Comic of the Week (Mar. 20th 2010)

Link · **Posted:** Mon Mar 22, 2010 12:40 pm

So... Linkara gave us his comic of the week. I'm here to share my comic of the week with you guys.

It's not Siege #3 or Prelude to Deadpool Corps or even Vengeance of Moon Knight, and it's not even Amazing Spider-Man... it's not even a MARVEL book! *gasp*

I present to you...

Brave and the Bold #32

Now, I haven't been following Brave and the Bold, but from what I can gather it's a self-contained little series, and this was a one-shot. I didn't even plan on buying it, but had some extra money since I decided not to grab Hercules this week. I figured, let's give it a shot, it's got JMS writing it and the artwork by Jesus Saiz. The thing that grabbed me right off the bat was the cover artwork. It was just so vibrant and different looking, it even seemed... dare I say... UPBEAT from the current comic storylines. The best thing is, the cover art was done by the artist who did the inside of the book, so... I already know what I'm getting into.

Enough about art and creators though, let me get straight to the point. Aquaman is the butt of many jokes, primarily because of Cartoon Network, he's like a step below the Wonder Twins. However, this comic gives him the respect he deserves, he's a badass, people revere him and are afraid of him. He's like Namor x100, and I'm not just saying that, there are some SWEET Aquaman scenes. But... more on that later.

The story is pretty interesting overall, it's told through the eyes of a fisherman who's ship got jacked up in a storm. He nearly drowns and is saved by Aquaman and the Demon. Turns out, Aquaman and the Demon get together every year or so and have to travel deep under the oceans to seal (no pun intended) off a big nasty doorway to the gates of hell. What you end up getting is Aquaman and the Demon taking on a GIANT H.P. Lovecraft creature (see that crazy thing with the jagged teeth in the back of the cover for reference), some crazy demon fish men, and a HORDE of zombies created from all those who have EVER drowned at sea. Also, to top it all off, Aquaman talks to some fish. But, he doesn't talk to just ANY fish, he talks to the entire <expletive> OCEAN! So, you get like whales, dolphins, sharks, jellyfish, octopuses, even some demon fishmen, and pretty much everything else just emerging behind Aquaman and assaulting this evil demi-god Cthulu creature of hell.

Spoiler

In conclusion, if you think Aquaman is a total pussy, get this book. If you think Aquaman is awesome, get this book. If you like the artwork, get this book. If you like JMS' writing, get this book. GET THIS BOOK IF YOU GET THIS BOOK! Nothing says awesome like Aquaman & The Demon vs. Cthulu & his zombie hordes of the drowned undead.

Beeslo · **Posted:** Tue Mar 23, 2010 12:25 am

Man. This thing was just a punch to the gut.

The IGN review summed this issue up best:

"If we're truly to believe The Gauntlet's mission statement is to revamp Spider-Man's rogue's gallery in exciting ways, then Joe Kelly might be the only member of the Spidey Braintrust following through on that promise. Amazing Spider-Man #617, one of the best Spidey issues in years, saw Kelly and Max Fiumara masterfully transform Aleksei Systsevich, the original Rhino, into a fully realized, sympathetic character while introducing a deadlier version of the villain. The two return to Aleksei in Amazing Spider-Man #625, finishing what they started by positioning him as a deeply tragic villain. Again, the result makes for one of the best Spider-Man comics in ages."

I mean, its one thing to say you are gonna make villains all exciting and modern, but in the end, there isn't much new to them that really makes unique (see The New Vulture). And while Sandman and Electro received some upgrades in their mental baggage, its Rhino that received a massive upgrade to his soul.

I'm a sucker for tragic hero stories especially if the main focus is that of a villain or reformed villain (see Mike Carey's Lucifer) and god...is this a beautifully executed tragic hero storyline for Rhino. Definitely read issue #617 first because this issue just really sends it home.

I don't want to spoil anything but the two issue arc revolves around reformed Spidey villain, Aleksei Systsevich (aka - the Rhino), who is trying to live an innocent life but is forced back into the life of the Rhino when a new and improved Rhino emerges on the scene wishing to battle Aleksei for the mantle of The Rhino. Honestly, this almost reminds me of the graphic novel/movie, A History of Violence, involving a man's torrid past catching up to him when he is attempting to redeem himself.

There are parts that are predictable, but man...the ending has a nice twist.

Do yourself a favor and pick up both of these issues. Best Spider-Man story I have read since the 9/11 issue.

Comic of the Week (Mar. 20th 2010)

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