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MORE COMICS Friday Review Roundup, Sept. 7th 2012

By Andy Frisk
September 7, 2012 - 12:54

Wonderland #1

Spinning out of the Wonderland Trilogy, the new ongoing series Wonderland's first issue from Zenescope Entertainment was the company's highest selling single issue ever. Continuing he story of Calie and Violet Liddle, the daughter and grand-daughter of the the original denizen of Wonderland, Alice Liddle, Wonderland #1 opens with the two on the road, constantly moving about in order to avoid detection by the Queen of Spades and her evil minions from the realm of Wonderland. One of Wonderland's most insanely devious residents has found a conduit for crossing over into our world though. Calie has vowed to always protect her daughter Violet from the perils that being a former resident of Wonderland entails, but will she be really be able to do so when the time comes?

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Wonderland #2

More of the type of solid storytelling, art, and character development that drove Wonderland #1 drives Wonderland #2. Zenescope Entertainment's hot new series, which chronicles the further adventures of Alice Liddle's daughter and grand-daughter as they attempt to leave the madness of Wonderland behind them, ups the ante with issue #2's developments. Mixing the realistic human drama between Calie and her daughter Violet with the kind of slasher film horror that rises above the regular juvenility that characterizes such stories, series writer Raven Gregory continues to deliver the thrills, chills, and well plotted and executed story.

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Archer and Armstrong #2


Packing more ancient history, a treasure hunt that rivals anything in The DaVinci Code, more hilarious, laugh out loud, commentary on the One Percent's outlandish worship of Mammon (literally), and more action and adventure than an Indiana Jones flick, Fred Van Lente delivers another gem of an issue in a long line of outstanding new comic books published by Valiant Entertainment. Like I did when I read the first issue of this series, I actually laughed out loud several times. Van Lente really has a knack for writing thinking man's action and adventure, and Archer & Armstrong #2 continues to deliver on the promise and potential embodied in the A&A concept.

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Irresistible #1

What will catch your attention in the first few minutes of reading is Gregory’s sense of humor. If his quips don’t make you laugh out loud (or at the very least chuckle), chances are you simply don’t have a sense of humor of your own. The story open with the protagonist, Allen, being dragged to a strip club by a pair of his friends in order to take his mind off a recent break-up, one which has him wallowing in despair. Through Allen’s inner dialog, we see that not only does every woman working at the club have a name, she also has a story. In spite of “living up the fantasy”, Allen relays the message that there isn’t just one “type” of sex worker, but rather they come from all walks of life—mothers, students, well-adjusted women, battered women, even comic book enthusiasts. Allen doesn’t deny his sexuality or theirs, but he never lets himself forget that these women lead their own lives and have their own set of baggage, dreams and concerns; he is only a minor character in their life story.

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Conan the Barbarian #8

I've never read Conan the Barbarian tales written as well as Brian Wood's Conan stories from Dark Horse Comics are. Wood has raised the tales of Conan to a height of intelligence and relevance akin to the tales of his late Northlanders series from DC Comics' Vertigo imprint. The changing dynamic of the relationship between Belit and Conan, as reflected in the incompatibility of their respective homelands, and their being a product of these environments, is beautifully and touchingly written into the narrative. These types of themes are something that we rarely find in a Conan story. The artistry in this story raises the character to new levels of importance and potential.

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Irresistible #2

Irresistible explores the inherent dangers of co-dependence—the attempt to validate one's existence by being in a relationship. There is no denying that break-ups are difficult, if not outright excruciating, but if our self-worth is entirely dependent on another person, Irresistible proves just how dangerous such a mindset can be.

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Orchid #9

Morello's story of a post-apocalyptic society based upon the power of a city of elites supported by the slave labor of an oppressed society is drawing to its close. It's been a hit and miss affair thus far, even if it thematically honors Morello and his fellow leftist's best political ideals. The best part of this issue is the relation of the mystical origin of Orchid's mask. It's actually quite interesting and poignant.

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Irresistible #2

It’s awful and infuriating that a book insists on being so singularly dimensional about half the human population, even the “good guy” Allen argues all strippers are the same after admitting they all have different stories and, somehow, turns three guys going to the strip club saying things like “You’re like my pinky toe: small and I’m gonna bang you on my couch later” into the victims.  And if, at any point, readers are unsure how close to nonconsensual Allen’s actions are, remember that he is starting a plot to get close to his ex girlfriend so she will be uncontrollably attracted to him, despite rejecting him consistently for a year and a half.  While I understand there may be a larger story going on here, Allen is also unrelenting in his whining about a breakup, the way these characters talk, the things they say, and what they do while literally giving no voice to the opposite gender (except for the ex who doesn’t want anything to do with him) makes this book almost dangerous.  People can’t interact like this or think even for an instant this is acceptable.

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Whore Trade Paperback

The one thing that Whore definitely has going for it is that it is funny.  I could see myself reading this every month.  In fact, I wonder if what writer Jeffrey Kaufman really has in Whore is a series instead of a single graphic novel.  Most of Mars’ assignments and jobs could stand on their own as single issue stories, if not as miniseries.  Early on, the writing is a little clumsy, but once the narrative gets some momentum, the humor outshines any blemishes and even the cleverly staged violence.

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G.I. Joe #17

A lot of things happen in this issue for one. A surprise to me is the whole Mainframe - Scarlett relationship. When she learns about Snake-Eyes still being alive she kisses Mainframe, but that strange because she obviously cares a lot about Snake-Eyes. Snake-Eyes and Scarlett have always been an item, I just don't get where Mainframe fits into all of this. Besides isn't Mainframe supposed to have the hots for Zarana? Oh GI JOE love its all so screwy. The Mainframe/Zarana reference is from the original cartoon series, that never did make much sense to me either.

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Last Updated: August 31, 2023 - 08:12