Al Milgrom

After I enjoyed Mystery in Space so much, I was disappointed in Starlin's later efforts with the space heroes in Rann-Thanagar Holy War. But Strange Adventures sees a return to form, probably because it focuses on a smaller set of characters: Adam Strange, Captain Comet, and Bizarro, with key roles from Eye and the Weird. It meanders a little at the beginning, and this is the third story in a row where Adam isn't trusted by the people of Rann, but after that it becomes very good, as the show more heroes race to stop the Weird from using the power of Synnar to unwrite all of creation. The conflict inside the Weird's head is great, as are the final moments of the comic, as the "Aberrant Six" finally assumes its position... and the twist is great. (The reinvention of Starman is stupid, though, and I don't like Eye's return to her original look.) A nice return to form, but a moment too late: Starlin and DC have since parted ways, and it looks like the plots he set up are going to remain fallow.

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Okay, first of all, it was not my intention to check out any books for myself, let alone three comic books. I was actually looking for comic books for Jefferson, but everything was either too babyish or too adult. Then there was Kitty Pryde & Wolverine, and as Kitty is currently my favorite X-Man, I had to get it.

I didn't realize when I chose it that this was a "retro" issue. But even had there not been a big deal made in the introduction that this was a reprint of a series over twenty years show more old, it would have been immediately obvious on the very first page, even to a superhero comics n00b like me. Both the art style and the storyline felt so very 80s. (As they were.) Kitty Pryde runs home to her family after having her heart broken by Peter Rasputin, only to find her father enmeshed in some sort of scandal with Japanese bankers/Yazuka/renegade sumo wrestlers. (Seriously, if they missed a Japanese trope or stereotype in this story, I would be shocked.) Kitty tries to come to the rescue, but is kidnapped. Wolverine tries to come to her rescue, but Kitty has been brainwashed (by a magical samurai, of course) and attempts to kill him. Mayhem ensues.

It's a good story despite? because of? the old-fashioned feel. The characters of course don't mesh perfectly with the Whedon-led Astonishing reboot, but they mostly feel true to their cores, except for maybe some teen drama hand-wringing from Kitty in the beginning. Also, it's nice to see Wolverine in love with someone in a way that deviates from the loyal dog following Jean Gray around.

Fun, especially for those who enjoy the Japanese-flavoured violence. Not essential. show less

Once I was in the comic book store, and I saw this series called Mystery in Space. No 2007 book can normally have such an awesome title, and it was all I could do to stop myself from buying the whole series on the spot. I succeeded in self-control by going home and putting the trade paperback collection on preorder. Fortunately, the book did indeed turn out to be quite good-- it's exactly what it says on the tin, a mystery story set in space. Captain Comet is an instantly likeable show more protagonist (now I am very tempted to seek out his previous adventures) and Hardcore Station is a good setting (good enough that I immediately tracked down the 1998 miniseries of that title and read it too). The standout character is Tyrone, Comet's bulldog that has been genetically engineered to be sentient-- artist Shane Davis manages the extraordinary feat of giving him discernible facial expressions. Looking forward to Volume Two. (originally written November 2007)

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Ugh. The dialogue is horrible and the characterizations of the New Warriors' characters is way off.