THE CAT'S MEOW: What's Good On the Shelf This Week

JUSTICE LEAGUE UNLIMITED #29: “Untamed” (All Ages)

Adam Beechen (w); Carlo Barberi (p); Tom Fowler (i); Heroic Age (c); Mike Sellers (l); cover by Ty Templeton

Publisher: DC

Format: monthly series

Concept: Follow the adventures of the Justice League, based on the hit cartoon.

In this issue: B'wana Beast's "King of the Jungle" attitude is starting to rub Superman the wrong way. Can Animal Man play peacemaker or is the League headed for a dogfight?! (from dccomics.com)

Review: Animal Man and B'wana Beast have animal-related powers, but while Animal Man can take on the abilities of any animal, B'wana Beast drinks a potion which gives him enhanced strength and speed. He can also meld together two animals for a short time. But the biggest difference between the two is their egos. When Superman asks Animal Man to try and talk to BB, you really feel for the guy because we've all met people like BB before. They're the ones who always act strong and tough because to them, helping others and showing emotions are signs of weakness. The lesson that Beechen presents here is that everyone, whether they choose to admit it or not, needs help from their teammates sometimes. Barberi's art is great as always, particularly the nice double-page splash of the Leaguers fighting the apes, and Templeton's cover provides the “Planet Of the Apes” reference. And I would be remiss if I did not mention “The Adventures Of Finn and Friends,” the special mini-comic advertisement for Pepperidge Farm Goldfish, in which four different goldfish compete in the ‘Under the Bed All-Star Sports Classic.” It's too funny to pass up!

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MARVEL ADVENTURES SPIDER-MAN #23: “Dust-up In Aisle Seven!” (All Ages)

Fred Van Lente (w); Cory Hamscher (p/i); Guru eFX (c); Dave Sharpe (l); cover by Patrick Scherberger, Hamscher & Guru eFX

Publisher: Marvel

Format: monthly series

Concept: Bitten by an irradiated spider, which granted him incredible abilities, Peter Parker learned the all-important lesson, that with great power there must also come great responsibility. And so he became the amazing Spider-Man!

In this issue: It's what Spider-Man fears more than anything -- no, not battling some super-villain, but going school clothes shopping with Aunt May! When the sinister Sandman attacks the store, though, Spidey has to keep his secret identity from becoming unveiled! (from marvel.com)

Review: Have you ever been shopping with your parents or grandparents and just HATED the clothes they picked out? That's the situation Peter finds himself in. He doesn't have to worry about trying on clothes for very long, as the Sandman's been hired to demolish the store! As hard as it was for Peter to maintain his secret identity before, it's even harder now, since the new costume allows Peter to change without him really thinking about it…and he almost gets caught twice! It's good superhero fun.

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PERHAPANAUTS: SECOND CHANCES #3: “The Dover Demon” (Teen/Young Adult)

Todd Dezago (w); Craig Rousseau (p/i); Rico Renzi (c); Dezago & Rousseau (l); cover by Rousseau

Publisher: Dark Horse

Format: four-issue miniseries

Concept: There are places in this world where the fabric of reality has worn thin, where strange and terrible creatures have crossed over to lurk in the shadows and the night. There is an organization dedicated to finding these creatures and sending them back from whence they came, sealing the rift behind them, and maintaining the integrity of those borders. The organization is called BEDLAM. Its agents are…THE PERHAPANAUTS!

In this issue: Have you ever written a story featuring a blood-thirsty Chupacabra, a Sasquatch, a Ghost, a Telepath, and a mysterious Outsider who work as agents for a vast secret organization dedicated to policing the borders of the unknown and protecting an unknowing populace from the strange and bizarre creatures that sporadically break through? Well, we have and we think you should buy it.

Note: For optimum enjoyment, The Perhapanauts: Second Chances #3 is best read with a flashlight in a tent in your backyard on a dark summer night with a friend, a can of warm root beer, and a bag of pretzel rods. (Also, there is one mosquito in the tent. And it is the size of a small dog.) (from darkhorse.com. Don't you just love these summaries?)

Review: This issue opens with what I think is one of the most beautiful dialogue exchanges Dezago has ever written—a conversation between Big and Molly in which they exchange apologies and in which Big attempts to answer some of Molly's questions. Big is a beautifully-developed character, and his dilemma is one I've seen in several people (including myself, at times): His over-enthusiasm and continuous thirst for knowledge sometimes blinds him to what—and WHO—is really important, and he struggles to find a balance. Molly proves to be truly invaluable to big as she keeps him in check while they are dealing with the Dover Demon, a misunderstood creature who looks adorable and intimidating at the same time. It's a sweet, beautifully-told story.

Look out for: minor use of language 

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SPIDER-MAN & POWER PACK #3: “Fashion-sense Tingling!” Part 1 of 2: “Project: Run Away” (All Ages)

Marc Sumerak (w); Gurihiru (p/i/c); Dave Sharpe (l); cover by Gurihiru

Publisher: Marvel

Format: four-issue miniseries

Concept: Power Pack teams up with Spider-Man in this fun-filled adventure.

In this issue: New York City isn't just the center of the Marvel Universe; it's also the center of the fashion universe. And when those high-energy worlds collide, an old foe stands ready to tear Spider-Man and Power Pack apart at the seams. It's a terrifying tale sure to get your fashion sense tingling! (from marvel.com)

Review: Remember back in issue #2 when Spider-Man told Power Pack that he'd had bad experiences with alien costumes? Well, the kids are about to find out what he meant. I'll go on record and say that Venom is my favorite character to ever emerge from the pages of a Spider-Man comic. I don't know what it says about me as a person that I like a slobbering, psychotic symbiote, but it's true. (Really, I'm a nice guy.) Anyway, for those who aren't familiar with Venom, that is Spidey's black costume he's wearing. It's an alien symbiote that bonded with Spidey. When he rejected it, it bonded with Eddie Brock. (Note: In MARVEL ADVENTURES SPIDER-MAN, the black costume is a “smart stealth” costume. It will be interesting to see how things play out when Venom is introduced in that title.) I like the fact that Spidey and the Pack have to deal with both Venom and, later on, the symbiote by itself. And just what does the symbiote have to do with New York Fashion Week? Ya gotta read to find out!

To be included in next week's column:

THE BATMAN STRIKES! #29

RUNAWAYS VOL. 2 #23

By thy side,

John “Figaro” Norris

01/07/07

Any questions or comments, contact me at comicsintheclassroom @ gmail.com