Weekly Comic Book Reviews for November 5, 2008: Part 1

Final Crisis: Resist
Creative Team
Writer: Greg Rucka and Eric Trautman
Artist: Ryan Sook
Colorist: Marco Rudy

Issue Rating
Story: 7.8/10
Art: 7.5/10
Overall: 7.65/10

Review: Resist is definitely a much stronger read than Submit was. The thing about Resist, and all of the Final Crisis tie-ins, is that it actually reveals more about the plot in Final Crisis than Final Crisis itself. While many DCU fans have been enjoying Final Crisis I fall more in the middle were I am enjoying some of the series but feel that Morrison is not telling us anything about the plot and expects the reader to connect all of the dots themselves which as I've talk to the people enjoying Final Crisis and ask them what is going on and I get 20 different answers.

Going back to this one-shot, Resist does give the feeling of how crazy it is with all the networks down all around the world. Rucka and Traustman wisely use Checkmate as the main cast to show what happens when all computer systems are infected by the Anti-Life Equation. And the star of this issue is Mr. Terrific who shows various emotions throught this issue that by the end of the issue Mr. Terrific does feel like the leader Checkmate needs to get them out of the situation they find themselves in.

The only problem I have with this issue is the addition of Snapper Carr and Cheetah. The addition of these two characters and their sudden romatic interest in one another felt just forced into this issue to fill up the page requirements of this issue.

Ryan Sook art fit Rucka's and Trautman hectic story really well and he did a good job in illustrating how crazy various people would get if their computer systems started failing.

Iron Man: The End
Creative Team
Plot: David Michelinie and Bob Layton
Writer: David Michelinie
Artist: Bernard Chang
Inker: Bob Layton
Colorist: Mike Cavallaro

Issue Rating
Story: 7.4/10
Art: 8/10
Overall: 7.7/10

Review: Iron Man: The End was a very enjoyable read. While I was unable to read to read both of Michelinie and Layton's original runs on Iron Man when it first came out I was able to read all the back issues of their whole run and Michelinie and Layton are the definitive Iron Man team. And this issue shows that they still understand what makes Iron Man and Tony Stark a great character.

One of the problems all of "The End" series have is that the writers usually want the reader to feel sorry for the character by showing how sad and pathetic their lives are in these alternate future. But this "final" Iron Man story doesn't feel that way since the Tony Stark that Michelinie and Layton give us is one that is ready to retire and just waiting for someone to take his place. In this story the only real thing he has left to do is pick his replacement since he already has a wife and one of the most successful companies in the world titled Stark Universal. It is interesting seeing Tony trying to pick his replacement and how reluctant he is to choice one even though there are plenty heroes capable of doing his job. And it isn't until one of his young scientist named Nick that he is able to choice him as his successor which is a nice moment and finally give Tony peace that he can move on to the next part of his life without worrying about the Earth's safety.

The only complaint I have towards this issue, outside of the $4.99 price tag, is that Nick, Tony's replacement, wasn't as developed as he could have been. I would have instead liked it if Michelinie and Layton used an existing character whether it was a hero or their children. I actually think that it could have been interesting if Tony choose Steve's child as his successor to place a connection between him and the man he considered a brother.

Bernard Chang provided some nice artwork for this issue and he was able to channel some of Layton's Iron Man work. This is how an Iron Man comic should look and I loved the nano technology used by Tony for his, and Nick's, new Iron Man suit. The various changes between all the different suits he has made in the past combined into one suit made for some great action scenes done by Chang.

Terror Titans #2
Creative Team
Writer: Sean McKeever
Artist: Joe Bennett
Inker: Jack Jadson
Colorist: Rod Reis

Issue Rating
Story: 5.3/10
Art: 7.2/10
Overall: 6.25/10

Review: There has been a recent trend in most of the comics DC has been producing lately and that is that they are trying to show as much blood as possible. In the past heroes and villains would only get some cuts and bruises but they would never really bleed or cough up blood. But McKeeven Terror Titans #2 is the latest example of DC trying to show as much blood as possible to make their fights more "realistic." Still while this may bring some realism to the fights showing this much blood makes this issue feels like I am reading a Marvel comic instead of a DC comic.

Now just as I was expecting Terror Titans #2 was an average read at best. Outside of Ravager non of the Terror Titans are well developed and come off as the typical DCU villain. Now as much as I enjoy Ravager this mini-series just proves how bad of a move it was taking her out of Teen Titans because when she was in that title she was a good counter for both Robin and Wonder Girl but here it seems as though her character is wasted.

Also this issue could have been much better if McKeeven would have dedicated a couple scenes to some of the former Titans fighting in the tournament. Characters like Aquagirl and Zatara could have benefited a lot more if they got more screen time since they currently aren't appearing in any title right now and it has been a while since the reader saw either Aquagirl and Zatara. It could have served as a nice balance if McKeeven showed not only the Terror Titans side of things but also how some of the heroes are reacting to be involved in such a dangerous tournament. And as of now it is looking like Static Shock, in his first DCU appearance will be getting the same treatment.

Joe Bennett provided for some average artwork in this issue that neither hindered or added to McKeeven's story. Though I like how Bennett draws Ravager and the fight between Ravager and TNTenna was probably the best part of the issue, as short as it was, and that is because of Bennett's artwork.