Based On Recommendations From "Friends"

Superman: Exile trade paperback collection (1998)
DC Comics
Dan Jurgens, Jerry Ordway, George Perez and Roger Stern, writers
Kerry Gammill, Dan Jurgens, Mike Mignola, Jerry Ordway, George Perez and Curt Swan, artists

This Superman collection is one that was never really on my radar before.

I tried a lot of the new books that started up in the wake of DC's Crisis On Infinite Earths in 1986. The revamped Wonder Woman by George Perez drew my attention when it debuted in 1987, and I enjoyed it for a couple years before moving on. I followed the Bat-books -- still just Batman and Detective Comics at that time -- following the Dark Knight's soft reboot that same year. There were many others, including The Man of Steel miniseries wherein John Byrne rewrote Superman's history.

I thought that six-issue miniseries was great at the time -- still do except for Byrne's sterile interpretation of Krypton -- and followed Superman's adventures into the relaunched Superman, the renamed Adventures of Superman and the retooled Action Comics. But my interest waned after only a few months of following the Superman titles.

I've still never read the three part "Supergirl Saga" that led into the "Exile" story line, although I have long been mildly curious about it. In Byrne's reboot, Superman is truly the last son of Krypton; there were no other surviving Kryptonians in a bottle city of Kandor, no Supergirl, not even Krypto, Superman's dog. But in this arc, a mysterious female version of Superman shows up and leads the Man of Steel back to the pocket universe where she came from. She is an artificial being sent to seek out Superman to help save this pocket reality in which three Kryptonian criminals are wreaking havoc. The criminals manage to wipe out all life in that pocket dimension before Superman stops them. Then they threaten to find a way to travel to Superman's reality and repeat their heinous acts. Superman sees no alternative but to rob them of their superpowers and then execute them.

For months after this tale, Superman suffers mental anguish over taking these three lives. The emotional and psychological toll is so great, that Superman begins dressing up as another hero and apprehending criminals in much more brutal fashion than usual. He finally decides that he can no longer safely stay among humans and takes off, exiling himself to space.

"How do you know all of that lead-up if you've never read those issues?" you might be wondering. "From listening to podcasts," I would answer. To be specific, by listening to a podcast named From Crisis To Crisis, a podcast by Michael Bailey and Jeffrey Taylor. Part of the content offered through the Superman Homepage, this podcast concentrates on Superman comics published between 1985-1986's Crisis On Infinite Earths to 2005-2006's Infinite Crisis. That would include everything from Man of Steel No. 1 to Adventures of Superman No. 649. Each episode, these two gentlemen look at a month's worth of Superman issues from this period, taking them in chronological order. They provide a synopsis of the issues and then their own brand of commentary, and the show is very well-done and quite entertaining.

Through listening to this podcast, I have relived some great Superman stories I haven't read in quite a while and gotten to get a taste of the many stories that I've never read. Listening to this podcast has spurred me to buy a few single issues here and there because I want to read them for myself after hearing Michael and Jeffrey talk about them. Their description of the "Supergirl Saga" has made me curious to finally buy and read that tale, but so far I haven't found that it has ever been collected in trade format, the way I would prefer to find it. DC's Superman: The Man of Steel series of trades collecting the 1980s and 1990s Superman stories in chronological order might be my best bet, but so far that series hasn't quite gotten to the "Supergirl Saga" yet.

However, the aftermath of that "Supergirl Saga" -- Superman's self-imposed exile into outer space -- was collected shortly after its initial publication, and I managed to find a copy of that trade in great shape for a not terribly steep price for sale online. Now that I've finally read the issues collected in Exile (and listened to the corresponding episodes of From Crisis To Crisis), I'm surprised I didn't know more about this story line before. This collection introduces characters and concepts that were used again and proved very important to the 1990s and early 2000s Superman mythology. Much of what is explored here would be built upon for a number of stories and developments. If you're a Superman fan, these are pretty key stories introducing the Kryptonian Eradicator, various historical elements from Krypton's past, Warworld and recurring characters like Draaga and Mongul. In fact, Draaga, Mongul and Warworld were such popular concepts, they were adapted into the DC Animated Universe in episodes of "Justice League" and "Justice League Unlimited."

I'm sorry I missed these comics the first time around, but I'm very proud to have this volume in my collection now. In case you couldn't guess this on your own, I recommend checking this trade out!

Through The Magic Of The Internet

Comic-themed podcasts
Various creators and amateurs alike

I've mentioned before about buying comics I've heard about listening to comic-themed podcasts. I'm a bit of a late-comer to the whole podcast thing. My lovely wife got me my first iPod a few years ago as a gift. Then it was several months after receiving it before I tried to use it -- I'm a bit of a techno-phobe when it comes to new gadgets. But once I did finally try to use the iPod, I quickly began finding podcasts I thought I might like, loading them onto my iPod and listening to them when out walking the dog or doing household chores.

My first podcast was the excellent Word Balloon by John Siuntres, and my interest in that show predates my iPod gift. I discovered this interview-style show through the Newsarama website and had been listening to it at work during slow periods whenever a new episode was uploaded there.

I very much appreciated the interview format of the show where Siuntres asks creators about their current and past projects. Of course, my interest in the show was greatest when the featured creator was someone whose work I enjoyed or who had a forthcoming project I was looking forward to. But over time, I came to appreciate Siuntres' style and professionalism and gave episodes a listen even if I knew little about a specific guest.

Once I got my iPod (and got brave enough to try it out), I quickly came across other shows I liked. One of the first of these was Comic Zone Radio, hosted most often by Vincent Zurzolo. I didn't always like Zurzolo's interview style as much, as he sometimes tended to talk over his guests, interrupting their recollections with his own, but the show was still entertaining to listen to, and I enjoyed several of them a great deal.

I tend to favor the interview-style podcasts rather than story reviews of current comics. I like hearing the insights of the creators responsible for books I've collected and enjoyed, and some of the podcasts I listened to early on included not only current creators, but legends in the field from previous decades. I've still never been to a comics convention large enough to have big-name creators present, so this was a chance to hear some of their thoughts and musings.

There's another reason I mostly avoid review-style programs, and it requires an admission about the anal nature of my geekiness: each time I find a new podcast, I have to download and start listening from the earliest episode available. Hence, I haven't heard many current episodes; the bulk of what I am listening to most recently comes from the end of 2007 and the beginning of 2008! From time to time there might be an episode that talks about some big book from the past I'm curious to hear thoughts about, but I'm less interested in a show that talks solely about whatever books came out the week the episode in question was released. I just don't have enough time to listen to everything if I'm ever going to get caught up to the more recent shows!

Another type of show I discovered and liked are ones similar to this very blog, only in audio form -- programs where the podcaster(s) in question simply talks about comics or pop culture in general, his or her love of the medium and other related themes. Some great examples of this kind of podcast are Fire & Water: The Official Podcast of The Aquaman Shrine and Firestorm Fan, Half Hour Wasted and Views From the Longbox. The folks who do these shows are easy to listen to, generally around my age (though often a little younger) and therefore often fans of some of the same comics I like.

Most of the shows I subscribe to are downloaded through iTunes, but there are some new links to the left for some of the shows that have their own websites. The list at left is not a complete list by any means, but there are some great shows among the ones available through these sites.

Now (to paraphrase Bill Cosby), I told you all of that to give you a little background for another story, for which you'll have to wait until next time. Hope to "see" you then.

Rucka Is The Master

Detective Comics 757 (2001)
DC Comics
Greg Rucka, writer
Rick Burchett, artist

I have mentioned before in this space that Greg Rucka's run on Wonder Woman from 2003-2006 is one of my all-time favorite runs for the character. Not too long ago, I also re-read and discussed Rucka's great run on The Adventures of Superman between 2004 and 2006. Rucka also handled a great run on Detective Comics from 1999 to 2002, a fact reinforced for me recently when I re-read those Detective issues.

There was a lot going on in this run to like. Rucka took over at the end of "No Man's Land" and did a lot of what would become groundwork for the later Gotham Central series he and Ed Brubaker co-wrote. The concept of the Wayne Enterprises board of directors insisting that Bruce Wayne accept a bodyguard allowed Rucka to introduce the character of Sasha Bordeaux, a character who he made a key part of the Bat universe for awhile, and later a big part of the overall DC Universe. The regular artist for much of the run, Shawn Martinbrough, is pretty great, too.

Rather than talking about this entire run this time out, however, I want to narrow the focus a bit to this excellent done-in-one stand alone issue that falls in the middle of Rucka's run on Detective Comics. None of the various subplots make an appearance in this issue at all. It is so very stand alone, it could almost be a fill-in issue, but Rucka's name is still in the credits. As for the art, Rick Burchett's Batman looks close enough to Martinbrough's usual pencils that it isn't jarring because none of the other characters in this issue are seen in the series again.

The first page introduces us briefly to a family of three approaching Gotham on a lonely stretch of highway late one night. We don't even get their names except the father calling his wife Hannah.

Turning the page, we get a seemingly unrelated voice-over by Batman. The Dark Knight is very annoyed by the direction his night is going. We also see four thugs fleeing a drug deal and gunning down at least two Gotham City Police officers as they go. Batman is in pursuit as soon as possible but is not able to catch the felons before they meet and force the family of three to drive off the road, their car dropping off a cliff into open water.

Batman has no idea of the plight of this family as he continues to pursue the thugs. Subsequent pages switch from showing Batman taking down the villains to the family fighting to survive as best they can. The parents are surprisingly calm and resourceful, but they can't get out of their car as it continues to fill with water. Batman finally becomes aware of the presence of another car and questions the final criminal before knocking him unconscious.

I like that the family in danger in the submerged car is able to survive as long as they do because they don't panic. Often in these kinds of stories, the heroes are all-knowing and brave while the people they save are helpless victims. That isn't exactly the case here. But the ending is also excellent as Batman saves the family and then apologizes to them for taking so long. The Dark Knight seems genuinely distressed by the inconvenience to these people.

But the mother replies, "You arrived just in time. Any sooner, the water pressure would have kept you from opening the door."

And Batman simply says, "I hadn't considered that."

Yeah, I just ruined the ending for you if you've never read this issue, but it's still worth your time to check out. There are a lot of details skimmed over in this synopsis, and this issue holds up well to multiple readings.

This is a fantastic story that shows Batman is NOT always infallible, but rather than making him less of a hero for that, it makes him all the more heroic for all he accomplishes without being perfect. This issue is definitely good comics!

Warped Reflections

The Lone Ranger annual 2013
Dynamite Entertainment
Shannon Eric Denton, writer
Matt Triano, artist

Having the hero confront a darker, twisted version of him- or herself is a familiar comic book plot, but I don't think I've ever seen it applied to a western hero like the Lone Ranger before. I'm sure it likely has (and feel free to chime in if you know of an instance), I'm just not familiar with an example. That is what this annual does, however.

Acting solo while Tonto takes care of some personal business, the Lone Ranger tracks down a killer who is targeting anyone associated with a former outlaw. I say former because the one-time stagecoach robber is now a "respected" politician. But 11 years ago, back when Bob Burdine led a different kind of gang in criminal activities, he also killed a sheriff who had apprehended him.

That killing leads a mystery man in a mask, a man given the name Devil-Gun, to track down and kill anyone ever associated with Burdine and his criminal activities past and present. And Devil-Gun is quite proud of the inspiration he got from reading about the exploits of the Lone Ranger.

The writing on this book is its best feature; the art isn't bad, but it's a little rough and sketchy looking for my tastes. But Denton does a nice job of defining the differences between Devil-Gun and the Lone Ranger in the final confrontation. The Ranger makes it clear that what he does is not about punishing the guilty; it's about protecting the innocent. Spoken like a true hero!

OK, He's Evil, But How Does He Breathe

Villains Month
DC Collectibles/DC Comics
various writers
various artists

We're going to do something slightly different today. I bought and read Forever Evil No. 1 and some of the various Villains Month special issues where the bad guys take over the existing titles for the month. I enjoyed most of what I read, but I feel like it is too early to say much about the seven-issue Forever Evil story as it is just getting started.

So, our primary focus today is going to be another release timed to coincide with Villains Month: one of the first action figures dedicated to villains since the launch of The New 52! Overall, I like the design of the new Black Manta figure offered by DC Collectibles. The old smooth black costume Manta used to wear seems more like a diving suit, but some of the new details added to his New 52 suit are interesting additions.

He looks even more lethal with a wrist-mounted device that shoots something (a grapple line, if memory serves), his familiar energy "gun" and two short swords/long daggers. The bulkier, raised collar on his suit also makes his helmet look that much more otherworldly. And this figure has textured lenses for the helmet's eye pieces -- another nice touch.

But the figure is not perfect. The hoses that run from the tank on his back to his helmet are much stiffer in construction than previous Black Manta figures. They are cramped into a smaller space because this Manta's helmet is smaller and there needs to be room for those swords/daggers on his back as well. All of that means you can't really turn the figure's head from side to side for posing purposes. This Manta looks straight ahead, never to the sides.

And there's another thing about this figure I noticed. Previous Black Manta figures in the 6-inch scale include the DC Direct Alex Ross Justice series and Mattel's DC Universe Classics series figures. Both have a tank on Manta's back that closely resembles the way the figure is typically drawn in the comics. I've always thought of this tank as simply an oxygen tank like any diver would wear, but really, Manta tends to spend a great deal of time underwater, often much longer than the average diver might spend, yet his air tank seems smallish in comparison to the kinds of tanks I've seen actual divers wear.

This new DC Collectibles figure takes that size issue a step further. This figure's tank is flat, not bulbous as past figures' tanks have been, greatly reducing the amount of space available inside. Further cutting into any air capacity the tank might offer is the fact that Manta's swords/daggers are carried on his back, sliding into compartments on the tank. The tank also serves as a holster for Manta's energy weapon. The thing on this Manta's back seems much more like a utility belt or weapons pouch, except for those hoses.

In my own mind, I've decided to reconcile this problem by acknowledging that this device can't possibly be an adequate air supply in and of itself. Rather than being an air tank, it must be a machine that helps Manta extract the oxygen he needs directly from the ocean water. It's like one of Batman's re-breathers, a device so small he can store it in his utility belt. Manta's version is not as compact because he doesn't have the resources Bruce Wayne can tap.

Anyway, back to the comics for some thoughts and recaps, starting off with Forever Evil No. 1: The evil doppelgangers of the Justice League -- the Crime Syndicate from an alternate Earth -- have come to the main DC Universe Earth. They've announced their intentions to be the new masters of this world via all electronic devices across the globe displaying the message "This World Is Ours" upon their arrival as seen at the end of lead-in series Trinity War.

Forever Evil shows the destruction of Belle Reve prison and the subsequent escape of the various super-powered inmates incarcerated there. Several of these villains were given communications devices and sent to rendezvous with the Crime Syndicate, where they are told to do whatever they want to do as long as they don't stand in the Crime Syndicate's way. Of course, Lex Luthor immediately takes a dislike to anyone assuming they are in charge of what he sees as rightfully his. As far as heroes go, the Justice League is gone; the Syndicate members claim to have killed them. Other heroes, like the Teen Titans, are trying to organize a counter attack, but Nightwing tries a more direct approach and is captured for his boldness. Other Syndicate members want to kill Nightwing, but Owlman won't let them. Instead, the Syndicate publicly exposes Nightwing's secret identity and threatens everyone close to him.

For the Villains Month issues, I stuck mostly to the characters featured in titles I usually get anyway. Those seemed to be the villains I would have the most interest in reading more about anyway. Of course I got the Black Manta and Ocean Master issues of Aquaman, both of which were good reads. Both men were incarcerated at Belle Reve before the Crime Syndicate attack, and both have no interest in what the Syndicate members have to offer at first. Manta claims Aquaman's trident from the spoils the Crime Syndicate offers as proof that the Justice League is dead, then goes to visit his father's grave. Though it wasn't by his hand, Manta believes that Aquaman is dead and his father's death has been avenged until Ultraman, seeking buried kryptonite, causes a tidal wave that destroys Manta's father's grave. Manta's hatred of Aquaman has found a new outlet, Ultraman, so it seems likely Manta will be joining Luthor in opposing the Crime Syndicate soon. Ocean Master is harder to predict. His first instinct upon being freed is to seek the ocean, but he isn't sure which direction to head at first. His interactions with the people he meets while trying to return home to Atlantis are often brutal, but it is more from his opinion that humanity is beneath him than any real malice. Unless someone shows they intend to do him harm first.

The other Villains Month books were a mixed bag. Black Adam's history is explored in the pages of Justice League of America and makes for a nice read, but the information presented is similar to his history as seen in the maxi-series 52 from a few years ago. Oh, and he got better after being turned to dust prior to Trinity War. The Secret Society issue in the pages of Justice League shows readers some of the history of Owlman and the Crime Syndicate's version of Alfred Pennyworth, the Outsider. We learn how Alfred became the Outsider and why Owlman seeks to protect the life of Nightwing. I also read the Count Vertigo back story presented in Green Arrow and the DeSaad issue of Earth 2 and decided to give the Cheetah issue of Wonder Woman a try; all three books were OK but not outstanding.

I'm looking forward to the story unfolding in Forever Evil. It's started off pretty good.

It's Not Exactly My GA, But It's A Valid GA And I Like It

Arrow tpb Vol. 1
DC Comics
Marc Guggenheim, Andrew Kreisberg and others, writers
Mike Grell and others, artists

I think I've mentioned before that I tend not to like licensed comics based solely on movies or television programs. Quite often the comics seem like inferior versions of the properties' first medium. I don't like inferior versions of original things I've liked, and I don't care for comics that make the comics medium seem inferior.

A fairly recent example would be the Heroes trades based on the television series from a few years ago. These were short online-first strips that told further adventures of characters from the show or fleshed out events only hinted at in episodes that DC later collected. There were some genuinely good stories in those trades, but by and large, most of them were just -- meh. It didn't help that most of the stories had little real impact on the actual series. You can't have major revelations or critical events about a television show occur in another medium that not all viewers of the show will follow.

Every now and then, however, a licensed comic will fire on all cylinders. This is one of those comics. And I'm very glad that the promise of the Mike Grell artwork spurred me to take a chance on it. His art, as usual, does not disappoint. And neither does the storytelling in this trade.

Once again, these were short, online-first glimpses into the world of the CW's "Arrow," the series based loosely on DC Comics' Green Arrow character. Each chapter collected in this print version is a 10-page glimpse at events in that world. Early chapters are vague as not much was yet revealed to viewers about the series. But as time goes on, these vignettes provide some nice, but non-critical background. For example, during season one of the series, we learn that Moira Queen has a warehouse where the wreckage of her husband's boat, the Queen's Gambit, is stored. This is the sabotaged boat that Oliver and his father were on before Oliver ended up on the island for five years. One of the chapters in this collection shows how the wreckage was found and salvaged and how those remains of the ship ended up in that warehouse. Other chapters show defining events from the past in the lives of China White and John Diggle, two characters important to the show.

I would say you'd have to be a fan of the show to enjoy this trade collection. Not a lot of effort is made to explain who people are in the stories or how they relate to the overall narrative of the series; this collection is not new-reader friendly in that regard. But if you watch the show, you already know who the characters are and what roles they play.

For those of you who don't know, the show is pretty different from the Green Arrow/Oliver Queen depicted in the comics for the past seven decades. There are many familiar names and characters, and the basic origin story is pretty faithful, but the similarities end there. I am not one of those fans who is close-minded about different interpretations of characters; I think this incarnation of Green Arrow/Oliver Queen is just as legitimate, if done well, as the original one from the comics. And this television program is done well.

In fact, as a bit of a digression, I'm rather liking the CW version of Green Arrow better than I am the comic version of late. The first story arc in the life of The New 52! version of Oliver Queen was a good one, but then the title began to wander and start a downhill slide that continued until recent issues when Jeff Lemire took over the writing chores. I'm still unsure what I think of Lemire's run on the title; it's much better than what came immediately before it, but I'm still not quite sure where Lemire is headed or how I feel about his new direction. He is introducing characters and concepts from the television show, which isn't necessarily a bad thing, but I hope he is not trying to imitate the show too much. It is a different medium and a different, albeit very similar character, but I think it would be a mistake to make the regular DC comic too similar to the show. But that's just my two-cent's worth.

Silver Age Greatness Presented Poorly

The Secret Society of Super Villains tpb
DC Comics
Gerry Conway, David Anthony Kraft and Bob Rozakis, writers
Pablo Marcos, Rich Buckler, Dick Ayers and Ric Estrada, artists

This collection has been promised for a while now. The name Secret Society is currently being used in The New 52! and previous solicitations have indicated that this 1976 series was to be collected first in Showcase form and now in this more traditional trade collection.

I'd never read any of this series when it was coming out initially. My comics buying habits then were much more sporadic, limited to occasional trips with my mother to the grocery store and whatever they had in stock at that time. But in the intervening years, I've read other books that contained ads for this series or even referenced it. So I was curious about this gathering of rogues.

Now that I've read this volume, I wish they had gone the Showcase route instead. Showcase volumes are massive 500-plus page collections printed in black and white to keep the price lower, but they cram a whole lot of stories into those pages. And one other thing Showcase volumes typically do is include related material.

Now this full-color trade includes an extra. There are actually two versions of Secret Society of Super Villains No. 1 included along with reprints of issues 2-10. There's a text piece accompanying the second version of No. 1 that explains two creators had different but similar ideas for developing the series. That second, unused version of the story is included to show how things might have gone slightly differently for SSoSV with its slightly altered cast line-up and different chain of events. That's a nice touch, to be sure.

But what is missing from this trade, but likely would have been included in a Showcase-style collection, is the story originally published in  Super-Team Family No. 13, a part of the same story from this book which takes place between SSoSV Nos. 9 and 10. The nature of SSoSV is that characters come and go as the story requires; there is no set cast. Several guest heroes and villains appear for a portion of the story, then move on. Some of these guest-stars include Green Lantern, Black Canary, Hawkgirl, the Trickster, the Creeper, Sinestro and Jack from the Royal Flush Gang. In the story arc begun in issue No. 8, for example, Kid Flash is along to assist regular series hero Captain Comet. Between issues 9 and 10, however, Kid Flash leaves and the Atom is introduced to the story. All of this happens in Super-Team Family No. 13, so you won't see those things happen in this trade.

Another reason for including the extra but vital issue here would be to balance out the inevitable second trade collecting the rest of the 15-issue run of SSoSV. This trade could have collected the first seven issues of the published series plus the alternate version of No. 1 for a total of eight stories. Then the second collection could be issues 8-15 plus the Super-Team Family story for a total of nine stories. But by collecting 10 issues plus the alternate No. 1 in this first trade, there are only five issues left to go; that's kind of a slim trade.

Back to the stories themselves, as originally published, the members of the Secret Society are assembled by an unknown benefactor. The initial invitees include Captain Cold, Mirror Master, Gorilla Grodd, Star Sapphire, Sinestro, Copperhead, the Wizard, Captain Boomerang, Shadow Thief and Manhunter. The various members come to San Francisco, where they find a secret headquarters, a butler and the Justice League. Fearing a trap, the villains attack and defeat the League, which turns out to be robots instead of the real heroes. This was all an initiation test, and there will be more.

The title suffers from a touch of schizophrenia with the multiple writers, or maybe that cast was simply too large to keep straight. In the second issue, Shadow Thief is gone with no reason given. In his place is High Jack, Jack from the Royal Flush Gang trying to start a solo career in crime. Grodd and High Jack are performing another initiation task when they run into Green Lantern, the real one this time. But before the battle goes far, another person intervenes.

Captain Comet, a space-faring hero from comics of the early 1950s, makes his return here. He has mutant abilities which allow him to fly and alter his appearance. He also has some telepathy and telekinesis, as well as super-strength. In story, Captain Comet, born Adam Blake, has been away from Earth for 20 years and has come home for a visit. He stumbles upon Grodd, High Jack and Green Lantern and incorrectly assumes GL is attacking the innocent Grodd and Jack. Captain Comet helps the villains escape and becomes an honorary member of the Society.

His mental powers allow Captain Comet to quickly learn his error, but he continues to stay with the Society to learn their plans and the identity of their mysterious benefactor. Then vows to round up all of the members of the Society while he re-learns about life on Earth. During the course of the series, several other villains and heroes come and go, and a number of other series and adventures are referenced as the various villains plot and scheme, sometimes against each other.

All in all, this series really was great fun, and I am glad that I finally had a chance to read these issues. I just wish the powers-that-be at DC had re-read the issues first so they would have known to include the extra story that is a missing chapter in this SSoSV collection.

I Expected A Little Bit More Than Nuggets

Star Wars Vol. 1 tpb: In the Shadow of Yavin
Dark Horse
Brian Wood, writer
Carlos D'Anda, artist

No, I'm not talking about chicken; this book simply has some nuggets of goodness, but I was expecting a more filling, satisfying read than I got.

The done-in-one single-issue comic book is almost a thing of the past. They still pop up from time to time, but very rarely anymore. I've come to accept that fact of modern comics. But I still expect a pretty complete story when I purchase a trade. I'm not saying the story can't continue into a second or even third volume or beyond. That's kind of the point of the continuing stories most often told in funny books. But a trade typically is a complete story arc. Subsequent trades might build upon what happened, but you still have a satisfying chunk of story -- a beginning, middle and end -- to the specific tale the trade collects.

Not so with this book. This series is meant to take place in the Star Wars universe shortly after the events of Episode IV -- A New Hope but before Episode V -- The Empire Strikes Back. The rebel fleet has defeated the first Death Star and remained intact in the face of the Emperor's assault on their base on Yavin. But they have also been driven from that base and are looking for a new one. Unfortunately, every scouting expedition is met by Imperial forces almost immediately upon reaching whatever planet they have been sent to check out. Mon Mothma, the leader of the rebellion, and Princess Leia Organa suspect a spy in their midst. They hatch a secret plan to ferret out the spy, but things aren't going too well.

Meanwhile, the Empire, despite seemingly knowing every rebel move ahead of time, is not doing very well either. Imperial forces and coffers took quite a hit with the destruction of the Death Star. They try hard to cover with the ships and personnel they still have, but they are stretched pretty thin and still haven't managed to crush the rebellion. The Emperor is displeased with Darth Vader's failure to protect the Death Star, in particular, and takes command of the the flagship super star destroyer Devastator away from Vader. Instead, the Emperor sends Vader to Endor to oversee construction of the second Death Star and think about his failure.

We see a number of other familiar Star Wars faces in this collection, characters like Boba Fett, Luke Skywalker, Han Solo, Chewbacca, Wedge Antilles, R2-D2, C-3PO and others, of course. But most of the action in this particular volume seems to center on Leia and Vader. And while both stories are interesting and nicely illustrated, this entire six-issue trade feels more like a teaser for things to come than a complete story.

I'm very curious to see how the Imperial forces are managing to stay one jump ahead of each rebel scouting party. And Brian Wood is an accomplished writer who makes readers feel Leia's frustration as nearly everything she tries seems to fall apart before yielding any answers.

I'm also quite curious about a woman named Birra Seah and her interactions with Darth Vader. It is obvious that they do not know each other previously, but once this woman comes to Vader's notice (by publicly standing up to him, no less), she very quickly earns his trust. She even renders Vader speechless at one point. My interest is very piqued about her and what exactly is going on with her.

Some critics of "writing for the trade" say that such practices rob single issues of their impact. Whether or not you subscribe to that notion, how much sadder is it when an entire trade feels merely like setup for what is to come next? I am curious where this story is going, and I'm not ruling out buying the next trade in hopes of finding out more about the rebel spy, if one exists, and Birra Seah and her connection to Vader. But if money is tight when the next trade is solicited, the lack of forward momentum will make it that much easier to give this title a pass. And if I do buy the second trade and still find no story progress being made, I'm pretty sure I'll move on. I want a story, not an installment.

It's All Becoming A Little Clearer

Rachel Rising 19
Abstract Studios
Terry Moore, writer and artist

Things are starting to come together in this series. We have the current events which involve both Rachel and her friend, Jet, walking around and talking and interacting with other folks despite the fact that they are dead. We also have an ancient witch that only some people can see walking around and speaking in riddles to some while enticing others to commit horrible acts. There's also a demon who possessed a little girl and later Jet, at least for a little while.

Then there's also a Colonoial-era story line we've been getting glimpses of from time to time, providing some background for the town in which this all takes places. Apparently there was a large massacre of young girls, all accused of being witches. Their leader, Lilith, is the witch roaming around in modern times, and we know from her that she cursed the town for the deaths of all those young girls in Colonial times. We also know that she is set on destroying the modern inhabitants of the town in retribution for the massacre. But so far, aside from Lilith, there hasn't been a great deal of overlap in the two stories or an explanation of how Rachel and Jet are still ambulatory and seemingly normal, at least at first glance, while being quite dead. At least, nothing obvious.

That begins to change with this issue. A quiet dinner for Rachel, Jet, Rachel's Aunt Johnny and Johnny's friend Carol takes an unexpected turn. Rachel and the readers are given another flashback to the Colonial-era events, and this time, Rachel has less trouble making sense of those past events and how they relate to her today. This doesn't necessarily mean the end of the series is drawing near, but I do hope the answers keep coming.