Zeb Aslam
May 3, 2004, 05:13 pm
<a href="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/previews/dh/0404/moth1.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/previews/dh/0404/moth1t.jpg"align=left alt="STEVE RUDE’S THE MOTH #1"></a>Reviewer: Zeb Aslam, shrinkingleviathan@hotmail.com
Quick Rating: Average
Story Title: Sweet Land Of Liberty
Life in a circus isn’t as glamorous as it seems…
Written By: Gary Martin
Pencilled By: Steve Rude
Inked By: Gary Martin
Colors By: Glenn Whitmore
Letters By: Patrick Owsley
Publisher: Dark Horse Comics
I really wanted to like this book. I mean, really! I have the utmost respect for Steve Rude’s work on Thor, and while I’ve never read anything by Gary Martin before, I had heard good things about him too. Also, I love the 60s style of writing shown in this book, and the accompanying artwork was simply beautiful. Sad to say, I was very disappointed in the writing, as well as the book overall.
I did not read The Moth one-shot which came out a month ago and was a bit hesitant to read this issue initially. In today’s decompressed era of storytelling, it’s very hard to pick up a book at random…unless it actually advertises that it’s a jumping-on point that is. Fortunately, that was no problem; Martin and Rude have gone to great lengths to ensure that someone who has not read the one-shot will not feel confused, while someone who has shall come away with something extra. This was the good part. Now we come to the bad.
While Martin’s story did bring back some pleasant memories of the comics of yesteryear, specifically the 60s, I was unimpressed by the end result. The entire opening sequence with American Liberty seemed to be drawn out, and way too padded to serve affectively as the exploitative piece on heroes it was supposed to be. Jack, however is a likeable character and shows potential. Maybe if more of the issue had been focused on Jack and the circus, it would’ve worked better, but instead the issue is vastly devoted to Jack’s adventures as the Moth…which, quite frankly, are not so exciting.
The Moth in itself is a Batman-esque character and so obviously we have the “character in shadows” moments, and while those are enjoyable I can’t say that they were very inspiring or very original. Nestor is also a cardboard cut-out of a villain. I can see he was loosely based on the Punisher, and knowing the history behind the publication of this book, can appreciate it, but it’s a joke that would totally fly in the face of casual readers and leave them with nothing but a boring character as a villain.
The artwork on the other hand is something I have few or no qualms with. Rude’s art was as always beautiful to behold and seeing the artwork that was so popular during the days of Jack Kirby was a pleasure. Rude takes the simplicity and elegance of Kirby’s work, and infuses it with his own brand of detail and realism and the result is very pleasing to the eye, and one of the few saving graces of an otherwise below average issue. The design of the Moth himself is also very nice, and in certain places reminded me of the old Charleston, and Impact Comics characters. It was great to revisit that era and if I buy another issue of this mini, it shall probably be largely because of the art.
The coloring was also very nice. Subdued, yet vibrant, it afforded a very nice glimpse of the world that The Moth lives in. I especially loved the way the Moth was always shrouded in darkness yet his counterpart, American Liberty was exemplifying light and a brighter future.
This issue was not exactly what I was expecting from Steve Rude. Maybe I had high expectations from him and so was let down, but I don’t think so. The issue was not as good as it could’ve been, and the sad thing is that the glimmers of a truly great storyline were there, but they were never fully realized as the issue devoted way too much time on Nestor and his vendetta against the Moth instead of more time with the circus and Jack’s responsibilities there. I did enjoy some aspects of the story thus the reasonably high rating, especially the gag afforded by the monkey early on in the issue. Still, this is one comic that is on an issue-by-issue basis with me, and if I can’t find it next month, I won’t exactly exert myself in looking for it.
ART:
http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/reviews/dhfull.jpg http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/reviews/dhfull.jpg http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/reviews/dhfull.jpg http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/reviews/dhhalf.jpg http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/reviews/dhnone.jpg
STORY:
http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/reviews/dhfull.jpg http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/reviews/dhfull.jpg http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/reviews/dhhalf.jpg http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/reviews/dhnone.jpg http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/reviews/dhnone.jpg
ISSUE OVERALL:
http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/reviews/dhfull.jpg http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/reviews/dhfull.jpg http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/reviews/dhfull.jpg http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/reviews/dhnone.jpg http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/reviews/dhnone.jpg
Buy this issue online now from X-World Comics and save! (http://x-worldcomics.com/yourvirtualstore/shopdisplayproducts.asp?id=1215&cat=STEVE+RUDES+THE+MOTH)
Quick Rating: Average
Story Title: Sweet Land Of Liberty
Life in a circus isn’t as glamorous as it seems…
Written By: Gary Martin
Pencilled By: Steve Rude
Inked By: Gary Martin
Colors By: Glenn Whitmore
Letters By: Patrick Owsley
Publisher: Dark Horse Comics
I really wanted to like this book. I mean, really! I have the utmost respect for Steve Rude’s work on Thor, and while I’ve never read anything by Gary Martin before, I had heard good things about him too. Also, I love the 60s style of writing shown in this book, and the accompanying artwork was simply beautiful. Sad to say, I was very disappointed in the writing, as well as the book overall.
I did not read The Moth one-shot which came out a month ago and was a bit hesitant to read this issue initially. In today’s decompressed era of storytelling, it’s very hard to pick up a book at random…unless it actually advertises that it’s a jumping-on point that is. Fortunately, that was no problem; Martin and Rude have gone to great lengths to ensure that someone who has not read the one-shot will not feel confused, while someone who has shall come away with something extra. This was the good part. Now we come to the bad.
While Martin’s story did bring back some pleasant memories of the comics of yesteryear, specifically the 60s, I was unimpressed by the end result. The entire opening sequence with American Liberty seemed to be drawn out, and way too padded to serve affectively as the exploitative piece on heroes it was supposed to be. Jack, however is a likeable character and shows potential. Maybe if more of the issue had been focused on Jack and the circus, it would’ve worked better, but instead the issue is vastly devoted to Jack’s adventures as the Moth…which, quite frankly, are not so exciting.
The Moth in itself is a Batman-esque character and so obviously we have the “character in shadows” moments, and while those are enjoyable I can’t say that they were very inspiring or very original. Nestor is also a cardboard cut-out of a villain. I can see he was loosely based on the Punisher, and knowing the history behind the publication of this book, can appreciate it, but it’s a joke that would totally fly in the face of casual readers and leave them with nothing but a boring character as a villain.
The artwork on the other hand is something I have few or no qualms with. Rude’s art was as always beautiful to behold and seeing the artwork that was so popular during the days of Jack Kirby was a pleasure. Rude takes the simplicity and elegance of Kirby’s work, and infuses it with his own brand of detail and realism and the result is very pleasing to the eye, and one of the few saving graces of an otherwise below average issue. The design of the Moth himself is also very nice, and in certain places reminded me of the old Charleston, and Impact Comics characters. It was great to revisit that era and if I buy another issue of this mini, it shall probably be largely because of the art.
The coloring was also very nice. Subdued, yet vibrant, it afforded a very nice glimpse of the world that The Moth lives in. I especially loved the way the Moth was always shrouded in darkness yet his counterpart, American Liberty was exemplifying light and a brighter future.
This issue was not exactly what I was expecting from Steve Rude. Maybe I had high expectations from him and so was let down, but I don’t think so. The issue was not as good as it could’ve been, and the sad thing is that the glimmers of a truly great storyline were there, but they were never fully realized as the issue devoted way too much time on Nestor and his vendetta against the Moth instead of more time with the circus and Jack’s responsibilities there. I did enjoy some aspects of the story thus the reasonably high rating, especially the gag afforded by the monkey early on in the issue. Still, this is one comic that is on an issue-by-issue basis with me, and if I can’t find it next month, I won’t exactly exert myself in looking for it.
ART:
http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/reviews/dhfull.jpg http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/reviews/dhfull.jpg http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/reviews/dhfull.jpg http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/reviews/dhhalf.jpg http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/reviews/dhnone.jpg
STORY:
http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/reviews/dhfull.jpg http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/reviews/dhfull.jpg http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/reviews/dhhalf.jpg http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/reviews/dhnone.jpg http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/reviews/dhnone.jpg
ISSUE OVERALL:
http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/reviews/dhfull.jpg http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/reviews/dhfull.jpg http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/reviews/dhfull.jpg http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/reviews/dhnone.jpg http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/reviews/dhnone.jpg
Buy this issue online now from X-World Comics and save! (http://x-worldcomics.com/yourvirtualstore/shopdisplayproducts.asp?id=1215&cat=STEVE+RUDES+THE+MOTH)