New Comics: Week of May 14, 2008

Better late than never.

Batman #676 - As much as I love Morrison, I dropped this title after the first few issues when I started to hear that other writers would be filling in arcs and there would be some crossovers coming up. That's a scenario where I usually rely on the eventual TPB (see below) to catch me up. RIP seemed like a good time to jump back on board. Morrison's the kind of writer who really leaves nothing to waste; what seems inconsequential now will undoubtedly play a part later. This issue provided a good point for new and returning readers, as Batman has seemingly reached a new level in his career. It's the kind of place one reaches right before the fall, however. Batman RIP looks to mine some of the same territory that Morrison covered in his Seven Soldiers series; spiritual death and reincarnation. I don't really believe the rumors that someone else will be replacing Bruce (for long), but I do believe that we will see a new Batman that's going to be removed from the grim-n-gritty one that has been somewhat of a killjoy for the last twenty-odd years.

Casanova #14 - Didn't see that coming. It's a great creative leap that makes me want to read not just this album, but the entire series, over again. The first album ended with a fundamental character shift for the protagonist, and this second arc does the same. Fraction is putting Cas through his paces, giving me faith that he has a direction and purpose for this series. Also, sexy super-spy action, parallel universes, mystical crows, giant robots and mad scientists. Just when things are getting to far away from anything resembling reality, Fraction does a head-check like the reveal in this issue, which brings things down to a human level. In a way, Cas has become worse than a traitor to everyone who is connected to him, just as he's gotten to a point that he might actually care about what that means. The next album can't come soon enough.

Final Crisis Sketchbook - One those things I wouldn't have picked unless it involved Morrison and/or Jones. I would have hoped for a little bit more insight into either gentleman's artistic process, but otherwise I think it was worth the purchase. Looks like Morrison is tying Final Crisis into much of his previous DC work: Particularly his Seven Soldiers: Mister Miracle series, plus shades of Darkseid from his JLA run with a little bit of 52 for spice. I skipped the Crime Bible series that spun out of Countdown, but now I think it might be worth a look. I remember that being one of the elements of 52 that I thought might be Morrison's baby.

Green Lantern Corps #24 - You've got to hand it to Tomasi and Johns for keeping their corner of the DCU on track and in harmony. While the main GL title slips into an extended secret origin story setting up the next big GL event, the sister title has been working in unison laying the contemporary groundwork for same.

---

Late to the Party: TPB Edition

I picked up a clutch of trades at Flying Dog Comics' going-out-of-business sale.

Batman and Son - Just as I suspected: Morrison's run reads much better in uninterrupted chunks. I admire the man's chutzpah in picking up on a stray, but important, bit of continuity that no one wanted to touch for the last twenty years. He does seem to leave a bit of doubt that Damien is who his mother says he is. Paternity aside, does it even matter? What matters is what Damien believes, to an extent. He believes he is Batman's son, and that informs everything. Also: Man-Bat ninjas.

Daredevil: The Devil Inside, Vol. I - After showing up late to his run on Captain America (and his most excellent Sleeper and Criminal series), I finally got around to his run on Daredevil. Overall, I'd rate this over his other Marvel work. There's a tension that remains firmly rooted in reality in his Daredevil work that's missing from his work on Captain America. Maybe it's because Matt's world is more ground level than Cap's, what with the secret agent stuff, cosmic cube and SHIELD and all. Bonus points for bringing in the forgotten Dakota North in a supporting role, and resurrecting the whole Michael Murdock identity. Also, was I the only one who thought the interactions with Frank Castle were touching. Personally, I thought it was a nice contrast, and deepened the character of the Punisher: while he has no qualms about killing criminals, he wouldn't want to see someone like Matt arrive at that solution.

Y: The Last Man, Vol. 6 - 9 - This series is like a great TV show. It's interesting that so many reviews compare it to Lost (and ironic... doesn't Vaughn write for that show?), because everytime I read a chunk of it, I think that Lost should be more like this book (or should have been... I dropped out midway through season 3... has it gotten back on track?). It's got a focused, forward movement and knows exactly when to disclose a secret or two. So far, I've remained unspoiled as to the nature of the series end... though I suspect it's not going to be a happy one. The last trade should be out in July, and I can't wait.

---

That should do it for last week's haul. I know I was supposed to have a new Comic Shop Project entry up this Monday, but real life got in the way. I'll be making it up by having a two-fer next week. Thanks for stopping by.

Tags: batman green lantern final crisis daredevil y: the last man casanova

New Comics: Week of May 7, 2008

Here's what I ended up bringing home:

Avengers/Invaders #1 - I know Spider-Man's thing is the nervous banter... but there was a little too much here. It became downright annoying. Other than that, this issue provided pretty much what I expected. I can see the writer trying to draw a parallel between Peter and Bucky with the dual internal narration, but given Brubaker's retcon of Bucky's character during wartime, it just seemed a little off. Also, like with all of Marvel's projects lately, I'm having trouble discerning when this all takes place. Post-Civil War, sure, but Pre-Secret Invasion? Who the hell knows. It's kind of frustrating, really. Wondering if Ross just gets to make up his own stuff on projects like this.

Invincible Iron Man #1 - Strong start. Fraction hits the ground runnning, bringing a lot of brains and (surprisingly) sex to Stark. Kind of a mix of the fast pace readers expect from Cassanova with a little world building from Immortal Iron Fist. For a second, I almost thought this was going to go the way of Armor Wars, but it quickly veered into something new. I loved the connection that's made between the advanced tech of the armor and the (formerly) advanced tech behind the camera phone. Very smart, very relateable.

Small note: I am wondering about the timeline here, just as with Avengers/Invaders, but care less. Doesn't seem as tied into current (what passes for) continuity, other than Stark is director of SHIELD now.

Secret Invasion #2 - Some of the shuttle escapees turned out to be red herrings, just as I suspected, though at least one appears to be the real deal. I actually liked that part of this issue, despite the rest.

The part that threw me out of the story might seem incidental, but kind of wraps up my problem with the writing in a nutshell: Emma Frost using the word "guys" indescribing the other group. She also using the term "brainwaves". This sounds like a) every other character and b) nothing like any incarnation of Frost that I've ever read. Sure you could write it off that she's a skrull, trying to blend in with the humans, using the vernacular. Just bugged me, and yanked me right out of the proceedings.

Also, am I not all that up to date on Jessica Jones. I know Bendis retconned her as an Avenger at some point, but never really named her alter-ego. If that's true, I thought it was interesting that she was missing from the roll call on the first page. Also, I'm wondering if she's the real thing, and Bendis is going to risk invalidating everything he did with Alias by making her a skrull. Also, it would give him an opportunity to reestablish her as a costumed superhero, building her up as a major player. It sure worked for Sentry!

I did kind of like that last shot of the issue, and all of the different hybrid skrulls. Interesting that some embody whole teams, and even adopt helpful design tweaks on their uniforms to inform us of such.

Young X-Men #2 - What? I feel old. What's going on? Still no real grasp of any of the characters. Think that Cyke is probably not the real deal, but other than that... I got nothin'. The only conceivable hook for me at this point is to find out what has happened to the former New Mutants. The last page reveal did not make me want to seek out the next issue. I love Paquette's work, but somehow he always ends up on projects I'm not all that interested in reading (Bulleteer excepted).

---

Passed:

DC Universe Special Justice League of America - Did not see this on the stands.

War That Time Forgot #1 - Looked good, until I saw Bruce Jones was writing it. I'll hang back on this one.

Iron Man: Enter the Mandarin TPB & JLA Presents: Aztek the Ultimate Man TPB - Saw both of these on the racks. May wait til this weekend to pick them up. I have a trade discount coming up, so this may be my last bit of leftover birthday splurge.

---

Tags: invincible iron man secret invasion avengers/invaders

Belated Iron Man Post

I'd be remiss, and risk having my nerd card revoked, if I didn't comment on the Iron Man movie:

• Probably one of the more rewarding comic book adaptations for the hard core geeks in the audience. I wasn't too sure about Marvel taking over the production role, but it seems to have paid off. They do know how to make a great movie.


• One of those geektastic moments: When Rhodey looks at that spare suit and says, "next time, baby." Woo hoo!


• Having a character be just as interesting out of costume as in it. I can't tell you how many times in watching the last Spider-Man movie where I thought "just get to the action. This "story" is boring. Get to the web-slinging."


• Great supporting cast, and Favreau's no dummy casting himself as Hap Hogan. As he said in a recent radio interview in Los Angeles: "I get to mary Pepper."


• My girlfriend also liked this movie because "he's not all twisted and has his powers just dumped on him. He makes the choice to do this."


• Another geektastic moment: watching different iterations of the armor briefly pop up during the paint job scene. First we see an original silver, then all gold, then a red and silver version (Secret War II era) then the final red an gold. Very subtle, very clever.
  

• A little humor goes a long way, and actually helps the drama by humanizing the characters. The learning to fly sequences and the interaction with the robot helpers was hilarious, and helped to underline how crazy and dangerous Stark's little side project was.
  

• I liked the SHIELD thread throughout as a kind of geek comic relief, and then thought it was awesome that they played a role in the climax and resolution. I totally want to see a SHIELD movie now, also: Captain America, Ant-Man and then The Avengers.
  

• Thoughts on the Hulk trailer: Looks good, though I'm not super excited about it. I actually liked the much-maligned Ang Lee version. This one looks all pumped up on steroids, though it could have some nice internal moments with Norton as the lead. Bottom line: If that's the Abomination, I want to see the ear fins, dammit.

Tags: iron man

No Way! New Comics: Week of April 30, 2008

Note: Minor Spoilers Ahead.

DC Universe #0 - Sure it's an ad for the upcoming Final Crisis, but for just two shiny quarters, it's certainly priced right. It's easy to poo poo, but I'll admit I'm a little excited. Morrison writing the next big DC event? Even if it's a failure, it's still a success. And as far as the big, possible spolier return, I don't think that there's anyone else that could pull it off.

I have a theory, which I want to put out there. I get the feeling that Morrison's take may well be that the character-who-died that he is now bringing back may not have died in the first place. Just a gut reaction, based on the first few bits of narration and some comic book pseudo-science. Isn't it possible that instead of dying, his molecules were just dispersed throughout the universe, that he became the universe? Just a thought.

Immortal Iron Fist #14 - Fantastic. What a way to end this arc. Everything reaches a satisfying end, while new avenues are opened up. I especially like the dipensation of Davos, that he was able to step outside himself and to see what he had become. I'm sad Fraction and Brubaker are leaving this title. I feel like this arc has turned a corner for this character, for this concept. I fear the team has duplicated what Frank Miller did for Daredevil all those years ago: stamped a third tier character with their own indelible style. At this point, I don't know who could follow on this title that wouldn't fall in their shadow.

Green Lantern #30 - I enjoy this series a lot, though I've voiced my reservations concerning Johns wholesale mining of the few bits Alan Moore contributed to the GL mythology. It's worked fine so far, but I feel we're getting into a dangerous area in terms of incorporating it into Hal's origin story. Who knows? So far, it's working for me, and if ever a character needed a beefed up mythology, it's Green Lantern.

Wolverine: First Class #2 - A little late in picking this up, but man... what a fun title. It recalls my favorite era of these characters (Kitty excited about going to a Dazzler concert) and combines it with clever situations (a ninja restraunt?) and some of the most ingenious use of powers I've seen in a long time. I laughed at first when Sabretooth jammed the wasabi into Logan's nose, but then I thought that it was really smart. Slapstick + brains = comic I will buy. Who knew?

Black Gas 2 #1-3 - I had picked up the first series a while ago in dollar bins, and was intrigued enough to keep a lookout for the second series if it was similarly discounted. I understand that Ellis is trying to branch off of the mainstream, trying to develop his own creator-owned properties, but this stuff from Avatar... I don't know. I'm conflicted. Both series feel like an R&D project for a movie, an incredibly gory one at that. Maybe it's my fascination/aversion to zombie stories, that prompted me to pick it up in the first place. I was hoping for more in the second series, but kind of arrived at the inevitable end with a cartoonish sad trombone.

Tags: dc universe green lantern black gas immortal iron fist

Comics: Week of December 12, 2007

Green Lantern #25 & Green Lantern Corps #19 - Overall, I found it a satisfying end to what DC treated as a minor side-event (that's what it felt like, anyway). I could be off-base, but it seemed like the company spent more time talking about Countdown and its various spin-offs than the Sinestro Corp War, which is a shame. The Corp War has much stronger central concept that tied in a lot of extraneous bits of continuity that left the two titles a lot stronger than it found them. The finale resonated strongly, as it tied into the beginning of this series and served as a symbolic homecoming to Hal, who began the run worrying about rebuilding Coast City and getting people to come back. He ends here with confidence that that will become reality at last.


I've said it before, but I really do believe that Johns has hit his stride with this book. He's retained a focus on this title that I don't think I've seen before. I nearly felt like applauding after reading the coda. It was as if he was saying "Hey, you thought that the Sinestro Corp War was kick-ass... wait til 2009!". Instead of ending with a bunch of loose tangents and unresolved threads left for others to pick up, it ended on a note of confidence... as if all this was set-up for greater things to come.

The epilogue issue in GLC was especially poignant, allowing some downtime and much-needed checking-in with the major players. I admire the way they've managed to turn Guy into a kind of one-note character to a kind of gruff, older brother figure. It suits him, and the Corp. He's the kind of mentor that no one else can be. One question, though: when did Ice come back? Did I miss that somewhere?

---

Suicide Squad #4 - Between picking up this title and tracking down issues of the original series, it's amazing at how consistent they are, which makes me love the new series even more. I picked up the first few issues of the original series back when they first came out, but I don't think I could appreciate them properly at that age. I just read the Secret Origins that introduced the Squad after their debut in Legends, which actaully helped set up this new issue perfectly. I'm wondering if Ostrander had the last page reveal planned af far back as the 80's. Not to knock the Secret Origins story, but it kind of seemed off in parts. Yes, it could be the result of a writer finding the right tone under a tight deadline, or it could be that he had the idea back then that some things weren't/aren't what they seemed.

---

Wonder Woman #15 - I missed the first issue of Simone's run, but the plot seemed accessible all the same. I've been looking forward to this takeover since it was announced. I've fished some of her Birds of Prey run out of dollar boxes over the Summer. She's a good writer, though sometimes her central themes get a bit wobbly for me. Where she surpasses many other working writers is her characters; she gives each a distinct voice and way of interacting with others. To me, she's single-handedly responsible for rehabilitating both Barbara Gordon and Black Canary, as well as a lot of other characters that have passed through her hands. It's something that Wonder Woman has needed for a long time. Perez did a good job on the revamp in the 80's, but it was more about world-building around Diana.

My only concern is how much will the company support Simone in the end. They may be looking to her to turn this character around in short order which, frankly, probably won't happen. They need to be patient and hands-off, editorially speaking. This title has been a well-documented fiasco since the restart. If the company lets Simone work, then what will happen is a slow build in character and readership that may pay off down the line. They have a shot of creating an iconic version of a character that hasn't really had one (in comics form, anyway).

Plus, I really like the idea of a good female writer on this title. It's about f*@king time. If the company starts screwing it up, it may send a bad signal in a profession that desperately needs a different point of view.

---

green lantern green lantern corps suicide squad wonder woman

Comics: Week of April 18 2007

I know I teased a 25¢ bin adventure, but new comics come first...

52 Week 50 - Aside from being disappointed that WW III is about Black Adam pulling a Johnny Bates instead of the Four Horsemen and whatever batshit crazy stuff that was coming out of Oolong Island, I thought it was a good issue. I thought the resolution that Billy comes up with was quite clever, and that last shot of Adam mumbling words to himself was one of the most resonant moments of the series.

It's weird to write about in light of the events at Virginia Tech this week. I always felt sympathetic towards Adam. His actions are deplorable, but in some of his characterization in Johns' JSA, one can understand where he's coming from to an extent. I was hoping for a happier ending for him in 52, but I think he's now lost to us. There's no redemption now.

World War III #1-4 - Even the LCS owner was surprised that they dumped this all in one week. I bought it sight unseen... which may have been a mistake. Basically expanding upon the events covered in this week's 52, it felt a little redundant. On the other hand, WW III (the event within the event) would have felt pretty anticlimactic if it were merely contained to a single issue of 52. I'm divided.

Didio's column in this week's 52 would have been helpful last week, frankly. I appreciate him coming clean about the whole impetus behind having World War III (the event within the event), but I feel a bit suckered by this notice so late in the game.



I appreciate that the writers ran with the opportunities that presented themselves in the course of 52, and that WW III is basically handling the original purpose of 52 in that it's providing the bridge to where we found everybody in the OYL jump. That's all fine. I just wish that information was communicated before I bought the thing.

I'm just not sure that I care about the connections. The only threads I was interested in were the one for Manhunter (Kate Spencer) and maybe Aquaman... and I had completely forgotten about the OYL differences in Manhunter. In hindsight, I probably would have skipped WW III. It really didn't do that much for me, other than explain why the Martian Manhunter is all messed up again.

Manhunter #30 - And we have the sweet chaser of Manhunter. I think Andreyko provided a nice ending point for the series, even though it got another last minute reprieve (I especially liked the blurb on the last page about the next issue... "no really").

Not that I'm complaining, but I'm wondering why the cancellation was reversed. My assumption is that Kate's going to be tied into a big event soon, most likely this Amazons Attack I keep seeing ads for. Plus, this last storyline seemed only to serve as a kind of bonding experience between Kate and Wonder Woman.

I don't care. I'll support this book until the end. It's unique and takes chances one doesn't see a lot of these days.

The Mighty Avengers #2 - I don't know if it's just me, but I'm not overly excited about this title so far. Up until a little while ago, my reading had been relatively Bendis-free. I took a chance on New Avengers: Illuminati and felt underwhelmed by the first few issues (though I might hop back on if it's true that they'll bring Morrison's Marvel Boy into the 616).

I'm getting the same feeling from Mighty. I couldn't put my finger on it until just now when I briefly compared Bendis and Morrison. Say what you want about Morrison, it's clear he has a genuine love of the medium and the characters he's writing, and he conveys that through his scripts. Everything I have read from Bendis seems undercut by a low-level cynicism or sarcasm, and it's hard to differentiate the authors voice from the characters (or even the characters from each other). He may be a fanboy at heart, but I just don't pick up on that through the writing. Maybe I'm wrong. I've heard the man in interviews, and clearly he loves what he's doing, I'm just not convinced that he has a vision of where this is all going.

Chris Sims just ran a look back on the original World War III from Morrison's run on JLA, and it occurs to me that the man had vision of where he was taking everything from book one. Morrison had a solid idea of what the JLA was and underscored that throughout the run, building and building until the final battle in the final arc. These weren't just superheroes, they were the idealized aspects of humanity just like the pantheons of ancient myth. They were above us, but they were also us.

What is the big idea behind Mighty? No really, I'd like to know. What, that there's always a team of Avengers?

Tags: 52 manhunter world war III

Comics Mega Post!

I've been preoccupied the last few weeks with a job search. I got to pay for all these comics somehow. Prepare for info dump.

52 Weeks 47 to 49 - I don't know what to say about 52 right now. I should have known better than hope that all the great new things I was seeing would last beyond this series. I loved the Black Marvel Family, loved the new Batwoman, and was even interested in the Great Ten.

The last few weeks have seen most of what was compelling about 52 completely reversed/dismantled/dismembered... what have you. About the only thing left to look forward to is the revitalization of the Metal Men... maybe.

Maybe it's just the event fatigue talking. It's been interesting, and it's been fun. Most exciting is that DC was able to pull off a weekly series successfully with what looks like little of the expected attrition over the year.

I just wish they weren't already rolling it over into another year long weekly. The teaser ads are compelling... but I don't know if I'm willing to make the leap to Countdown. Plus, there's the whole side-trip to World War III.

There's three issues left, and even with a rumored giant-size final issue there doesn't seem like there's going to be a satisfying conclusion for me. I don't know. Call me cynical.

All Star Superman #7 - Best Superman title ever. If only it were monthly, though I'm still happy to wait. The first two-parter of this series, though when I got to that last page cliffhanger, I'm happy to muse about the possibilities contained in the next issue until it finally arrives. That's the appeal of this title for me: the unending potential and imagination, and how much Morisson and Quitely allow for the reader to contribute. Most titles try to spell things out to the last detail, or jerk you around with promised payoffs that never materialize.

The Immortal Iron Fist #4 - Continuing to intrigue. There's a feel that anything could happen right now. I'd like to see more answers about the multiple Fists (hello Googlers), though I'm not in a rush. Like a good b-list character, Iron Fist kind of operates in his own bubble of the Marvel U right now, and has a hazy enough backstory that lends itself to this kind of retcon.

JLA Classified #37 - Long awaited story, though I think it was supposed to be it's own series or graphic novel, wasn't it? I like it enough to see where it may be going. There were certainly enough references to philosophy and religion to make me think it might lead somewhere interesting.

The Mighty Avengers #1 - Interesting. Thought balloons are coming back? When did that happen?

Aside from that, this really let me know that the whole Civil War thing isn't really over. I get the idea that Tony's gone a bit around the bend, which will lead to a sequel of some sort. I dunno. Sure it kind of congeals the Marvel U around a new status quo, but it feels a bit forced sometimes.

Speaking of forced, Marvel sure seems to be pushing Ms. Marvel on us tha last few years. It wouldn't bother if she was, you know, interesting. I'll give this series a few more issues.

Shazam! Monster Society of Evil #2 - I love it, but I'm wondering if I should just wait for the trade at this point. I feel like DC is trying to soak me. This book should be in an affordable, entry-level format and price for kids. I may be a kid at heart, but that doesn't count.

TRADED!
Runaways: Pride & Joy Digest + Runaways v.2 #25 - I'm finally getting on the Runaways bandwagon. I've wanted to pick up this series for a while now, and hearing Whedon was coming on board finally gave me the excuse, I guess. I picked up the first digest, and I have to say, I think I would prefer all my trades as digest now. They're just as legible, more portable and cheaper.

As for the story, I have to say I'm hooked. Probably one of the best premises to come along for long time. Straightforward and simple: teenagers find out that their parents are a secret supervillain society and go on the run. The first six issues require little to no knowledge of Marvel continuity, which is great since it seems not even Marvel knows their own continuity sometimes (I couldn't resist).

I also couldn't resist reading the current Whedon issue out now. Sure, I've missed everything in between, but I just couldn't wait. I kind of spoiled some developments for myself, but it was nice to see that the series was headed towards some resolution. Whedon recaps and resets the stage apart from Vaughn's initial run. Looks like it's going to be set more inside the mainstream Marvel U, which will hopefully bring new eyes to the book.

Iron Man: Extremis TPB - I like that this is basically a re-jiggered origin story for Iron Man, a restatement of who the character is. Tony's always been one of those characters that I could take or leave. Even with the alcoholism, there was never anything compelling to me about him. Ellis manages to find an angle that I can relate too in that Tony, despite being an optimistic futurist, is always making weapons. Suddenly, Tony's story has the dramatic weight on par with Greek tragedy; despite his best efforts, he may be making the world a more dangerous place.

The artwork's gorgeous. Small wonder that Granov's been tapped to lend design concepts to the movie.

That's all for now. Next up: 25 Cent Wonders!

Tags: 52 all star superman iron fist iron man mighty avengers runaways shazam

Comics: Week of Mar. 21 2007

52 Weeks 44-46 - So the plot against Black Adam comes into focus, somewhat. I feel a bit disoriented. With all the talk about WW III and the Countdown weekly coming up, I was thinking that the Four Horsemen would somehow be major players/instigators, but they were merely bait to get at Adam. With all the new ads asking me if I've figured out 52, I have to profess that I'm lost. Not that that's a bad thing, I guess. I just hope it's more emotionally resonant than Civil War ended.

What will likely happen is that while the central question to 52 may be answered, it will ultimately end up asking many more, and those will have to be answered by successive events and minis.

JSA #4 - Relatively evisceration-free issue. The opening storyline feels truncated by this resolution, as it seems it's more about getting the team together than about the plot against them. Still, I admire the new direction, the clarity of purpose this title has. Before the restart, it was just cool to read about these great characters that nobody wanted anything to do with for a long time. Now, there's more of a purpose to be together.

Also, the Ross cover for this issue seemed especially warm. I'm on the fence over these black velvet paintings he's been doing... they all seem a bit too cold, too removed from the personality of the characters. Having Ted giving his son a noogie surprised me when I saw it.

Manhunter #29 - Did I hear that this title's been uncancelled again? As much as I've been underwhelmed by the (formerly) final story arc, I still want to see more.

It's not that the story's bad, it's got a lot of great moments and ideas to it. It seems awkwardly paced and choppy. The cutting between Kate, Chase and Mark's stories seems entirely disconnected and random. I'm interested in them all, but I think that in light of trying to bring a sense of resolution to each character in anticipation of the series ending, the focus is scattered.

The Spirit #4 - Just solid. Quickly becoming the best comic in my eyes. It's a good sign when I sit down and can't blow through this title like I can with others. It's deceptively dense in it's storytelling, and I always find myself slowing down to savor the experience.


Tags: 52 jsa manhunter the spirit

TPB Review - Grounded (2006)

No, I haven't followed Cap in to the great beyond*... I'm still kicking. I just had a few personal projects at home to work on, and haven't had time to get to the LCS.

Still, there should be content, and looking back, I am a lazy blogger. You may have started up with other blogs by now, and I couldn't blame you, baby.

A while ago, I went nuts on the TPB's. I was a little bored as Civil War started to wind down and it looked as if it wasn't going pay off like I hoped it would. I bought up a bunch of stuff that looked different.

Grounded by Mark Sable and Paul Azaceta was one of the trades that I picked up. It has a clever concept: the main protagonist is a normal, powerless teenager who goes to high school with superpowered kids. Kind of like Sky High, except the kid never develops his own powers.

The story kind of writes itself from there. All the tension of being an adoloescent, plus super powers. There also the added dimension of the parent's life intruding on the kid's as super villains start gunning for them.

To my knowledge, this is the only writing Sable has done in comics to date (according to comicsbookdb.com). The story's packed full of ideas about the whole superhero genre, almost too packed. Maybe it's just a sign that I'm so used to decompressed storytelling, so used to writers expounding on an idea over an over again, but I almost wish that the story was either pared down a bit, or lengthened. There were a number of secondary characters in Grounded that I thought could rate their own story (I especially liked the Desire character... he/she appears as the object of the viewers desire, though no one know what gender this character is, hence no one goes near him/her for fear of falling in love with someone of the same gender). Still, there are worse things than having too many ideas, so I'll just shut up about that.

I think Azaceta's artwork is gorgeous, though with the complexity of the story and ideas, I think it's an awkward fit. Sable is writing with a near prose level of detail and ideas, and I think Azaceta's style is more suited to impressionistic, noirish tales. There are a few sequences that I wish were a little clearer, a little more detailed. Still, on it's own the art is great, so it's a minor crab.

I would highly recommend this TPB. I think it may have been intended to be an ongoing, but the six issues contained here provide a complete story and clean closure.


*comics definition of "great beyond": death of prominent character, usually short-lived. Media coverage inversely proportionate to likelihood of characters staying dead. May lead to influx of outside interest and sales, followed by exodus of same the following month. See also: Phoenix, Superman, the whole Onslaught thing, maybe Magneto, Spider-man, Batman, Bucky, Captain Marvel, Thor.

Tags: comics grounded mark sable paul azaceta

Comics: Week of Feb. 28 2007

52 Week 43 - See, I knew they couldn't kill Buddy. At least, not this way. I get the feeling that Morrison's run on Animal Man is still in continuity, but what that means could be very different. I get the sense that the yellow aliens could just be figments of Buddy's imagination at this point, which is fine. This is probably the coolest "sampling" of animal powers ever, though there could be sinister implications. This series, as always, is best at linking two disparate points of the DCU together, showing the variety and abundance of ideas at play, and that they all work together.

And the fourth horseman is revealed. Pretty brutal, but the kid was getting on my nerves anyway. Now who could have written that especially bloody, gore-splattered sequence?

I'm looking at you, Johns.

Eternals #7 - Kind of what I was expecting in the end. It's all been a grand reset for this property, and I expect news of a new ongoing as a lot of things are left unresolved. I'm wondering about the additional issue to this series (as it was originally solicited as a 6-issue run). What I keep coming back to is that this series could provide a hell of a loophole for the the Marvel U. Sprite's changed the world, we got a Celestial parked in San Francisco and a stronger than needed connection to Civil War. Seems to me that Gaiman has handed them one giant, seven issue reset button.

Immortal Iron Fist #1-3 - Playing catch-up on this title. The pace is a little slower than I'd like for a monthly, but it's good.

The writers are taking the tried and true method of connecting a somewhat b-string character and revealing that they are, in fact, part of some kind of legacy. It's been used to revive Swamp Thing, Starman and Manhunter, to name a few (of my favorites), so naturally I'm a sucker for this kind of thing. It makes sense that Danny isn't the only Iron Fist ever, and I like the flashbacks to different eras using different art styles.

Power Man and Iron Fist was one of my guilty pleasures back in the day. It was a quirky title that kind of existed in its own corner of the Marvel U. Secret Wars II kind of came along and messed that up, but up until then, the title had a charm to it, and was relatively self-contained.

There's a scene in issue two between Danny and Luke Cage that kind of boils down the magic appeal these two have together. I almost wish Cage was more than a cameo, but it's Iron Fist's book. I'm going to see how this first arc plays out.

X-Factor #16 - I love Peter David. Clearly he's on a trade-length arc, but demonstrates the rare skill to actually make each issue feel complete on its own. There are titles I enjoy, but can't bear to pick up in monthly format due to the pacing.

This is not one of them.




Tags: 52 eternals iron fist x-factor

Comics: Week of Feb. 21 2007

52 Week 42 - All Ralph issue as his story thread finally finds some redemption with me. Hooray! Gives me a bit more confidence in the master plan.

Civil War #7 - Um, okay. not quite the finish I was hoping for, but rather the one I could see coming. Really kind of ended on an quiet note. Maybe if i read every crossover to this thing, it might have had more kick to it, but as is it's just another status quo reset (and not even a major one). Marvel has always had this division between heroes who operated out in the open and ones that were a bit more vigilante. It's a trait of Millar's that I've noticed: the appearance of a kind of knowing, post-modern tweak or redefinition, but really it's just a return to old-school Marvel themes. Nothing wrong with it, just most times it has a bit more meat.

In the end, it didn't feel emotionally satisfying. Logically, things would make a certain sense, but in my heart things seemed wrong and out of control. I still don't understand Clor and why he was built (and why he was brought back after killing Bill Foster). I don't buy that it would take Cap so long to reach the conclusion that he does. I felt the art was choppy in areas and the wrap-up with Reed's letter was kind of a cheat.

This series ends as a set-up for a bunch of new series, relaunches and events. This series was my big sampler platter of Marvel U. I'd been avoiding most Marvel titles for years (with the odd exception here and there), and this was a chance to bring me back in to the fold. I can't say anything really interests me in any kind of follow-up. My confidence that Marvel will deliver what they say they will deliver is completely eroded. I'll buy X-Factor, but other than that, I think I'll stay away from their mainstream titles.

New Avengers: Illuminati #2 - Done. Man, I really like the idea of this series, but there's nothing to it, particularly in the tension department. How can you pretend to put characters in jeopardy that you know will survive? There are really no stakes here, and it seems to primarily be an indulgence in what is commonly referred to as "continuity porn". It's just not interesting to me.

The Spirit - Beautiful, from cover to cover, literally. Looking at the cover, I realized that DC has been using a kind of flat, semi-gloss paper instead of the high-gloss they use for their other books. It really complements the feel of Cooke's art and the colors. I like that attention to detail.

Another strong outing as we get the origin of The Spirit. Clever use of separate POVs and I loved the change-up in style, from thick brush work to scratchy line art for the flashback.

Tags: 52 civil war new avengers illuminati the spirit

Comics: Week of Feb. 14 2007

52 Week 41 - So Charlie died off-panel? I'm not buying it until I see his body. This is all a trick, I tell you.

A trick!

Also, Starfire is rising in my esteem. They're really kind of forging that hard edge she had back in the day.

Astonishing X-Men #20 - Hisako, I think I may have mentioned before, is quickly becoming one of my favorites. I loved the exchange she has with crispy, dented Logan. It was so old school X-Men. I'm sad there are only four issues left in the run, but then when it's all over, I'm going to read them all in one sitting, just like I used to do back in the day when Uncanny was good.

JSA #3 - Is it just me, or has Johns suddenly embraced the ultra-violence? Punching Pantha's head off is one thing (unexpected, dramatic, a little funny) but watching some guy's family being slaughtered seemed a little over the top, especially by a speedster. I'm not complaining as long as the dramatic payoff is earned, and this isn't just a cheap way to raise the stakes.

I was trying to remember who pointed out that Ross's cover for this issue implies that not only does Maxine not wear underwear, but she also uses a depilatory product of some sort. I was sure that it would have been edited from the time it first appeared in Previews to when it hit newsstands, but no. I looked around to find other comments when I ran across the DC message boards. Here are some of my favorites:

"Is Alex Ross implying that Cyclone is the first non-underwear wearing member of the JSA? I think it is a grand move for distracting the foe, but the breezey nature could also distract your friends also."

"She's 19, if that matters. "

"I just hope it's not a factor of where her power stems from... "

"These big vagina women have been getting away with murder for too long."

And one wonders why comic readers are seen as male closet cases. I wouldn't have a problem with it all if it weren't for the typical fan boy mentality around it: the woman-as-object only for sexual desire and fulfillment. This mentality usually involves pointing and saying, "tee hee, she ain't wearing no drawers" which is quickly followed by a) some inappropriate speculation, b) lame, broad demeaning of women's sexuality and c) hasty retreat via condemnation (of the artist, company, etc) because all the crouching masturbators out there are suddenly embarrassed.

Maybe it's me. Maybe it's because the Vagina Monologues is still rattling around in my brain from last week. Maybe it's because this issue came out on Valentine's Day. Maybe it's because I'm tired of weak men treating women as inferior objects... I just want to say get over it and get to know a real girl or something.

Manhunter #28 - Seems like a little bit too much is going on to feel satisfying. We have Shaw off with the St. Dumas gang, Chase getting pulled back into a thread from her own late 90's series and then there's Kate's story. They're trying to tie things up, it's clear. Kate's story is the only one that feels open-ended, as she's being groomed in a way for her transition to Birds of Prey. The others are being resolved, either for good, or for someone else to take up the baton. Shaw's story suffers the most, I think, as there's no good way to reference the whoel Azrael thing. As far as Chase, this may give her character closure that's leftover from her own cancelled series. I'd love for DC to bring her back again, somehow.

I was hoping more for a blow-out, but who knows? There's a rumor that the next big event may stem from something out of this final arc.

Nextwave #12 - Was this planned to end? Some of the dialogue felt positively elegiac, and the interaction between the characters, for once, felt genuine. I'm greatly saddened by the end of this series.

The reveals about who's behind the whole Beyond Corporation felt appropriately weird and logical at the same time. This issue kind of ties the whole thing together in a way that it didn't before. I wonder what Ellis had planned after the first year, and I wonder if he'll ever return. These are probably the most compelling iterations of these characters, ever.

"A M.O.D.O.K. and a M.O.D.A.M. made sweet monkey love by the light of a rack of Worlds of Warcraft servers, and I was the result."

Indeed.


Tags: 52 astonishing x-men jsa manhunter nextwave

Comics: Week of Feb. 7, 2007

A kind of comics ennui has settled over me the last few weeks. Not that I don't love comics, but once in a while, I just get bored. Here are some things I bought last week.

---

52 Weeks 39 & 40 - The series kind of takes a dip here, for me. Maybe I'm just not that into the Steel/Luthor storyline, I don't know. I was a pretty big build up to Luthor getting superpowers, and then nothing really happens. Alternately, I find that the leadup to the four horsemen (and presumably World War 3) kind of tedious. Get on with it, already.

New Avengers: Illuminati #1 - I like the idea of a group like this. It's the supergroup of the Marvel U... it ties together a lot of diverse corners, which can be a good thing given Marvel's eschewing of continuity these last few years. I loved the idea of Dr. Strange in space, casting spells against science. I just wish it had a little more meat in it for as an extensive retcon as this. I admire it's ambition and I hope it lives up to that.

Shazam!: The Monster Society of Evil #1 - The one stand-out this week. I can't think of a marriage of style and content that would be any more perfect than having Jeff Smith on Shazam. I don't know if it's my imagination, but it feels like I've been waiting a long, long time for this. So long, in fact, I was beginning to think it was all an urban legend. My one bit of crabbing is the format. I agree with these guys that given such a kid-friendly story, DC might have thought of putting it into a more kid-friendly format/price point. Even as an adult, I thought it was a little high and unnecessary... I mean, as much as I love it, I'm seriously contemplating waiting for the trade on this. Also, and maybe it was just my shop, but every copy I picked up had damage in the interior.

---

Yeah, I'm pretty grumpy lately. I've also picked up a bunch of trades and independent stuff throughout the week to recharge, so I'll roll out thoughts on that throughout the week.