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The week in comics: Haunt, Brother Voodoo and Secret Six
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The second issue of Robert Kirkman's dream project with Todd McFarlane, Haunt, hit the shelves this week. I had mixed feelings about this title after reading the first issue and decided to save my comments until the second. Well, I've carefully combed Haunt #2 and my thoughts about it are no less conflicted. Kurt Kilgore was a black ops soldier for an unnamed clandestine military organization. Kilgore botched his last mission and was tortured to death by his employer, releasing his spirit out into the world. Kilgore's spirit invades the body of his priest brother and combined they become a supernatural avenger. Sound kind of familiar? I bet it does on several levels. My main complaint about Haunt is that there is nothing new or groundbreaking about Kirkman and McFarlane's much hyped collaboration. It really reads like Todd McFarlane's greatest hits. Black ops assassin returns from the grave with supernatural powers? Check. A main character that looks like Blackest Night Spiderman and sticks to walls with ectoplasmic, webby-type stuff? Check. A big, fat hitman with tiny sunglasses wrapped around his obese head? Check. I know it sounds like I hate this book but I really don't. The one thing that I have no complaints about is the art. McFarlane's inks laid over Ryan Ottley's pencils are truly spectacular. McFarlane's classic 90's style over Ottley's new and fresh pencils is truly visual excellence in contemporary superhero comics. Don't get me wrong, Kirkman's scripts and dialogue are as tight as ever. However, its the concept and character design gives me that strange feeling of deja vu. That being said, its only the second issue and hopefully Haunt will evolve into a title that lives up to the collaborative potential of two of the industry's biggest titans.
Historically, Brother Voodoo has kind of been a joke. He has been confined to the background, 
appearing only when a big franchise character has a problem with zombies or was pulled from the depths of obscurity to fill the ranks of a Legion of Monsters team-up. Personally, I have always been a huge fan of Jericho Drumm and am ecstatic to see him brought up to the big leagues with his own title, Doctor Voodoo. For the mystically uninformed, Stephen Strange was stripped of the Sorcerer Supreme title following his misuse of the mystic arts during the World War Hulk storyline. Following Strange's spiritual demotion, the infamous Eye of Agamotto scoured the Earth for a new champion of the supernatural. The gods of Marvel editing cast a warm light of benevolence down upon me when they chose Brother Voodoo as the new Sorcerer Supreme. The new Doctor Voodoo title, now on its second issue, finally elevates Brother Voodoo to a heavy hitter status in the Marvel universe. What makes the title intriguing is that Drumm is not just dressing up like Doctor Strange; he is an entirely new Sorcerer Supreme. As Doctor Voodoo, Drumm not only has access to all of Strange's toys but also possesses an arsenal of authentic Voodoo abilities. However, the character struggles with this new found responsibility thrust upon him. In the first issue, Drumm had his ass handed to him when Doctor Doom sought the power of the Eye of Agamotto for his own personal gain. The second issue continues Drumm's growing pains and delves deeper onto his origins when he is confronted by his own cursed past. One of the most exciting things about the second issue is the appearance of my all time favorite Marvel character, Son of Satan. In my opinion, these supernatural characters have been misused and underappreciated for too long. Hopefully the Doctor Voodoo title can spark a resurgence in Marvel's supernatural universe like the Midnight Sons did in the 90's.
Speaking of underused characters getting their day in the sun, Secret Six #15 is entirely devoted to Floyd Lawton, the mustached marksman known as Deadshot. Secret Six has consistently been one of my favorite DC books since the first issue. Supervillain team titles like the Suicide Squad have always been fascinating to me. The strange dynamic of the planet's most vicious and deranged criminals working together in a team setting makes for fresh and compelling comics. Unlike the Suicide Squad, where supervillains were forced by the government to work off their dept to society, Secret Six is a much more organic villain team-up. Originally formed during the events of the Villains United storyline, the Six have evolved into a team of mercenaries-for-hire that choose to work together. I would even venture to say that members of the villainous team have become friends and have formed deep emotional bonds. It is interesting to see characters programmed to be ruthless and self-serving making sacrifices for others and developing somewhat of a moral compass, even though that compass rarely points true north. Issue #15 delves into the origin of Deadshot while at the same time giving readers a peek into Lawton's present state of mind. Lawton guides the reader through his affluent and dysfunctional upbringing, his role as corrupt savior of Gotham City and his first meeting with both Batman and Bruce Wayne. I'm sure that the origin of Deadshot has been covered somewhere in the past. However, Secret Six #15, as well as being an origin story, is a look into the underlying motives and inner workings of one of DC's most interesting and underrated villains.
There you have it. I leave you with three of the comics I bought this week and what I thought of them. I've been up all night eating Certs like peanuts and now I'm all hopped up on Retsyn. I can hear a pack of raccoons pillaging my garbage cans, so I'll burn off some energy by trying to reason with the people-handed and bandit-faced trash pirates. Hopefully the extreme freshness of my breath will help them see the error of their ways. Until next time, I remain.
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