Tag Archives: Scott Kolins

DC Universe: Legacies 10 (April 2011)

Posted on 9 April 2011 | Leave a comment

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The story ends before Infinite Crisis, with an OMAC showing up and attacking the narrator. The narrator’s nurse at the assisted living place ends the issue suggesting he’s full of crap, which ends Legacies on a decidedly negative note. Not because the reader would believe he’s a loon, but because it’s such a mundane thing, being elderly and dismissed. It’s a defeat. What’s the point of getting all excited about the superheroes if the elderly are being dismissed in the DC Universe? What, is Superman going to deal with nuclear proliferation next?

Saiz only handles a handful of pages then Derenick takes over. It must be at that point DC finally stopped pretending they cared about Legacies being a professional job. Derenick’s expressions get hilarious at times.

The backup is an Infinite Crisis prologue with Blue Beetle. Nice Frank art, I guess, but totally useless.

Kind of like the series.

CREDITS

Truth and Consequences!; pencillers, Scott Kolins, Jesus Saiz and Tom Derenick; inkers, Kolins, Karl Story and Robin Riggs; colorists, Mike Atiyeh and Tom Chu. Snapshot: Redemption!; penciller, Gary Frank; inker, Jon Sibal; colorist, Brad Anderson. Writer, Len Wein; letterer, Rob Leigh; editors, Kate Stewart, Chris Conroy and Joey Cavalieri; publisher, DC Comics.

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DC Universe: Legacies 9 (March 2011)

Posted on 9 April 2011 | Leave a comment

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Do the editors do anything here? They’ve got a black Firestorm during the Day of Judgment scenes… about six years too early.

Wein also covers Final Night; the two are connected, but he doesn’t do a very good job of making them flow together. This issue features some of his worst writing in a while. The dialogue just gets terrible and the events he’s showing… he’s just summarizing crossovers. At least the first few issues, they were aping Marvels. Now they’re just wasting paper and ink.

The Jesus Saiz art, tragically, is weak. I like Saiz and I’m not sure if it’s Story’s inks or if he’s just started working less lately… but some of his faces are really lazy.

The Captain Marvel backup—with Sienkiewicz art—is beautiful. It’s also the most convoluted thing I can remember reading. The narration boxes don’t follow any logic, making it a chore.

CREDITS

Knight After Night!; pencillers, Scott Kolins and Jesus Saiz; inkers, Kolins and Karl Story; colorists, Mike Atiyeh, Marta Martinez and Tom Chu. Snapshot: Resurrection; artist, Bill Sienkiewicz; colorist, Daniel Vozzo. Writer, Len Wein; letterer, Rob Leigh; editors, Rachel Gluckstern, Simona Martore, Chris Conroy, Joey Cavalieri and Mike Carlin; publisher, DC Comics.

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DC Universe: Legacies 8 (February 2011)

Posted on 9 April 2011 | Leave a comment

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So, if Wein knew he had to cover the whole Green Lantern goes nuts thing, why is an earthling the best narrator for the series? In fact, the earthbound narrator is now the worst possible choice in a variety of ways.

It isn’t enough he wouldn’t know about the Oa stuff or Parallax (oh, Ron Marx created Parallax… things make so much more sense now), the narrator’s also blond. So the colorist is adding these hints of grey at his temples to show his aging. Because, given the series should now be taking place only a few years ago in DC Universe time… the narrator would be in his mid-seventies. His daughter’s age is even more inexplicable.

The issue also shows stupid nineties costume design should be forgotten, not repeated.

The backup—it’s the New Gods finally—is terribly written and makes no sense. Quitely’s efforts appear disinterested too.

CREDITS

Parallel Lives!; pencillers, Scott Kolins and Dan Jurgens; inkers, Kolins and Jerry Ordway; colorists, Mike Atiyeh and Hi-Fi. Snapshot: Revelation!; artist, Frank Quitely; colorist, Peter Doherty. Writer, Len Wein; letterer, Rob Leigh; editors, Rachel Gluckstern, Simona Martore and Mike Carlin; publisher, DC Comics.

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DC Universe: Legacies 7 (January 2011)

Posted on 9 April 2011 | Leave a comment

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It’s difficult to describe what Jerry Ordway inking Dan Jurgens looks like—Ordway definitely brings his sensibilities to it, but there’s the Jurgens underneath. Unfortunately, neither artist is in his best time, so the result is somewhat less than either on their own (in their prime). It’s like plastic-coated Jurgens and the last thing he needs is plastic-coating.

Wein skips over Millennium and some other crossovers and goes straight to Bane and Doomsday. Now, I never read the Batman storyline, but it seems goofy here. Especially with Bane running away in a mall. Not the most dynamic setting for a fight.

As for the Doomsday stuff… I haven’t read that issue since it came out, it seems like a reprinting. Boring. Lame melodramatics with the narrator too.

The backup, however, with Bolland art, is utterly charming. The Atom goes back to Camelot for a couple minutes. It’s wonderful.

CREDITS

Doomsday!; pencillers, Scott Kolins and Dan Jurgens; inkers, Kolins and Jerry Ordway; colorists, Mike Atiyeh and Hi-Fi. Snapshot: Reunion!; artist, Brian Bolland; colorist, Allen Passalaqua. Writer, Len Wein; letterer, Rob Leigh; editors, Rachel Gluckstern, Simona Martore and Mike Carlin; publisher, DC Comics.

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DC Universe: Legacies 6 (December 2010)

Posted on 9 April 2011 | Leave a comment

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Perez inking Ordway produces a good result and, even though Wein’s writing has weakened again, the issue is moderately successful. Wein’s basically recapping post-Crisis big events here—mostly Legends and the reforming of the Justice League. As far as a summary, it works pretty well—though I think they’re leaving out Millennium or whatever.

But the narrator again takes center and his story gets even lamer. First, his reformed crook brother-in-law is crippled, making the pair very annoying as they form this homoerotic codependency. Second, the timeline is all messed up again. The character looks like he’s in his mid-thirties, but if he was born in the 1920s… he should be in his sixties.

The backup, with Giffen and Milgrom on the art, is a Legion thing. The writing’s lame and Giffen draws teenage Superboy like he’s fifty. Maybe Giffen should be drawing the series protagonist.

CREDITS

Aftermath!; pencillers, Scott Kolins and Jerry Ordway; inkers, Kolins and George Perez; colorists, Mike Atiyeh and Allen Passalaqua. Snapshot: Revision!; penciller, Keith Giffen; inker, Al Milgrom; colorist, Hi-Fi. Writer, Len Wein; letterer, Rob Leigh; editors, Rachel Gluckstern, Simona Martore and Mike Carlin; publisher, DC Comics.

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DC Universe: Legacies 5 (November 2010)

Posted on 7 April 2011 | Leave a comment

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This one’s Crisis issue and easily the best writing Wein has done on the series. It’s hard to decide why it’s his best though. My first thought was because this period—late seventies to mid-eighties—is when Wein was writing comics and he’s able to work well in that period. My next thought had to do with his stupid narrator and his convict brother-in-law. This time, Wein gets it taken care of in the first few pages, so there’s no waiting for it to rear its ugly head.

But maybe it’s even more simple—the majority of the issue is a “new” Crisis sequence. Lots of disaster, lots of superheroes, George Perez drawing. It just works.

The backup, with Simonson art, is some nonsensical space hero team-up thing, but Simonson, even as disinterested as he appears, does a fine job.

Easily the best issue so far.

CREDITS

Crisis!; pencillers, Scott Kolins and George Perez; inkers, Kolins and Scott Koblish; colorists, Mike Atiyeh and Allen Passalaqua; letterer, Rob Leigh. Snapshot: Resistance!; artist, Walt Simonson; colorist, Passalaqua; letterer, John Workman. Writer, Len Wein; editors, Rachel Gluckstern, Simona Martore and Mike Carlin; publisher, DC Comics.

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DC Universe: Legacies 4 (October 2010)

Posted on 6 April 2011 | Leave a comment

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I’m now incredibly confused. The backup, illustrated by Kubert, all about the DC WWII heroes reuniting on the Bicentennial is this lovely little piece. I mean, Wein’s dialogue is still really weak and I’m sad Alfred didn’t get jiggy with Mlle. Marie in current continuity like he did before… but it’s lovely. It’s the closest Legacies has gotten to being what it ought to be….

And the preceding feature is the same crap as usual. What Gibbons do to Garcia-Lopez’s pencils to make Superman look bad? Garcia-Lopez has only drawn Superman in hundreds of comic books and Gibbons just… yuck.

There are timeline problems again (it seems to take place in the late sixties to mid-seventies, which isn’t right), bad narration, bad dialogue and the stupid criminal brother-in-law showing up.

The only good moment’s when Black Canary I gets flirty with Superman.

Otherwise, it’s lame.

CREDITS

The Next Generation!; pencillers, Scott Kolins and Jose Luis Garcia-Lopez; inkers, Kolins and Dave Gibbons; colorists, Mike Atiyeh and Trish Mulvihill; letterer, Rob Leigh. Snapshot: Remembrance!; artist, Joe Kubert; colorists, Kubert and Pete Carlsson; letterer, Carlsson. Writer, Len Wein; editors, Rachel Gluckstern, Simona Martore and Mike Carlin; publisher, DC Comics.

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DC Universe: Legacies 3 (September 2010)

Posted on 6 April 2011 | 1 Comment

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Does anyone proofread these? I mean, does Mike Carlin do anything as an editor or just sit around in an office? This issue of Legacies sets the start of the modern superhero—regardless if they want to call it the Silver Age, it’s Superman and Batman—in the mid-sixties or, at latest, late-sixties. It also totally ignores racism in the United States. Apparently Wein and DC think their readers are so out of it, this time lapse isn’t going to be noticeable.

Now, if the series were out of continuity, it would be one thing (of course, didn’t John Byrne already do something called Generations along those lines), but it appears to be a retelling of the DC Universe. Only a really poorly thought-out one.

Garcia-Lopez is good, but I was expecting more. Gibbons’s inks on him just didn’t work.

Same lame Wein dialogue as usual.

CREDITS

Powers and Abilities!; pencillers, Scott Kolins and Jose Luis Garcia-Lopez; inkers, Kolins and Dave Gibbons; colorists, Mike Atiyeh and Trish Mulvihill. Snapshot: Resurgence!; artist, Gibbons; colorist, Hi-Fi. Writer, Len Wein; letterer, Rob Leigh; editors, Rachel Gluckstern, Simona Martore and Mike Carlin; publisher, DC Comics.

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DC Universe: Legacies 2 (August 2010)

Posted on 6 April 2011 | Leave a comment

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I didn’t mention this part of the last issue because I was hoping Wein wasn’t going to use it as a plot device, because it’d be stupid. Silly me, apparently he’s going to use it. The narrator has a friend who goes bad. It appears he’s going to show up every issue as a thug, to show how regular people can either be good or bad. It’s awful. Worse, the narrator marries his sister.

Again, it’s Marvels-lite.

Also again… great artwork from the Kuberts. There’s a lot more superhero action this issue and they handle it all very well. In fact, this issue works better, because they’re more suited to Hawkman and Green Lantern than the pulpy heroes last issue.

The Newsboy Legion cameo’s great here, maybe Wein’s best writing on the series so far. The narration’s still bad though.

The Williams illustrated backup is lovely looking, but stupid.

CREDITS

The Golden Age!; pencillers, Scott Kolins and Andy Kubert; inkers, Kolins and Joe Kubert; colorists, Mike Atiyeh and Brad Anderson. Snapshot: Reaction!; artist, J.H. Williams III; colorist, Dave Stewart. Writer, Len Wein; letterer, Rob Leigh; editors, Rachel Gluckstern, Simona Martore and Mike Carlin; publisher, DC Comics.

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DC Universe: Legacies 1 (July 2010)

Posted on 6 April 2011 | 1 Comment

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Near as I can tell—down to the old man narrator—Legacies is just DC’s attempt at doing Marvels, only without such a cool name. Scott Kolins does the opening frame, the nice old man with his superhero memorabilia and so on, then they flashback to the thirties and Suicide Slum.

The draw of the issue is the art from the Kuberts. It has a great feel of the era. Len Wein’s narration is atrocious. I mean, it really is like reading Marvels-lite. Or the Marvels sequel, come to think of it. I can’t believe DC did such a weak imitation fifteen years later….

Anyway, the Kuberts beautifully handle the poverty of Suicide Slum, juxtaposing it with the early superheroes. Any art issues are because they’re illustrating a contrived script.

The backup—though Jones’s art is beautiful—is even worse. Wein seems to lose his place in the dialogue.

CREDITS

In the Beginning…; pencillers, Scott Kolins and Andy Kubert; inkers, Kolins and Joe Kubert; colorists, Mike Atiyeh and Brad Anderson. Snapshot: Reflection!; artist, J.G. Jones; colorist, Alex Sinclair. Writer, Len Wein; letterer, Rob Leigh; editors, Rachel Gluckstern, Simona Martore and Mike Carlin; publisher, DC Comics.

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Dark Horse Presents 119 (March 1997)

Posted on 22 January 2011 | Leave a comment

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I’m not sure what Nixey’s Trout is about or if it’s going to be about the events of this installment (in some fantasy land, an elf brings a living nightmare back from his sleep… or something along those lines). Since the writing’s so tied to the confusing plot, it’s mostly about Nixey’s art. He combines a fantasy setting with some disturbing ideas (more than imagery) and creates something quite nice.

Dorkin’s Hectic Planet is about a girl’s mysterious new boyfriend. Some good art, totally fine writing… it’s like “Friends” for nineties hipsters.

Adams’s Monkeyman and O’Brien this time features a giant monster (who’s more detailed than anything else, art-wise) and absolutely no excitement, of course. His script’s plotting is exceptionally anticlimactic from the start.

Finally, Predator from Barr and Kolins. Kolins’s work is very rough here (weak perspective). It’s a pointless story, just Presents giving a licensed property pages.

CREDITS

Trout, Nicky Nicky Nine Doors, Part One; story and art by Troy Nixey. Hectic Planet, Part Two, Shot on Goal; story and art by Evan Dorkin. Monkeyman & O’Brien, Gorehemoth – The Garbage Heap That Walks Like A Man, Part Two; story and art by Art Adams; lettering by Lois Buhalis. Predator, No Beast So Fierce…; story by Mike W. Barr; pencils by Scott Kolins; inks by Dan Schaefer; lettering by Sean Konot. Edited by Bob Schreck and Jamie S. Rich.

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