November 2005 Comic Highlights

With all that's been going I'd fallen off a bit on the comic book reviews. Not to fear, I've been able to catch up a bit with my reading. While in NYC I had the opportunity to visit my favorite comic book store, Midtown Comics, at their Times Square location. November has been a good month for Marvel comics in my eyes. Finally some new titles are coming out from that the company that have peaked my interest. Two of the titles are The Thing and She-Hulk, both debuting this month with new stories. Interestingly enough both of these books are written by Dan Slott. Slott obviously is someone with a good grasp of the Marvel Universe which comes through in the wide variety of characters he brings his stories. Some of the characters like Nighthawk or Ox of the Enforcers aren't often seen in Marvel's books these days.

The Thing #1, starts off with a nostalgic feel when the scene opens with The Thing and Goliath (formerly known as Black Goliath, because the dude was black...gotta love the 70's) fighting side by side agains some odd-ball villian. Immediately I felt like I was opening up an issue of Marvel Two-in-One from the 70's & 80's. One of the first issues of Marvel Two-in-One that I owned was actually a Goliath/Thing team-up story. Ben Grimm, The Thing, is learning to adjust to his new lifestyle that is a result of his newfound millions in wealth. Basically it's the typical money can't buy you happiness theme that has been following Ben in the Fantastic Four book as well. Honestly I'm getting a little weary of the unhappy Thing stories. I understand that is always under the surface with the character, I mean who would be happy looking like a orange brick wall, but now and then it'd be nice not to have those downer moments breaking up a good story. Having Ben team up with an eclectic group of characters through a moment of coincidences and happenstance is a perfect, old Marvel move that I love. In this issue is just so happens that Ben is invited to a party that has been joined by Iron Man, Nighthawk and the reformed Constrictor in their civilian guises. The end of the issue also gets my thumbs up with the return of a fun Marvel villian who I always enjoy. If you are a fan of 70's - 80's era Marvel, this a good book for you. Heck if you like light superhero action, that isn't dark & gritty, I can recommend this with out hesitation. I'm not saying its an award winner, but it's a good middle of the road kind of book that will help pass 10 minutes of free time.

She-Hulk #1, though I enjoyed it immensely I wouldn't be so quick to recommend it to anyone. You'd really have to be a Marvel fanboy to get half the comedic comic references and to appreciate the goofiness of some of the situations.

On the topic of artwork, the Greg Horn cover is fanstastic, I hope he continues painting covers for the book. I've haven't decided how much I like the artwork within done by Juan Bobillo, it's an interesting style that I do appreciate, I just don't know if its the right fit for the comic. I'm still chewing on that one.

Either way, I'm glad that with this launch She-Hulk Dan Slott is continuing the style of off the wall stories that were done in the previous series and in away carrying on the comedic tradition set by John Byrne during his run on the She-Hulk book awhile ago. Seeing the legal side of the Marvel Universe after the fighting is over, offers up a lot of opportunities for fun stories along with the other struggles She-Hulk faces in her life as she deals with relationships and her job both as She-Hulk and in her human form as Jennifer Walters.