DAREDEVIL #1

Daredevil has been dark for a very long time. Is that apropos since the main character is blind? I suppose. Bendis, Brubaker, and Diggle's runs on the book were dark, mostly crime based. Diggle brought in demons and magic, but it was still gritty and violent. Writer Mark Waid is the new writer on the book and his stamp is to make it light, airy, and fun. So far it doesn't work...at all. It is a good idea to change a book. You can't have Daredevil brooding and covered in blood for decades, can you? One problem is that Matt Murdoch is a prosecutor and thus he'll always be involved in gangsters, crime, and violence. Can you really make him happy-go-lucky? Isn't that what Spider-Man is for? The art, by Paolo Rivera, is crisp and pretty and neat. It fits the new template, but it's also barren of feeling, emotion, or oomph. The plot has Daredevil fighting The Spot, a truly lame villain, and then eventually running into Captain America. Along the way he finds a new way to live life; he smiles, appreciates things more, and jokes around. It might be positive but it's certainly not fun. I already miss the darkness. *

THE RED WING #1

Writer Jonathan Hickman killed off The Human Torch in Fantastic Four. He also started a long-delayed S.H.I.E.L.D. series that was beautiful to look at but mostly terrible to read. With The Red Wing, Hickman gets back to a creator-owned series for Image. He's brought artist Nick Pitarra with him. The big problem is that so far this is mediocre. It has to do with guys that fly Star Wars-type fighter spaceships that can travel through time. Why? Well...who knows? Who cares? Since this is merely a 4-part mini-series, will we actually get any definitive answers? Hickman comes across as being a "smart" writer. He attempts to write about space and time as if his comic books carry weight and substance. For some reason, few things connect to form a full, engrossing narrative in almost anything he's done so far. The big reason Hickman may be "one to watch" as they say is that he's had great luck in having phenomenal artists draw his books. Steve Epting has done a terrific job on FF and Dustin Weaver did some glorious spreads for S.H.I.E.L.D. Pitarra draws characters in a loose, organic way, far from the boxy, muscled heroes of 90's lore. The Red Wing certainly looks good, but so far it hasn't gotten completely off the ground. **1/2 (out of ****)

FEAR ITSELF #4 + FLASHPOINT #3

I'm looking forward to Amazing Spider-Man's big "Spider Island" event this month because in the summer I like to read guilty-pleasure books. I don't want super-serious, I want dumb fun. It fits the mood, the lightness of summer, of peaceful tranquility, mindless beach days, and not wanting to think too hard when the temperature hits 96 degrees. This is the reason I enjoyed last summer's Daredevil epic, "Shadowland," which everyone loathed. Right now there are two big event books going on; "Fear Itself" for Marvel and "Flashpoint" for DC. Fear Itself is very serious (hell, Bucky Barnes died in #3). Flashpoint is a little more fun, although still a tad dark. Both books are entertaining and nothing special. Fear Itself #4 is a gorgeous book, though, thanks to pencils by Stuart Immonen, inks by Wade Von Grawbadger (is that a real name?), and colors by Laura Martin. The book is just a feast for the eyes. The story is semi-interesting, albeit the usual heroes-band-together-to-fight-a-big-evil that defines most comic book events. Flashpoint is a little different. It's basically the plot of Back to the Future II, if you remember that. In Flashpoint #3, Batman and Cyborg free Superman from an underground, government vault. The catch, in this parallel universe, is that Superman was captured when he landed on Earth and has been held captive ever since. Now he's free. Cue #4. The art by Andy Kubert in Flashpoint is great, though the writing by Geoff Johns isn't anything particular fresh or super-exciting. These two event books are entertaining but fall short of being shockingly great. Kind of like my summer. Fear Itself #4 *** Flashpoint #3 **1/2

SCALPED #50

Maybe Erik Larsen has me spoiled. If you read Savage Dragon then you know that when a big-number issue hits (i.e. #100, #150), you're in for a very large, very special, very shocking issue. It's a big-number issue, a milestone, why not make it a special book to celebrate all the years, the hard work? Lately, though, the big issues have been retrospective issues and all-together lame, often chucking the good, main artist for a bunch of fill-in artists. I'm thinking of Ultimate Spider-Man #150 and Superman #700, which were downright awful, but Scalped #50 plays into that as well. Scalped is a great book. The art by R.M. Guera helps. His stuff is dark, edgy, detailed, and off-kilter. It fits the bleak mood to a T. The dialogue, pacing, and plot by Jason Aaron are almost always top-notch. The main character might be the biggest anti-hero (and total asshole) you've ever met, but that doesn't mean you aren't rooting for him to save the day (and stay alive). The problem I've had with this book is that it's been treading water for way too long. The premise is that Dash is an undercover F.B.I. agent that has infiltrated the nefarious, criminal world of his Indian reservation that's led and ruled by Red Crow. Eventually Red Crow will find out that Dash is undercover and the shit will hit the fan. The problem is getting to that crucial juncture. There have been a ton of fill-in issues about other characters and issues not drawn by Guera that just haven't worked. #50 is no exception. It basically follows the "history" of scalping and leads into a bunch of splash pages by guest artists. For a big issue, this is a complete letdown. It's the big 5-0...do something that actually pushes the plot forward. Do something surprising, shocking. How many Vertigo titles even make it this far? Will this book just keep stalling for another fifty issues? Seriously, dude, wrap this fucker up. * (out of ****).