Scott Williams
Sep 24, 2004, 12:26 am
<a href=http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/previews/dc/0904/HERO20.jpg target=new><img src=http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/previews/dc/0904/HERO20t.jpg align=left></a>Reviewer: Scott Williams, yoda905@yahoo.com
Quick Rating: Good
Story Title: Pieces of Hate part 2
Robby Reed and the former "Captain Chaos" team up to track down the villain.
Written by: Will Pfeifer
Pencils: Dale Eaglesham
Inks: Wade von Grawbadger
Letters: Phil Balsman
Colors: Sno-Cone
Assistant Editor: Steven Wacker
Editor: Peter Tomasi
There is something about this book that draws me inherently to it. Maybe the fact that it is so well-writen is inconsequential. I'm just always curious to see what's coming next. Maybe it's the "deadly game of cat and mouse" format that it has adopted recently. The fact that there have been casualties shows you that there's really no B.S. here. For a DCU Proper book, it's pretty ballsy. I always look at it as having the soul of a Vertigo book, while grounded in DCU mythology. It's just a book I love to crack open and savor. Reed has evolved from a stirring subplot to a great central protagonist, using all his powers, experience and wiles in a game that even he seemingly can't win.
Continuing the theme of tracking down former H-devicers, Robby Reed finds himself at the doorstep of the man (who I don't even think is properly named,) who was responsible for "Captain Chaos," a Jackass-inspired video series in which he and his friends try out the H-Device and perform wild stunts. The Captain is Reed's latest draft in his battle against the all-powerful H-device clone. Also coming into play are two or three other former users; a would-be villain cum Arkham inmate, a little girl, and her father. The way the story positions these characters is just great story craftsmanship. Captain Chaos is not the meek wannabe that Jerry was. Don't get me wrong - Jerry was great, and yes, superior - but the fact that Chaptain Chaos isn't the same as Jerry enhances his position in the story. He's Robby's newest sidekick, yeah, but he's a punk who doesn't like to take crap, even when he's faced with a nigh-invulnerable opponent. And he realizes, just a minute or two too late, that he messed up bigtime.
I've heard about how this series is getting cancelled, and I think that's just an atrocity. I can't explain why publishers can't afford to print such extremely well-written books, they just can't. If there was ever a series that had longevity, it's this macabre take on superheroics. I love that it's something different. This is just such a smashing book that most people would like if they gave it a chance. Obviously it's not for everyone - nothing is - but it's solid enough that it could have a strong fan following, but it's just too on the fringe. And so it is allowed to fall off the radar and die, which is a shame but a reality.
The art is really good. Not the greatest on Earth, but I don't care. It's suitable for the story, it's very classic, which gives it a sense of irony. I doubt it would have the same impact if it were drawn by any of today's Hot 10 artists. If I was the kind of prick who was smug in his wordings, I'd call it "remarkably unremarkable" and give myself a pat on the back - but that sounds so pretentious that I can't believe I even that wrote that. In fcat, one might argue that half of this paragraph was constructed solely to pad out this review, since I have seemingly so little to say about the art other than it was prefectly good.
The ending was really good and leads me to believe that the next issue will be really good as well. If I didn't already think that because of the other evidence (i.e. this series is always good,) then I'd at least be enticed to see what happens next issue, with the next former device user being brought into the fray. The very organic way in these characters are brought together (as organic as being called up and told to join the party can be,) is delightful. It will also be interesting to find out how the interaction between the two villains will play out. This book is nothing but a success, unless you look at the sales figures.
STORY:
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ART:
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OVERALL:
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Quick Rating: Good
Story Title: Pieces of Hate part 2
Robby Reed and the former "Captain Chaos" team up to track down the villain.
Written by: Will Pfeifer
Pencils: Dale Eaglesham
Inks: Wade von Grawbadger
Letters: Phil Balsman
Colors: Sno-Cone
Assistant Editor: Steven Wacker
Editor: Peter Tomasi
There is something about this book that draws me inherently to it. Maybe the fact that it is so well-writen is inconsequential. I'm just always curious to see what's coming next. Maybe it's the "deadly game of cat and mouse" format that it has adopted recently. The fact that there have been casualties shows you that there's really no B.S. here. For a DCU Proper book, it's pretty ballsy. I always look at it as having the soul of a Vertigo book, while grounded in DCU mythology. It's just a book I love to crack open and savor. Reed has evolved from a stirring subplot to a great central protagonist, using all his powers, experience and wiles in a game that even he seemingly can't win.
Continuing the theme of tracking down former H-devicers, Robby Reed finds himself at the doorstep of the man (who I don't even think is properly named,) who was responsible for "Captain Chaos," a Jackass-inspired video series in which he and his friends try out the H-Device and perform wild stunts. The Captain is Reed's latest draft in his battle against the all-powerful H-device clone. Also coming into play are two or three other former users; a would-be villain cum Arkham inmate, a little girl, and her father. The way the story positions these characters is just great story craftsmanship. Captain Chaos is not the meek wannabe that Jerry was. Don't get me wrong - Jerry was great, and yes, superior - but the fact that Chaptain Chaos isn't the same as Jerry enhances his position in the story. He's Robby's newest sidekick, yeah, but he's a punk who doesn't like to take crap, even when he's faced with a nigh-invulnerable opponent. And he realizes, just a minute or two too late, that he messed up bigtime.
I've heard about how this series is getting cancelled, and I think that's just an atrocity. I can't explain why publishers can't afford to print such extremely well-written books, they just can't. If there was ever a series that had longevity, it's this macabre take on superheroics. I love that it's something different. This is just such a smashing book that most people would like if they gave it a chance. Obviously it's not for everyone - nothing is - but it's solid enough that it could have a strong fan following, but it's just too on the fringe. And so it is allowed to fall off the radar and die, which is a shame but a reality.
The art is really good. Not the greatest on Earth, but I don't care. It's suitable for the story, it's very classic, which gives it a sense of irony. I doubt it would have the same impact if it were drawn by any of today's Hot 10 artists. If I was the kind of prick who was smug in his wordings, I'd call it "remarkably unremarkable" and give myself a pat on the back - but that sounds so pretentious that I can't believe I even that wrote that. In fcat, one might argue that half of this paragraph was constructed solely to pad out this review, since I have seemingly so little to say about the art other than it was prefectly good.
The ending was really good and leads me to believe that the next issue will be really good as well. If I didn't already think that because of the other evidence (i.e. this series is always good,) then I'd at least be enticed to see what happens next issue, with the next former device user being brought into the fray. The very organic way in these characters are brought together (as organic as being called up and told to join the party can be,) is delightful. It will also be interesting to find out how the interaction between the two villains will play out. This book is nothing but a success, unless you look at the sales figures.
STORY:
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ART:
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OVERALL:
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<a href=http://x-worldcomics.com/yourvirtualstore/shopdisplayproducts.asp?id=516&cat=H%2DE%2DR%2DO+>Buy this Issue Online from X-World and Save!</a>