New Comics Rundown: American Vampire, Star Trek/Planet of the Apes, Uncanny Avengers

Karen: I went to the local comic shop for the first time since December, and I actually bought some new comics. Yes, let the trumpets blare and the Earth shake. I only picked up four books (with tax around $16, unbelievable) but new books nonetheless. I thought I would share my thoughts about them with the BAB family, seeing as many of you are like me and don't buy new books often or at all.

First up, what inspired me to buy anything new was some favorable comments on the Back Issue Magazine Facebook page about this IDW series, Star Trek/Planet of the Apes Prime Directive. I picked up issues 1 and 2 and read them back to back. They're written and drawn by people I don't recognize (Scott and David Tipton, Rachael Stott) but since they feature two of my favorite franchises I decided to give them a shot. It's pretty amusing stuff. Kirk and crew (from the time of the original TV series) are on the trail of a Klingon plot that leads them through an interdimensional portal that leads to -the planet of the apes! They run into George Taylor, fresh from the shock of seeing the Statue of Liberty sticking out of the surf and he tries to convince them to help him wrest control of the planet from the gorillas (who are being supplied arms by the Klingons) but there's that darn Prime Directive in the way. It's a fun story. The characterization is pretty good. The art has that super-slick look that puts me off of most modern comics but the characters do look like their cinematic versions. I might even try to get the next issue -and that's saying a lot for me.

I also decided to try a DC book I had been hearing a lot about, American Vampire #6. Admittedly, I came into this on-going series knowing nothing about it. It's written by Scott Snyder and drawn by Rafael Albuquerque. I'm just about convinced that 90% of all comics are now manga-fied; the influence seems undeniable, with the big eyes, pointy noses, and overall sketchiness. It's not a style to my liking. This book takes place in 1965 but it didn't feel that way at all. Right off the bat there's some dialog where a character says "shut up" the way we now use it, to mean "You're joking" but I'm fairly certain that expression didn't come along til the 80s or later. Nit picky? Maybe. But there's nothing to give it a 60s feel. Maybe I came in at the wrong time. Anyway, what I did enjoy was the obvious effort put into developing background for the bad guy in the story (not seen in this issue), a vampire called the Gray Trader. A villain of mythological proportions, tied into modern events (nuclear testing in the American desert) -all stuff I can appreciate. I definitely felt I was jumping into the middle of a story and had no idea whatsoever who the characters were or what their reason for being was.  I suppose one can't expect to just pick up a book today and roll with it. This seems interesting although I don't know if I could get past the art enough to pursue it further. 


Finally, I picked up an issue of Avengers. But which Avengers -after all, there are so many of them. I grabbed Uncanny Avengers #1 -it had the Vision, Scarlet Witch, and Quicksilver on the cover, so I figured what the heck? It's written by Rick Remender and drawn by Daniel Acuna -now those are two names I do recognize, if only dimly. Besides those three Avengers previously named, this line-up also includes the new Sam Wilson Captain America, Rogue, Doctor Voodoo, and for some reason, Sabretooth. Yeah. Sabretooth.

The story involves this team looking for Wanda and Pietro, who have gone to Counter Earth, which now appears to be under the control of the New Men,  animals mutated into humanoid form. The twins are looking for the High Evolutionary, apparently in search of answers, since they discovered that Magneto is not their father. The other Avengers travel to Wundagore Mountain, bickering quite a bit on the way, and once there Dr. Voodoo unlocks a portal to Counter Earth but is attacked in the process, and the Avengers are split up and wind up in different predicaments once they are transported. Some things I learned reading this issue: Rogue at one point had Simon William's (Wonder Man's) consciousness in her head, but doesn't any more; Havok and the Wasp were or are married; someone calls the Vision the 'Sorcerer of Science' - I don't know if that's a joke or not. 

This was a 'set-up' issue, to get the ball rolling, and it might be an interesting story. It's hard to say at this point. I've seen Acuna's art before and generally I like it -although again, it's awfully slick. I think the modern coloring just throws me. But it is not at all cute or sketchy. If I really wanted to get back into comics I might buy the next issue -but what with this Secret Wars coming up and the Marvel Universe being reborn or whatever, it seems like there's little point! 

There's My Boys: The Iron Man 3 Trailer

Karen: This latest trailer has added a lot more fuel to the fire. Let's hear what you have to say.

What Titles Should Kirby Have Worked On?

Karen: Since we've been talking about Jack Kirby's return to Marvel, let's play a little game of 'What If' and instead of discussing the books he did work on, let's discuss the titles you wish he had worked on. 

Karen: For me, my number one choice would be The Invaders. I really think it would have been sensational if Kirby had drawn the interior art on the book, with Roy Thomas retaining the writing chores. Kirby drew a number of covers for the title, but never the interior art, which often was handled by my personal nemesis, Frank Robbins. Robbins' artwork, which featured spastic figures that always seemed to be sweating profusely, made me feel uneasy and anxious, and made it hard to read The Invaders, a title I really wanted to love. I think Kirby's style, although it had become more exaggerated by the late 70s, would have suited this book well. His covers certainly looked great. Better than what was waiting inside!

Karen: So how about it? Is there a Marvel title you really would have liked to see the King work on when he returned ? And in what capacity -artist or writer?

The Gary Friedrich Situation: Of Corporate Ethics, Intellectual Property, and Contract Law

Karen: As I am sure many of you have heard by now, former Marvel Comics writer Gary Friedrich had sued Marvel claiming he had ownership rights to Ghost Rider. Friedrich has been successfully counter-sued by Marvel/Disney, who are now seeking $17,000 from Friedrich; the writer is reportedly destitute. Comics Beat published an article which explains the situation pretty well.

Doug: One of the issues involved is Friedrich's sale of Ghost Rider/Marvel related goods at conventions and appearances. Marvel/Disney is hacked off that Friedrich has been able to make a buck (regardless of how modest his income would be in relation to the multi-million dollar empire that is Marvel Comics) selling items to which he has no legal title.
Karen: The question of who actually created the Ghost Rider character has been much debated in the past. It seems clear that Friedrich, artist Mike Ploog, and editor Roy Thomas all had a hand in it. But of course, they did it during the work for hire era, and technically none of them own the character. However, regardless of that, Marvel's action in demanding $17,000 from Friedrich seems not only petty but incredibly stupid. That sum is nothing to them, and everything to Friedrich. I can only conclude that Marvel is doing this to send a message to other artists and writers out there, to prevent any further suits.

Doug: Of course Marvel's much larger, and more public, litigation is against the Kirby estate.

Karen: But the legal department should have spoken to the PR group first. Here they have three Marvel films coming out this year, and now they are faced with bad publicity, to the extent that people are calling for boycotts. Dumb move, particularly in the time of the 99% vs. the 1%. Marvel comes off as just another greedy corporation, wringing blood from the poor worker.

Karen: I can only hope that someone at Marvel will show both business sense and some ethics and say, "Let's drop this thing." It should be enough for them that Friedrich not only lost his suit, but cannot sell anything with a Marvel character on it. Don't grind the man into the dirt too.

Doug: When I read creator biographies that talk about the writers and artists taking on book after book, and how to them it was just a job... This just sounds like that. These guys were trying to put bread on their tables; that there would ever be royalties or profit-sharing wasn't even on their radar screens, so they did their jobs with pride and hoped that they'd get another assignment. Neal Adams worked diligently to change these conditions. In the midst of all of this, the anecdote that Roy Thomas really didn't create any substantial characters while at Marvel -- he often re-tooled existing properties -- seems to make sense. Roy knew that anything he did that might "take off" would be owned by "The Man" (and I don't mean Stan). To a degree, this seems an awful lot like the Siegel and Shuster mess at DC.

Doug: On the other hand, all of these creators did sign contracts...

Running the Gauntlet?

Karen: I thought this was a rather tantalizing picture from the Marvel display at Comic Con:


Karen: What the heck is the Infinity Gauntlet doing there? The speculation has been wild -everything from Thanos showing up in the Thor or Avengers movies to someone else -Loki possibly -using the Gauntlet. Of course it could just be prop that might be in the background of one of the films. Or a complete McGuffin! What do you think?