Political Comics, less than fair and balanced

Lately, articles have been published around the interwebs criticizing how liberal comics are. These criticisms are directed at a broad attitude that pervades comics (particularly mainstream comics) but are centered particularly around Captain American #602, where a Tea Party protest is portrayed in a less than positive light, and things like Occupy Comics, work by largely indie artists in support of the Occupy movement.

What I read this week - Feb 1

So, what did I read this week? Well, I managed to slog through a bunch of junk and one amazingly, spectacular book. I even managed to browse a bunch of books which did nothing but annoy me.

What was so bad that it annoyed me?  Marvel reprints is what!  I recently picked up Captain Britain Vols 1 and 2.  They are great (relatively speaking) Marvel Bronze age stories with some pretty decent art.  Actually, truth is that I have a couple of the original issues and I want to see how the story ends.  The only problem is the reproduction is absolutely terrible.  The art is muddy and about as poorly reproduced as I have seen in a long time.  Boy loves it but he's never seen the original material.  It's too bad because this shoulda-woulda-coulda been so much better.  The same thing is true of Marvel's Asgardian Wars collection.  There is no reason the art should be crappy in that book.   One page is a perfect reproduction then the next page is missing have the black lines.  Sure, all the color is there but where did all the lines go?  I understand, and even expect it to a certain extent, given the age of the Captain Britain stories but X-men reprints from the 80's?  There's no excuse for that.

So what did I read this week that was good? I managed High Moon, Criminal Macabre Omnibus Vol 2, and Unwritten Vol 1. You can see what I loved and didn’t below the break.

Dark Horse Previews for April

Lee: Another month and another monster sized outlay of cash. DH has a ton of great books and tpb’s this month so close your eyes if you’re poor.
Thomm: Help, I’m blind!

3 STORY: SECRET FILES OF THE GIANT MAN
Matt Kindt (W/A/Cover)
FC, 32 pages, $3.50, One-shot
The most acclaimed graphic novel of 2009 returns! Some episodes from the life of Craig Pressgang were too sensitive even for the pages of 3 Story: The Secret History of the Giant Man, but now the full truth of his years as a spy can be told! Lending new meaning to the phrase “hiding in plain sight,” Craig’s missions to Paris, Cairo, and the Philippines make Secret Files an essential companion to the 3 Story graphic novel, as well as a perfect standalone introduction to Matt Kindt’s touching history of the Giant Man. Collects all three Giant Man stories from MySpace Dark Horse Presents.
• Visionary artist Matt Kindt returns to his most beloved creation!
• Includes a preview of Kindt’s new series, Mind MGMT!
• 3 Story is in production as a major film!
Lee: Kindt is just a fantastic creator that continues to impress year after year. I loved the first 3 Story book (see here) and will eagerly get this.
Thomm: I appear to have missed this one entirely. It looks interesting. And considering Lee’s lead-in, $3.50 may be as affordable as I’m going to get out of this post.

Even better, less affordable books below the break…

What’s Left of the New 52 from the DCnU

Week in review be damned. I’m making my move to Florida this coming Friday so this column and the next few will be different so I can write a little bit ahead of the curve. In our sister blog (that no one but me ever writes in) I have bemoaned my complaints of the new DCU. So I decided it would be fun to review what I think of what I still get. I have dropped 18 of the original 52 and I’m still hanging onto 34 titles.

Taking them one at a time my current view of each book.

Action – Grant Morrison and Rags Morales make this a keeper.

Animal Man – Lemire is crafting an odd book, but it is a fascinating character study keeping Buddy as a family man, another good book.

Aquaman – Pretty art, but like too many DC books, where is this book going, what is its reason for being. Close to a drop.

Batgirl – Decent, but it has many holes in it and this is not the Barbara Gordon I loved. As a bat family book it is hard for me to pull the plug, but this book is not a mortal lock.

Batman – A mortal lock, a great book but the best writer in comics right now Scott Snyder.

Batman and Robin – A solid book that I continue to enjoy, Tomasi and Gleason are hitting on all cylinders.

Dong Xoai, Vietnam 1965

And now we reach the last of this back of library books that I kind of liked. The last two, to be seen in coming weeks, were just misery.

Anyway, to the story at hand. Dong Xoai (and don't ask me how to pronounce it) was written by the great Joe Kubert (I should probably make that a capital G, seeing as that's just about his official title now). It's based on the actual mission of Detachment A-342, 5th Special Forces Group (Airborne) in 1964-65. It traces a couple of missions in Vietnam just as the war was starting to become wider in scope but still during the time when the mission was to work with local and indigenous fighters who opposed North Vietnam and the Viet Cong. Training for guerilla war as well as manning positions to thwart the Viet Cong's own guerilla war tactics.

Amazing Spider-Man # 678 --A Review

Amazing Spider-Man #678

“I Killed Tomorrow” – Part 1 of 2: Schrödinger’s Catastrophe
Writer: Dan Slott
Penciller: Humberto Ramos
Inker: Victor Olazaba
Colorist: Edgar Delgado
Letterer: VC’s Joe Caramagna
Publisher: Marvel
Price: $3.99

Being the second issue in the fiftieth year of the chronicles of Peter Parker, the Amazing Spider-Man.

I know. That was a weird introductory sentence, even for me. But you know what? This was a GREAT issue. And it felt momentous too, but not because it was the beginning of the next big story arc – it’s only a two-part story. Rather it was exceptional simply because it was so baggage free and accessible.

Indies Previews For March Part 3 of 3

The last day...

La Mano
Sammy the Mouse Vol. 01 SC by (W/A/C) Zak Sally
Collecting the first 3 issues of the Eisner-nominated cartoonist Zak Sally's acclaimed Ignatz series (originally released through Fantagraphics Books), this low-priced volume presents the new, ongoing format for the story. In addition, Zak Sally himself printed the books on his own offset press, giving this volume a uniquely handsome quality. 104 pgs Zak posted a video explaining what he is up to here. $14.00
Lee: And today we start with the "it's just weird" book of the month. This was originally part of Fantagraphics Ignatz line and since moved to being self published so it has to be good right. As far as I can tell it's about a mouse who drinks to much, sees people and things while drunk, and complains about the pathetic wretched state of his life. Honestly, drunken sots getting into bizarro adventures does sound pretty good.
Gwen: Wow, Lee's description was much better than the solicitation - I think I want to read this now.

Some more ordinary books below the break.

What I Read

Not a heavy week, but not a thin one either. So lets take a look at some books, shall we?

Joe Pa

Imaginary Tales, right? Doesn't get much more imaginary than Bowl Subdivision football, where a "National Champion" is crowned each year without any semblance of a playoff system.
But let's talk real world. Joe Pa died on Sunday. While sad, it's made sadder for how things ended for Joe Pa at Penn State. After all, Joe Pa lived a long life and dying is going to reach all of us sooner or later. At the end of a long, happy life is about as much as we can hope. Joe Pa almost reached that, but for the last 3 months.

I hope, but don't expect, that the hoardes who called for his head, and the spineless board at Penn State, take some time to reflect on the reality of how Joe Pa was treated in the last 3 months.

Indies Previews For March Part 2 of 3

Boom! Studios
Tanpopo Collection Vol. 01 HC by (W/A/C) Camilla d' Errico

Celebrated creator Camilla d’Errico delivers a stunning visual journey exploring emotion, self-discovery/innocence and what it means to be human. Tanpopo is superhumanly intelligent and inhumanly emotionless. Attached to a mysterious machine and ruled by her vast knowledge, one day her heart rises up to struggle against her ruling mind. Torn and confused, she now seeks humanity, longing to feel what other humans feel. Each chapter of Tanpopo is inspired by a classic piece of literature or poetry, woven into its own epic story, and contained in this beautiful hardcover edition. $24.99 You can visit d’Errico site here comics.html and the official Tanpopo site here.

Lee: How did Boom! manage to snag this property? It’s a great job because it’s certainly outside of their normal offerings. The usual comments apply, great art and what appears to be a really moving story. The bonus in this case is that d' Errico is a proven creator so we already know it will be good.
Gwen: This looks great! Good move for Boom! The art looks wonderful and I know quite a few people who I'll have to pass this along to.

Another 7 books below the jump... told ya there was lots of good stuff this month.

Post What I Read – Jan 24

I really need to figure out how to get on a regular schedule with this post because it’s been 2 weeks since I last wrote anything. Part of the problem is the general nuttiness of the home life, work, and pure exhaustion. Oh well, I’m back now.

I actually started the month with one of the best feel good, left me happy, books that I have read in a long time. I found happiness in Chip, written and illustrated by Richard Moore, published by Antarctic Press. $15, 128 pgs

Richard Moore is probably best known for his other outstanding series Boneyard from NBM. This is much the same without the innuendo. In short, funny, charming, quirky, and ‘palate cleansing’ after reading some of the doom and gloom that I normally read. You can read the long review here.

Below the break Witchdoctor: Under the Knife, Smurfs Vol 1, Monster Mess and cult favorite Chase by J.H. Williams III

Indies Previews For March Part 1 of 3

Lee: Where did this month go? It seems like Christmas was just last week. And, if this is any indication of what is coming this year start saving your pennies people because there is a ton of very affordable books coming out!
Gwen: Um, yeah, this did sort of blindside me...

Abrams Comicarts
Gonzo: A Graphic Biography of Hunter S. Thompson by (W) Will Bingley (A/C) Anthony Hope-Smith
The great American writer, the great American iconoclast, the great American hedonist - however you choose to view him, Hunter S. Thompson remains the high-water mark for all social commentators worldwide, and a truly fearless champion of individual liberties. This is his story, the story of a troubled kid from Louisville who went on to become an international icon. A story that plumbs the darkest depths of American society and charts the now legendary adventures that birthed Gonzo Journalism, Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, and a lifestyle beyond imagination. $17.95
Lee: I’m sorry but I really don’t understand the appeal of Thompson. That’s not true, intellectually I get it but it just doesn’t resonate with me on a personal level. This looks interesting enough that I might give it a try to see if it explains what I don’t understand.
Gwen: Ugh... Hunter S Thompson. I know my sister got a bit into him but I never really saw the appeal.

Another 7 books below the break!

The Week in Review – Jan 18

   

I wish Lee didn’t have the title what I read this week as I would totally change my weekly column title to that at this point. My move to Florida is coming soon and I will miss some things about my life in Maryland, but I have lived in multiple states so it is just this time I have lived in Maryland for over 15 years and grown perhaps too comfortable. Okay enough maudlin whiny crap let’s hit the comics.

Nothing new in comic books right, oh you are so wrong my friend, so very, very wrong. Wow was Batman #5 by Scott Snyder, Greg Capullo and Jonathan Glapion a revelation. Not only was this an excellent issue showing Batman being defeated by the Court of Owls but the design and layout of the book was genius. Every time I think Snyder has shown us just how amazing of a writer he ups the ante to a whole new level. Scott has ripped the cover off his potential with this performance. This book was so unbelievably well done that it has to be read to be fully enjoyed. Scott after being the pretty much consensus writer of the year has written one of the best single issues of a comic book. Batman is trapped in a maze created by the Court of Owls and has been lost in the maze for days. He is being drugged and slowly he is losing his mind. Bruce is very strong so you know he is fighting against this with ever ounce and fiber of his being. As the story progresses the panel layouts change and we are forced to turn the book this way and that and actually have to read from right to left for two pages. It is disorienting and just when we are as disoriented as Batman, Bruce has a sword rammed through him by Talon, the Owl Court’s man. The reader being as lost as Batman makes the sudden attack even more jarring than ever. An absolutely brilliant piece of comic book work done to perfection. Hats off to Scott, Greg and Jonathan for producing a stellar single issue that stands on its own and yet adds to the continuing story.  If all episodic comic books were this good no sales gimmicks would ever be needed. 

Rat Catcher

So, the library selections continue. I think I'm going to keep working in order of what I liked among these selections first, finishing up with the couple that were just really bad.

Which means that Rat Catcher, by Andy Diggle and Victore Ibanez is one of the better choices. Hard boiled is definitely a fitting description for this book. The bodies are stacked left and right, and fetuses aren't safe, either.

The Rat Catcher is a legendary mob enforcer, capable of finding and taking out informants who are in FBI protective custody. The story starts with a burning house in West Texas. A man bleeding from the right shoulder stumbles out of the burning house, car jacks a man, and disappears.

FBI Agent Moses Burden comes on the burning house as two local sheriff's deputies stand around waiting for fire fighters to show up. Burden lights a fire under them when he tells them it's an FBI safe house. Burden's partner, Patrick Lynch, may have been at the house when it was set on fire. Lynch was sleeping with one of the other FBI agents guarding a Mexican informant.
Burden is an older, black man with a son in long term medical care from injuries suffered in an accident with a drunk driver. He looks tired.