January 2012

Fatale #1

/ / Comics

Fatale #1Ed Brubaker and artist Sean Phillips return to give us a new noir mystery with Fatale. Or story begins with a funeral of Dominic Raines and the introduction of Nicolas Lash and the mysterious woman who will change his life forever.

While performing his duties as the executive of Raines’ estate Nicolas discovers an unpublished manuscript and a group of men who appear to want him dead. Saved by the mysterious Jo, Nic is left with far more questions than answers waking up days later in a hospital with only the manuscript to guide him through the odd series of events he’s somehow become lost in.

I’m unsure how the occult and mystical elements presented in the first issue will work themselves into the story, but as a first issue it’s a great read. The comic is structured to feature story and character, packed with panels (and only a single full-page splash page). You’re certainly getting your money’s worth. Best of the week.

[Image, $3.50]

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Comic Rack

/ / Comics

It’s a new week so it must be time to talk about comics! Welcome to the RazorFine Comic Rack boys and girls. Pull up a bean bag and take a seat at feet of the master as we offer you this quick list of all kinds of comic book goodness set to hit comic shops and bookstores this week from all your favorite publishers including DC, Marvel, Dark Horse, Archie, Dynamite, Image Comics, and others.

This week includes Avengelyne, Batgirl, Batman and Robin, BtVS Season Nine, Captain America, Deadpool, Deathstroke, Demon Knights, Doctor Who, Green Lantern, Heart, Invincible, Mega Man, New Avengers, Orchid, Scalped, Snake Eyes, Superboy, Wolverine and the X-Men, the first issues of Dark Matter, Kirby: Genesis – Dragonsbane, Lobster Johnson: The Burning Hand, Lord of the Jungle, Scarlet Spider, Transformers: More Than Meets Eye, Whispers, and the final issues of 7 Warriors, Avengers 1959, Kull: The Cat and the Skull, and The Occultist.

Enjoy issue #162

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The Lone Ranger #1

/ / Comics

 

 

the-lone-ranger-v2-1-coverThe Lone Ranger rides again! I’m a fan of Dynamite Entertainment’s previous Lone Ranger series by writer Brett Matthews and artist Sergio Cariello (with some terrific covers by John Cassaday). I even own the Definite Edition hardcover. The new series gets off to a bit of a shaky start coming off very much like the poor B-Western from which the character sprang (that frankly we don’t want to be reminded of).

The Lone Ranger and Tonto are supporting characters for a story centered on a farmer and his family terrorized by a local band of outlaws which, before the issue’s end, will have the Ranger looking back on the similarities to his own past.

The first issue isn’t bad, and a one-issue story opening was a good choice, but it’s far from the rousing call to adventure I’d been hoping for. I’ve missed seeing a Lone Ranger on the comic stand. There’s a fair share of clunky dialogue from Ande Parks and the art of Esteve Polls lacks the larger than life quality of Sergio Cariello’s take on the character, but I’m willing to give the title another issue or two to see if it finds its way. Hit and Miss.

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Stormwatch #5

/ / Comics

stormwatch-5-coverThe Earth may be safe but things aren’t looking any better for Stormwatch. The team’s leader, Adam One, is killed and abducted (in that order) by an Agent of the Shadow Cabinet and one of the team’s own will turn traitor and put all of their lives at risk.

The comic works best when it keeps the dialogue, especially the awkward conversations between Apollo and Midnighter, to a minimum. Thankfully the episode begins with tumult involving the newly chosen leader of the team and ends with a pretty good fight over multiple pages between the Midnighter and the Eminence of Blades.

Stormwatch isn’t a great comic but, at least for one more month, it’s done just enough to get me coming back to see where it’s headed. I want to see more of the Engineer, see Jenny Quantum grow into her role, and find out how the comic plans to use the Martian Manhunter. Despite some dreadful writing in spots (and some spotty art here and there) the final page cliffhanger will bring me back for issue #6. Worth a look.

[DC, $2.99]

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Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy

/ / Movie Reviews
  • Title: Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy
  • IMDB: link

tinker-tailor-soldier-spy-posterSmiley. George Smiley. Reinterpreting John le Carré’s novel for the big screen director Tomas Alfredson and screenwriters Bridget O’Connor and Peter Straughan drop the audience into the middle of a Cold War British spy tale centered around five senior intelligence officers under suspicion of being a Soviet mole.

Gary Oldman stars as George Smiley, the right hand of the former Head of the Service (John Hurt) who was pushed out the door with his friend. Smiley is coaxed out of retirement by Oliver Lancum (Simon McBurney) after an operation in Hungary ends in disaster when an agent (Mark Strong) is shot while trying to buy intelligence from a Hungarian informant.

Smiley is charged with discovering the truth of the rumor that there is a high-ranking Soviet mole inside the “Circus” (what those who work for MI6 and the SIS call home). To do so he will have to work outside the bounds of the Circus, hiding the fact that any investigation is in progress to some of the smartest and most paranoid men in the entire country.

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