An interesting mix of comics up for review today, with people stuck in various places: an island (Green Arrow), a post-Apocalyptic waste (Wacky Raceland) or within their own grief, along with a cybernetic eye (Cave Carson Has A Cybernetic Eye).
Cave Carson Has A Cybernetic Eye 1
Written by Gerard Way and Jon Rivera
Art by Michael Avon Oeming
Here we have the third new book under Gerard Way’s YOUNG ANIMAL imprint at DC Comics that, much like Shade the Changing Girl, focuses on a mostly obscure character that I’m guessing casual comic book readers have never heard of. And that really works to Way’s and Rivera’s advantage, because they can really go anywhere with the story. And they decided to go way out there.
Cave Carson is, historically, an explorer who travels underground to discover what lies beneath the surface of the Earth. In the first issue of this new tale, we focus on Carson getting back on his feet after the death of his wife. His daughter is off to college and checking up on him and pushing him to get back to work. Things were never normal with this group, as Cave Carson’s Cybernetic Eye acts up right from page one and it continues throughout the story. We also get a number of guest appearances, including Dr. Will Magnus and his Metal Men and, on the final page, a very naked Wild Dog. It’s a big month for Wild Dog, as the character is also getting some play on the CW’s Arrow as a new Star City vigilante. We’ll have to wait until the second issue to see how Wild Dog plays into the story.
Carson calls on Wild Dog after he gets attacked by a creature at his home who seemed to be alleging that the company he works for was involved with some nasty business in Muldroog. And, of course, Carson had to kill the creature.
While the writing on CCHACE was great, the real standout here, of course, is the art of Michael Avon Oeming, who has become one of my favorites after his work on Powers. The art is clean and expressive and really beautiful. With Oeming’s art fueling this new Cave Carson adventure, I’m looking forward to seeing what comes next.
Green Arrow 9
Written by Benjamin Percy
Art by Stephen Byrne
I kind of miss small-scale stories about Oliver Queens fighting crime in Seattle or Star City or wherever else he decides to hang his hat. I really do think that a series of one-and-done stories about the Green Arrow at home would do wonders for the character.
This isn’t to say I’m not enjoying what Percy is doing with the character, because I think he gets Ollie – and I’m happy to have Black Canary at his side along with the CW creation Diggle. But these grand adventures that he’s been having, going back a few years now, just seem excessive for someone who is at his best when he’s dealing with street-level crime.
In the latest issue, Oliver, Dinah and Diggle are still stranded on Scar Island and trying to find a way off. Diggle has been captured by a scarred woman who tells Diggle about the work being done on the island for the Inferno while Oliver and Dinah encounter her husband. Things… do not go well and an entire island worth of opium and technology go up in flames, but the find a way back to Seattle… as long as they don’t get run over by a train.
I do enjoy Percy’s take on the character – and Stephen Byrne’s art is absolutely gorgeous – but I look forward to the end of the Inferno as Green Arrow’s big bad and a return to the smaller stories that fit the character better.
Wacky Raceland 5
Written by Ken Pontac
Art by Leonardo Manco
Nothing like having a bunch of reworked kids cartoon characters tripping on magic mushrooms in a wasteland, with their deepest memories starting to emerge and the origins of where we are now are coming to light. And most interestingly, the racers decide that they should challenge the mysterious Announcer who has been leading them around and telling them where to go since the book started.
They can still drag the identity of the announcer a few more issues, but this is an interesting twist in the road, and I’m looking forward to where it leads.