The New 52: Stormwatch

Title: Stormwatch
Issue: #1
Release: September 2011
Writer: Paul Cornell
Artist: Miguel Sepulveda


Image via Inside Pulse

Of the three comics I bought this week, this is the one I enjoyed the most - and mostly for the artwork. If you're a visuals first comics fan, I was pretty impressed by this one. I'll definitely keep an eye out for Sepulveda in the future.

I knew nothing about the Stormwatch story beforehand but I was intrigued by the New 52 books which DC has categorized as The Edge. Like many in this group, Stormwatch originated with DC's WildStorm imprint. Stormwatch is an organization which exists to protect Earth from alien threats. At least in this relaunch, they've operated in secrecy for centuries. Of course, alien threats can include superheroes such as Superman, which presents implications for the rest of the DC universe.

Like Action Comics, this book failed to pass my curiosity test - no real interest in issue #2. I like the basic premise but if I'm going to follow the formation of a superhero team, I think I'd just stick with the Justice League. I don't see that this particular collection of characters offers anything better.

While most DC titles are rated T for teen, Stormwatch is rated T+. It's not immediately apparent why. Maybe a double entendre late in the story? I'm not really sure. Of course, it's a rating for the entire series, not just the one issue so it is possible more mature themes will emerge in future installments.


*****SPOILER ALERT*****


I feel a little silly classifying comments on the artwork as spoilers but I don't want to ruin the novelty on the off-off-off-chance that anyone might have read my review before reading the actual comic. Several of the images on offer are genuinely dazzling. A claw-bearing moon:


Image via Comic Book Resources

There are also a couple of thoroughly satisfying depictions of Martian Manhunter's transformations:


Image via M.C.WOLFMAN

Plus there's this, whatever it is, they find in the Himalayas:


Image via Newsarama.com

There is one image that I enjoyed less for style than for content. It is made clear in the book that Stormwatch has existed for centuries. One frame contains what appears to be a Roman centurion with a telescope, an apparent early member of the group. Now, there's a storyline I could get behind: Stormwatch through the centuries. Why not?

US Open Day 12: A-Rod

Curtain Call

Player: Andy Roddick
Age: 29
Nation: USA
Current Ranking: 21st
Notable Conquest: David Ferrer (5th seed, Spain)
Today's Result: loss to Rafael Nadal (2nd, Spain) in straight sets


Photo via TopNews

Amazingly, Roddick and Nadal had only faced one another at a Slam one other time: the second round of the 2004 US Open. Nadal was all of 18 years old, mostly a source of curiosity at the time. The tone of the discussion from the commentators was along the lines of "who is this punk kid who dares challenge the defending champion?" Little did anyone know what was in store. The Slam total since then: Nadal 10, Roddick 0.

That match was a straight sets victory, too - for the American. While I have never been a Roddick fan, he deserves props for his performance here. This was his first time in the US Open quarters in three years. I'm going to go out on a pretty strong limb and say that Roddick will never win a Slam again. It's too late and everyone else is too good. But it's been an awfully good run.

The New 52: Action Comics

Title: Action Comics
Issue: #1
Release: September 2011
Writer: Grant Morrison
Artists: Rags Morales and Rick Bryant


Image via iFanboy

DC bills this one book as no less than "the cornerstone of the entire DC universe." Mock also clued me into the legendary stature of Grant Morrison within the industry. Given all that, I think high expectations are more than fair.

I have to admit to being generally underwhelmed by Superman. I don't just mean this book, either. Superman was first created in 1938 and has been the world's biggest comic hero pretty much ever since. And yet, with all of those decades of development potential behind him, I've never found him to be a particularly interesting character. Were there a Hamlet Scale of great characters in world literature, I think Superman would rate fairly low compared to, say, Wolverine. He's good. He's strong. He's invincible. He's pretty static. Even within his own storyline, he's less intriguing than Lois Lane or Lex Luthor, for instance. If there are stories of a morally ambiguous Superman or an emotionally complex Superman, I haven't seen them.

Before I get to the spoiler section, I will say that Action Comics #1 did not pass my curiosity test. I'm not particularly interested in what happens in issue #2. That is not to say that I don't think it's a quality piece of work. It is. But I'm really looking to get hooked into one of these stories and it just didn't happen for me this time. I do, however, love the "Guided View" in the Comixology interface. With both this book and Justice League, I caught a lot of details that I missed with the normal view.

For the record, My Wife is not impressed by the short sleeves and blue jeans costume.


*****SPOILER ALERT*****


For poster-worthy images, the one with Superman jumping down from the zeppelin is a nice one. It's a shame comics don't have page numbers for easier reference but on the seventh page after the title page, there's an image-within-an-image shot of the wrecking ball coming towards the building. General Lane and Luthor are watching on a large TV screen and the image is black and white, a notable contrast with the rest of the page.

As for the story itself, I'm not too worried about Superman. Even pinned against a wall by a train engine, we all know he's going to be just fine. Whatever is going on between General Lane and Luthor is a lot more intriguing, but not enough for me to run out and buy the next issue, I'm afraid.

US Open Day 11: The Rain Subsides

Curtain Call

Player: Jo-Wilfried Tsonga
Age: 26
Nation: France
Current Ranking: 11
Notable Conquest: Mardy Fish (8th seed, USA)
Today's Result: loss to Roger Federer (3rd, Switzerland) in straight sets


Photo via Famewatcher

Even with tonight's loss, it's been a fantastic summer for Tsonga. He didn't play the US Open at all last year so his ranking will get a nice boost with this result, his career-best for the event. It's my second Slam in a row to feature him in this space. Tsonga won the US Open juniors title in 2003, defeating Marcos Baghdatis (Cyprus) in the final.

I'm with the Band: Michigan

Band: Michigan Marching Band
University: University of Michigan
Founded: 1896
Current Director: Scott Boerma
Current Drum Major: Jeffrey McMahon
Fight Song: "The Victors"



Major university marching bands are serious business. I can virtually guarantee that on any given Saturday of football season, there is just as much talent on the field at halftime as there is during the game and with a small fraction of the budget. Marching band programs offer scholarships and are lead by professors with real doctorates and everything. These groups work hard and take enormous pride in their efforts, both musical and physical. While television usually ignores them, I can tell you as a graduate of a college that didn't have a marching band, a live football game is far less interesting without one.

In the world of college marching bands, the Michigan Marching Band is the Beatles: the standard by which everyone else is measured. In addition to being a football powerhouse, Ann Arbor has one of the finest music programs in the country. While I don't know if many or any of the marchers are also in the conservatory, musical standards at the university are very high indeed.

"The Victors" was composed by Louis Elbel in 1898. John Philip Sousa himself called it "the greatest college fight song ever written." I'm rather partial to a different one but we'll get to that another week. Gerald Ford, U.S. President and star footballer at Michigan, was a big fan of the song. He frequently requested it be played for him rather than "Hail to the Chief." He also requested it for his funeral procession.


All This and Football, Too!

My Picks for the Week: 13/20 (3rd place out of 3 players)

I started a college pick'em group on Yahoo! in order to follow the regular season more closely in preparation for our larger bowl pick'em group. Two other guys joined. I don't know either - friends of friends of friends. No problem. The setup: Yahoo!'s default games each week, no point spread, no confidence points, just a running tally over the course of the season. I only picked three upsets this week - UCLA, East Carolina and Rice - and they all lost. I would have done better just to pick all favorites. How disappointing!

Family Adventures: Turning Eight

Today is my daughter's birthday. She, like her mother, is an early riser. We knew she would be anxious to open presents so we told her she could wake us anytime after 6. She made it to 6:45. After she opened the presents we told her we would do whatever she wanted for the day. Naturally, she wanted to stay home and enjoy her new loot, which meant hanging out in her room reading. It seemed a fitting end to what has been a quiet, rainy holiday weekend for us.

But I have stumbled upon what I believe may be the key for getting my family out of the house, even when we'd all just as soon laze around in our pajamas. My Wife suggested we go out for a birthday lunch, Our Girl's choice. On the way to the restaurant, My Wife pointed out the orchard where we'll be picking apples soon and the notices for upcoming church dinners. The message - intended or not - was pretty clear: if you really want to get us out, the promise of food is a powerful lure. It's like planning college study breaks all over again!
Image via superpages.com

Our Girl chose Joyce's Noodle House, our family standby for Chinese food. The main draw for her was the fortune cookies. It was a good choice for a special occasion, but too expensive as a regular weekend excursion. My ideal outing is one that costs us little to nothing and eating out isn't exactly economical. But if pastries and hot chocolate are what it takes to get us out of our lair in January, I say it's worth it. We agreed that lunch is probably the most cost-effective meal at a restaurant so I'll keep my eye out for the best place for an affordable Sunday lunch - something other than McDonald's (aka The Scottish Bistro), that is.

US Open Day 8: The Mosquito

Curtain Call

Player: Juan Carlos Ferrero
Age: 31
Nation: Spain
Current Ranking: 105
Notable Conquest: Gael Monfils (7th seed, France)
Today's Result: loss to Janko Tipsarevic (20th, Serbia) in four sets


Photo of a younger Ferrero via Tennis24Seven

How quickly the tennis world forgot about Ferrero. Eight years ago, he was en route to a US Open final and about to become the #1 player in the world. Then Federer happened. Then Nadal happened. Then there was a seemingly endless barrage of injuries. His days as a serious contender are a distant memory. Still, by most human measures, he has had a brilliant career: 16 career titles including the 2003 French Open, significant contributions to Spain's Davis Cup dominance and a none-too-shabby $13.5 million and counting in prize money. Now in the twilight of his career, he turned in his best Slam performance in two years by reaching the fourth round.