The newly-relaunched Shiny Shelf has posted my review of the Legion of Super Heroes epic graphic novel Final Crisis: Legion of 3 Worlds. Check it out.

What to buy?  Ultimate Wolverine vs. Hulk hardcover?  Star Wars:  Clones Wars Season 1?  Or just the Clone Wars Season 1 Guide?  Final Crisis hardcover?

Decisions, decisions…

A few months ago, I found this comic shop in a flea market.  While perusing, I found they had a copy of the Daredevil storyline Fall From Grace in trade paperback format.  This is an old storyline, from the early 90’s, probably most famous for introducing Daredevil’s “razor” costume.  I’m probably one of the few who thought it was a really cool design, but it never made me pick up the comic.  The book was in very good condition but showed some wear, and the shop owner offered it to me for 50% off.  Unable to refuse, I bought it.

Can’t say it was a fantastic decision.

Fall From Grace isn’t awful as much as it’s overloaded and meanders badly in the middle.  There is a chemical weapon (or something) that was lost years ago, and various groups are vying to find it.  In the middle of all of this, Daredevil obtains a new costume, Elektra gets resurrected, Venom shows up (literally out of nowhere), and I finally gave up on the plot when Mobius appeared.

The story wants to be this epic blockbuster, but tries too hard, with way too many “name” characters appearing with the flimsiest of motivations.  The writing is on the heavy-handed side, but is densely layered and some of the better work from a 90’s Marvel mainstream comic.  I actually felt the artwork was one of the story’s greatest strengths; reminiscent of Frank Miller’s Sin City comic, with heavy inks / shading and use of negative space.  For early 90’s Marvel (post-exodus of the founders of Image comics), it’s one of the most stylized and distinctive.

Fall From Grace needed to be an issue or two shorter and needed a lot of tightening up.  It’s an interesting curiosity in the long history of Daredevil, but is overshadowed by the latest (and much more compelling) runs by Brubaker and Bendis.  Worth a read, but be prepared for a grind.

Rating:  C

The recently released Captain America volume, The Man With No Face (collecting issues 43 through 48), gives us the first “solo” story featuring the new caretaker of the titular role, in the aftermath of the 3-act, 18 issue epic that was The Death of Captain America.  In this volume, the new Captain America’s sordid past as the brainwashed Winter Soldier comes back to haunt him when the body of the original android Human Torch is stolen and the horrifying plans for it come to light.

Ed Brubaker’s brilliant run continues here, in what is simply the best espionage / action comic being produced today.  Brubaker continues to weave in the rich history of the Captain America series with the legacy that the new bearer of the mantle is trying to uphold, and never once having it come off as hokey or as continuity for the sake of continuity.  It is in contrast to Grant Morrison’s run on Batman, where he went to great (and at times brilliant) lengths in tying in the obscure or downright strange moments in that characters run (the Batman from another planet?).  Brubaker takes another tact, giving a fresh spin on the concept of a man out of time with Bucky Barnes’ revival and placing him in the role of the new Captain America, and tying in the history of the Invaders and the fate of one of Marvel’s oldest characters into the mix.  Add to this a villain whose motivations garner him a degree of sympathy, a henchman with unique abilities, and a guest staring appearance by Sub-Mariner, and you have a tale for old and new school Marvel fans alike.  Brubaker’s blend of action and psychological drama works in spades here, and the artwork really matches the story.

The Man With No Face is a successful entry into the Captain America canon and a great tale overall.  Highly recommended.

Rating: A