Saturday, March 19, 2011

Review - Twilight Guardian #3

Cover, Jeffrey Spokes
Let me start off by saying that you might be offended while reading this issue.  At first glance, I was.  There are no four letter words or sexist or racist remarks, but as a comic book reader, you or the books you read might be a target of Troy Hickman.

In this issue, TG has returned from her "adventure" to the comic book convention and picks up with her regular patrols.  She also receives advance pages of comics from a publisher that wants to use her as a model for a comic book character.  It's here that you might be offended.  Hickman pokes some fun at several styles of comics you can find on the shelves these days.  One skewers some of the high brow British writers with some steampunk thrown in for good measure while another jests with the ideas of big, cosmic, all-out battles.  These made me laugh.  Especially, the Brit comic, where TG has only suspenders covering her breasts.

The first sample pages she receives turn TG into a Punisher style hero complete with a pet monkey throwing bombs from a helicopter.  When I first read it, I thought, "This is awesome!"  Then I realized that Hickman was pointing out the idiocy of some of the comics I actually read.  Some of the references will be too old I think for some readers like the villain named Jart.  That may be one of the reasons for some of the poor reviews I've seen for TG #3.  Those reviewers may not be old enough to know what Hickman is referencing.

Before I get to the main story, let's talk about the art.  Sid Kotian's art is beautiful.  His abilitiy to jump from style to style between the comic book parodies and homages and the main story art is amazing.  I can't believe this guy is not working for Marvel or DC right now.  Bill Farmer's colors are fantastic as well.

Now back to the main story.  I mentioned in my review of TG #2 that I was afraid that the hints of actual danger would never materialize.  In TG #3 we learn that TG's "missing" ex-boyfriend is dating someone else.  Is he truly missing or just avoiding TG?  I still fear that there is no real danger except maybe TG as a danger to herself, though Hickman has diluted it a bit with the reveal on the last page of the book.  Now that I think I understand what this is all about, I'm starting to enjoy TG.  If you're not afraid of thinking a little beyond costumes and continuity, I suggest you pick it up.

5 comments:

  1. Ha! You worried me a bit with the way that started. Seriously, though, I love the same kind of comics I'm parodying there, but we've got to have a sense of humor about them (hey, they are "funnybooks"!). And yes, both Sid and Bill are absolutely fantastic; I'm the luckiest guy int he world. Anyway, glad you liked it, and I'll be interested to see what you think of next issue! Thanks very much!

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  2. Did you see the news that Adrianne Palicki is going to play Wonder Woman on the NBC pilot? What are your thoughts? Pics up on investcomics.com.

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  3. @Troy - I also forgot to mention that when TG says she has over 30000 comics, I could hear my wife's voice in my head saying, "Where are you going to put all of these comics?"

    @Vaughn - My first thought was Meh. The costume I think is terrible and it's hard to cast a role that was played by Lynda Carter. She's hot but is she Lynda Carter hot, we'll see.

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  4. I don't think it works either, just because the pants are blue and i don't ever remember blue pants anywhere, that's just me. But yeah she played this chick on the t.v. version of Friday Night Lights, one of my favorite shows ever. However in it she is a blonde, so it's hard to picture her hair any different color. We'll wait and see and it goes i suppose.

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  5. I know what you mean. I have 22,000 plus comics, and they take up most of my bedroom, and some of my closet.

    I don't care for the Wonder Woman costume either, but I think I'm more disappointed by the description of the plot.

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