Stephanie Kay
Oct 13, 2007, 10:28 pm
<a href="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/4images/details.php?image_id=10179" target="_blank"><img src="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/covers/marvel/shulkv2-13t.jpg" alt="She-Hulk #13" hspace=10 align=left></a> Reviewer: Robert Cammarata, faultyrob@hotmail.com
Story Title: Mind Field
"That’s it! I call Shenanigans!”
Writer: Dan Slott
Penciller: Rick Burchett
Inker: Cliff Rathburn
Letterer: Dave Sharpe
Colorist: Avalon’s Dave Kemp
Production: Brad Johansen
Assistant Editors: Molly Lazer & Aubrey Sitterson
Editor: Tom Brevoort
Editor In Chief: Joe Quesada
Publisher: Dan Buckley
Published by: Marvel Comics (www.marvel.com)
Dan Slott continues doing what he’s good at doing in this month’s She-Hulk. Slott combines humour, action and a whole lotta love for Marvel characters and continuity into a final product that winds up being entertaining and most importantly FUN! Is this the full potential of what Slott and company can do on this book and an overall high point on the run so far? I’d have to say no but it doesn’t totally miss the mark either.
Last month’s issue #12 was an important turning point for She-Hulk . Finally, several plot threads came together as Pug confronted Jen and a decidedly furrier John Jameson and the true origin behind the “love” in the Jen/John and Mal/Andy relationships were finally clarified for reader and characters alike. The reason for all this soap opera and drama as of late is the misleadingly named Starfox, who as the opening synopsis points out in a story that has a man-wolf and star-God that possess names that are linked to their appearance, Starfox is “interestingly enough, not actually a fox.” What Starfox is, however, is an interesting commentary on the very politically incorrect values of yesteryear and the instigator of a dangling plot that has been dangling for far too long. This month, that dangling plot line gets all nice and tied up, but some pesky plot danglers remain dangling on at the outset of this story. You dangle?
The story begins on Titan where as of last issue it was revealed that the mad titan Thanos might have gotten the “mad” part of his moniker from his very dated and creepy brother Starfox (again, not an actual fox, thanks for asking.) She-Hulk isn’t too happy with the direction of Starfox’s trial and so interjects using her right as a member of the Magistrati (Space Lawyers) and examines the evidence a little further. The evidence of course is in Thanos’ memories and the plot, therefore, has She-Hulk take a walk down Thanos’ memory lane. Slott takes full advantage of this type of “hidden” memory plot by throwing some monkey wrenches into Jen’s journey and teasing the reader as to some big reveals until the end of the story. Slott utilizes Thanos’ memories to relive important events in Marvel continuity and more importantly for this story fits in these important events with turning points in Jen’s own life.
If a protagonist is meant to be relatable than I think Slott hit this right on the head as Jen’s journey through her own memories in relation to major events in the world is a very common shared experience. I have heard people remark that they knew exactly where they were or what they were doing during such huge historical landmarks as the first moonwalk or the fall of the Berlin Wall. For this generation, I think everyone has a 9/11 story about where you were, what were you doing and how you felt when you first received news of the horror of the towers going down in NYC. That’s in our world; now imagine living in the Marvel universe. Wouldn’t you feel that same surreal feeling living in a world that underwent a Kree-Skrull War or an Infinity War? The journey that Jen goes through is one, which most can relate to and as she travels deeper into the mad titan’s head we also get a good glimpse of the true nature and power of Thanos.
Slott’s use of continuity and characterization is expertly used in this story. I had my doubts about his characterization of Thanos based on the last issue, but She-Hulk #13 provides a very faithful look at the character of Thanos; past, present and future. Slott’s revered humour permeates this tale but is used sparingly here and mostly in a comic relief role as the issue gets quite heavy in tone and is not as light in atmosphere as some earlier chapters. All the characters grow and learn something new along their own personal journeys and Slott has done his job well because I actually care about where these characters are headed and I will be back to see them each stumble upon all the mundane obstacles and embark on all the fantastical voyages of life in a superhero world. Marvel is currently doing a crossover with the Guiding Light, which is garnering some interesting reception in the comic book community. If one wants to marry comics with soap opera look no further than She-Hulk. The only difference is this soap opera has space lawyers, meta-comic fiction, mute/sensitive androids and some of the funniest quips from the greenest leading lady out there. Passions eat your heart out!
While the writing is superb as always I felt that the art in She-Hulk #13 was more of a mixed bag. This book is suffering from too many cooks in the kitchen. Juan Bobillo was the regular interior artist for the majority of Dan Slott’s run on this book. When he left several months ago we have had several different artists from Scott Kolins to Paul Smith and now Rick Burchett take over penciling duties. Each one of these artists is a fine talent but with so many different contributors on the book the art is slowly becoming increasingly inconsistent. Burchett is a good artist that is very acute at pushing along the story. The more cartoony artwork works well in many of the comical parts of the story and in particular the areas where Jen Walters makes an appearance. I find that She-Hulk doesn’t look as tough and intimidating as she had under other artists’ pen and my biggest qualm with the pencils is Thanos. The mad titan looks almost harmless at pivotal points in this story when he is supposed to be depicted as a throwback to his glorious, evil, A-list super-villain days. The ominous, foreboding presence of Thanos, which is etched in my mind from reading Jim Starlin and from the ominous, foreboding depiction of him on this issue’s very cover courtesy of Greg Horn is lacking in the interior of this book. Thanos is looking way too teddy bear for me. This guy is an A-list buttkicker and he should look like one.
As for the rest of the art, this is a mixed bag as well. The colours of the scenes on Titan are muted and plain and I don’t see any artistic value in these scenes. This is a foreign, exotic world and I don’t see any striking visuals that make the setting look like anything other than a chessy, togo party outside in my backyard. The artwork that constructs Thanos’s mind, however, is wonderful. It is at times vibrant and the panels are unorthodox and trippy, which a wonderful depiction of the chaos of the mind and of memories. The parallel panels that depict Thanos waging two battles on two separate planes simultaneously work really well. This art blows me away and then the “Star-God” shows up in his cheesy, tacky outfit and has a conversation with She-Hulk in one of the blandest backgrounds I’ve ever seen in a comic. That costume needs to go, especially since it’s repeatedly stated that he possesses power “immeasurable.” In those duds, the Star-God looks like he could be taken out by an over-excited Chihuahua.
She-Hulk #13 contains in it the good, the bad, and the ugly. The writing is typical Slott as it is infused with humour, passion, fun and sophistication. Some artistic choices are wonderful and compliment the writing to create particularly intense and engrossing moments. Some major resolutions are finally made in this issue but considering the whole Starfox plot was first embarked on way back in issue #6 of this series and there have been a few delays, this plotline has overstayed its welcome. The Star-God needs to go and soon but in the meantime I don’t see how regular readers cannot be fully enthralled by these characters and want to eagerly read on to see how relationships and other plot points continue. On the plus side, next issue is going to be a huge milestone. Why, you ask? Awesome Andy finally gets his moment in the spotlight. That’s just, well, awesome!
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'Buy She-Hulk #13 from X_WORLD and Save!' (http://x-worldcomics.com/yourvirtualstore/shopdisplayproducts.asp?id=2012&cat=SHE%2DHULK+VOL+2)
Story Title: Mind Field
"That’s it! I call Shenanigans!”
Writer: Dan Slott
Penciller: Rick Burchett
Inker: Cliff Rathburn
Letterer: Dave Sharpe
Colorist: Avalon’s Dave Kemp
Production: Brad Johansen
Assistant Editors: Molly Lazer & Aubrey Sitterson
Editor: Tom Brevoort
Editor In Chief: Joe Quesada
Publisher: Dan Buckley
Published by: Marvel Comics (www.marvel.com)
Dan Slott continues doing what he’s good at doing in this month’s She-Hulk. Slott combines humour, action and a whole lotta love for Marvel characters and continuity into a final product that winds up being entertaining and most importantly FUN! Is this the full potential of what Slott and company can do on this book and an overall high point on the run so far? I’d have to say no but it doesn’t totally miss the mark either.
Last month’s issue #12 was an important turning point for She-Hulk . Finally, several plot threads came together as Pug confronted Jen and a decidedly furrier John Jameson and the true origin behind the “love” in the Jen/John and Mal/Andy relationships were finally clarified for reader and characters alike. The reason for all this soap opera and drama as of late is the misleadingly named Starfox, who as the opening synopsis points out in a story that has a man-wolf and star-God that possess names that are linked to their appearance, Starfox is “interestingly enough, not actually a fox.” What Starfox is, however, is an interesting commentary on the very politically incorrect values of yesteryear and the instigator of a dangling plot that has been dangling for far too long. This month, that dangling plot line gets all nice and tied up, but some pesky plot danglers remain dangling on at the outset of this story. You dangle?
The story begins on Titan where as of last issue it was revealed that the mad titan Thanos might have gotten the “mad” part of his moniker from his very dated and creepy brother Starfox (again, not an actual fox, thanks for asking.) She-Hulk isn’t too happy with the direction of Starfox’s trial and so interjects using her right as a member of the Magistrati (Space Lawyers) and examines the evidence a little further. The evidence of course is in Thanos’ memories and the plot, therefore, has She-Hulk take a walk down Thanos’ memory lane. Slott takes full advantage of this type of “hidden” memory plot by throwing some monkey wrenches into Jen’s journey and teasing the reader as to some big reveals until the end of the story. Slott utilizes Thanos’ memories to relive important events in Marvel continuity and more importantly for this story fits in these important events with turning points in Jen’s own life.
If a protagonist is meant to be relatable than I think Slott hit this right on the head as Jen’s journey through her own memories in relation to major events in the world is a very common shared experience. I have heard people remark that they knew exactly where they were or what they were doing during such huge historical landmarks as the first moonwalk or the fall of the Berlin Wall. For this generation, I think everyone has a 9/11 story about where you were, what were you doing and how you felt when you first received news of the horror of the towers going down in NYC. That’s in our world; now imagine living in the Marvel universe. Wouldn’t you feel that same surreal feeling living in a world that underwent a Kree-Skrull War or an Infinity War? The journey that Jen goes through is one, which most can relate to and as she travels deeper into the mad titan’s head we also get a good glimpse of the true nature and power of Thanos.
Slott’s use of continuity and characterization is expertly used in this story. I had my doubts about his characterization of Thanos based on the last issue, but She-Hulk #13 provides a very faithful look at the character of Thanos; past, present and future. Slott’s revered humour permeates this tale but is used sparingly here and mostly in a comic relief role as the issue gets quite heavy in tone and is not as light in atmosphere as some earlier chapters. All the characters grow and learn something new along their own personal journeys and Slott has done his job well because I actually care about where these characters are headed and I will be back to see them each stumble upon all the mundane obstacles and embark on all the fantastical voyages of life in a superhero world. Marvel is currently doing a crossover with the Guiding Light, which is garnering some interesting reception in the comic book community. If one wants to marry comics with soap opera look no further than She-Hulk. The only difference is this soap opera has space lawyers, meta-comic fiction, mute/sensitive androids and some of the funniest quips from the greenest leading lady out there. Passions eat your heart out!
While the writing is superb as always I felt that the art in She-Hulk #13 was more of a mixed bag. This book is suffering from too many cooks in the kitchen. Juan Bobillo was the regular interior artist for the majority of Dan Slott’s run on this book. When he left several months ago we have had several different artists from Scott Kolins to Paul Smith and now Rick Burchett take over penciling duties. Each one of these artists is a fine talent but with so many different contributors on the book the art is slowly becoming increasingly inconsistent. Burchett is a good artist that is very acute at pushing along the story. The more cartoony artwork works well in many of the comical parts of the story and in particular the areas where Jen Walters makes an appearance. I find that She-Hulk doesn’t look as tough and intimidating as she had under other artists’ pen and my biggest qualm with the pencils is Thanos. The mad titan looks almost harmless at pivotal points in this story when he is supposed to be depicted as a throwback to his glorious, evil, A-list super-villain days. The ominous, foreboding presence of Thanos, which is etched in my mind from reading Jim Starlin and from the ominous, foreboding depiction of him on this issue’s very cover courtesy of Greg Horn is lacking in the interior of this book. Thanos is looking way too teddy bear for me. This guy is an A-list buttkicker and he should look like one.
As for the rest of the art, this is a mixed bag as well. The colours of the scenes on Titan are muted and plain and I don’t see any artistic value in these scenes. This is a foreign, exotic world and I don’t see any striking visuals that make the setting look like anything other than a chessy, togo party outside in my backyard. The artwork that constructs Thanos’s mind, however, is wonderful. It is at times vibrant and the panels are unorthodox and trippy, which a wonderful depiction of the chaos of the mind and of memories. The parallel panels that depict Thanos waging two battles on two separate planes simultaneously work really well. This art blows me away and then the “Star-God” shows up in his cheesy, tacky outfit and has a conversation with She-Hulk in one of the blandest backgrounds I’ve ever seen in a comic. That costume needs to go, especially since it’s repeatedly stated that he possesses power “immeasurable.” In those duds, the Star-God looks like he could be taken out by an over-excited Chihuahua.
She-Hulk #13 contains in it the good, the bad, and the ugly. The writing is typical Slott as it is infused with humour, passion, fun and sophistication. Some artistic choices are wonderful and compliment the writing to create particularly intense and engrossing moments. Some major resolutions are finally made in this issue but considering the whole Starfox plot was first embarked on way back in issue #6 of this series and there have been a few delays, this plotline has overstayed its welcome. The Star-God needs to go and soon but in the meantime I don’t see how regular readers cannot be fully enthralled by these characters and want to eagerly read on to see how relationships and other plot points continue. On the plus side, next issue is going to be a huge milestone. Why, you ask? Awesome Andy finally gets his moment in the spotlight. That’s just, well, awesome!
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'Buy She-Hulk #13 from X_WORLD and Save!' (http://x-worldcomics.com/yourvirtualstore/shopdisplayproducts.asp?id=2012&cat=SHE%2DHULK+VOL+2)