By Ed Brubaker (W), Steve Epting, Michael Lark and Mike Perkins (A)

Cover price $14.99. Published by Marvel Comics. Originally printed as Captain America 8-9, 11-14.

Plot: Captain America becomes convinced that the mysterious Winter Soldier is his long-thought-dead partner Bucky and will stop at nothing to save what is left of his oldest and dearest friend.

Strengths: While there are three separate artists in this trade, you might be hard pressed to figure out where one artist ends and another starts. At one point in Winter Soldier Volume 2, Steve Epting handles the current day storyline while Michael Lark handles the WWII flashbacks, and the transition back and forth is seamless. All three artists have a sort of gritty, realistic style, as opposed to the high-energy, exaggerated superhero style you see from guys like Steve McNiven or Chris Bachalo. That style of art works perfectly for Captain America, who himself is less flashy and more down-to-earth than most superheroes.

Ed Brubaker took a gamble with a story that breaks one of the fundamental rules of comics: “Only Uncle Ben and Bucky stay dead.” No doubt there would have been a tremendous fan outrage if the revival wasn’t handled as well as it was. It’s a testament to his talent that what could have become an enormous controversy pretty much flew under the radar as a well-crafted story in an often overlooked title.

Weaknesses: Winter Soldier Volume 2 is, just as the name entails, the second part of a larger story. Naturally, it doesn’t read as well alone as it would as part of the whole. In Volume 2 you jump into the middle of the arc without any clear recap of what took place in the first half of the story, although events from Volume I are referenced quite often.

Grade: B+. While not as accessible as the first volume, Winter Soldier Volume 2 is equally as good a story. Though it has a bit of a rocky start, the story picks up quite a bit by the third issue, and guest appearances by the Falcon and Iron Man and a very interesting subplot featuring the latest holder of the Cosmic Cube help lead to a great ending.

By Jeph Loeb (W) and Tim Sale (A).

Cover Price $14.99. Published by Marvel Comics, 2001-2002. Originally printed as Daredevil: Yellow #1-6.

Plot: This story takes a look back at how Daredevil became who he is today, showing the murder of Matt Murdock’s father (done in by mobsters after he refuses to throw a fight) during the time that Matt attended law school. It also shows Murdock, along with fellow portly chum Foggy Nelson, open up his own law firm and the headaches that accompany such an endeavor. After opening the firm, the two start to look for somebody to work as their secretary, and, after a string of losers, finally come across beautiful blonde (and frequent damsel in distress) Karen Page. Both men are instantly smitten, but she seems to favor Matt and, by night, Daredevil, whose costume is yellow and red, made out of the fabric of his dad’s old prizefighting robe. As Daredevil, the hero hunts down the men responsible for Battling Jack Murdock’s death, in order to bring them to justice. The narrative is told through letters that present-day Matt is writing to the now deceased Karen Page, his first love, in order to help him cope with her death.

Strengths: Loeb and Sale nail the nostalgia in this one. It just feels like you’re reading an old classic comic book, yet it’s only five years old. Also, I can’t say enough positive things about Matt Hollingsworth’s spectacular coloring (water color!) throughout the book. It’s just beautiful to look at, and extremely fun to read. As for the writing, the greatest quote I found is spoken as words of wisdom from Matt’s dad to Matt, when he says, “The measure of a man is not in how he gets knocked down to the mat. It is in how he gets up.” It does an excellent job of showing the love and admiration Matt has for his dad, a self-proclaimed “uneducated pug.”

Weaknesses: The main weakness is that the developing love between Matt Murdock and Karen Page just isn’t there. He says he’s in love with her, but, it’s not on the page. It seems rushed, forced, and too easily developed before anything of note happens between them. The dynamic between Karen and Daredevil is much more smooth and natural.

Grade: A- While I can’t think of anything technically wrong about this book, it just doesn’t strike me as being as good as everybody has told me it is. There are lots of great moments, but it reads so quickly, that it’s hard to say it has any real emotional impact, overall. Coming from a guy that’s never read Daredevil before, though, I’d say it’s an incredibly decent place to get acquainted with the character and his supporting cast.

By Darwyn Cooke (W/A) and Dave Stewart(C)

Cover price $19.99. Published by DC Comics. Originally printed as DC: The New Frontier 1-3.

Click here for the Library of Doom entry for DC: The New Frontier Volume 2.

Plot: The story of the DC Universe unfolds in the 1950s, with events taking place in real time as the very first Silver Age comics were released.

Strengths: Darwyn Cooke’s art is beautiful. If Alex Ross is the pinnacle of realistic comic art, Darwyn Cooke may be the pinnacle of cartoon-y comic art. The wonderfully painted cover above is only a taste of what awaits inside.

Not only that, but he’s a damn good writer, too. The bulk of the story focuses on Task Force X, the Suicide Squad (not that one), the Challengers of the Unknown, John Jones and a pre-Green Lantern Hal Jordan. Cooke writes about two groups I’ve never heard of, one I’ve never cared for and two superheroes I’ve never found all that interesting (before they’re even superheroes), yet he had me riveted from cover to cover.

The writer also deals with actual history-making events from the 1950s and how it would affect a world with superheroes. Hal Jordan is a fighter pilot in Korea, where Lois Lane and Jimmy Olsen are reporting. The JSA retires when the House Committee on Un-American Activities demands all super-heroes register their identities with the government. Superman and Wonder Woman become a two-person military force in Southeast Asia. A great comic makes you think about things like you never have before, and this one certainly does.

Weaknesses: New Frontier isn’t exactly a story for the DC newbie. A tremendous knowledge of DC history is expected from the reader, both in the history of the characters and the history of the company. While this does make aspects of the story flow better (the story isn’t burdened by unnecessary recaps of origins we all know by heart), it might make a new DC reader feel overwhelmed.

Also, most of the trade focuses on the non-superhero adventurers that were being published by DC Comics before the superhero resurgence that started with Showcase #4 and the debut of the Silver Age Flash. The cover, featuring most of the JSA along with the Big Three and Flash, may be a little misleading. While Batman, Superman, Wonder Woman, the Flash and Martian Manhunter all make appearances, most are not in ways that you’d expect.

Grade: A. Quite simply one of the best projects DC has put out in a very long time. Given enough time and exposure, this could easily become one of the all-time classic comic book tales.

By Darwyn Cooke (W/A) and Dave Stewart (C)

Cover Price $19.99. Published by DC Comics. Originally printed as DC: The New Frontier 4-6.

Click here for the Library of Doom entry for DC: The New Frontier Volume 1.

Plot: Against the backdrop of the 1950s, all of America’s heroes unite to challenge the greatest threat humanity has ever known.

Strengths: This is the DC Universe we all know and love. Superman, Batman & Robin, Wonder Woman, Flash, Green Lantern, Martian Manhunter, Green Arrow and Aquaman are all present and accounted for. Even Adam Strange, Dr. Fate and the Spectre make appearances. New Frontier Volume 2 includes all the superhero action you wanted to see in Volume 1 but couldn’t because the superheroes just hadn’t come into the story yet.

If it’s even possible, Darwyn Cooke’s art is better in this volume than it was in the last. There are subtle changes in character designs from the first volume, like the shape of Batman’s cowl, which let you know that these characters and the story are moving forward in time. One thing’s for certain: you’ll never look at Wonder Woman’s invisible jet the same way.

Cooke’s writing is just as important as the art. The story starts out small, with a black superhero fighting alone against oppression in the South. From that point it grows and grows until the story quite literally becomes a struggle of epic proportions. Along the way, Cooke addresses some of the biggest issues of the day, including racism and the anti-war sentiment. Strangely enough, he even tackles the idea of superhero vigilantism vs. government registration, the major aspect of Marvel’s crossover Civil War, and does so in a manner far superior to what’s happening at the House of Ideas. The strongest aspect of Cooke’s writing, however, is his ability to capture the innocence of the time. While we as readers have grown accustomed to something like a man running at the speed of sound or a giant pterodactyl showing up out of nowhere, it’s something the characters in the story can’t even begin to comprehend. That naivety shows in the writing and it rubs off on the reader, so it’s almost as if you’re experiencing everything for the first time all over again.

One of most fun aspects of the story is the way Cooke likes to throw in Easter eggs and in-jokes to keep the more well-versed readers on their toes. Names are dropped regularly, from the fairly recognizable Ray Palmer and Will Magnus to the more obscure Rex Tyler and Nathaniel Adam. When Hal Jordan charges his ring for the first time in silence, he remarks that the act seems to warrant some sort of a “pithy” catchphrase to go along with it. And you can probably guess what happens when Hal tries to call his mechanic “Pieface.”

Weaknesses: None.

Grade: A+. New Frontier Volume 2, even read independent of the first trade, is an amazing story. While it is the second half of a larger arc, it reads as a complete story in and of itself. This should be required reading for anyone that considers themselves a fan of superhero comics. With time, DC: The New Frontier will take it’s place beside Watchmen, The Dark Knight Returns and Kingdom Come as one of the all-time great superhero stories.

By Brian Wood (W) and Riccardo Burchielli (A)

Published in 2007, comprises issues 6-12, Vertigo. $12.99

The Plot: Journalist Matty Roth is now established in war-torn Manhattan and has been there for almost a year. But things aren’t easy, as he’s stuck in essentially a third-world country stuck in the middle of a civil war. While the first trade served to establish the characters and setting, this volume serves as denouement. In other words, $*@% goes crazy. Matty finds that his situation is much more challenging and complicated than he imagined, as both of the warring sides try to coerce him into assisting them.

The Positives: Just like the first volume, this second addition has great art, a great story and is relevant to the current events going on around the world in several ways each issue. Wood does a really good job of filling in some gaps from the first five issues (in two pages he effectively explains the cause of the war and how things got to where they are) and also greatly complicates both the war itself and Matty’s role within the DMZ. Also, several weeks back we did a Book of Doom review of issue 12, which is a sort of Guide to the DMZ. As none of us were regular readers, we really came down hard on it. But it works very well as reference material at the end of this volume. Another extremely good thing is the price. Seven issues for $13!

The Negatives: This volume has a few more flaws than the first one. First, some of the references to current events are a bit jarring (mostly a Hurricane Katrina smack-me-over-the-head moment). Second, and this is a problem also shared with the first volume, the collection has no special features, which is something I’ve come to expect from trades. Third, the plot is complicated a hell of a lot, which is good, but then a ton of that is resolved. I wouldn’t have minded a few more loose threads to entice me into the next arc.

The Grade: A- Still, I’m sticking with this series. There’s too much good going on for a few little problems to sabotage a strong book.

By Brian Wood (W) and Riccardo Burchielli (A)

Published in 2006, comprises issues 1-5, Vertigo. $9.99

The Plot: Matty Roth has a well connected dad who’s gotten him an internship with Liberty News, which sets him up as an assistant to a big shot journalist who’s going into Manhattan. This is newsworthy because Civil War (in the very non-Marvel sense) has erupted and the Free State army and the United States army are massed on either side of the island, rendering it a great unknown amid the warring sides. Supposedly it is a de-militarized zone, but Matty quickly learns that to be false when his crew comes under attack and he’s left behind.

This first collection follows Matty as he starts to acquaint himself with this alien version of New York, and starts to report the first news stories out of the DMZ, spreading the realities of war to the outside world.

The Good: As I read through this first volume of the series, I made it about half way through when I realized how unsettled it made me feel. It wasn’t the violence (of which there is plenty. This is war, after all) that bothered me. Instead, it was a sense that I couldn’t get a handle on where each issue was taking me, or where the series as a whole was headed. You’re thinking, “That doesn’t sound like a compliment.” Well, hold on. What I realized is that Wood crafted this first part of the series so well that I, as a reader, was feeling the instability that kept rocking Matty in the strangeness of the DMZ. It felt like falling into a war zone.

As many have pointed out before, Wood has set this battleground amid one of the most hallowed lands of America, which conveys to Americans the pain of war in a freshly familiar way. In a sad way, it’s more gripping to see an apartment-turned-ER filled with wounded American children than it is to see yet another bit of footage of an Iraq bombing or starving child in Darfur. But this book is far too complex to be a simple parable on war. It’s also, as the New York Times stated, a love letter to New York. In the DMZ, Matty sees the city responding with a desperate hope to all the atrocities. All the city’s eclectic sides shine through all the stronger when held against such a bleak background.

On that note, Burchielli deserves a hell of a lot of credit for the success of the book. He does the war scenes well, and gives plenty of uniqueness and personality to each character. For a foreigner (he’s Italian), he nails all the little details of the Big Apple. While there are some nice scenes of the familiar skylines marred with fighter jets and explosions, what Burchielli really does well are the micro scenes - street corners and alleys and tenements all recognizable behind the compost of war.

The Bad: There is very little wrong here. I could’ve used a little more background mixed in with the very personal stories, a little more building of Matty’s character. Some might complain that the trade isn’t printed on glossy paper, but personally, I almost prefer the more textured paper (it definitely doesn’t negatively impact readability). Also, it keeps the cost down, since this trade costs about half as much as similar books.

The Grade: A This is just one of those books that you should read. It’s good. It’s relevant. It’s touching. It’s painful. And, this is just the beginning.

Back in the day, I wrote a Worst to First and mentioned a Tales of the Unexpected purchase and how much that book sucked. I said:

And the back-up story, which I’ve already forgotten the title of, was just piss-poor. Some annoying guy and some vampire are in a cave and have a stupid conversation about pointless crap. The end.

In part thanks to Devon at Seven Hells, but moreso because DC sent over a review copy, I now know that the backup story was called Doctor 13: Architects and Mortality. More importantly, I now know that this story is really, really good.

In my defense, I caught only the second part of the story, and that part was easily the weakest. What really hurt, though, was missing out on a bundle of jokes because I’d missed the set up in the first installment. Much like Arrested Development, Doctor 13 strings gags along from the first moment onward, continually building to ever better punchlines. Just read it, and thank me when you get to the banana.

Jokes are great, but a book has to be more than funny. And this one is, as Brian Azzarello takes a 180 from his typical work and strings along the most improbable story possible. In short, Doctor 13 and a motley assemblage of DC character chaff face annihilation from the Architects, who are actually DC writers that want to erase these crummy old characters. Think Grant Morrison’s Animal Man meets Jeff Parker’s Agents of Atlas.

Though probably unintended, the story points to a serious flaw with DC’s editorial staff: that they care more about continuity than they do about characters (though how well either is managed right now is certainly debatable). Azzarello shows that even the lamest characters can be great, as long as the writer cares about them.

By Rutu Modan
Published by Drawn & Quarterly, 2007. $19.95

The Plot: It’s been years since Koby, a young man who drives a cab in Tel Aviv, talked to his father. Suddenly, a stranger tells him she believes his father is the unidentified victim of a suicide bombing. The two start on a hunt for the truth, forcing Koby to dig out all the paternal animosity he’s held onto most of his life. He also begins to learn more of the secret lives his father led, including as boyfriend of the young woman helping Koby. Ostensibly a mystery, Exit Wounds at its core is one of the best “personal journey” graphic novels in years.

The Good: The book focuses mostly on Koby and his female friend, but what makes the book so enjoyable is how Modan uses even the most inconsequential characters in crucial ways. People who only appear in the comic for a couple pages (or just a couple panels) still have fully developed personalities that shine through with pitch-perfect dialogue and Modan’s Tin Tin-esque artwork. (I should note, her art is similar to Tin Tin with solid outline drawings and strong colors, but it varies enough as to not feel derivative.)

You may recall my past diatribe about the indie comics problem (in short, indies are often absent of plot). Exit Wounds strives for a lifelike feel, like many indie books, but it has a plot that chugs along constantly, leading Koby and others in a hunt for the truth. This is to say, there’s a story here, and a darn good one at that.

The Bad:

The Grade: A You may have noticed the “bad” section is blank. I know it’s hard to believe for me to not have anything bad to say, but I honestly don’t. This year has been an epic one for non-superhero comics, and Exit Wounds stands as among the best of the best.

story by Frank Miller; sequential adaptation by Steven Grant; art by Juan Jose Ryp

Published by Avatar Press. Originally published as Robocop #1-9. Cover price $29.99.

Frank Miller is probably the biggest name in comics-to-film adaptations. Sin City and 300 were both big hits, and now Ronin is on its way. But way back in the 1980s, Frank Miller took on the writing duties on Robocop. Word is that the version that hit the screen was a far cry from what Miller originally penned, so this series set out to present the definitive version.

While not directly written by Frank Miller, this series was adapted from Frank Miller’s script for the Robocop film by Steven Grant. I’ve never seen the film, nor have I read Miller’s original script, so I have no idea what aspects of this book differ, what is taken from the film, and what was preserved from Miller’s original concept. What I do know is that Robocop (the comic) has all the traditional Frank Miller characteristics - gratuitous violence, caricatured media pundits, bloodthirsty governments, attempted political allegories, and even a lesson on the battle of Thermopylae.

I have to admit a bias going into the reading of this book: I wanted to like it. I was grateful that the good folks at Avatar Press sent a promo copy to review, and that soft, human part of me wants to reward people for their generosity and cooperation. So keep that in mind as you read this review.
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By Brian and Philip Phillipson (W) and Alex Nino (A)

Published in 2006, originally as four issues in 2005, by Bliss on Tap Publishing. $19.95 softcover, $29.95 hardcover.

The Plot: Drop some acid, chase it with a bottle of something staunch and thumb through a pile of texts on mythology, psychology, human history and religion. Then distill it through a most simplistic pun. The resulting dream is going to approximate the experience of reading God the Dyslexic doG. The Phillipson father and son team bring a whole lot to the table, roughly following the adventures of a dog that’s been instilled with the power of God. The villain is age-old Dionysus, who seeks to destroy the world (by setting in motion the Mayan doomsday) so that he can finally die (in a nice twist, he’s one of the few fictional villains seeking to end his immortality). This is just the first part of the adventure, but manages not to leave off with a jarring cliffhanger.

The Positives: I’m a sucker for weird forays into myth, and that’s pretty much exactly the MO here. It’s pretty densely layered with ideas and ideologies, so there’s a lot to chew (metaphorically, of course). But it’s not overly high-minded, delving into plenty of silliness. The Phillipsons clearly are just having a lot of fun with the concept, and it works. (Brian Phillipson wanted to get together for a Q&A but has been too busy with his day job, working on animation for the upcoming Futurama flicks. He says they’re really funny, which is good news for a good show that’s long sat dormant.)

A lot of the book’s success owes to Alex Nino’s art. The pages are filled with these massive splashes of imagery that seems like a marriage between Salvador Dali and Dr. Seuss. There are scientific monkeys conducting experiments on crashed airplanes and weird space stations that play home to warrior turkeys. And Nino’s style fits it really well.

The Negatives: The problems with this book all come from the writing, mostly because it’s so anarchic that it’s hard as a reader to ever get much of a sense of what’s going on. I found myself vacillating between being convinced that this book existed on a plane of knowledge far above my reach and thinking it was just a rambling mess of pseudo-intellectualism all brewed together. Either way, it’s a world without structure, which means a serious lack of narrative strength. There’s a lot of potential in the storyline, but it’s not there yet. Also, and this is a decidedly minor note, but the main idea of the story (a dog that’s a god) kept me thinking back to this Kids in the Hall sketch, which was a much simpler and more effective riff on the same pun.

The Grade: B God the Dyslexic doG isn’t an overwhelmingly great book, but it is decidedly different from everything else that’s out there and it was published (quite nicely) by the creators, so it’s worth supporting (buy it here). I’d say that if you have an interest in this sort of thing (or if you have a serious drug habit), then it’s definitely a book to check out.