); Dave Sharpe (l); cover by Marcelo Dichiara

Publisher: Marvel

Format: monthly series

Concept: Join the Marvel Super Hero Squaddies in all-new adventures.

In this issue: The greatest cartoon in the history of cartoons! Coming to a moving television screen near you!!!! …but until it does, why not try out the non-moving paper version? It's just as good, but without all that pesky listening. C'mon down to SUPER HERO CITY and join IRON MAN, HULK, WOLVERINE, CAPTAIN AMERICA, SILVER SURFER, THOR and waaaaaaay more-more-more, as they battle DR. DOOM and his masters of evil for control of the SUPER-powerful Infinity Fractals! (from marvel.com)

Review: Since I'm behind in my reviews, the SUPER HERO SQUAD show has already made its debut. It's an entertaining show, as is this comic. The story's title is quite appropriate, as Wolverine and M.O.D.O.K switch bodies, and hilarity ensues. Some of the dialogue is just hilarious, particularly M.O.D.O.K. trying to talk like Wolverine would and the “test” Ms. Marvel uses to find out who the real Wolverine is. I loved Jones' work on the sadly cancelled BATMAN STRIKES series, so it's cool to see him take on the Squad. Also included are some amusing reprints of the Squad's online comic strips. It's a nice package for all ages.

TINY TITANS #20 (All Ages)

Written by Art Baltazar & Franco; art & cover by Baltazar

Publisher: DC

Format: monthly series

Concept: It's all your favorite Titans, in their cutest possible form!

In this issue: Raven conjures a black hole to get to school on time, and soon black holes are popping up everywhere! The Titans try to avoid them, but they keep falling in and ending up...who knows where? Also: black holes aren't the only way to travel – some of the Titans discover the joys of jetpacks! (from dccomics.com)

Review: This issue is full of holes. Not PLOT holes, but BLACK holes! Let's face it, they come in really handy when you need to get somewhere in a hurry, or when you realize you left something at home. Pretty soon, though, you never know who—or what—will pop up. And while Raven creates holes, Beast Boy blasts off in an amusing story. Just as amusing: the series' Eisner award makes an appearance. Seriously.

ULTIMATE SPIDER-MAN #2 (Teen/Young Adult)

Brian Michael Bendis (w); David Lafuente (p/i); Justin Ponsor (c); Cory Petit (l); cover by Lafuente & Ponsor

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: All the shocking revelations from the first issue come to bloom in this pulse-pounding second chapter!! Who is the Shroud!!?? Who is Spider-Man?? And who the hell is Mysterio and what did he go and do to the Kingpin?! (from marvel.com)

Review: Who is Mysterio? What happened to Johnny Storm? The two big questions from the first issue are still left mostly unanswered, though Bendis and Lafuente give us enough information to whet my appetite. The real pleasures here are Peter's wonderful dialogue exchanges with Aunt May and Gwen Stacy, and the entertaining battle with a mother-daughter team who give a new meaning to the term “bombshell.” For his part, Lafuente draws some GREAT panels of Spider-Man.

Look out for: implied cursing (you know, @#$%@# stuff) from the daughter of the aforementioned “bombshell” team. I don't normally point this out, but there is quite a bit of it.

UNCANNY X-MEN: FIRST CLASS #3: “The Next Life” (Teen/Young Adult)

Scott Gray (w); Roger Cruz (p/i); Val Staples (c); Nate Piekos (l); cover by McGuinness & Sorra

Publisher: Marvel

Format: monthly series

Concept: The early days of the X-Men's second generation are revealed in an all-new series starring Cyclops, Storm, Banshee, Colossus, Nightcrawler, Wolverine and Phoenix !

In this issue: Sean Cassidy has played many roles in his life: an adventurer, an Interpol agent, even a criminal. Now he's Banshee, one of the new X-Men, and he's in love with the beautiful Moira MacTaggert! However, Sean had another beloved once: his long-lost wife Maeve. But is she really dead? Banshee's dark past threatens his future as he faces a macabre threat in "The Next Life"! Also: Peter Corbeau and his Starcore team make an ominous discovery on the surface of the Sun… (from marvel.com)

Review: This issue is for anyone who has ever tried to get on with their life after the loss of a loved one, only to find that some people won't let them do that. That's the situation Sean finds himself in when the frail father of his deceased wife shows up asking for his help. But his frailty is just an act to lure Sean away from the X-Men where he'll have to face his wife again. I rated this issue “teen/young adult” due to the “bringing someone back from the dead” angle. But this is a beautiful issue that deals with themes of loss, love and the healing that comes when you learn to let go of the past.

By thy side,

John “Figaro” Norris

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