Fell #5 and Moon Knight #2
Well I’m back this week with two reviews for the price of one… hope all you guys and gals are having a good time reading all these upcoming titles that are really good, and to those of you who are still in the dark about these great reads, drop that piece of crap Spawn comic you’re reading and get over to your local comic book shops and jump aboard these titles (editor’s note: I realize that Spawn is being written by David Hine but it’s a waste of time, get over to where Hine really shines and pick up The 198 or Son of M to see the man write some good stuff!)
Fell #5
Written by WARREN ELLIS
Art & Cover by BEN TEMPLESMITH
Published by Image Comics
Suggested for Mature Readers
Nearly every comic Warren Ellis writes is truly awe-inspiring and this series is one of them. Fell tells the tale of Detective Richard Fell who has been transferred over the bridge from the big city to Snowtown, an untamed district whose police roster numbers three-and-a-half people because one detective has no legs. Snowtown is like Sin City’s crack head cousin except here there aren’t enough cops to be corrupt. Fell is alone in this little slice of hell and is starting off with nothing to lose and nothing to gain other than his own salvation. Through his almost uncanny ability to solve problems with only his powers of perception, Fell tries to bring justice to the unjustifiable situation that he finds himself in.
What I like about his series from Ellis is for one, each story is self-contained, you’re in and you’re out in 22 pages, no fuss, no muss. Ellis also throws in extras like a premium DVD that gives you insights on to how he works out the series and what goes into each tale. Each page is broken down into about 9 panel increments and Ellis wastes no space in the telling of the story. Add to that the spectacular and surreal artwork of Ben Templesmith who lends his talent to both covers and interiors and then on top of that the price of $1.99, and you’ve got yourself a truly spectacular piece of art.
The stories are fast paced but not rushed, Ellis is a master of pacing and the reader is immediately sucked into this world of Detective Fell and we can’t wait to turn the page to see what happens next. The way this book is written and layed out should be scripture to up and coming comic book writers who tell stories in six issues when Ellis can do it in 1 page and 9 panels.
Fell is worth its price and more, and it harkens back to the days when comics were still $1.00 and you got great art and great stories every month.
5 HITS
Moon Knight #2
Writer: CHARLIE HUSTON
Cover & Pencils: DAVID FINCH
Inks: DANNY MIKI
Colored by: FRANK D'ARMATA
Lettered by: VC - JOSEPH CARAMAGNA
Published by Marvel Comics
When I first heard that Marvel was resurrecting Moon Knight one more time, I was apprehensive. I mean the character is an interesting concept but I had these images of Stephen Platt art and that just evokes the Image craze of the 90’s. I picked up issue 1 just to see what the deal was and the fact that Charlie Huston was writing it. I was thoroughly impressed; Huston nailed everything I had thought the character was meant to be from the original Moench and Sienkiewicz run in the early 80’s.
What I remembered form those comics was this dark foreboding theme in the stories, not every one had a happy ending. It was grim and gritty before the Dark Knight made it chic’.
Moon Knight was originally Marc Spector, an American rabbi's wayward son who had become a mercenary. As a mercenary he became a skilled combatant, and befriended the French pilot Jean-Paul DuChamp, who he came to call "Frenchie". While the pair were working for the African mercenary Raoul Bushman in Egypt, he stumbled upon an archaeological dig whose crew included Dr. Peter Alraune and his daughter Marlene. The dig had uncovered an ancient temple whose artifacts included a statue of the Egyptian god Khonshu. Bushman stated his intent to loot the dig; this provoked Dr. Alraune to attack Bushman, a decision that cost him his life. In response to Alraune's murder, Spector challenged Bushman to personal combat; he was beaten nearly to death and left to die in the sub-zero temperatures of the desert night. Spector was then found by nearby Egyptians who worshipped the ancient Egyptian gods and was carried to their temple. His heart stopped, but he did not die. Khonshu appeared to him in a vision, offering Spector his life if he would serve the god on Earth. Spector was returned to life in a haze. He concealed himself within the silver shroud that covered Khonshu's statue and again confronted Bushman. He fought and defeated Bushman and returned to America with Marlene Alraune, Frenchie, and the statue of Khonshu that had seemingly empowered him. With no further communication from Khonshu, he determined that he had hallucinated the encounter; nevertheless, he decided to become a crimefighter. He created a silver cloaked costume, based on the appearance of the shroud he had worn while battling Bushman, and became the Moon Knight.
And from there, the adventures continued, as Spector fought the bizzare side of the Marvel U, but there was always this psychological edge that the stories carried. Marc Spector had mutiple personalities and you never knew who you were gonna get. The hero or the madman. The new series plays up this aspect of Moon Knight and this is what gives the book its edge. Issue one starts off big with Moon Knight taking care of business in the form of some theives that he takes down while the voiceover speaks about his philosphy as far as why he does what he does. But that’s just the icing on the cake as the story progresses, we learn that not everything is what it seems and the issues ending has had me waiting on pin anmd needles for issue 2 which is finally comng out. If you like Batman, then Moon Knight is not for you. Moon Knight is its own animal and can no longer be compared as “the poor man’s Batman.”
Charlie Huston has started off what I hope to be a long run on Moon Knight and the added eye candy of Dave Finches artwork seals the deal in spades. If you’re lucky enough, you might still be able to find issue 1 out there on the shelves, and if not, well then jump into issue 2 when it comes out. From what I read about issue 2, Huston is not wasting anytime and is bringing in the heavy hitters and breathing new life into Moon Knight’s already classic past.
5 HITS
Fell #5
Written by WARREN ELLIS
Art & Cover by BEN TEMPLESMITH
Published by Image Comics
Suggested for Mature Readers
Nearly every comic Warren Ellis writes is truly awe-inspiring and this series is one of them. Fell tells the tale of Detective Richard Fell who has been transferred over the bridge from the big city to Snowtown, an untamed district whose police roster numbers three-and-a-half people because one detective has no legs. Snowtown is like Sin City’s crack head cousin except here there aren’t enough cops to be corrupt. Fell is alone in this little slice of hell and is starting off with nothing to lose and nothing to gain other than his own salvation. Through his almost uncanny ability to solve problems with only his powers of perception, Fell tries to bring justice to the unjustifiable situation that he finds himself in.
What I like about his series from Ellis is for one, each story is self-contained, you’re in and you’re out in 22 pages, no fuss, no muss. Ellis also throws in extras like a premium DVD that gives you insights on to how he works out the series and what goes into each tale. Each page is broken down into about 9 panel increments and Ellis wastes no space in the telling of the story. Add to that the spectacular and surreal artwork of Ben Templesmith who lends his talent to both covers and interiors and then on top of that the price of $1.99, and you’ve got yourself a truly spectacular piece of art.
The stories are fast paced but not rushed, Ellis is a master of pacing and the reader is immediately sucked into this world of Detective Fell and we can’t wait to turn the page to see what happens next. The way this book is written and layed out should be scripture to up and coming comic book writers who tell stories in six issues when Ellis can do it in 1 page and 9 panels.
Fell is worth its price and more, and it harkens back to the days when comics were still $1.00 and you got great art and great stories every month.
5 HITS
Moon Knight #2
Writer: CHARLIE HUSTON
Cover & Pencils: DAVID FINCH
Inks: DANNY MIKI
Colored by: FRANK D'ARMATA
Lettered by: VC - JOSEPH CARAMAGNA
Published by Marvel Comics
When I first heard that Marvel was resurrecting Moon Knight one more time, I was apprehensive. I mean the character is an interesting concept but I had these images of Stephen Platt art and that just evokes the Image craze of the 90’s. I picked up issue 1 just to see what the deal was and the fact that Charlie Huston was writing it. I was thoroughly impressed; Huston nailed everything I had thought the character was meant to be from the original Moench and Sienkiewicz run in the early 80’s.
What I remembered form those comics was this dark foreboding theme in the stories, not every one had a happy ending. It was grim and gritty before the Dark Knight made it chic’.
Moon Knight was originally Marc Spector, an American rabbi's wayward son who had become a mercenary. As a mercenary he became a skilled combatant, and befriended the French pilot Jean-Paul DuChamp, who he came to call "Frenchie". While the pair were working for the African mercenary Raoul Bushman in Egypt, he stumbled upon an archaeological dig whose crew included Dr. Peter Alraune and his daughter Marlene. The dig had uncovered an ancient temple whose artifacts included a statue of the Egyptian god Khonshu. Bushman stated his intent to loot the dig; this provoked Dr. Alraune to attack Bushman, a decision that cost him his life. In response to Alraune's murder, Spector challenged Bushman to personal combat; he was beaten nearly to death and left to die in the sub-zero temperatures of the desert night. Spector was then found by nearby Egyptians who worshipped the ancient Egyptian gods and was carried to their temple. His heart stopped, but he did not die. Khonshu appeared to him in a vision, offering Spector his life if he would serve the god on Earth. Spector was returned to life in a haze. He concealed himself within the silver shroud that covered Khonshu's statue and again confronted Bushman. He fought and defeated Bushman and returned to America with Marlene Alraune, Frenchie, and the statue of Khonshu that had seemingly empowered him. With no further communication from Khonshu, he determined that he had hallucinated the encounter; nevertheless, he decided to become a crimefighter. He created a silver cloaked costume, based on the appearance of the shroud he had worn while battling Bushman, and became the Moon Knight.
And from there, the adventures continued, as Spector fought the bizzare side of the Marvel U, but there was always this psychological edge that the stories carried. Marc Spector had mutiple personalities and you never knew who you were gonna get. The hero or the madman. The new series plays up this aspect of Moon Knight and this is what gives the book its edge. Issue one starts off big with Moon Knight taking care of business in the form of some theives that he takes down while the voiceover speaks about his philosphy as far as why he does what he does. But that’s just the icing on the cake as the story progresses, we learn that not everything is what it seems and the issues ending has had me waiting on pin anmd needles for issue 2 which is finally comng out. If you like Batman, then Moon Knight is not for you. Moon Knight is its own animal and can no longer be compared as “the poor man’s Batman.”
Charlie Huston has started off what I hope to be a long run on Moon Knight and the added eye candy of Dave Finches artwork seals the deal in spades. If you’re lucky enough, you might still be able to find issue 1 out there on the shelves, and if not, well then jump into issue 2 when it comes out. From what I read about issue 2, Huston is not wasting anytime and is bringing in the heavy hitters and breathing new life into Moon Knight’s already classic past.
5 HITS
posted by "A Drinker with a Writing Problem..." at 1:38 PM
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