Comic Book Roll Call for the week of December 12, 2012
Nine new comics for $27.92 (avg. $3.49)
(Less 15 percent discount - and store error - on four books, $24.82; $3.10, each)

This was my second week sampling the wares at Bull Moose in Scarborough and, for the second week in a row, comics were not racked by noon. Also, once again, the register jockeys wracked my nerves with the way they handled my books while charging the wrong price on one of them.

This time, however, the error worked out in my favor. Batman #15, a $3.99 book, should have cost $3.39 at Bull Moose's 15 percent discount. I noticed when reviewing my receipt later in the day that I got it for $2.54. So, score one for me, I guess. Last week I paid $3.39 for a $2.99 book, and didn't get the full discount off another. I'd be curious to know if Bull Moose employees are programming their inventory wrong when checking stock in, or if the data is scanning automatically, and incorrectly, from the bar code? Either way, two pricing errors in two weeks is a bit much, IMHO.

Last week, Bull Moose didn't have that week's comics on the rack when I visited the store at 12:30 p.m. I was told this was an anomaly of sorts and that the books are usually ready for purchase well before that time. This week, I waited until 1:30 p.m. and guess what? Yup, comics still sitting in the Diamond shipping box.

The young man at the stock counter acted a little exasperated when I asked to buy a few comics out of the box. Last week, when I'd asked what time I should come back, I was told to just ask Stock Boy for what I wanted, so I didn't hesitate the do so again this week. He didn't act like he wanted to accommodate me this time, but when I recounted last week's experience, and how I had been assured comics are usually out by early morning, he mumbled something about how busy it had been that day, and consented to shuffle through the box for the books I wanted.

I think I annoyed him further by handing him back the copy of Batman #15 he gave me and asking for another, because it had a few spine creases and a bent corner. I'm not sure how Bull Moose stock people manhandle their comics when checking them in, but to judge by the way cashiers fling them around while ringing them up, I can only say the entire lot ought to be given an all-day seminar on the finer points of pristine mint.

I ended up only getting four comics at Bull Moose, picking up the Fantastic Four #2 as well as this week's Dr. Manhattan and Rorschach titles from the Before Watchmen line. Bull Moose did not get any copies at all of Age of Bronze #32, Amazing Spider-Man #699.1, Legion Lost #15 or Frankenstein: Agent of S.H.A.D.E. #15. The latter two, being on their penultimate issues, was not terribly unexpected. I was a bit surprised about Spidey, and even more shocked when Stock Boy asked me, "Isn't that the one with Morbius," proving he knew something of comics. Given such, he really should have expected me to go all anal-fanboy on being given a bent book.

I was able to get the Spidey book, as well as Legion Lost, the following day at Casablanca Comics in Windham. However, by that time, they'd sold out of Age of Bronze. The manager, Matt, observed, "We'd be more comfortable ordering more copies if it came out more than once a year." Matt called Casablanca's Portland location, but they'd sold out there as well.

At Casablanca, I ended up buying the previous month's issue of Frankenstein, which I realized I had not yet purchased, as well as Uncanny Avengers #2, which I had not been able to fit into my budget on any previous trip since its Nov. 28 release.

So, with that, let's jump right into this week's roll call:

• Batman #15: A
• Before Watchmen: Dr. Manhattan #3 (of 4): B+
• Fantastic Four #2: B
• Uncanny Avengers #2: C+
• Amazing Spider-Man #699.1: C
• Before Watchmen: Rorschach #3 (of 4): C-
• Frankenstein: Agent of S.H.A.D.E. #14: D+
• Legion Lost #15: D


BATMAN #15
DC Comics, $3.99, 28 pgs. (14.25¢/pg.)

"Death of the Family - But Here's the Kicker"
by Scott Snyder (writer), Greg Capullo (penciller), Jonathan Glapion (inker), Mike Marts (editor)
21 pages; 115 panels (5.48/pg.)
Read time - 13:35

I am still enjoying the "Death of the Family" storyline, but only in the main Bat-book. After trying the first crossovers in Batgirl, Catwoman and Suicide Squad, I've elected to drop all further tie-ins. This issue does get bogged down when the Bat-brood gathers around Bruce Wayne's sick bed. Now, I absolutely detest Damian, I dislike Jason Todd, and I don't understand how Tim Drake fits in anymore, so seeing them all in one place only makes me hope the Joker pops up to off all three in one easy bazooka blast. But what stops this issue dead is Batman's revelation of an important point he neglected to share previously with his private little NAMBLA society (Okay, that's a bad joke, but he does keep the cave well-stocked with young boys. What would Dr. Wertham say?). Anyway, the Joker may or may not have gained entrance to the Bat-Cave even before Dick was in short pants (Dick Grayson, that is. Sorry couldn't resist), a fact Batman dismisses as irrelevant almost as soon as he brings it up. All the revelation does is get the kids worked up, created some faux drama among characters I hate for being over-dramatic to begin with, while presumably foreshadowing important plot points in future chapters. The plot in this issue, however, fails to progress much, basically serving only to get Batman where he was at the close of the last issue (at the reservoir) to where he needs to be to begin the next issue (at Arkham and really into the drink). So, why does this book get an A-rating then? Well, Snyder's scripting is generally spot on. He's genuinely turned the Joker into a new kindly menace while finding new avenues to explore in the done-to-death Batman/Joker dynamic. Also, more and more, I find myself really grooving to Capullo's semi-cartoon art style. The section around the sick bed gets a little static, but the rest I find incredibly dynamic and just plain fun to look at.

Joker and the Riddler in "Red Light, Green Light"
by Scott Snyder and James Tynion IV (writers), Jock (art), Mike Marts (editor)
7 pages; 36 panels (5.14/pg.)
Read time - 4:25

The great thing about three back-up stories is that they offer value-for-dollar. Note that this book, while $3.99, works out to 14.25¢ per story page. Compare that to the near-20¢/page of Marvel's comparably-priced books. Apart from that, though, previous back-ups, which lately in the Bat- and Super-books have been designed to compliment the main story, have generally failed to tell us anything we don't already know. They merely gave another character's viewpoint of matters already related in the larger narrative. This issues back-up, on the other hand, covers new ground, as the Joker recruits the Riddler to his cause. Better yet, it serves to elevate the Riddler from second-in-commend to Dr. Light in the Injustice Gang of Incompetent Buffoons, to genuinely worthy adversary. So, there's that. The way he breaks out of his cell, through a Shawshank-sized plot his he's carved into the wall, does leave something to be desired. I'm also a tad confused by the Joker's presence. Although it doesn't say so specifically, the story reads like Joker has taken over the asylum from the inside. However, he's wearing his face, and he'd been missing since it got carved off. So, instead of working a slow, psychological burn on the guards, as we see the Riddler attempting, Joker must have broken into the asylum and taken it over in one fell swoop, which you'd think would have attracted more attention even sans henchmen, as he appears to be, than seems to be the case in the main story.


BEFORE WATCHMEN: Dr. MANHATTAN #3 (of 4)
DC Comics, $3.99, 25 pgs. (15.96¢/pg.)

"Ego Sum"
by J. Michael Straczynski (writer), Adam Hughes (art), Mark Chiarello (editor)
23 pages; 123 panels (5.35/pg.)
Read time - 11:15

This issue grades so highly primarily on the strength of Hughes' gorgeous, gorgeous art. It always amazes me how he can make women look so eye-poppingly beautiful in a paucity of lines. But it's more that just drawing pin-ups. Hughes' narrative ability lends real power and grace to the tale of the Doc's escape from Nazi Germany as a young boy, and the death of his mother, that I think would have proven the better of many a lesser artist. Beyond that scene, however, the balance of this issue is the same time-is-a-circle, everything-is-happening-now, I-am-the-observer-AND-the-architect mumbo-jumbo that accompanies every appearance of Dr. Manhattan. Frankly, it doesn't take long for that stuff to get old.

The Crimson Corsair in "Wide Were His Dragon Wings Part Nine"
by John Higgins (writer/artist), Mark Chiarello (editor)
2 pages; 12 panels (6.0/pg.)
Read time - 0:35

I'm not even going to comment on this. Let's just call the entire series a failed experiment and move on, shall we?


FANTASTIC FOUR #2
Marvel Comics, $2.99, 20 pgs. (14.95¢/pg.)

"Voyagers"
by Matt Fraction (writer), Mark Bagley (penciller), Mark Farmer and Mark Morales (inkers), Tom Brevoort with Lauren Sankovitch (editors)
93 panels (4.65/pg.)
Read time - 9:30

This is one of those pause-before-the-action issues, which I sort of thought was the point of the first issue. I thought we were bound for fantastic voyages of amazing adventure this go-round. Maybe next issue, then. I also have to go back and re-read the first issue as I thought the point was to create a learning lab for all the Future Foundation students. Seems I misread something because in this issue the intent is clearly to leave everyone but Franklin and Valeria behind. (As an aside, I would LOVE to see a Valeria/Damian team up. The too little shots are bound to eviscerate each others and so much the better in my opinion.) Not a ton actually happens this issue, other than to confirm Reed's cancer and to recruit the Legion of Substitute-Fantastic Four. Fortunately, I am familiar with three of the four, but the script would have left me as clueless as I am with Johnny Storm's chosen stand-in, were I not a lifelong comics reader. The art is serviceable, if not necessarily rising to "World's Greatest" level. Still, it tells the story well, which is something not a lot of comics art does these days, so I have no complaints.


UNCANNY AVENGERS #2
Marvel Comics, $3.99, 20 pgs. (19.95¢/pg.)

"[no title]"
by Rick Remender (writer), John Cassaday (artist), Tom Brevoort (editor)
90 panels (4.50/pg.)
Read time - 10:35

This is really kind of a talking head issue. I'm not necessarily a strict proponent of that old adage, somebody must slug somebody and preferably by Page 3, but this issue does feel more like watching an episode of Private Practice than reading a super-hero comic book. That's because Marvel Now remains heavily dependent on Marvel Then. With so much continuity to cover in order to explain each character's motivation, this issue, like many modern comics, become more a story-about-a-story than a story in its own right, if that makes any sense. The other issue is that Cassady's art seems to have grown terribly static of late. I've always hated his poker-chip version of Cap's costume, but, beyond that, this issue is a lot of standing up and lying down, with not a lot to suggest movement and action. I took me a couple of weeks to get around to buying this issue after it was released. Odd are I'll skip the next issue entirely. After all, it's not like I don't have 43 Avengers titles to choose from.


AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #699.1
Marvel Comics, $2.99, 21 pgs. (14.24¢/pg.)

"[no title]"
cover: "Enter: Morbius the Living Vampire"
by Joe Keatinge with Dan Slott (writers), Valentine Delandro (artist), Marco Checchetto (artist, pp.1-2), Stephen Wacker (editor)
97 panels (4.62/pg.)
Read time - 9:00

This issue, for me, was a total meh. It was just a straight-ahead-tale shipped straight from Plots-R-Us, which, with several three-panel pages, took up twice the space necessary. The art was pretty basic, the only panel with any visual interest being the ones of young-lad-a-leaping that reminded me of Gene Colan's old Ragamuffin work. Worse still is the insult of shoehorning this story into the ongoing Spidey/Doc Oct mind-swap storyline. There's absolutely no reason for this story to be an issue of Spider-Man, nothing to tie it in at all other than a one-panel reference to a 35-year-old story, other than the hope enough people tricked into buying this will choose to try Morbius' #1. Speaking for myself, I would have been more likely to sample the living vampire's new mag without this preview. Now, at least, I know enough to pass.


BEFORE WATCHMEN: RORSCHACH #3 (of 4)
DC Comics, $3.99, 22 pgs. (18.14¢/pg.)

"[no title]"
by Brian Azzarello (writer), Lee Bermejo (artist), Will Dennis (editor)
20 pages; 111 panels (5.55/pg.)
Read time - 5:05

The artwork is kind of interesting, but that's all this book has going for it. If for some reason you didn't buy the first two issues — a veritable impossibility, I know, as the downfall of the mini-series model is that no one buys Issue #3 who didn't buy Issue #1 — you'd have zero idea what's going on. There's almost nothing in this issue to indicate who anyone is or why they're doing what they do. That's too bad, because Rorscharch's journal provides an excellent narrative device. My other complaint is that no one seems to get Rorschach. Over in Nite-Owl he's portrayed as a religious zealot, who actually believes in his "The End is Near" placard. However, an objectivist, as Moore clearly intended Rorschach to be by basing the character on Ditko's Question, would almost surely be an atheist, the sign being a simple ruse for observing in plain sight as the average passer-by would work to actively ignore him. Similarly, this issue has Rorschach, a man with clear woman issues, taking time from his mission to solicit a date. That's just as unlikely. Rorschach would more likely agonize over Miss Diner Maid from afar, convinced that he'll take time to pursue her just as soon as he wraps up his war on crime which, it so happens, is never-ending. Of course, that does little for the obligatory love interest angle. Still, I submit the damsel would more likely get into distress from pursuing of her own accord the dark, brooding customer she's fascinated by (probably because of daddy issues to rival Rorschach's scarring at the hands of mommy dearest) than because she's reluctantly accepted his suitor's advance.

The Crimson Corsair in "Wide Were His Dragon Wings Part Eight"
by John Higgins (writer/artist)
2 pages; 13 panels (6.50/pg.)
Read time - 1:10

As noted previously, an almost total waste of time and space.



FRANKENSTEIN: AGENT OF S.H.A.D.E. #14
DC Comics, $2.99, 20 pgs. (14.95¢/pg.)

"Rotworld: Secrets of the Dead. Who's That Trip-Trapping Over My Bridge?"
Cover: "Secret Weapon Against The Rot!"
by Matt Kindt (writer), Alberto Ponticelli (penciller), Wayne Faucher (inker), Joey Cavalieri (editor)
81 panels (4.05/pg.)
Read time - 6:10


I had such high hopes for this book, with both the Creature Commandoes and Morrison's S.H.A.D.E. full to overflowing with high-concept, B-movie zaniness. Unfortunately, the book never quite clicked for lack of a clear editorial direction, and picked up its downhill pace when Kindt came on board. I'd never seen his name in a credit box before this title and have seen nothing here that would induce me to follow him to his next assignment. This book, although it trumpets The Rot on its cover and title page, gives almost zero indication as to what The Rot is, or what connection it was to the three monsters Frank and his bat-winged pal hunt down. There's a passing reference to Frank's creator, but other than that no indication of what's going on. And, I confess, I read the previous issues and I'm still not sure. I imagine the typical reaction of any person picking up this issue at random might me, "And I care, why?"


LEGION LOST #15
DC Comics, $2.99, 20 pgs. (14.95¢/pg.)

"Heroes Die!"
Cover: "Wildfire's Last Stand?"
by Tom DeFalco (writer), Andres Guinaldo (penciller), Mark Irwin, Marc Deering and Sean Parsons (inkers), Brian Cunningham (editor)
68 panels (3.40/pg.)
Read time - 8:45


Ah, the penultimate issue. Thank God! When you understand that I am a lifelong Legion fan, going all the way back to the early days of Superboy and the . . ., you'll get how very bad this book is when I say I'm glad it's ending. Stranding Legionnaires in our time has never worked, especially as an ongoing prospect. That's the problem with fish-out-of-water tales. Their exciting for a short while, while the fish is flopping around in its wild death troughs, but then it either has to get back to its natural environment, or it dies. Dead fish are not terribly exciting and, I tell you, this book has stunk like dead fish almost from the beginning. This issue is no exception and is made all the worse for the extra characters thrown in, out of some vain hope, I image, that the few readers of this title will transfer to Superboy and/or the Ravengers when it ends. In this issue, we start with a bunch of characters fighting for no discernible reason we're made aware of, and we end with them still fighting at the end. A bunch of characters get a line, but we're not clued in on who they are, beyond a name, or what they're about in any but the most superficial way. This is especially troublesome for me as I'm not familiar with any of the characters outside of the Legion, and that includes New 52 Superboy. Basically, this issue is a prime example of the failure of modern comics storytelling - no beginning, no ending, just a bunch of stuff in the middle.