Comic Book Review: Green Hornet #7

Literary & Artistic Credits

Writer: Kevin Smith

Breakdowns: Phil Hester

Pencils: Jonathan Lau

Colors: Ivan Nunes

Letters: Troy Peteri

My Awe-Inspiring Opinion

It looks like there are two rich, bratty kids who needs a good spanking!  Both Brit Reid and Hirohito Juuma are both out for revenge towards the other for actions perpetrated by the father.  It’s a hectic and intense storyline where all Hell breaks loose and the only thing for us to do is wait and see who strikes first!

It’s a story that’s been told over and over as the good guy has an evil doppelganger, and both of these characters want the other’s head on a platter.  It’s all very familiar; Superman’s evil counterpart, Green Hulk vs. Red Hulk, the JLA going head to head against the Crime Syndicate, the yellow and red kings of speed always running circles around the other, it’s hard not to find a superhero that doesn’t undergo the good and bad version of the same persona.  So the questions remains, can Kevin Smith make this utterly repetitive and overused plot device seem different and unique in comparison to all the other titles? 

Well…not so much…but that doesn’t mean it isn’t entertaining to read.

It’s always fun have the main character, the hero of the story, be put in his place by someone he views as his lesser half.  Both Kato senior and junior provide some wonderful humor when ripping into the new Green Hornet, even when Brit seems to be on top of his game. 

What makes this issue so entertaining is the artistic interpretation of Smith’s storyline.  Apart from the very out-of-proportion triumphant stance of Brit Reid on the second page, there’s so much going on visually that popped out for me so much that I can’t help but read page after page in complete awe.  How artistically intelligent it was to leave certain panels in the sketched out look with no application of color, giving the affect of intensity and tension so much more power and control over the emotional impact of the story.  Likewise, the Nunes shows how much the angelic white light can be used in a dark and manipulative sense as Brit blackmails Mr. Tiggiot with his militaristic ventures.

It’s obvious that Smith is trying to push Brit Reid forward into that intimidating stature.  The opening scene shows a very terrified and stunned group of criminals, and I was almost sold on the whole fear factor thing…that is until Reid let’s out a mood killing roar, letting everyone know he had beaten the bad guys and was ready to take on the entire mob, by saying…

“Kung-Fu Bitches!” 

Yeah, that was enough for me to conclude that this new superhero is really going to get under my nerves with his idiotic one liners and victorious verbal jargon.  It’s fun the first few times, but this could get really old, really fast!

My Majestically Climactic Conclusion

This issue was so much better than I thought.  Being someone who likes originality over rehashed plot lines, my expectations for this series are always lower than what actually comes out.  Take time out of your busy schedules to start reading this series if you haven’t.  Go back to issue one and work your way up to number seven, it will be well worth it.

Rating: 9.33 out of 10

Writing: 9

Art: 10

Themes: 9

Comic Book Review: Green Hornet #6

Book Information
Written by Kevin Smith
Breakdowns by Phil Hester
Pencils by Jonathan Lau
Colors by Ivan Nunes
Letters by Troy Peteri
Cover by Alex Ross

My Awe-Inspiring Opinion
What I really need to do is lend these first six issues of Kevin Smith’s Green Hornet to my mom and ask if it compares to the Green Hornet of her childhood. The Green Hornet was one of the many super heroes of my mother’s childhood that I seem to recall her enjoying more than the others. I want to know her opinion because it would blow my mind to hear that Smith’s new interpretation of the classic hero is not as good as the one she grew up with. Smith is blowing this title out of the water; sure it’s predictable, but boy is it fun!

Much like anyone who discovers something fantastic about themselves, our hero decides to embrace this “calling” and run with it. But much like a child who’s just found the keys to the candy store, Britt Reid also goes a little haywire in trying to create his own image of his father’s legacy. As he goes through costume after costume in a series of hilarious criminal interventions, one of which almost fails, Reid decides the best course of action is to keep it old school and sport the green jacket, black Dockers, and detective’s hat. It was a fun way to induct Young Mr. Reid into the Green Hornet persona, but it also allows readers to understand that Kevin Smith isn’t trying to change anything; he’s merely giving it a new character twist while staying true to the hero fans know and love.

Jonathan Lau, again, presents panel after panel perfection with vivid and lively art that emotes both character and livelihood. The wide range of emotions he is able to put into his characters faces is a skill I wish I could master to the level of Mr. Lau. And of course, this is all only enhanced by the great Ivan Nunes who has an uncanny ability to recall the classic “speed lines” style and enhance it to meet a more mature and diverse artistic audience.

And finally, let’s give a warm round of applause to the legendary Alex Ross who never ceases to amaze me in the amount of detail he puts into every piece of art work he does. The cover is not only one of the most artistic of the year so far, it’s clever as well. Keeping the hero in context of his character, Ross allows Mr. Reid the liberty of tipping his hat to us in this seductively sexy scene. While I’m not sure how it connects to the story within, it is definitely a site to see.

My Profoundly Climactic Conclusion
“Hey mom! Check this out? Does it compare?”

Ratings
Writing: 10
Themes: 10
Art: 10
Overall: 10 out of 10

Comic Book Review: Green Hornet #4

Book Information

Written by Kevin Smith

Penciled by Jonathan Lau

Colored by Ivan Nunes

Lettered by Troy Peteri

Cover by Alex Ross

My Awe-Inspiring Opinion

I have to admit, I had many preconceived notions about what this issue was going to contain, which mainly centered on Britt Reid taking up the Green Hornet mantle and embracing his father’s legacy.  You can imagine my disappointment when discovering that this issue focuses on the coping method Britt goes through when discovering his father’s secret.  This isn’t a bad thing in and of itself, I merely got ahead of myself and forgot to allow the story to unfold without putting any expectations on it.

The story splits off into two sections; the first being the realization that Britt Reid suffers through and discussing it with Kato senior and junior, and the other being a smack down between Kato Junior and Johnny Vaughn’s gang of henchmen.  It goes from being dramatically angst driven circus of emotions, then reverting to an all out brawl where the girl is kicking everyone’s ass!  Nothing new, but very exciting.

There does seem to be some pacing issues with Kevin Smith’s rejected film script.  Seeing as how this was intended for the big screen, some aspects aren’t going play out as well on the comic book pages.  I think most people would have expected Britt Reid to become the Green Hornet by the third issue, but he’s barely scratch the surface, only putting on the costume on the page of this month’s installment; and more than likely, Britt’s only doing it for the mere thrill of fighting bad guys.  I guess I’m not used to origin stories taking so long these days.  Kevin Smith is being patient and giving Britt Reid time to discover his roots and really embrace this inevitable calling, which is the appropriate way to tackle this character, even if I prefer a much more speedy approach.  It’s disappointing, but fits within the theme of the story.

Jonathan Lau can do no wrong!  I can’t begin to describe his attention to detail and how accurate he is.  Every punch, kick, jump, flip, twirl, and clanging metal from swords makes you feel like you’re in the action right along with Kato.  If there was an artist I could CHOOSE to be like, Lau would be it!

My Profoundly Climactic Conclusion

Smith is doing a fantastic job with his series; I just hope things pick up with #5.  Yes, many major events have occurred in the series thus far, but I want Britt to BE the Green Hornet NOW!

Ratings

Writing: 7

Themes: 7

Art: 10

Overall: 8 out of 10

Comic Book Reviews: Kato #1

Book Information

Written by Ande Parks

Art by Ale Garza & Diego Bernard

Colored by Leonardo-MLK & PC Siqueira

Lettered by Bill Tortolini

Cover by Joe Benitez

My Awe-Inspiring Opinion

Kevin Smith has sparked an interest in Dynamite to run with their Green Hornet franchise, establishing his rejected movie script in the comic book world and making it a part of the canonization in the Green Hornet legacy.  This 1^st issue brings us the beginnings of Kato’s daughter and briefly shows the tragic death of someone very close to Kato.

Green Hornet was a product of a much campier radio broadcasting era where popular broadcasts like the Shadow and Abbot and Costello were flooding the broadcast waves.  Dynamite is attempting to bring in a darker and more serious approach, as most comics do these days, to the Green Hornet.  This story draws upon the classic American martial arts films involving family tension and the death of someone close.  Parks’ story reminded me very much of the origin of Splinter, where an emotionally scared individual comes to take vengeance on a good man by way of killing his wife.  Kato’s daughter is no doubt the Splinter of this story who will eventually seek vengeance for her mother’s murder.  We’ll have to see what twists and turns Parks takes with Mulan.

The dialogue pulls on the elements of the past and aspects of the future.  Kato still pays homage to the meditative state of his youth, much to the dismay of his daughter who is just as connected to her cell phone and the materialistic foundations of a modern age.  Hirohito Juuma draws upon both, focus on his upbringing of honor within the martial arts but embraces the technological advances of today.  This is not anything new, but it does seem to be very appropriate for the story itself.

Garza and Bernard’s artistic approach is good while being over sexualized.  I realize that most comic book heroes and heroines are made to have that sexual appeal, but this takes it a tad too far.  I’m not speaking of the blatantly nude scene with implied sexual relations; I’m referring to the beautifully sculpted bodies on both the male and female side of things.  I can’t imagine living in a world where ugly people cease to exist.  Mulan’s own mother looks younger than her!

My Profoundly Climactic Conclusion

All in all, Kato #1 is a fun read.  Good writing and above average art.  However, I’m not sure I’ll be picking up Next months installment.

Ratings

Writing: 7.5

Themes: 8.5

Art: 6

Overall:7.33

Comic Book Review: Green Hornet #3

Book Information

Written by Kevin Smith

Art by Jonathon Lau

Lettered by Simon Bowland

Cover by Alex Ross

My All-Inspiring Opinion

Certain patterns are beginning to emerge within Smith’s Green Hornet storyline that are quite familiar and unoriginal.  How many superheroes have adopted the superhero persona due to violently loosing their father?  The superhero is nothing more than a victim of some terrible circumstance that spurns this need to right the wrongs and defend the defenseless, but they all seem to have the same origin story.  Having the original Kato in the mix doesn’t help the obvious and predictable nature of this book knowing, once you see him sitting at the bar, that he will be taking it upon himself to train the Green Hornet’s son and introducing him to his father’s secret legacy.  I understand Smith’s Silver Age intention behind the story, but even a predictable story needs to have something that shocks and alarms.

Most notably, Dynamite has been building up the “surprising death” that would happen in issue #3.  The possibilities were laid out there for us to pick and choose from.  Either Kato, his daughter, Green Hornet senior or junior would find themselves beaten, broken, and in a coffin under the ground.  We knew it wouldn’t be Britt’s son or Miss Kato since the whole story is based around them and their beginnings, which only leaves the judo master and the Original Green Hornet.  Based on the typical comic trends, a father would have to die to help push the son forward into avenging his death, only to be trained or guided by a wise, experienced individual who has a connection with both men.  The event might have been much more dramatic and surprising if Dynamite hadn’t of given everything away a few weeks prior to this issue actual publication date, but Dynamite ruined the surprise with their enormous build-up and marketing of this drastic event.

Apart from the predictable nature of the book, the story in and of itself is entertaining and fun to read.  Kato’s real-time training session was humorously tense and foreshadowed what Britt Reid junior’s future will be like.  In addition, Smith does create an interesting mystery behind the young Japanese woman we all know to be the daughter of Kato.  But what we don’t know is why she was at the Reid fundraiser to begin with and how she knew of the oncoming threat. 

Artistically this issue couldn’t have made me happier.  Despite the overabundance of speed lines, the 3-demensinal approach that Jonathon Lau is taking on this title is beautiful and poetic.  He creates such strong and dominate body structures that don’t go too far, nor are they lacking in anything anatomically.  And who can argue with that cover?  When Alex Ross dies, it is certainly going to hit the comic book industry harder than anything in history.

My Profoundly Climactic Conclusion

Issue #3 is fun and I think anyone following the series will enjoy it.  However, don’t expect anything mind blowing or “new.”  This was purely the “action sequence” chapter of Kevin Smith’s Green Hornet Movie script.

Ratings

Writing: 8

Themes: 4

Art: 10

Overall: 7.33

Comic News: Who Will Die In Green Hornet #3????

Kevin Smith is definitely keeping us thinking.  These photos came from comicbookresources.com.  I'm pretty darn excited to see whose going to kick the bucket!  I don't think you'll ever see me excited about someone dying, except for now!

Comic Book Review: Green Hornet #2

Book Information

Written by Kevin Smith

Art by Jonathan Lau

Plot

With escalating embarrassment that Britt Reid has to endure due to his son’s careless display of public indecency, he must now host a fund-raiser to boost the low economic status of his newspaper publishing company.  Emotions with Mr. Reid’s family are running high, so an attack on the party guests by a mysterious group of vigilantes was the last thing he needed.  Luckily, a subtly seductive and quiet Asian-American female was at the fund-raiser, who also seems to be a master of martial arts.  I wonder who it could be…

My Thoughts

I assumed that the high price of last month’s issue of the Green Hornet was due to it being the very first issue; apparently that isn’t the case with the 2^nd installment.  Despite the $4 price tag, I took the book off the rack at Haley’s Comics and wondered if my sanity had left me.  However, the writing, artwork, drama and comedic stature is worth the price of admission.

This issue delves into the relationship between father and son and approaches the old saying “the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree.”  The inevitable ending to this entire series is obviously moving towards that very thing, but it will take a few more issues for that to be realized.  What is established in this issue however is how the relationship between the two Reids, full of both resentment and care.  Britt Reid Jr., feels as if he constantly lives in the shadow of his father, which leads to his confused state of mind, which leads Britt in taking his anger out on his father; where as Reid Sr. waits for the day when he and his son can have an enjoyable time together that doesn’t become a shouting match.  Reid Jr. goes into some further character development as he defends his father’s honor at the fund raising party.  Seeing as how this Kevin Smith branded script was intended for the big screen anyway, there is a lot of time spent on the characters rather than the action and adventure, but it doesn’t linger on unnecessary dialogue and plot development.

The second half of the book is a little less hefty on conversations between characters and focuses its efforts on kicking, jumping, punching and throwing, which is great!  Kevin Smith got all the story driven aspects out of the way and now takes advantage of his hot new Asian woman knocking out assassins without breaking a sweat…all in high heels nonetheless.  Jonathan Lau takes it a step further with the artistic approach from issue #1, showing off his ability to create incredible action sequences and stunning visuals.  The trails of air and dust from Kato’s cat-like body was a nice added touch, giving the affect of movement at a fast pace and keeping the momentum going.  Along with that, the chaotic moments where people are crashing through glass, breaking helmets, and pummeling through the floor from being thrown downward was amazingly impressive.

This new Kato (We aren’t dummies, we know it’s Kato’s daughter.) seems to be even more kick ass than her father.  I of course am not as familiar with the Green Hornet from my parent’s days, but from what I’ve heard, the Kato of Kevin Smith’s world could probably give her father a run for his money.  I was equally impressed by the moment of nostalgia when Brit Reid Sr. recognized the hornet darts that came from the throwing hands of the mysterious female, as the entire panel went to a green tint.

The attention to those details is truly an inspirational aspect to the book and I can’t wait to see what is in store for us in issue #3.  I hear there will be a significant death huh?

Overall

I am a huge fan of nostalgic storylines that are based in the classic and pulp-like days of old.  In the tradition of characters like The Spirit, The Phantom Stranger, and The Phantom, The Green Hornet displays a lot of potential at being one of the best “underdog” comic book events of the year.  Even with the predictable plot line, the story is exceptionally well written and the art is just as good.  Kevin Smith, Jonathan Lau, you are incredible!

Rating: 9 out of 10 stars

Next Issue

In comic books, it's hard to say that anyone ever truly dies; not sidekicks, not arch-nemeses, and not potentially profitable screenplays with high-profile creative reinterpretations. But in the third issue of Kevin Smith's upcoming "Green Hornet" comic, Dynamite Entertainment has announced that one main character will "die forever": The original Green Hornet, Britt Reid, his son Britt Jr., the original Kato, or his daughter, the current Kato.

Comic Book Review: The Green Hornet #1

Book Information

Written by Kevin Smith

Art by Jonathan Lau

Plot

After many years of crime fighting, the Hornet decides to hang it up and focus more on his wife and son.  With his last adventure into the night under his belt, his wife implores him to never speak of his life as a masked vigilante to their son.  Years pass by and the son of the Green Hornet lives like a bum, mooching off of the millions of dollars which he constantly receives from his father.  Now, things have made a turn for the worse, and the Green hornet may have to take drastic measures to straighten up his only son.

My Thoughts

As the Green Hornet film failed to make the pre-production stages, Smith has taken matters into his own hands and brought his movie screen play to the comic book arena.  This issue was a great start to ten issue mini series and holds a lot of potential for the rest of the year.

This book has the feeling of a movie written all over it.  Its structure has that typical superhero story to it in addition to that Kevin Smith touch.  It starts out with a night on the town patrolling streets in the Hornet’s deluxe automobile along with his driver/butler/sidekick Kato.  He finds the last of the crime families and puts them into cuffs.  Not having grown up reading the Hornet, this was a refreshing surprise.  The stories my mother has told me about her experience reading the Green Hornet did not prepare me for what I experienced.  The funny dialogue and random one liners spouting off of the Hornet’s tongue was hilarious and clever at the same time. 

One literary aspect of Kevin Smith that I find to be his greatest asset is his ability to write emotionally dark dialogue between characters.  The conversation Hornet has with his wife as she speaks her disapproval of her husbands masked avenger life style is both loving and hurtful.  She loves her husband, yet is on the verge of hating him for his five year quest as a super hero.  Even knowing that she stuck a gun into his back as a playful and flirtatious gesture, I can’t help but wonder if, deep down inside, she wants to shoot her husband.  Honestly, she loves and is devoted to Brit, yet she most likely is denied the pleasures and satisfactions more often than not of being married due to her husbands desire to fight crime.  It’s a creative and emotional approach to the story.

Mr. Lau’s art is definitely not something to skim over.  I found myself googling the panels of every page for a few minutes each, which meant it took me almost an hour to read through the whole book.  I have never heard of this artist, but I certainly wish he was hired by DC.  The layout is very classical and staccato, staying true to the comic book stylization and nostalgia of the days of the Green Hornet, while adding that modern touch.

Overall

A great book, one of the better ones for March.  Kevin Smith has been producing a lot of good stuff these last few months and I hope his Green Hornet is a successful endeavor for him.

Rating: 9 out of 10 stars

Next Issue Coming April, 2010

Comic News: Kevin Smith's "Green Hornet" Comic and Flim

Kevin Smith's newest creative stride is going to hit comic book stores very soon.  As to when, I'm not sure.  But I might have to stray away from my loyalty to DC for this 10 issue mini series.  I like what Kevin Smith does over all, and this should be a fun mini series to read in preparation for the movie.  Here's what Kevin Smith says about his upcoming project...

"It’s not a straight-up adaptation of the Green Hornet movie script I wrote some years back, it’s definitely gonna take its cues from that script - just as that script took its cues from all the source material available (radio, TV, comics). So this is about as close as I’ll get to making that Green Hornet flick I walked away from directing all those years ago."


Here are some of the covers that will be coming out for the first issue.  And I must say, John Cassaday is amazing....