Review- WINTER SOLDIER VOL. 4: THE ELECTRIC GHOST

WINTER SOLDIER VOL. 4: THE ELECTRIC GHOST (Marvel, 2013; Softcover)

Collects Winter Soldier Nos. 15-19 (cover dates April- August, 2013)

Writer: Jason Latour

Artist and Colorist: Nic Klein

Poor Jason Latour. Having to follow a writer as beloved as Ed Brubaker on a title where Brubaker redefined a character is such a daunting task that I can only imagine him having many sleepless nights cooking stuff up. I can honestly say that this title didn't miss a beat. I enjoyed these issues almost as much as Brubaker's. Most fans bolted, resulting in this series being put on ice, which is a shame because this is some good stuff.

I was also unfamiliar with Nic Klein's work, but a quick search revealed that he has been making the rounds for years. He does some quality stuff here, and I am pleased enough with it that I am going to pick up another book that he did, Dancer. 

Bucky/The Winter Soldier confronts another ghost from his past, this one calling herself the Electric Ghost. This is as hard-edged and brutal as we've come to expect from the title. It's a shame that it's been cancelled, as the whole “Bucky's shrouded past” thing seems like fertile ground for lots of cool stories. Maybe he'll get another shot at a title with the second Captain America coming out next summer.

Junk Food For Thought rating: 4.25 out of 5.

The OCD zone- Between the ever-so-slight decontenting of the cardstock cover and the slightly thinner paper, this book feels thin. I suspect that as we march ever onward to all digital comics, these books will become more and more cheaply made until no one will want physical books, at which point I will quit this hobby and use my money to buy a Corvette.

DVD-style Extras included in this book: The variant covers are inserted after the issue, with the average consumer edition cover being the chapter marker spot. Listed below are the covers included after each issue:

#15 variant by Nic Klein

#16 variant by Mike Deodato & Morry Hollowell

#17 variant by Chris Brunner & Rico Renzi

#18 variant by Dave Johnson

#19 variant by Jason Latour

Soldiering On page from issue 17, included as an Afterword.

Paper rating: 4.25 out of 5. The coated stock paper is decent but not great.

Binding rating: 4 out of 5. Typical glued binding. The book is thin enough that it lays pretty flat, like a fat comic book.

Cardstock cover coating rating: 4.5 out of 5. The lamination on the card stock cover is thinner and feels ever so slightly cheaper than what Marvel has been using.

Buy WINTER SOLDIER VOL. 4: THE ELECTRIC GHOST TP at InStockTrades!

Review- WINTER SOLDIER VOL. 3: BLACK WIDOW HUNT

WINTER SOLDIER VOL. 3: BLACK WIDOW HUNT (Marvel, 2013; Softcover)

Collects Winter Soldier Nos. 10-14 (cover dates November, 2012- March, 2013)

Writer: Ed Brubaker

Artists: Butch Guice and Brian Thies (inker, 11-14)

Colorists: Bettie Breitweiser (10-12, 14) and Jordie Bellaire (13 and 14)

So this is it...Ed Brubaker's final work for Marvel (for now). It's a damn shame that things couldn't be worked out schedule wise, because I would love to see more of the adventures of Bucky written by him. Brubaker has made Bucky more interesting than Captain America himself, as his conditioning and sordid past have left a trail of corpses and skeletons in the closet ripe with possibilities.

Leo Novokov is the final sleeper agent, and he has kidnapped and brainwashed the Black Widow to use as bait in his revenge on the Winter Soldier. Bucky acts irrationally and it takes Captain America, Wolverine, and Hawkeye to help set things right...or as right as they are going to be. I'll say no more. 

Butch Guice's artwork has improved over the years, and he was great before. I have been a fan of his since I discovered him on Micronauts: The New Voyages nearly 30 years ago. He has gone by Jackson Guice, Jackson “Butch” Guice, and here, back to Butch Guice. His artwork here is reminiscent of Neal Adams, photo realistic and bursting with energy.

I have decided to start listing colorists as part of the creative team in my reviews of modern comic books. Computer coloring is so sophisticated, and these guys and gals do so much more with the artwork these days than just color in the shapes. It is really an artform, as essential as the inker to the look and feel of the material, and as such is deserving of a mention.

Vol. 4 has just been solicited this week for an August release, and this will mark the end of the series. It is being relaunched as part of the whole Marvel Now thing. I will give the new creative team a shot with this next book. They certainly have their work cut out for them.

Junk Food For Thought rating: 5 out of 5.

The OCD zone- Standard fare Marvel trade paperback.

Paper rating: 5 out of 5. This has a nice thick coated stock paper, a definite improvement over some of the thinner stock that we've been getting lately.

Binding rating: 4 out of 5. Glued binding. Nothing to see here.

Cardstock cover coating rating: 5 out of 5. Broken record time. I love the thick, lamination found on Marvel's cardstock covers. It is highly durable and real purty to boot.

Buy WINTER SOLDIER VOL. 3: BLACK WIDOW HUNT TP at InStockTrades!

Review- WINTER SOLDIER VOL. 2: BROKEN ARROW

WINTER SOLDIER VOL. 2: BROKEN ARROW (Marvel, 2012; Softcover)

Collects Winter Soldier Nos. 6-9 (cover dates August- October, 2012)

Writer: Ed Brubaker

Artist: Michael Lark

What a cliffhanger! Times like these almost make me wish that I were a monthly comic buyer, as I am dying to know what happens next after this short and sweet book ended. I almost wish that Marvel had waited and issued a thicker trade with more of a resolution to the storyline.

Michael Lark's artwork is great, and I will one day read his and Brubaker's collaboration on Daredevil (I have all three Ultimate Collection TPBs in queue). This book moves at a brisk clip, and Lark's artwork has a sort of kinetic energy to it. 

The third sleeper agent woke to a world where he no longer belonged. He manages to turn the Black Widow into his catspaw. I guess that the Black Widow uses the same formula that Nick Fury does that keeps her from aging. This is a problem for Marvel, as some of their characters are tied into specific points in history. The longer these characters last, the more outlandish the concept that they have to come up with in order to keep the character at a certain age. Suspension of disbelief and all that jazz, right? This is a thrill a minute in high adventure, folks. If this doesn't rock your socks off then nothing will.

Junk Food For Thought rating: 5 out of 5.

The OCD zone- Standard fare Marvel trade paperback.

Paper rating: 5 out of 5. This has a superb coated stock, not too thick, not too thin...let's call it Goldilocks weight. Just right.

Binding rating: 4 out of 5. Glued binding. Nothing to see here. Move along.

Cardstock cover coating rating: 5 out of 5. The same high quality, thick laminated cardstock that Marvel uses on all of their trade paperbacks.

Follow my blog on Facebook.

Join my Facebook group, DC Collected Editions Fans Who Want Sewn Binding and Books That Lay Flat, a watchdog organization dedicated to top notch production values in DC's collected editions.

Review- WINTER SOLDIER VOL. 1: THE LONGEST WINTER

WINTER SOLDIER VOL. 1: THE LONGEST WINTER (Marvel, 2012; Softcover)

Collects Fear Itself : Captain America No. 7.1 and Winter Soldier Nos. 1-5 (cover dates January-July, 2012)

Writer: Ed Brubaker

Artist: Jackson Guice

I didn't follow the Fear Itself crossover, so I'll have to judge this book based solely on the events that occur between its covers and not how it fits in, or doesn't fit in, with everything else going on in the Marvel Universe at the moment. This is pretty easy to follow if you know who Captain America, Nick Fury, the Black Widow, and the Avengers are.

I loved seeing the Red Ghost and his Super Apes, even if they didn't throw down with Bucky (a/k/a the Winter Soldier) as much as I would have hoped. There are tons of great action sequences throughout the book.

Jackson Guice's artwork is great. His art is like fine wine, as it has improved tremendously with age. I have loved his work since he did Micronauts: The New Voyages, a series that needs to be collected. Since Disney owns Marvel, they should use their money and muscle to buy everything in their path until they acquire the Micronauts. The world needs Micronauts hardcovers.

The coloring is incredibly tasteful throughout the book as well. Modern computer coloring is breathtaking when done correctly. Props to Bettie Breitweiser for showing skill and taste. So yes, all is well and rosy with this series. And yes, who is the third sleeper agent? I have to read Volume 2 stat!

Junk Food For Thought rating: 5 out of 5.

The OCD zone- Standard Marvel trade paperback.

Paper rating: 5 out of 5. This has decent weight coated stock paper with a slight sheen to it.

Binding rating: 4 out of 5. Glued binding. Nothing to see here.

Cardstock cover coating rating: 5 out of 5. The usual laminated cardstock cover found on all Marvel trade paperbacks. It is highly durable and makes me happy.

Follow my blog on Facebook.

Join my Facebook group, DC Collected Editions Fans Who Want Sewn Binding and Books That Lay Flat, a watchdog organization dedicated to top notch production values in DC's collected editions.