Posted by AxlRotten on February 11, 2006, 7:36 pm
70.121.107.146

Nick Fury’s Howling Commandos #4 Assault on Area 13 Featuring Nina Price, Lilith, Son of Satan, and more! Keith Giffen – Writer Derec Aucoin – Artist At S.H.I.E.L.D.’s Area 13, Agent Quartermain has his hands full. The creature Goom is loose and beating up on all his agents, at least the human ones. It’s Gorilla Man to the rescue and a bang-up job he does. He even gets to do a shout out providing a nice “Wah-hooo!” Elsewhere, Merlin has overtaken England and two Howling Commandos are “misplaced” behind enemy lines: Nina Price, Vampire by Night; and Lilith, the daughter of Dracula. Damian Hellstrom, the Son of Satan, is on hand negotiating terms for the Lords of Living Lightning. Not sure why, but I’m glad he’s here. Although, why does he have a cell phone. Wassup with that? Nina gets herself captured and Merlin learns of the Howling Commandos and Area 13. Merlin wastes no time and sends an assault team. The Commandos are ready for them: Warwolf, Frankenstein’s Monster, the Living Mummy, Gorilla Man and, a personal favorite, Brother Voodoo. Wah-hooo! First things first, the art is GREATLY improved over the first two issues. Thank you, thank you, thank you. Aucoin gives us our supernatural super dudes in typical superhero fashion. Not too much atmosphere or suspense here folks, it’s all for fun. Gorilla Man gets the best representation out of the bunch. Nina and Lilith are in character and are the series strength. It’s good to see the classic Son of Satan back, too. Brother Voodoo is on hand wearing yet another get up than the two he’s shown wearing in the recent Black Panter and it’s an odd one. Not sure I follow the intention of his new hair-do, but whatever. The story is not as good as it should be but not as bad as it’s rap. Giffen is throwing too much in the mix. While I love a good monster mash, I would have enjoyed a little more restraint and stronger characterization to pull me in. Merlin isn’t as threatening a presence as the story would like for him to be. He menace is never correctly illustrated, we’re just told he’s big and bad. Of the classic monsters, only the vampires fair well. The Frankenstein Monster, the Living Mummy and Warwolf are just there – on hand. Nina Price and Lilith, however, are given the opportunity to shine, much like last issue. Gorilla Man gets some love in book’s prelude and I really enjoyed his exchange with Groot. Why so many monsters, all at once? Why not just 4 or 5 characters for this arc and build on it? In addition to the art on the first two issues, if this book had a lot more focus and direction, I think it may have clicked. It is an interesting idea and should have been a blast for us horror buffs. It still is, almost – just has a bitter aftertaste. Too much “so what” factor, not enough awe. That’s why, for me, it’s a guilty pleasure. I know it’s bad, but I still enjoy it; more for what it wants to be than what is actually is. 2.5 out of 5