Zuda review RockStar/ Voltron wannbe gets ass kicked by that Sliverhawk with the Guitar -sort of

RockStar is a Zuda contestant this month done by Aluísio Cervelle Santos. Basically a group of galactic heroes has a cult mentality and is out to recruit this story's lead hero Rockstar, and won't take no for an answer. That's a great hook which gets wrecked by a confusing fight scene that goes on for too many pages. Here is the synopsis: A boy, who has a hand with six fingers, receives an extraordinaire power from the skies. It set in motion an intergalactic conflict, putting his whole world in danger. Should the boy continue to pursue his musical career? Or should he fend for the safety of Earth? Grab a ticket for this galactic stage, because the show is about to go on!

In medias res isn't always the right option

I liked the sound effects/letters easy and fun to read. 'Arpeggios from hell' was a stand out. I will say the art is damn good, but I also have to say what the hell was going on? The fight scene that ate whatever story this comic had, invoked all the worst qualities of a Dragon Ball Z stand off. The pacing and not exploiting superhero dramatic elements to their fullest is what killed it for me. It starts off well enough with a good first screen that grabs a readers interest. Then readers get a second screen (best screen of the comic) that shows RockStar has arrived to save the day. The fact that this is also the last 'quiet' screen before the denouement ain't a coincidence. Screen 3 is where things start to go off the rails. You wouldn't think a creator could make 5 panel layouts (or less) feel too cramped and crowded, but you'd be wrong. The longer the comic went on the more overloaded and overworked the panels look. The new wore off the 'BIG ROBOT RAMPAGE!' 'BIG ROBOT RAMPAGE!' pretty quick for me. It has too much details in the panels, with no room to breath for the reader. Extremes in storytelling can either work out really well, or go wrong in a major way. I don't know what the polar opposite of decompression would be called -hyper speed- but that the affection this story has. More characterization and explanation of the world the story takes place in, were seen in your average Golden Age 8 pager, where that was far from a priority.

Throwing away great storytelling opportunities is like pissing in the wind

It's a classic superhero conundrum: How do you protect your family once your arch-nemesis discovers your secret identity? The set-up for this was there in RockStar until you click past screen 3. After that it's not brought up again until the screen 8 denouncement which wasn't really about the dangers RockStar's parents faced because of him, it was just the 6 finger reveal. The fight scene failed for me as a reader because of the way it was executed. From RockStar's dialogue it was apparent battles like his showdown with Voltron Wolf Guy had happened before, and RockStar won with no real challenge. RockStar came off like he was facing this 'threat' (no real danger) for the umpteenth time, and was as bored with it as I was by the end. It read as more arrogance on RockStar's part than protectiveness, but he won so he didn't even get called on that. Maybe these other Galactic heroes are just testing him, or letting him win -but that wasn't well shown in the story. It could be RockStar is far and away above any of his opponents power level, in which case you run into the Superman problem. You'll need a kryptonite stand-in, or focus more on RockStar's personal morals/ethics to make things interesting. It could have been saved by using suspense to cut to and back from RockStar's parents -normal humans in real danger-, and have Voltron Wolf Guy try to attack/kidnap them. When RockStar saved mom and dad on screen 2, I thought this would be more of the direction the fight went in. Beyond a 'I'll be back' moment the parents were quickly forgotten till the last screen. Being a complete done in one story actually hurt this entry more than making it stand out. If Santos had done a cliff hanger where it looked like RockStar might lose the battle it would have been more grabbing to me as a reader. The suspense level could have been ratcheted way up to have me, or any other reader sitting on the edge of their seat, but that didn't happen. The panels could have been less busy (tone down the backgrounds) to allow the artwork to have more impact. Instead this comic was a case study of the diminishing returns of explosions and energy blasts in comics. The big dramatic hook that could have maybe gotten my vote (what's going to happen to the parents) and grabbed me as a reader wasn't even really explored.

Review Captain Moosestash and the Incredible Flying Machine/ In search of adventure in a adventure comic...

This random azz review is about: Captain Moosestash and the Incredible Flying Machine a web comic/ merchandise line done by Sean Friend. Semi regular update schedule , with a fun airship helm site design. It's cartoon style art work on a (I think) action/adventure comedy that isn't funny -but the adventure part is almost kind of there. The various shirts, caps, and stickers are a cheaper price than S.H.E. merchandise, and is actually based on a web comic. The various chapters are set up in a unlock/key format. One thing to come away from with this comic is the site design is more impressive than the character art work/ story.

It needs more adventure, more adventure I say!!!

The letters are easy enough to read, but too much white is showing, those balloons need to be trimmed and centered. The art is cartoony, but actually fits the subject matter, and all ages approach fairly well. The story starts will Professor Airborne about to unveil his latest invention to 1861 New York. He has a Steam Generator to usher in a new era to the city, which ends with a explosion superimposed by Friend over what looks to be a wood cut. Their was some nice screen layout's when Airborne woke up and met Captain Moosestash, then picked his way out of his cuffs. These two former jail birds then go on the run in the Captain's flying ship. Turns out Moosestash is a bounty hunter who teams up with Airborne instead of cashing him in, to go after bigger game with better paying rewards. There are hints in a panel here, and a panel there that this comic could do a decent bit of traffic on the web. Before that happens a better handle on pace would be needed. Two, or three panels to a screen makes for eating a snail's dust pace. Just because Sean has a infinite canvass doesn't mean his story warrants it. Don't even get me started on the whole 'decompression' deal, the more big panels shots you see in a comic, the less impact it has. Plus repeated similar page layouts can lull a reader to sleep, cutting down on a story's impact. It's as bad as road daze from starring at the same scenery over, and over again. Insomniac web comic readers looking for relief is probably too much of a niche audience for Sean Friend to have real success. Probably.

Where's the sight gags at, oh it's just the same one, over and over again...

One of the fun repeated moments of the comic is Moosestash has the same kind of control over his mustache as Medusa from Marvel comics had over her hair. Moosestash steers at the helm with it, and picks up small objects. It's a good gag, but has a limited shelf life. At the end of the first chapter things start to move (slowly) and you see the future direction of the story. A new villain is introduced and the Professor is pressed into helping Moosestash. Their is also some exploration of Moosestash's dodgy character, as a bounty hunter along with his 'boys'. I don't think I'm the market for this comic, and I'm not entirely sure who is. It's still early yet in the updates, but the title doesn't have much of a identity besides the real star of this work, a prehensile handle bar mustache. The artwork could be better instead of just good enough, but the action has got to start picking up with a pace that grabs a reader, and doesn't let go. I think the art and storytelling will improve as the story goes along, so my advice would be to just read the last chapter and enjoy, no need to spoil the work by seeing how the sausage was made. In web comics land though, who knows if that last chapter will ever be made???

Zuda review Bottle of Awesome/ Glug glug, glug glug

Bottle of Awesome is a Zuda instant win comic done by Andy Belanger. It got a favorite from me, the expected 'high school torment' section goes on too long, but screen one is a flash forward which shows the comic is headed in a very enjoyable direction. Here is the synopsis: This is a story about a boy named Billy Butterman, a loser, a putz - what have you, just trying to get through grade nine. High school is a total nightmare. All the cool guys at pick on him, chicks don't dig him and everyone at the school calls him "Butterpants," because he had bladder control problems till he was twelve. That is, till the day he finds a hobo in an alley. Billy notices the bum has a full bottle that he’s not drinking from and the bum tells him it is because the bottle is full of awesome and that a a sip will make him awesome as well. He warns the boy that a person can get too awesome, but will Billy heed his words?

It's like Spider-Man only with energy drinks instead of a radioactive arachnid

Screen 1 does what a first screen should do and grabs the readers. You see explosions, planes crashing, wrecked cars, and a secret agent babe threatening to shoot a little boy between the eyes. The kid is being encouraged to take a drink of Awesome, by a fallen formally Awesome guy. Really a grabbing opening screen and the good read continues when we see the secret agent girl before she went bad ass. Her name is Morgan and she had a 'nerd crush' on Billy, who we see is the number one target for bullies at his school. The strong point in the writing is Morgan's take on events, and her thoughts on Billy -as I live and breath well written text boxes!!! The text boxes do a good job of explaining the situation Billy finds himself in at school, and a reason for his later actions. The art is cartoony, but it fits the story well. After a while your eyes adjust to the green,yellow, orange color scheme, and you just become numb to it. The layout gives you a number of panels per screen, but it needs to be read full screen to avoid that 'cramped' feeling. The bullies torment section felt really cluttered, with more then the needed panels showing Billy's treatment at the hands of Donnie Douche and friends. Another reason to go full screen is legibility of the letters is poor in the smaller view. The best written part of dialogue for Billy is his self comparison to Charlie Brown, you get he's on the end of his rope. Being the outsider nerd does invoke memories of early Spider-Man, it's a nice arch type legacy for this comic to tap into. The bum handing over the bottle scene on screen 5 invokes Captain Marvel meeting Shazam, and The Monkey's Paw. Screen 6 when Billy first takes a drink of Awesome was a day glow assault on the eyes, but Billy looks high as a kite so a pretty funny 'I got my powers' screen. Which all sets up a good 8th screen cliff-hanger with a bus being stuck halfway in the school. Morgan figuring out Billy did it some how, some way, also made sense for the character.

Chug-a-lug Chug-a-lug

It wouldn't be a superhero comic without the villains, beyond the bullies you also have their ring leaders father and high school teacher -Dick Douche. Who is portrayed as a whacked out Principle Vernon meets Elmer Fudd type with a hard-on for authoritarianism. it's easy to see where his son gets it from. Their are also some funny scenes with Billy and his friend/confidant Fat Rick. I got to re-live all those fond crazy memories of the Freedom fry debate from a few years ago. The Front de Liberation Qubec gets dragged into the story along with the Irish Republican Army to help show Fat Rick's character. We also see a new character in the figure of Big Dan who tells Donnie and company to go somewhere else, then punches Donnie in the face. At 11 screens in so far we have the heroes, villains, side-kicks, and a portent of doom from screen 1. It's a involving action/adventure super-hero story with any number of directions it can go in. It's a fun action hero comic, that delivers on being entertaining without trying to be too different -yet. The writing of Morgan's character and a excellently paced story will keep you coming back as a reader.

Landmark Comicbook Superhero Run's Part 3

Drive by post for just a few more observations

You have creators who have had such a impact on a character in its initial run, and has never again been repeated decades later. You also have creators who's impact on a character not only will never be ret-con'ed away, but was ripped off by other creators to try to save a title. Wonder Woman hasn't really been a member of the DC trinity since her creator William Moulton Marston stopped writing her stories. Marston who lived in a happy triad with his wife, and their girlfriend -didn't want a woman character as good as any man. He wanted a woman character that was better than any man, not to mention really working that Amazonian angle, and the bondage covers to help sales. Since Marston's death, and the end of the Golden Age no writer has been able able to tap into that former level of popularity again. Not Denny O'Neil's male feminist gone wrong view that the way to empower Wonder Woman would be to take away her powers. I call progressive to the point of stupidity on that one, but O'Neil later admitted his mistake. George Pérez brought back the mythology with some excellent art, but no not really that great. Buy the Wonder Woman archives that's all you need to read to really know the character.

Alan Moore turned the Man-thing brother from a different mother in the elemental force of nature Swamp Thing. Horror stores, superhero stories, sci-fi stories all with a number of smart twists and turns. Too damn many over wrought text boxes, but very worth reading. It would have such a impact Firestorm got turned into a fire elemental by John Ostrander to try to save that volume of the title. Rip-off lighting just doesn't have the same shock value.

The Captain America writer is Mark Gruenwald and people need to read, read, READ, the stories that he wrote. The whole U.S.Agent replaces him as Captain America saga, Streets of Poison, the Scourge's killing spree. It didn't get near enough acclaim at the time, and I don't think it does now.

Stan Lee and Jack Kirby did a cool job with Thor, but Walt Simonson's run surpassed them, and set the new standard. Which no one since has lived up to, but Michael Avon Oeming tried. Beta ray Bill, Thor as a frog, but what really set the stage was his respectful 'more than a cartoon' treatment of Asgard and the real legends of the vikings, not to mention Surtur and Ragnarok.

I loved the Hulk before he went stupid again, and ended up having as many different versions as their was kryptonite in the Silver Age of comics. Peter David put Banner, gray, and green Hulk's together to form one of the best written comics of the 90's. It is so rare to see a bulky hero who isn't of average intelligence or less, it was a nice change of pace. Also the only thing Peter David has written I've ever really liked. Betty Ross died, Hulk went stupid again, -thank you Marvel geniuses-, David left the title, and it all went to hell. Bruce Jones was a way bigger fan of the TV show than I ever was. David came back to write a tale about the stupid Hulk, the magic was gone though.

Landmark Comicbook Superhero Run's Part 2

Spider-Man... Spider-Man... and so on as the song goes

I have typed this before, and I'll type it again. There is almost always some element of promise in a creator owned comic, that if expanded upon my enjoyment of that comic would go up exponentially. The problem with almost all established heroes is that promise has already been fulfilled -and then some. it ends up being classics updated for the modern age, which usually don't go over that well with me. A copy, of a copy, of a copy, and the quality starts to really go down, but imitation is the surest sign a team of creators set the standard. Another sure sign is when the new TPTB don't ret-con your changes out of existence. The death of Gwen Stacy was a homage/rip-off of the death of Uncle Ben in the first Spider-man story. Conway and Kane put a new spin on a old Spider-Man standard: he screws up, people he loves die. What that whole story-line did was it made the Green Goblin the bad ass legacy villain that he is. The death of Gwen Stacy, and later the death of Jean DeWolff, and later still the devil inspired divorce from MJ, all came about because a lack of interest in Spidey having a love life/tapping too much into the past. How much of it is fanboy tribute, and how much of it is ego saying I could do it better? Also, a lack of skill on various writers and editors part in being able to tell stories with a non-single Peter Parker they could tell if he was attached/hitched. Not wanting to just stick them in a freezer creators have tried to tap into 'with great power, comes great responsibility' to limited success. Read the run of Stan Lee/Steve Ditko issues of Spider-Man and that will tell you all you need to know about the character. The victories have more meaning, and the loss the character feels is more heart felt than Peter Parker having a love interest you know is going to get the Kenny from South Park treatment. Decades of artists have tried to put their own spin on it, the stories that came close to getting out of the shadow was when Spidey had six arms. That damn near cut the cord, and stopped being repetitious. it was a cool run for the comic too.

Sometimes your the windshield, sometimes your the bug

Stan Lee and Jack Kirby's run on X-men is not much of a standout. I liked the costumes, Angel is my fav X-men, mutants became the default option for super powered bad guys in the MU. The title did piss poor, went into reprints, then went away. Then came Chris Claremont, Dave Cockrum, and in time John Byrne and Jim Lee. Claremont is not a favorite writer of mine, but you can't argue with those team's impact. Every story since has hung on the stories those creators did so closely, to the point of being incestuous. With the predictable shamefully poor results of generation's of inbreeding. That's a downward trend that takes place in any number of other comics. John Byrne's attempt to do for Superman what Miller did for Batman just didn't work out. How do you know? If your ret-con gets ret-con'ed away it was a failure. Krypton got turned into a Arctic wasteland, then turned back into a lush green world that blew up all to hell and back. I would argue Superman has never really had a landmark run. Maybe what was done in All Star Superman by Morrison and Quietly will rise to the occasion, but you need to give a work at least a decade to see if it has staying power against time, and trends. Byrne tried again when back in the '80's when he set out to do more issues of the Fantastic Four than Stan Lee/ Jack Kirby. A issue count along isn't a gauge of anything, but that is beside the point, Byrne's run didn't measure up. Stan lee and Jack Kirby did the landmark run on their issues of the title, almost all of the concepts they introduced would continue to be used by future creators. Actually Byrne and other Fantastic Four creators continued to re-use stories that had already been told. Why buy, or read those stories when you can just get the collected marvel Masterworks editions? Their is a difference in taking the bare bones of characters and making something out of them, or a wise, rinse, repeating of former story lines. So should legendary characters just have their comics come to a end? No but whoever the creators/editors are should be honest about the stories people are reading. If it's so and so's homage tribute to what has came before be more open about it. If their is a honest intent to 'go a different way' then say so. most importantly if you want to make another mark on superhero comics, pick a title that's best stories haven't already been told, in my view of course.