Comic Review - Annihilators: Earthfall 1-4

Title/Storyline

Annihilators: Earthfall 1-4

Publish Date/Year

2011

Creative Team

Writers: Dan Abnett & Andy Lanning 

Artists: Tan Eng Huat (Main Story) & Timothy Green II (Back-up story)

Publisher

Marvel

Story

The Annihilators, the most powerful Alpha class individuals banded together to tackle universal level threats like the recent Cancerverse - Ronan, Beta Ray Bill, Quasar, IKON, & Gladiator (minus Silver Surfer, who now is back to being Galactus' Herald again! See current issues of Mighty Thor for the full story.)

They realize a universal threat when they were addressing am attack from the Universal Church of Truth (UCT). The Magus (Adam Warlock's evil half) is being reborn on Earth.

They rush over to Earth from deep space to address this threat but the Magus has many alien believers on Earth who are shape-changers. SWORD had detected the arrival of teh Annihilators as they approached from space and had alerted the Avengers of the arrival of 5 Alpha Level beings to Earth apparently attacking humans (the disguised Magus followers).

Predictably, the Avengers attack the Annihilators, thinking them to be villains. More so, when Ronan, an old enemy of the Avengers, was among them.

Again, predictably, they join forces in time to defeat the Magus. There was no real suspense, or character development or anything at all except that it really sounds good when you put in on paper that you put these 3 groups of characters in the mini-series:

- 5 Alpha Level beings - the Annihilators

- the Avengers

- Universal level threat - the Magus

However, the results left a LOT to be desired.

There is a back-up story running thru' the 4-issues starring Rocket Raccoon & Groot.

This was another pointless story, but admittedly a fun read. Rocket Raccoon & Groot have been placed into an entertainment show for Mojo's world and they discover it in time to bring the punchline to Mojo & his henchman Major Domo.

Only for them to discover that it was all a ploy by Major Domo, using a robot replica Mojo to curry favor from the Real Mojo who was away. RR & Groot end up having a profitable deal from Major Domo on their action figure deal for not whupping his @$$.

It has no impact to the characters or any significance to the Guardians of the Galaxy or Marvel Universe.

Art

Tan Eng Huat - What can I say? I was really excited that a fellow Malaysian made it big with the big 2 when I first saw his work in DC's Doom Patrol in the early 2000's. 

However, I guess he is experimenting with his own style and thus, the outcome in Annihilators Earthfall is a big mess. His work is inconsistent, with some panels that really show promise, with detailed line work, realistic and aesthetically pleasing art while others look rushed and even caricaturish. Just think Jim Starlin at his worst - pointed noses, deformed faces and body-types.

Honestly, I really believe Tan has the chops to emarge an artistic force that would represent my country but at the moment, he is just too rough of a diamond, and still needs more polish. Much much more.

Here, Tan killed the reading experience for me as his artwork is really not my cup of tea. There are a few panels that he really shined, with artwork reminiscent of Neal Adams' work but those are few and far between. He has more bad notches than good. 

Judging from the back-up pages alone, I conclude that Timothy Green II is a much better artist than Tan. It's a pity that he was only given a back-up feature but I foresee him doing great things within the next 2 years!

He has cutesy cartoonish art, and at some points even look a lot like Moebius, Eduardo Risso (100 Bullets) & Mike Mignola (Hellboy, BPRD)

Overall

This series was a complete waste of time despite DnA being at the helm and a bunch of my favourite characters. I love almost anything by 1 of my favourite writing teams - DnA. I also love many of the characters in the Annihilators:

- Gladiator (Marvel's Superman. I loved him from the moment I saw him in Uncanny X-Men)

- Beta Ray Bill (Horse faced Thor)

- IKON (actually she's supposed to be ROM, Spaceknight - 1 of my long time favourite characters from the 80's. However, Marvel can't use the name or character due to legal licensing issues.)

- Silver Surfer (OK, so technically he's a member but he's not in this story.)

Don't bother wasting your hard earned $$$ for this! You may borrow if your bff has them.

Comic Review - Baltimore: The Plague Ships

Title/Storyline

Baltimore: The Plague Ships 1-5

Publish Date/Year

2010

Creative Team

Mike Mignola & Ben Stenbeck

Publisher

Dark Horse Comics

Story
Months following a overwhelming plague that put an end to World War I, Europe is then overwhelmed by deadly wave of vampire attacks. Our protagonist, Lord Henry Baltimore, an ex-soldier and a man with a mission from God, is driven to eliminate these monsters from the face of the earth, is hunting for the one monster responsible for this chaos and responsible for the death of his family - Hiagus.

Setting sail from a French seaport littered with sunken war-torn ships, where plague victims are burned. We soon learn the reason behind Baltimore`s, a peg-legged man, obsession in hunting vampires. He divulges a painful experience that happened during the war to Vanessa, a young girl trying to escape the dreary life of a post-war French town plagued by vampires who ends up as his companion in his quest.


Lord Henry Baltimore reveals that he led a night attack on a battlefield in World War I; after his entire squad was killed by enemy fire and Lord Baltimore himself was wounded and left for dead, he awakens some hours later to see giant bat creatures feeding on his dead men. When one attempts to
feed off him, he slashes at it with his bayonet, its face forever hideously scarred and its right eye blinded - the creature in return wounds Lord Baltimore and infests his leg with such terrible gangrene that it has to be amputated - hence his famous jointed wooden leg. Unknowingly, Lord Baltimore struck a
powerful vampire - Hiagus, who is so angered by Baltimore's actions that he bestows a "plague" upon Europe. Lord Baltimore has now made it his personal mission to stop this unnatural plague by hunting down Hiagus.


After a raging storm destroys their ship, Baltimore and Vanessa managed to survive and appear on an island coastline littered with discarded submarines. They take shelter in a ruined plague ship, used to burn vampires, now covered in a mysterious fungus.

Art
Ben Stenbeck is no Mike Mignola but he is no pushover! His art has clean lines, not in the way Tintin is clean but more like a cross between Aaron Lopresti (Justice League International - New 52) & Darick Robertson (The Boys). Despite the clean lines, it didn't feel inappropriate. Still manages to evoke some scares & convey the creepy/dated feel to the series. The coloring was of course brilliantly executed to complement the artwork.

I have never been exposed to Ben Stenbeck but I like his work quite a bit and am looking forward to seeing more of his work in the next series - Baltimore: The Curse Bells !

Overall
If you love Mignola's Hellboy or BPRD (Bureau of Paranormal Defence), you will love this as well! Mignola is REALLY GOOD at mixing up historical events such as WWII (Hellboy) and WWI here with supernatural elements. So his stories feel real and truly believable, so much so that you can truly immerse yourself into the story. DO NOT MISS THIS! Go read it now!

Comic Review - Heroes for Hire 1-5

Title/Storyline
Heroes for Hire (vol. 3) 1-5

Publish Date/Year
2011

Creative Team
Writers:
Dan Abnett & Andy Lanning (DnA)
Art:
Brad Walker 1-3, Robert Atkins 4-5

Publisher
Marvel

This is a killer cover with Moon Knight in the spotlight! Love it!

Story

From the ashes of Shadowland, Marvel’s dangerous street loner heroes – Punisher, Moon Knight, Shroud, Elektra, Paladin, Silver Sable, Ghost Rider, Iron Fist, Falcon, Misty Knight and more – have been honed into one cohesive fighting force against the underbelly of crime by the recuperating Misty Knight. She serves the role similar to DC's Oracle of Birds of Prey, where she provides critical intel, monitors & coordinates the missions from a secret location. 

In the very first mission, Falcon & Moon Knight were recruited to stop the distribution of cursed demonic weapons on the streets. How do the heroes fight a demonic force? They get help from Ghost Rider, Elektra and Silver Sable (with Paladin providing covert back-up).

Paladin begins to question how Misty obtains her intel. His curiosity brings him face-to-face with Iron Fist, Misty's ex-lover. However, as things come to a head, they discover the true villain who's manipulating Misty's network of heroes - The Puppet Master.

Art
Brad Walker turns in some incredible visuals. I am not familiar with his work but from his stuff in the 1st 3 issues, I will be taking note from now onwards! He produces clean and crisp lines, channeling Steve McNiven and Mike Deodato. but with a slight cartoonish slant that makes it refreshing.

Unfortunately, the same can't be said for Robert Atkins' work! Not only is his art inconsistent but it is reminiscent of the really badly rushed jobs we used to see from Marvel & Image in the '90s. Please, no more Robert Atkins!

Overall
I had not read any of the former incarnations of the HFH before. I had only read a couple of the John Byrne issues of the Power Man/Iron Fist series from the '70s before they were officially called the HFH. I must say that I was pretty glad I read this series! What can I say? I am a fan of DnA! I enjoy almost everything that they do. The last one being the Guardians of the Galaxy (which unfortunately had come to a premature end)!

Well, I had only had the pleasure of reading 5 issues but I do heartily recommend it as it features characters from the Marvel Universe who altho' deserving the spotlight, do not get it as often as they should (I mean, even Satana is in there! See #2!). OK, maybe I'm biased, as I REALLY like Iron Fist (despite his lame new white costume) & Moon Knight (Bruce Wayne, eat your heart out!). Plus, I'm pretty happy to see more of Paladin as well 'cos I remember reading him in a very old issue of Marvel Team Up (1st series) years ago.

Give it a go. It was a really fun ride with a pretty good story and seeing characters who don't usually see print is loads of fun!