| Black Panther #2 (Marvel) |
[Mar. 20th, 2005|06:28 pm] |
Written by Reginald Hudlin
Pencils by John Romita Jr.
Inks by Klaus Janson
Colours by Dean White
The first issue of the new Black Panther was a promising read, really playing more with the concept of the nation of Wakanda than anything else. In fact the Panther himself only appeared in brief flashbacks in the issue itself. I guess that's why I didn't really catch on to the idea that this series seems to be a straight up reboot of the whole Black Panther mythos. I suppose it's possible that a large portion of this issue is in flashback but there's no indication that it's not all supposed to be going down concurrently. That points to reboot. That also means that every previous version of the character from the original Lee/Kirby rendition through Priest's fan favourite take are now obsoleted. Maybe Reginald Hudlin (fresh to the comics field from B-list hollywood screenwriting) felt it would be the easiest way to relaunch the title without bogging everything down in continuity. Or maybe he just couldn't be bothered to work out a way to tie in all the recent work on the character into the story he wants to tell. One way or the other, it seems that Black Panther is now a blank slate with a new status quo being established.
Much of the issue is dedicated to a ceremony where the role of the Black Panther ("sort of like being Pope, President and Head of the Joint Chiefs of Staff all at once..") is up for grabs in an annual contest of strength. It's a neat idea that fleshes out the culture of Wakanda a bit, sort of a survival of the fittest crossed with gladitorial combat. Although anyone can participate, our focus is on various challengers from the royal family itself. Hudlin is clearly setting up some family feud action between the various princes and princesses who come to the challenge. The foreshadowing is none too subtle, but being that this is thus far a book about the nation of Wakanda itself, the premise of a feud between royals seems like it would fit nicely. We're also introduced to T'Challa, considerably younger than when we last saw him. He's still a cypher pretty much (with one whole line of dialogue in the whole issue) so it's still up in the air how close he'll end up being to past versions of the character. Regardless, the other two sub plots from the first issue are brought up, but moved forward only ever so slightly. The US government continues to worry about the super advanced Wakandans being a rebel nation, and Klaw takes the fella he busted out of some kind of super jail last issue to get laid. I'm not terribly keen on subplots that develop so slowly that they seem almost motionless but I'll cut these some slack on the assumption that they're going to develop into something big. Still, why move things along so slowly on a new book?
John Romita Jr. has never been one of my favourite artists, but I certainly can't fault most of his work here. His action is always big and dynamic and he seems to have gone back to some of Kirby's original designs for the look of Wakandan clothing and weaponry. Maybe not so politically correct with al lot of people wearing headdresses and the like, but still fun to look at. Also I rather liked his use of the classic Kirby Black Panther design, complete with short little cape. It seems unlikely that Romita will be on the title for much longer than the opening arc, but I certainly wouldn't complain if he stuck around for a while.
The more I think about it, the more Black Panther seems like an Ultimate universe take on the character. I must admit that I'm not a fan of retconning away large portions of shared universe history, but it doesn't intrinsically affect the quality of the story. Which is pretty decent really. With a little adjustment in the pacing department it has the potential to being a solid superhero book with some political overtones. Which ironically was what Christopher Priest was doing on his now superseded take on the title. You know what they say about how the more things change. |
|
|
| Shaolin Cowboy #2 (Burlyman) |
[Mar. 20th, 2005|08:02 pm] |
Everything by Geoff Darrow
Oh Geoff Darrow, how we've missed you. After spending a number of years using his ultra-detailed style to to do design for The Matrix films. His return to comics is in the pages of Shaolin Cowboy, which he writes and draws. Or more accurately, he writes and draws the hell out of. The first issue featured one of the most ballsy illustrative stunts I've ever seen and although there isn't really a set piece of that calibre in the second issue it's still an incredibly funny read with art like you wouldn't believe.
At the finale of the previous issue, we discovered that the gang of murderous revengers out for the Shaolin Cowboy are headed up by King Crab. Who is literally a crab. In an extended origin sequence narrated by the vengeful crustacean we learn that he is out to get our hero for devouring his family at an all you can eat seafood buffet, to the point where he travels to train at the very temple where Shaolin Cowboy learned his kung fu. This is of course leading up to a fight between the Cowboy and King Crab as the crab busts out his 12 forms of animal ju-jitsu. Cue another all out fight scene in the way that only Darrow can do. The fact that it's all being played pseudo serious (in spite of the asides from our hero's companion Lord Evelyn Dunkirk Winnieford the Ass) is what makes the whole elaborate gag work so well. It's not so easy to make something as ludicrous as this issue of Shaolin Cowboy work, but it's so genuinely funny throughout that one doesn't even stop to think about it. It's sublimely ridiculous, and makes perfect sense within it's own weird little universe. Oh yeah, and the zingers are great. All of the bon mots from King Crab's gang and the references to other comics ("Revengers Dissasemble" ) are chuckle worthy, adding to the feel good nature of the book. Some might not get it per se, but I have hard time imagining anyone not being at least amused by it.
And the art. Oh the art. Would that I could do the artwork in Shaolin Cowboy justice with my clumsy words. Suffice to say that there is NO other artist in comics capable of this level of insane detail and over the top action. Oh, people have come close, but none can aspire to match Darrow on this playing field. Who else could draw a pudgy Japanese cowboy fighting a Kung Fu Crab to the death? He has it all sewn up. End of story. I can only imagine the level of work that goes into each and every page of his work, and it's mindboggling. Try to not be drawn in by it... I dare you.
If you haven't picked up Shaolin Cowboy yet, I encourage, nay insist that you do so. It's it's own kind of quirky weird funny, and I daresay that there is nothing else in comics like it. It receives 7 out of 7 on the Seven Comics a Week seven-o-meter. What else do you need to hear? |
|
|
|
|
![[info]](http://l-stat.livejournal.com/img/userinfo.gif){kind=small}
7comicsaweek's journal