Comics Briefly: Avengers Academy #11, Darkwing Duck #10, Ruse #1

Favorite Book This Week: Avengers Academy #11

All books were new in stores on 3/16/11

Avengers Academy #11
Writer: Christos Gage, Penciler: Tom Raney
Inker: Scott Hanna, Colorist: Jeromy Cox

A good issue, with a few awkward art moments. There was one sequence in which I couldn't understand what was happening now and what was flashback, and a splash page where the perspective was fairly strange, but other than that and some weird faces here and there, the art on this title is better than it's been. It says a lot about how intriguing the characters and the writing is that I put up with the spotty art. There were some really good moments for Veil in this issue, and while I don't have the Marvel background to appreciate the villain they were bringing back, the information didn't feel overwhelming. I really liked the crazy space-lady that most of the issue centered on. It had a very fun hook for the next issue, and I'll look forward to it.

“I knew this would happen. You hang out with the Avengers, sooner of later some cosmic wack job shows up wanting to kill everybody.”


Darkwing Duck #10
Writer: Ian Brill, Artist: James Silvani
Colorist: Lisa Moore

A solid, if unexceptional, issue. The best part was a four page sequence focusing on LaunchPad and Morgana. The main plot with Darkwing and Steelbeak is fun too, but there's a slight feel of 'putting the pieces in place' – setting up for the next bit. Now, it's still a great issue. Lots of fun, some well-placed puns, new characters, old characters... It's just not no-holds-barred amazing, and that's what I've started to expect from this book.

“This is like looking for a needle in a pile of old, boring needles.”


Ruse #1
Writer: Mark Waid, Artist: Mirco Pierfederici

CrossGen! I remember CrossGen. Ruse is about the only CrossGen title I was interested in, so I'm amused that Marvel is bringing it back for this miniseries. It's a Victorian detective story set in a semi-magical alternate world. This was a pretty fun issue, and the banter was very strong. Ruse is about a Holmes-ish detective, Simon Archard, with the series mostly focused on his assistant, Emma Bishop. Although I enjoyed this issue, after the first section, I found Emma all talk and little action. I hope that balances out with some good moments for her in the next issue. Simon is a clever, pompous ass, and she needs to have more than wit to balance him.

“Why do we trust newspapermen with facts? It's like giving gunpowder to infants.”