What is a Short Pants Review? While we’d love to give full reviews to everything, there just isn’t enough time in the day. So we’ve come up with Short Pants as a way of providing capsule reviews from our varied review writers, giving quick hits and short capsule thoughts about various comics we’ve read recently.

This time out, Nick covers Avengers Initiative #7, Marvel Adventures Hulk #5, Nova #8, Punisher War Journal #13, Thor #4, and X-Factor #25.

Nick Budd Read and Thought:

Avengers Initiative #7
Writer: Dan Slott
Artist: Stefano Caselli
Company: Marvel Comics

Okay, first let me say this before we get into the particulars: What happens in this issue is downright one of the best surprises that I’ve seen in comics in a long time. I’m not going to spoil what it is but if you’re a fan of Spider-Man in any way shape or form, this is an issue that you’re going to want to seek out and pick up. Beyond that, this issue of Avengers Initiative, a book that normally doesn’t hold any interest for me, manages to sneak in, in a ninja like manner, a well told story that’s able to simultaneously be both retro and new school cool. Which translated, means that this is one of those times where most any comic fan could find something about this book to like. As for the meat of the story, well, Slott does what he does best and provides a fun action/superhero brawl in the form of a trio of Initiative Scarlett Spiders (an elite group of operatives) and Peter Parker battling it out with none other than the Vulturions. And more to the point, Slott makes them a viable threat and a cool set of villains to fight instead of a joke, which would have been much easier. Caselli does a nice job on the art, his vibrant yet cartoon-y, very energetic style lends well to the book, especially the group of web-slingers and the air battles that take place throughout. This ones worth a look, trust me.

Marvel Adventures Hulk #5
Writer: Paul Benjamin
Artist: David Nakayama
Company: Marvel Comics

Okay, now this one was just pure, mind boggling fun. Paul Benjamin, like he has done in every issue of this series so far, has accomplished yet another intelligent and lively story that makes you laugh and be glad to be a fan of comics all at the same time. In it, Hulk and his friends Rick Jones and Monkey yet again team up with a fun character, this time with Dr. Strange, and are pitted against a villain that normally wouldn’t be something that you’d expect to find in a Hulk book. In a way, Benjamin’s writing sensibilities align close to Jeff Parker’s, in that he does the unexpected and makes each panel a joy for the reader, even when those panels are describing an origin that we’ve seen countless times. That takes some talent, and talent is something that Benjamin seems to have in spades. Talking about talent, David Nakayama draws the heck out of this story. Everything from his interpretation of the Mindless Ones to his musclebound Hulk and the action that ensues has that energetic edge to it that makes it all pop right off of the page and into your imagination.

Nova #8
Writers: Dan Abnett & Andy Lanning
Artist: Wellington Alves
Company: Marvel Comics

As one might expect, this series just keeps getting better. The reason? Abnett and Lanning. Their stories, and I mean all of them, are amazingly layered, intense, and read like no other comic on the shelves. With this issue we are treated to a taut little number that sees Richard Rider visit a large, virtually uninhabited space station at the very edge of all reality. Think claustrophobic sci-fi horror tinged with weird superhero elements and an appearance by a Russian space dog and you’ve got a fairly good idea of how awesome this issue is. The art, handled by Wellington Alves, is unexpected to say the least. Alves, who previously worked on Anita Blake First Death, really shows just what he’s capable of as an artist. There he was definitely working to match Brett Booth’s style, while here he’s just letting loose. The backgrounds are nice, his characters are spot on, and his action is well handled and smooth looking. All in all, one of, if not the best issue of Nova that we’ve seen thus far.

Punisher War Journal #13
Writer: Matt Fraction
Artist: Cory Walker
Company: Marvel Comics

Punisher done in a Looney Tunes-like style. That’s basically how I see Matt Fraction’s portrayal of the character in Punisher War Journal. Is that a bad thing? No, not really. Punisher might be a bad fit for the Marvel Universe and better served in the Max line, but really, this issue was kind of a shot to left field that could have been a foul ball but instead ended up being a home run. Partly that’s because of the truly astonishing work by Cory Walker. His animated meets traditional superhero style reminds me a lot of the artists on the original Punisher series, people like Klaus Janson and Whilce Portacio, but what really makes him one of those artists that have the ability to stand out is the energy that he brings to the book. It’s a much better fit overall, more so than Ariel Olivetti’s painted, quasi-static feeling art. Enough about the art though, how about the story? Well this time out, Fraction has Frank Castle going up against, for the second or third time, the Rhino. There are some nice jokes laden throughout, a few zigs and zags that you aren’t expecting and a clever cliffhanger that makes you want to come back for the next issue to see what happens. That’s half the battle right there.

Thor #4
Writer: J. Michael Straczynski
Artist: Olivier Coipel
Company: Marvel Comics

Two words. Olivier Coipel. I know, I know, the story is what I usually talk about first but honestly, Coipel’s work is so astounding that it sort of dominates everything else. His work on Legion of Superheroes was extremely well done, but over time his style has improved and mutated into something that borders on awesome. His lines are so clean and vivid, so dynamic that they convey the action and grandiose that a Thor book should most surely have. As for the story that J.M.S. tells…Well, to say that things are going a little slow for the God of Thunder might be a bit of an understatement. With this one, Dr. Donald Blake ventures to Africa to work in and help the ravaged people of a war torn nation. It’s an interesting plot, especially for a character that is an actual god, though it plays out like you think it will, and the pacing on the whole still feels a little slow. Ever since issue one, the series has been a little wonky, slow and meandering as Thor tries to find his place in the new world. It isn’t a huge detractor per se, it’s just not what you’d expect since Thor is usually identified by the action packed, larger than life stories the book is able to tell. At the end of the day, this issue of Thor is a solid read that sports a nice cliffhanger of and ending and contains some knock you on your ass art. Not too shabby.

X-Factor #25
Writer: Peter David
Artist: Scot Eaton
Company: Marvel Comics

Ah, can you not smell the 90’s crossover in the air, folks? Yup, you know exactly what I’m talking about…Messiah Complex is in the hizzy. Okay, went a bit far with that one and didn’t mean to. Anyways, to reign this one back to the topic at hand, this is the third outing for the crossover and if you’ve been digging the event that’s made the leap into several of the X-Books so far, then it’s an almost foregone conclusion that you’re going to dig this issue. If you aren’t and are in the mood for just your average, stand alone X-Factor story…Well, this isn’t it. What it is is a continuation of Messiah Complex but it deals mainly with Multiple Man and Layla Miller (She knows stuff) and their visit to a mutant that may or may not help them locate the mysterious mutant baby. It’s a character that for the most part has been ignored these days, which is a shame. Who is it? What’s his deal, and how can he help? Well, I’ll give you the who, which is Forge, but other than that, you’ll just have to read the issue and be pleasantly surprised with the appearance. There are still some nice moments littered throughout, especially a cool sequence and side-story with Rictor. What makes it better is that the whole thing is skillfully drawn by Scot Eaton, the man behind the recent Endangered Species storyline. Eaton’s work here is tremendously detailed and more than appropriate for the book and the kind of detective/noir flavor it has going for it. Not a bad way to spend your time or your money.

These are all early reviews. Avengers Initiative #7, Marvel Adventures Hulk #5, Nova #8, Punisher War Journal #13, Thor #4, and X-Factor #25 all hit comic book shelves 11/14/07.