Capsule reviews: Comics from 3/23

Legion of Super-Heroes #11 (DC, $2.99, Paul Levitz, Daniel HDR, Wayne Faucher) - Huh, I had expected the Durlan storyline from last issue to still be going this issue, but re-reading it I now see that it had something of a resolution.  Kind of a weak one, to be honest, but I'll take it, because that means that said previous story doesn't get to drag on on for yet another issue, and that we have a new story-arc instead.

Which is good, because this issue is definitely a step in the right direction.  Picking up from the recent LSV one-shot, the issue leads in with several Legionnaires working to capture some of the Takron-Galtos escapees, then jumps to several subplots (Dawnstar's absence, the return of Star Boy, Mon-El's distant leadership, and the mystery of what has happened to Colu).  The highlight of the issue is an extended battle between Timber Wolf and Sun Emperor, which is handled very well.

This is what I've been hoping for in a Levitz-written LSH book, and he finally delivers.  The mix of the main story and the subplots, and the strong characterization, all hit the right notes. My only complaint is that the art, while certainly serviceable, is a slight step down from what Cinar was doing on the previous issues.  That's a minor complaint, however, and I'm just glad that Levitz finally seems to be hitting his stride.

Fables #103 (DC/Vertigo, $2.99, Bill Willingham, Mark Buckingham) - Part two of the current storyline, where the Fables make their preparations for a big superhero battle against Mister Dark.  There's not a lot to be said here without going into actual spoilers, so suffice to say that Pinocchio and Ozma have very different ideas regarding who makes the team, and who fails to make the cut.  Meanwhile, Geppetto schemes, Nurse Spratt gets a visitor, and the North Wind goes to inform Bigby regarding his plans for Ghost.  Not exactly a good jumping-in issue, but it does what Fables has consistently done very well for the better part of a decade, and that's tell an engaging and clever story in a serial form.  If you aren't picking up Fables, well... why not?

Neonomicon #4 (of 4) (Avatar, $3.99, Alan Moore, Jacen Burrows) - The conclusion to the storyline, and simply put Moore does not disappoint.  While not as visually disturbing as previous issues, the actual upshot to the story is pretty much as disturbing as anything Moore's ever written.  If anything, the understated manner in which Brears' predicament is shown only strengthens the horror of it.  It makes perfect sense given what has been set up in previous issues, is fully consistent with its Lovecraft trappings, and is still pretty much a sucker-punch to the gut when you actually read it.

"I feel good.  I feel good about myself, about all this."  That still gives me shivers, even after having re-read it a few times.

Not for the squeamish, obviously, but for those who want a fresh take on how the Lovecraft mythos can be interpreted through a modern lens, or for those who just appreciate a good horror story, if you haven't already been reading this, then be sure to pick it up when the trade paperback comes out.

Wow, I Suck

Almost a week without any posts.  Have no less than four posts partially written, but haven't been able to pull the trigger on any of them, so to speak.

To distract you, here are some random photos snatched from the hard drive (click to enlarge, of course):

Capsule reviews: Comics from 3/16

Adventure Comics #524 (DC, $2.99, Paul Levitz, Phil Jimenez) – Part two of the current Legion Academy storyline. Getting grounded after last issue's fiasco, Chemical Kid decides to head back to his homeworld (“borrowing” an old Legion cruiser along the way) to find out why his credit line has been cut off, with several other trainees in tow. Along the way they find out his homestead has been attacked, an old Legion foe shows up, and we end up on a cliffhanger, with the trainees in dire peril.

Last issue concentrated mainly on Glorith, but this time around we get to see some of the other of the Legion trainees given a bit of attention, which is nice. Levitz's story moves along at a nice pace (better than the main Legion title does, to be honest), and Jimenez's art continues to shine, with his ability to handle character designs, background settings, and action scenes all with equal aplomb. This is a fun romp, with a good mix of superheroics and science fiction, the way a good Legion-based story should be.

The Spirit #12 (DC, $2.99, David Hine, Moritat) - Part two of the Clockwork Killer story. This issue jumps back and forth in time, as the aforementioned killer attempts to finish off both Dolan and the Spirit, while the gang war between Zeev and the Octopus heats up. Our killer finds a complication he did not anticipate, which promises to come to a head as the storyline escalates. Hine and Moritat are doing fine work here, and it's a damned shame that this title seems to be due for cancellation.

The Spider #1 (Moonstone, $2.99, Martin Powell, Pablo Marcos, Gary Phillips, Roberto Castro) - The first issue of a new series concentrating on one of the more interesting of the classic pulp heroes, the Spider. We come in on the tail end of the story, with Spider's paramour Nita Van Sloan being threatened by a rather gruesome menace, and the Spider wreaking bloody havoc on those who would threaten her.

This story has several nice touches to it, the least of which not being that Nita is thankfully shown to be highly capable, and not just a helpless captive to be rescued by the hero. The art by Marcos is effective, conveying both the action scenes and the 'weird menace' aspects fairly well. The coloring by Joe Piscopo deserves special mention; his use of primarily blacks, grays and red really help to set the mood for the story. My only complaint is that the story feels a bit rushed; I'm not normally one to complain about a comic book story being told in a 'compressed' manner, but here I can't help but think that this story would flow a bit smoother if it had just a few more pages to work with.

The backup story features Operator 5, a character I'm not as familiar with. We get to see the Operator infiltrate a fascist organization known as the Nordic Cross. The Cross has resources that one might not expect, leaving out hero in dire straits as the issue ends on a cliffhanger. Not having to wrap everything up in this issue, Phillips' story has better pacing than the Spider story does, while Castro's art does a nice job of conveying the pre-war Depression era.

Minor quibbles aside, this is a good debut issue. Recommended for any pulp fans, or for fans of those who don't mind their action-adventure stories being a bit over the top.

The Spider: Burning Lead For The Walking Dead (Moonstone, $7.99, Mark Wheatley) - A one-shot 64-page graphic novel in black and white, which for some reason didn't make it to my store last week. Before I go any further, can I just say that “Burning Lead for the Walking Dead” is quite possibly the coolest title for a comic book story ever.

Mark Wheatley isn't exactly a powerhouse name in the comics industry, but I've been aware of his work since the days of Mars and Blood of the Innocent back in the mid-80's, and (only slightly later) his work on The Black Hood for DC's Impact imprint back in the early 90's. His art style isn't going to appeal to everyone, but I think it suits the story here quite well.

Originally printed in Titanic Tales from Insight Studios back in the late 90's, the art has been reworked slightly so as to be more consistent with Moonstone's other recent Spider stories. For anyone familiar with the Spider, Wheatley's story is very much in the classic Norvell Page mode. Fast paced, with a suitably horrific and over-the-top villain, a prose version of this story would not have been terribly out of place in the original Spider pulp magazine, back in the 30's. Wheatley never lets the story drag, and carries the action through with a manic intensity.

My only real complaint is that Nita and Ram Singh are somewhat underused in this story. The former is mostly used as a hostage to be threatened, and the latter isn't used much at all. This is something of a shame, as these are two of the more intriguing supporting characters in all of the pulps. Still, that's a minor hindrance, and overall the story is quite enjoyable, faithful to its pulp roots, while working well as a modern piece of comic book storytelling. Highly recommended.

We've lost another one

Grognardia is reporting that classic D&D artist Jim Roslof has passed away.  Although his name wasn't as big as Gygax or Arneson, it's still a sad day from long-time D&D players.

I've got your 'Hot Elf Chick' right here, pal

There's been a recent... thing? meme? going round certain gaming blogs regarding posting images of 'hot elf chicks' as a ploy to increase traffic to their websites.

What the hell, I'll play:

See, she's obviously an elf, because why else would she be green?  And since she's being set on fire, that means she's hot, and... crap, I'm not doing this right, am I?







Original source of image

Trollslayers - Initiative

(breaking up all the combat parts into smaller sections to preserve my sanity - also, I had intended to do character advancement at some point shortly, but I think I'll hold off on that until after I get the bulk of combat out of the way)

A combat round is six seconds long.

Initiative is determined as follows:

1) Actions are declared.
2) Everyone rolls one die, and adds their DEX modifier. This may be further modified by certain environmental factors (see below). Higher is better.
3) Characters move, in reverse order of Initiative. After everyone moves, characters may alter their facing, in the same order.
4) Melee and missile attacks are determined, highest Initiative going first.
5) If a character has more than one attack per round, they occur now. If more than one character is doing this, use the same Initiative order.
6) Spell effects go off.

A few modifiers for determining Initiative:

Attacking from higher ground gives a +1 modifier (melee attacks only). Usually this indicates terrain, but attacking someone on foot from horseback also qualifies.

Attacking with a weapon that was not ready in hand gives a -2 penalty. This includes firing a bow or crossbow the same round the arrow/bolt is drawn. If the weapon is a dagger, the penalty is only -1.

Many weapons have a -1 penalty if it had been used to attack the previous round. This usually includes hafted weapons, and is noted on the weapons table.

Anyone stunned during the previous round suffers a -1 penalty.

Slippery or uneven footing gives a -2 penalty.

If the character is somehow physically hindered (trying to climb a wall, wading through deep water, covered in jungle vines, etc), they receive a -4 penalty.

Someone crouching or kneeling suffers a -1 penalty in melee combat. Someone lying prone suffers a -3 penalty, and also cannot attempt most missile attacks (except for using the crossbow, which suffers no penalty for this).

Actions occurring during the same Initiative score are considered to be simultaneous.

Characters can take a Fast Reflexes talent to add to their Initiative score.

Held Actions - A character can 'hold' or delay an action, and then trigger that action at a later time. This includes holding an action from a previous round. The held action can be triggered at pretty much any time, including during an opponent's movement phase.

Free Attacks - When a character is closing into melee range against an opponent, if one of the combatants has a weapon with a significant reach advantage compared to their opponent (i.e. sword vs dagger, spear vs sword), that characters gets a free attack, in addition to any other attacks they may receive that round.  This is determined during the movement phase. This also applies to those who try to run past enemy characters without engaging them.

Example:  Ralph the would-be hero is facing a necromancer, who has a half-dozen spear-wielding skeletons in front of him for protection.  Ralph wins the Initiative, and tries to charge through the skeletons to get to the necromancer, so as to kill him as quickly as possible.  All of the skeletons who are within spear range of Ralph's path of movement get a free attack against him; the GM rules that four of the six can do so.  Unless Ralph gets lucky, he may well soon be joining the undead skeleton brigade.

Capsule reviews: Comics from 3/9

Legion of Super-Villains #1 (one-shot) (DC, $4.99, Paul Levitz, Francis Portela) - A classic staple of the Legion stories returns, this time spearheaded by Saturn Queen, who has gotten a boost to her telepathic powers.  The double-sized issue shows her recruiting villains new and old, and undertaking a new cause to destroy key cornerstones of the DC Universe with a religious fervor.  Given that this is the 31st century, certain elements that might be considered 'safe' in a modern day story just might legitimately threatened (one of the three targets that Saturn Queen seeks to destroy is indeed demolished).

This is just a prelude to the next story arc in the main Legion book, but it's a good one, selling SQ as a genuinely dangerous and bloodthirsty foe.  Much like the recent Annual, Levitz's writing is sharper here than it is in the main book; despite the fact that the Legion (the heroic one, that is) only shows up for a few pages, the pacing helps to carry the story and set up the inevitable conflict between the two Legions.  Portela does a good job with the art, giving the story the sense of scope it needs.  If you're a Legion fan, don't make the mistake of skipping this one.

Doc Savage #12 (DC, $2.99, Ivan Brandon, Brian Azzarello, Nic Klein) - Well, at least this story arc is over.  It's better than the first story arc, to be certain, but that's not setting the bar very high.  There's nothing overly wrong with the plot or characterization; it's just that the story isn't terribly exciting (having drug on as long as it has certainly didn't help).  Rumors of the book's cancellation linger (as well as the entire line getting axed), but I'm still cautiously optimistic about J.G. Jones arrival on the book next issue.

Cinderella: Fables Are Forever #2 (of 6) (DC/Vertigo, $2.99, Chris Roberson, Shawn McManus) - The latest tale of Fabletown's master spy continues, as we see her in flashbacks cross paths with her current foe Silverslipper, while preparing for a confrontation with her in the modern day.  Roberson does a good job of mixing classic spy tropes with the fantasy world of Fables, and writes the title character in an entertaining and consistent manner.  The art by McManus also does a good job of carrying the story.  This issue is primarily a mixture of build-up and exposition, but it's entertaining while doing so.  Another solid issue, in what looks to be another fun genre-bending romp.

Conan: Road Of Kings #3 (Dark Horse, $3.50, Roy Thomas, Mike Hawthorne) - After last issue's somewhat disappointing effort, this issue fortunately gets right back into gear.  Conan encounters a past compatriot, his current paramour is kidnapped, villains plot and scheme, and we have a fair amount of mayhem thrown in for good measure.  Thomas's writing is tighter here than in the previous issue, and Hawthorne's art, while still not my first choice for this story, is functional.  I'm glad that last issue's dip in quality doesn't appear to be the norm, but was rather only a temporary aberration.

Shockrockets: We Have Ignition (Dark Horse, $14.95, Kurt Busiek, Stuart Immonen) - Picked this up on sale, and I'm glad I did.  This is a collection of the six-issue mini-series that Busiek and Immonen did for Image back in 2000 for their short-lived 'Gorilla Comics' imprint. The story is set in the latter half of the 21st century, with the Earth rebuilding after a war with an alien race.  Our hero Alejandro Cruz accidentally falls in with the Shockrockets, an elite squadron of pilots flying high-tech aerial fighter craft, based on technology taken from the alien invaders.  The Shockrockets are currently waging a series of battles against one of Earth's most respected generals during the war, now gone rogue and desiring his own kingdom.

In some ways this feels like the sort of classic science fiction that Robert Heinlein and Andre Norton used to write about a half-century ago.  Alejandro's status as an outsider make it difficult for him to be accepted among the Shockrockets, yet it is that same quality that helps them when they are facing their darkest hour.  That said, Busiek's story certainly doesn't feel dated; the characterization, world-building, and tight plotting all mix together wonderfully. There's a bit of a cliffhanger at the end, after the main storyline is resolved, which no doubt would have been followed through on if the series had continued to be published.  That doesn't really detract from the main story, though, so it's a minor complaint at most. As for the art... well, if you're not already familiar with Immonen's artwork, suffice to say that this is a beautiful book.  Highly recommended.