REVIEWS: Guardians of the Galaxy #1, Shazam #2, and Wizard Beach #1-2

Before I share my thoughts on each book individually, I'd like to say that it is so easy to tell when a creative team is on a title they WANT to work on as opposed to one that was assigned to them or one they took just to keep food on the table their names in front of the-powers-that-be. There is nothing wrong with the latter, but the difference is obvious. It is also noticeable when they can include (or create) the characters they want to use and are allowed as much creative freedom as they need to tell the story they want to tell.

This was a VERY good week. :)

Guardians of the Galaxy #1

A lot has happened in the cosmic Marvel comics over the past couple of years - so much so that new readers could easily be turned off of this series. However, rather than starting with a recap page or front-loading a ton of information in the first few pages, writer Donny Cates catches readers up by seamlessly weaving in references to key events from previous titles (All New Guardians of the Galaxy, Thanos, Cosmic Ghost Rider, Infinity Countdown/Wars) where they naturally make sense, while also setting the stage for what is to come. (And it also includes the best use of grawlixes I think I've ever read, particularly because of the character involved.)

Geoff Shaw's art also helps set the stage by clearly displaying (and in some cases, enhancing) the physical changes some characters have experienced. His art is excellent a majority of the time - there are just a few close-up shots of characters that simply look "off", which is a fair trade given how many characters appear in the book and how easy it is to identify them from panel to panel.

The promotional material indicated that this version of GotG will consist of Cosmic Ghost Rider and five of the other eleven characters on the cover, and by the end of the book we know who that will be. I had high hopes for the roster and was NOT disappointed. (While I suspect Marvel allowed Cates to use all of his first choice characters, I'm also willing to bet that he will use the others whenever appropriate.)

Overall this is a big, entertaining summer blockbuster in print form - can't wait for #2!

Shazam #2

For the past thirty-plus years comic book companies and creators - inspired by the popularity of Dark Knight Returns, Watchmen, Kingdom Come and a handful of other books - have tried to update characters by making them more serious, darker, and usually drearier. An overwhelming amount of the time this has been door poorly, with no semblance of fun left intact. (Many fans refer to this as "the 90's" regardless of when the comics were published.) Writer Geoff Johns goes the opposite direction with this book by cramming as much fun and wonder between the covers as he, and artist Dale Eaglesham, possibly can. It is a modern version of the character, to be sure, but still true to the original.

This take on the character started as a back-up story in the pages of Justice League, written by Johns and drawn by Dale Keown, whose art has always been a bit too creepy for me. I have always loved Eaglesham's art; I just didn't connect with the books he was assigned. (And believe me, I've tried!) The Johns/Eaglesham pairing is absolutely perfect for this title.

I still don't understand why, since the book was released five weeks after the originally scheduled date of December 19, DC didn't swap out the Santa cover for the promotion art. Both are great, but the interiors had nothing to do with Christmas despite the cover image. Using that cover three weeks into the new year made it look old the second it hit the stands. They saved it with the blurb in the corner - "Greetings from Funland...where the holidays never end!" - but still...

Wizard Beach #1-2 These weren't released this week, but I was unaware of Wizard Beach until I saw it on the recent release wall this past Wednesday. Not really having a budget for impulse buys, I didn't pick it up. I kept it in mind, though, and checked out a couple of reviews. The reviews were overwhelming positive, and I was pleasantly surprised to learn that the title is family-friendly and not full of crass humor and gratuitous violence. I "needed" to update my subscription list anyway, so I made a rare Saturday trip to my friendly local comic shop, updated accordingly, and snagged these on the way out. [Caution: MINOR SPOILERS AHEAD] Hexley Ragbottom is the youngest wizard in a land overwhelmed with dark forces. With the land becoming increasingly colder and unlivable for wizardkind Hexley knows there is only one wizard that could possibly wave the day - his uncle Salazar (AKA "Sally".) Unfortunately Sally is one of a number of wizards who have abandoned the land and retired to live out their final years on the beach. Going against his father's wishes Hexley seeks out his uncle, but rather than finding his own personal Yoda he discovers a Jerry Garcia/Jimmy Buffett hybrid who couldn't be less interesting in what is happening in "the cold bad place we don't talk about."

Hexley is not impressed. "Wizards and witches have a long history of maintaining a certain degree of class and honor...a history you all are burying in the sand and tainting with processed meats."

If I didn't know anything about this comic I could easily be convinced that Shaun Simon (writer) and Conor Nolan (artist) were pseudonyms for Keith Giffen and Sergio Aragonés. This book is THAT much fun, and there are so many jokes tucked away in the backgrounds that I'm really hoping the trade paperback collection is annotated.