Quick Wildstorm Comic Reviews

Wild Girl #6
by Leah Moore & John Reppion, Shawn McManus, Andrew Pepoy, & J. H. Williams III
Wild Girl began with promise, but here at the conclusion it turns out to have been empty and hollow. What exactly has happened and, more importantly, what was the point? Other than looking at some admitedly rather pretty art from both McManus & Williams, there doesn't seem to have been much of one. A disappointment.
Rating: 2 (of 5)


Albion #1
by Alan Moore, Leah Moore & John Reppion, Shane Oakley & George Freeman
A bunch of obscure old British comic characters get the ol' 'Alan Moore' treatment. Near as I can tell--and the scripting by L. Moore & Reppion is not helping any--the premise of this series is that the comic book adventures really did happen, but the public believes that they were simply comic book adventures and the 'truth' has been covered up and swept under the rug of history. The only referenced character I've ever heard of before is Dan Dare, and maybe if I knew better the other characters this would resonate with me more. This is another mini that shows promise, but given the track record of Wild Girl I'm justifyably skeptical. Props though to Oakly & Freeman for turning in a distinctive style full of moody dark inks and being able to swtich styles on a dime to present a pseudo old-style comic adventure.
Rating: 2.5 (of 5)


Astro City: The Dark Age - Book One #1
by Kurt Busiek & Brent Anderson
The 70s were a time when so-called mainstream comics began to lose their innocence: while most super-hero stories continued to be escapist fluff, sometimes 'relevence; would seep in as side-kicks became hopped up on drugs or vigilantes ruthlessly killed mobsters. So too it would appear was the case in Astro City, as through the eyes of two African-American baby boomers--one a cop, the other a petty crook--we begin to see a change in how the heroesand villains and the city and its people relate to each other. The social tensions of a big city are being reflected in the heroes, and as usual Busiek's man-on-the-street perspective gives us a different lens through which to view those old 'relevant' stories. This is another start of a series that shows promise, but in this case given the track record of the creators we can feel fairly confident that they're up to the challenge.
Rating: 3.5 (of 5)