Comics And...Other Imaginary Tales

What’s Left of the New 52 from the DCnU

2012-01-30T00:01:00.030-05:00

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.

Batwoman – Another rock solid book, with wondrous art by Williams III and next up Amy Reeder, heart be still.

Birds of Prey – A fun book, but like many DCnU books lacking a coherent idea of what is going on and what is the book about.

DCU Presents - Anthology books lives and dies with each arc.

Flash – A nice book, but not thrilling me and five issues in and we still have no rhythm or sense of the book.

Green Lantern New Guardians – Close to edge of being cut, since Gwen loves Kyle and I send this book to her it gets a longer trial, but again get to a point.

Justice League – A clean miss and one book I may drop shortly. I will start the second arc, but 20 pages for $4 is not making me happy.

Justice League Dark – I like the characters, but again can we have a story. Four/five months in and we don’t even have a group yet.

Nightwing – I love this character, but preferred Dick as Batman, this backwards step has turned me off on the concept.

Red Lanterns – Great start, but again what is the purpose of this book, tell a story.

Stormwatch – Thank you, you have told a story and have continued to tell a continuing story. I like this series.

Supergirl – A keeper, I like it as it is giving us who Supergirl is this time. Almost too fast paced, but a good series so far.

All Star Western – I love Jonah Hex and putting him into big cities of olden days is a fun change of pace. Another keeper.

Batman the Dark Knight – This book only survives because Batman is the one DC character I still really care about. I trust the influence of Jenkins will make this a better book as time progresses.

Catwoman – Poorly written and strictly done as a book for the exciting moments, one to be dropped. This irritates me to no end because Selina used to be an awesome character and an equal to Batman in some ways. Now she is more of a tawdry tramp starting in a high octane action movie.

Demon Knights – An odd book and one I’m still not sure of its direction or purpose, but with the Demon, Madam Xanadu, Shinning Knight and Vandal Savage set in days of yore hard to not root for this series.

Detective Comics – Tony Daniel’s writing should make me drop this book, Batman keeps me on it.

Frankenstein Agent of Shade – Another offbeat book which I’m enjoying. Frankenstein’s Monster as a monster hunter backed by a super science organization set in the current DCU. Jeff Lemire as writer is making this work for me.

Green Lantern – Right now this is John’s best book and the first arc was interesting. I hope his pacing is more concise going forward, no matter because he has Mahnke on art and he is a great artist.

Green Lantern Corps – Not a bad book and Tomasi is a good writer, but not sure where this book is going.

I, Vampire – The surprise hit of the new DCU in my book. If they could just get a better cover artist, because the interior art is stunning and the Vampire War occurring within the present day DCU is fun. It is an Underworld type thing is set in a super hero universe.

Resurrection Man – Almost want to re-read the original series, but Abnett and Lanning have this series going at a fast pace. A middle of the pack book.

Superboy – If my grandson was not named Connor this book would have been cancelled.

Superman – Just not working for me. It is good, but a little too old school or something. I like it and I don’t like it. I am unhappy with a short stint for the creative team of only six issues.

Swamp Thing – Scott Snyder as writer guarantees a good book, but the slow build on this book makes me want to read it two issues or more at a time. A well done book.

Teen Titans – Very close to the trash heap, I have read five issues and the book is all over the map.

Voodoo – This book is not bad, but the actual story never sticks with me. I could cancel it and probably never miss it.

Wonder Woman – A keeper. The creative team has made me care about the book and I want to see the next issue. Another hit for the new DCU.

Suicide Squad – This is another hit for me from the DCU. Deadshot and Harley are great characters and Deadshot is essentially who he was before. Fast paced, but telling us stories and developing characters as we go along.

Well that wraps up my Monday column. The bottom line is the new DCU is too much too fast. The characters are too unfamiliar and dropping us in the middle of a new world is disorienting. They have created a poor jumping on point for new readers and an excellent jumping off point for fans of the prior material. DC needed a shake up, this maybe a big mistake. I would not be surprised that if in a year that DC sales are not back to where they were with a few hit books and the whole thing was for naught. At that point maybe DC fires Didio and Harras and brings in some new voices.

Next week’s books are Action, American Vampire HC Volume 3, Animal Man, Detective, Izombie, Red Lanterns, Stormwatch, Swamp Thing, Sweet Tooth, Hulk, Punisher, Twelve (so glad this series is getting finished), Uncanny X-Force, Uncanny X-Men, Winter Solider (really looking forward to this series), Fatale, Invincible, Strange talent of Luthor Strode, Locke & Key, Rachael Rising, Warlord Annual and Warriors of Mars. This is more what I hope my typical week looks like in the future.

See you next week.

Dong Xoai, Vietnam 1965

2012-01-29T00:01:00.007-05:00

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.

It's less a comic book presentation than it is an illustrted story. Captions and dialog occupy one space and pictures another. It's also less a story than a documentary. It's not identical to the actual actions A-342 encountered but it's pretty damn close.

It doesn't work very well as a story, though. It's too impersonal. I love history and wars are almost always fascinating because of the extremis the participants are facing. But there's no development of the people in this story. It's dry, like the military reports that form its basis. When members of A-342 are wounded or killed, I don't know who they are. I have some sympathy for them as Americans but they're hardly more developed as people than the Viet Cong and North Vietnamese (NVA) they're facing (who aren't developed at all).

On top of that, there's nothing in this story I haven't seen before. A small group of men goes into a foreign land to train locals to fight an enemy. Nothing much happens there, actually, which is kind of different, but later, and for most of the story, they're stationed in another area at an outpost with South Vietnamese troops (ARVN) and local militia. They're heavily outnumbered when attacked by NVA and Viet Cong. The locals and ARVN troops flee at a certain point in the battle, leaving the Americans to fight on alone. Eventually the survivors are rescued by helicopter.

The main appeal to the book is Kubert's art. That is its usual fantastic. All pencil work with no colors, it's what I expect from the man who made Sgt Rock come to life, particularly in a book about a war. In fact, viewed as an art book it's a great work. Not reading the story is probably an improvement.

For the historical completists, there's a lengthy section at the back put together by the members of A-342, including maps and photos. The photos include pictures taken in 1964-65 and more recently when the surviving members are old men. Kubert also has end notes documenting other sources. Truth be told, aside from the great art, the book could be very useful for someone doing research into the period, including for school projects. It would be a very good way to introduce someone to the early Vietnam War period and serve as a springboard for further research. However, as reading for both knowledge and entertainment, it could have used more personal touches about the men involved.

Amazing Spider-Man # 678 --A Review

2012-01-28T00:01:00.003-05:00

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.

Last week I lavished some love on this title for the excellent two-part crossover: “Devil and the Details”. But let’s be honest, that worked because it was just an extension of Daredevil’s regular magnificent series. This issue on the other hand is PURE Spidey and highlights all the promising concepts of BIG TIME (Finally).

The story: Peter wakes up early (a rare thing) and walks to work (an even rarer thing) to check out the latest invention of his Horizon Lab co-worker, Grady Scraps. Grady has invented a doorway to tomorrow. To illustrate, he steps inside and comes out with the Daily Bugle for the next day. However, as soon as Peter steps through, he’s confronted with a destroyed New York City. He didn’t just visit the future, he skipped a whole day and a day without Peter Parker is a day without Spider-Man – hence the end of the Big Apple. Finding a broken watch, which indicates the time of the cataclysm, Peter asks Grady to help Spidey complete everything he was supposed to do (as written in the Bugle) to prevent the catastrophe. After getting a cryptic warning from Julia Carpenter (the new Madame Web), Peter can’t enlist the aid of any of fellow super-heroes (and teammates). By the end of the issue, he has one minute left and according to the view though the doorway, he missed completing THE task that prevents the impending disaster.

See. The story is just interesting all by itself. It’s not some rehash of an old tired storyline of another fight with an arch villain. It’s a brand new story (reminds me of the great tales John Byrne was churning out during his FF run). You could walk off the street, read this issue, never knowing anything about Spider-Man and get everything you need to know to enjoy it. In this event-exhausting era of comics, I loved this return to the old-style monthlies I grew up on.

The characters: The Horizon Lab supporting cast was introduced early on during BIG TIME, but this was the first time that I actually felt they were really supporting the story. I know that’s a bit of an overstatement, but I think this was the most face time Grady ever had. We also learn that Peter’s boss, Mr. Modell, shares similar preferences to Josiah Power. It’s hard for me to articulate this well – they were just there before, standing around as puppets to the plot. Now, they’re finally real characters with lives of their own. Peter himself was awesome. He was likable, smart (but not arrogant), heroic, funny, and free of any relationship entanglements (meaning no Carlie, MJ or Black Cat). We even got a nice cameo of his old apartment neighbor, Bambi. Madame Web was more down-to-earth too, caring for her sick daughter. Other than a brief appearance of Silver Sable and Flag Smasher, no other costumed characters even appeared in the issue.

And those are just the main players. There are numerous little character moments throughout the story, illuminated through Ramos’ brilliant style. We have Peter’s doorman, all the people on the NYC streets, etc. From body language to clothing, it was a regular “cult of personality”!

Which leads me to the other, often overlooked, essential element in Spider-Man’s world, the setting – The City of New York itself (Manhattan borough). There was Rockefeller Center, Riverside Park, and numerous other locales. Even if unnamed, they all felt very realistic. I felt like I was there (like I hope to be again in April).

The flow and pacing were great too. I relished the whole reading experience. It may not be the best comic you’ve ever read, but it’s a comic you SHOULD read and one that you are CERTAIN to enjoy. I hope this is a sign that Spider-Man’s 50th year will truly be Amazing, Spectacular, and Sensational!

GRADE A+: Possibly the BEST single issue of Amazing Spider-Man in YEARS. It’s a perfect point to jump on or just stop by for an issue or two.

Thus completes my second year of posting for Comics And... Happy Anniversary to me and a big THANK YOU to Jim and Lee for allowing me to participate in this fun endeavor!

Indies Previews For March Part 3 of 3

2012-01-27T00:05:00.079-05:00

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.

Rebellion / 2000AD
Kingdom: Call of the Wild SC by (w) Dan Abnett (a/c) Richard Elson
Earth, the far-future. With the planet now overrun by gigantic alien insects, mankind is all but extinct. Genetically engineered dog soldier, Gene the Hackman, now protects one of the last remaining human beings, a young girl named Leezee Sower, and the two of them have traveled to the land of Auxtralia, straight into the territory of a new pack! $24.99
Lee: Ever since Kirby’s Kamandi, I’ve had a weakness for talking animals in a destroyed future. This looks like more of the same so if you like the genre then you need to read this.
Gwen: That's a very odd weakness Lee. But it's good to know that in order to defeat you I need only send a talking animal from a destroyed future your way. Perhaps a sloth.

Slaine: Books of Invasions Vol. 01 SC (S/S edition) by (w) Pat Mills (a/c) Clint Langley
The Sea Devils have risen against Tir Nan Og, the Land of the Young, and Slaine, once the first High King of Ireland, must protect his tribe against this new tide of evil. $19.99
Lee: It’s Slaine! What’s not to like? If you’ve ever wondered what a more violent Conan would be like then look no further than Slaine. Mills always creates an over the top, super macho, testosterone filled adventure full of hacking and slashing when he writes Slaine. It’s awesome!
Gwen: Wait, why would anyone ever look for a more violent Conan? Is punching a camel in the face and throwing a woman you've just slept with into a fire not violent enough for you??

Red Giant Entertainment
Medusa's Daughter HC by (w) Jonathan Scott Fuqua (a/c) Steven Parke
Fifteen-year-old Maia is gifted with magical hair. With a mysterious past, she is the adopted daughter of sideshow huckster Riktus who displays her in his freakshow as Medusa's daughter. Her journey to discover her past sets in motion the cascading events that lead to her growth and her freedom. $24.95
Lee: I haven't had to complain about a lack of previews in a long time but I need to here. This sounds really interesting and has the potential to be really good... but I can find NOTHING about it on the web. I did figure this much out, Parke is a photographer who took photo's and combined them to make this book. That sounds really cool but I want a page or two or three so I have some idea of what I might be getting into. Finally, Parke is from the Baltimore area which... since most of us here are from Baltimore makes the book just a shade cooler.
Gwen: I agree, it looks interesting but I'd rather see a bit more before adding to my loooong list of stuff I want to read.

Schocken Books
Unterzakhn GN by (W/A/C) Leela Corman
A mesmerizing, heartbreaking graphic novel of immigrant life on New York's Lower East Side at the turn of the 20th-century, as seen through the eyes of twin sisters whose lives take radically and tragically different paths. In drawings that capture both the tumult and the telling details of that life, Unterzakhn (Yiddish for Underthings) tells the story of sisters Esther and Fanya: as wide-eyed little girls absorbing the sights and sounds of a neighborhood of struggling immigrants; as teenagers taking their own tentative steps into the wider world; and, finally, as adults battling for their own piece of the golden land, where the difference between just barely surviving and triumphantly succeeding involves, for each of them, painful decisions that will have unavoidably tragic repercussions. $24.95 Read it online here.
Lee: This reminds me a lot of Persipolis by Marjane Satrapi. The stories of people growing up in difficult times is always interesting and this looks to be one of the better ones. It’s worth checking out.
Gwen: Okay, this looks very interesting story-wise, but to be honest the art really isn't my style and turns me off of the book a bit.

Selfmadehero
Kiki De Montparnasse GN by (w) Jose-Luis Bocquet (a/c) Catel Muller
In bohemian Montparnasse of the 1920s, Kiki escaped poverty to become one of the most charismatic figures of the avant garde years between the wars. Partner to Man Ray, and one of the first emancipated women of the 20th century, Kiki made her mark with her freedom of style, word, and thought that could be learned from only one school - the school of life. 416 pgs. $24.95 A site showing many of the works of art the Kiki inspired, and created, is here. Also, the TCJ review here, and if they like it (they do) then you know it has to be good because they don’t anything.
Lee: My local comic shop tells me all the time that I don’t know how lucky I am to have the diversity of books that exists these days. I always doubt him until I see a release like this. I was woefully ignorant of Kiki and her influence on art, and Man Ray. This is one bio that I cannot miss.
Gwen: Really? We do indie solicitation reviews every month and you don't see how much great comic diversity is available now days? Either way, this is a pass for me for the moment. It looks interesting but there's nothing that's jumping out to make me want to buy it at the moment.

Top Shelf Productions
Blue HC by (W/A/C) Pat Grant
Blue is the debut graphic novel of Australian cartoonist Pat Grant. Part autobiography and part science fiction, Blue is the story of three spotty teenagers who skip school to go surfing only to end up investigating rumors of a dead body in their beach town. Habibi's Craig Thompson said this about Blue: This book rekindles my earliest enthusiasm for the comics medium. Pat Grant is the Australian Mark Twain, trading Huck's raft for a waxed-up surfboard and an inked-up sable brush. Vast themes of racism and immigration unravel in sprawling murals and a single day in the life of some reckless teens in this sea-polished, perfect nugget of a book. $14.95 Visit the site and read a bit of the story here.
Lee: Top Shelf publishes many a great book so I'm sure this will be good. The art is somewhat cartoony which seems to be at odds with the subject matter. But, it's worth investigating because I think it will be good.
Gwen: I like the concept and I'm usually easy to sucker in with a good murder mystery.

Universe
Corto Maltese Vol. 01: Ballad of the Salt Sea SC by (W/A/C) Hugo Pratt
Treasure hunter, sailor, and adventurer, Corto Maltese remains one of the most popular characters from graphic literature in Europe and maintains a devoted cult following among American readers and creators. Originally published in 1967, Corto Maltese: The Ballad of the Salt Sea introduces our hero for the first time. The story begins with Corto Maltese adrift at sea in the Pacific during World War I. He is picked up by a Russian pirate/privateer named Rasputin. The graphic novel follows Corto and the adventure that ensues. $25.00 A bio of Pratt here and his official site here.
Lee: Pratt is one of the greatest comic creators ever. That’s right, E-V-E-R, having won a stack of awards at Angoulême and easily equivalent to Stan or Jack in terms of inspiration to a generation of creators, I for one am not going to miss this chance to read his material. Incredible art and surreal stories await me.
Gwen: This does look like an excellent collection, definitely worth checking out.

Lee: Another month ended. As I said there were a whole bunch of great selections this month. I am so excited about Pratt's Corto Maltese that I can't say enough good things about it.
Gwen: I'm just entertained by Lee's weakness for post-apocalyptic talking animals.

What I Read

2012-01-26T00:06:00.005-05:00

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

Fantastic Four #602- So Hickman’s Fantastic Four run has been based largely on the idea of disasters/threats all converging on the FF at the same time. This story seems to be bringing at least four to five different plots to the head at the same time. Stacking this many plots can be messy, and it is, but Hickman uses that to his advantage. By having the Kree, Inhumans, and Annihliation Wave all show up at once and start fighting each other feels overwhelming, but in a good way. So when Reed and Sue decide to call Galactus in, it actually feels like things are desperate enough to warrant it. And of course at the end, things get even more bonkers. Barry Kitson does a fantastic job here, giving the conflict between everyone involved a suitably epic feel, while never allowing the story telling to be confusing, which is quite an accomplishment in a book with this many different moving parts.

FF #14- A textbook example of how to do a supplemental book. The actions of all the kids at the Future Foundation work with Doom, Nathaniel Richards, and Evil Reed to delay the Celestials from entering the main conflict. It adds some background to what we’re reading in Fantastic Four, but is not required reading. Also nice to see She-Hulk’s Juan Bobillo back in mainstream comics. He’s well suited to the scifi elements of the book and does a good job of lightening the mood a bit.

X-Men Legacy #261 - Still doesn’t do a great job defining what this book is specifically about, which it would seem to be Rogue and the faculty that Aaron isn’t writing about in Wolverine and the X-Men, but not bad for what it is. Exodus, the 1990’s most forgettable X-villain returns, convinced that he needs to save mutant kind by keeping them united. After a long fight, they manage to convince him they had the right idea of leaving Utopia, at which point Exodus acknowledges they’re right and goes to destroy Utopia instead. Its a good superhero story, but also a kind of hilarious take on the problems that these artificial splits between superheroes have on secondary characters.

Ultimates #6 - Again, Hickman stacks crises here as he does in Fantastic Four, and it works well here as well. While it could feel a bit more repetitive, the threats here are decidedly less cosmic, with Reed Richards’ future people setting up shop in Europe, a cabal of insanely rich people deciding to seize control of the world, and Captain America refusing to help out. What really makes this work is that the Ultimate universe has always felt a bit more dangerous than the regular Marvel U, and Hickman has done a good job creating the sense that when one too many things goes wrong, it all spirals out of control.

Incorruptible #26 - We get more of Max Damage’s origin story here. Its fascinating to see how Waid is taking what could be such a bad idea (tying Max’s origin to the Plutonians) and making it work so well. Having Max drive the Plutonian insane, by reminding him of the time he actually lost control, all without realizing it. I think Irredeemable gets a bad rap from some fans because they thought the whole thing would be a mystery, but I think Max is a fascinating (and less repugnant) character and that makes Incorruptible a more interesting title to read.

Joe Pa

2012-01-25T14:00:00.004-05:00

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.

Let's start up front by saying that the alleged victims of Jerry Sandusky, if they were actually victims, suffered far more than Joe Pa. But at this point, we have alleged victims. Over 7 billion humans weren't present when whatever happened between Sandusky and the alleged victims happened. Whether it was the innocent hijinx that Sandusky claims or the brutal sodomization that Commonwealth prosecutors allege is unknown to me and everyone else who wasn't there, and apparently to at least one person who was there, McQueary.

Let's also make clear that what Joe Pa was told by McQueary isn't what was told to the investigative authorities at Penn State or police authorities when they eventually were involved years later. Everyone agrees that McQueary gave Joe Pa a sanitized version of whatever it was he saw or heard that didn't go beyond saying there was something off about what he saw. Based on that minimal information, Joe Pa had McQueary talk to the proper investigative authorities at Penn State.

The legions who say that Joe Pa should have done more are a mystery to me. What should he have done? Go to the police? With what? He didn't see anything. He had second hand knowledge only. Follow up with the administration authorities? Sandusky was banned from campus. How is it Joe Pa's responsibility to find out from the administration if anything more was being done? For all he knew the administration had informed the police and no further action was going to be taken. Remember, Sandusky had been accused of inappropriate behavior once before in the '90s, which was investigated by the police with no action taken. Since when is Joe Pa supposed to have become a police authority unto himself?

Which is what kills me about all these 20/20 hindsight prognosticators. They would have looked into it more/gone to the police. I could just see and hear them now, though if Joe Pa had. "Joe Pa thinks he's so important that he's conducting his own police investigations. What kind of cult of personality is he running at Penn State?" Damned for not doing. Damned if he had.

And yet Bill Plaschke of the LA Times and a plethora of other bloviators have claimed that Joe Pa covered up what Sandusky was doing. They blather on and on that Joe Pa knew Sandusky was raping young boys and, by not arresting Sandusky himself (it would seem), was not only tacitly approving Sandusky's behavior but acting in furtherance of it. Plaschke in particular claims that Penn State had (has) a cult of personality around Joe Pa and that Joe Pa was allowing Sandusky to continue unimpeded in order to protect his legacy at Penn State.

Except, of course, for the fact that there never was a cult of personality around Joe Pa. That's not to say that people didn't admire Joe Pa. People did. People still do. It's also not to say that Joe Pa's words didn't carry authority and influence at Penn State and the wider world. But Joe Pa earned that. He didn't create a PR machine to promote himself. He didn't surround himself with sycophants. He didn't rule the decisions of Penn State's administration. He ran a football program that, for more than 40 years, churned out degree holding young men and adhered to the arcane and obfuscatory NCAA rules, no small feat in itself. If a player couldn't adhere to the rules of NCAA football, he couldn't play for Joe Pa.

So, if Joe Pa was willing to throw aside highly skilled players who would have helped his team win more games, why wouldn't Joe Pa be willing to turn over a former coach to the police, if he had first hand knowledge of criminal activity of any sort, let alone something so heinous as what's alleged against Sandusky? The idea that Joe Pa and his cult of personality prevented Penn State from "doing the right thing," which everyone seems to know quite well in hindsight, is not born out at all by the facts of both what Joe Pa knew and what Joe Pa had done throughout his career.

It's easy to get on the ex post facto bandwagon and say that Sandusky was raping boys on Penn State's campus, that Joe Pa knew about it, and that Joe Pa covered it up. It's a lot harder to prove that was the case. But that didn't stop the witch hunt for Joe Pa's job. And in the end the board of trustees at Penn State, in probably the most cowardly firing in the history of sports, fired Joe Pa.

Did Joe Pa whine about that? No. In fact, Joe Pa said that he wished there was more that he could have done. As always, Joe Pa was a man of honor and class. In a storm of CYA, he let the media and the board hang him out to dry. He took the blame for others' failings.

And now he's gone. Rest in peace, Joe Pa. You didn't deserve the flaying you received in the last three months, but you accepted it with courage and dignity. You never put yourself ahead of the alleged victims. You deserved a better last three months, but you showed the world how to weather false accusations and weak leadership, all while suffering from the disease that took your life. Courage under fire.

Indies Previews For March Part 2 of 3

2012-01-25T00:05:00.057-05:00

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.

Fantagraphics Books

Angelman: Fallen Angel HC by (W/A/C) Nicolas Mahler

Angelman is Austrian cartoonist Nicolas Mahler's sardonic take on super-heroes, their fans, the businessmen behind them and the current media obsession with them. Rendered in spectacular color and featuring Mahler's ultra-minimalist style and drier-than-dry wit, Angelman will occupy a place of pride on the bookshelf of any comic book geek - or anyone who just likes hilarious comics. 96 pgs, FC, 7.75 x 9.75. $18.99 Visit Mahler’s site here.
Lee: Fantagraphics always has diverse offerings and this is no exception. Mahler’s art is certainly minimalist! But, even with his economy of line he manages to tell a heck of a story and make the lines really expressive. This should be good.
Gwen: I think I'd have to know a bit more about the premise before picking this up.

Significant Objects SC
Edited by Joshua Glenn and Rob Walker. Significant Objects features 100 short stories written by such literary luminaries as William Gibson, Curtis Sittenfeld, Sheila Heti, Colson Whitehead, Nicholson Baker, Meg Cabot, Gary Panter, Ben Katchor, Lydia Millet, Jonathan Lethem among others, about - yes, significant objects! The concept behind Significant Objects began in 2009 as an online inquiry to see if commissioning great stories about common geegaws would increase the objects value - as measured in actual eBay auctions. The experiment, in short, was a smash hit. As will be the Significant Objects book. 232 pgs, FC, 6 x 8, $24.99
Lee: This sounds like a hoot! At it’s most basic, you lie about the history of some piece of crap you have laying around your house and it will sell for $10 extra dollars on eBay. I am soooo curious what the stories are that could do that? Then I wonder about the intelligence of the people who bought them. Either way, this sounds like an interesting book.
Gwen: Hey, if something has a story it makes it more interesting. I may be biased as an archaeologist of course, but context makes a difference.

Interiorae SC by (W/A/C) Gabriella Giandelli

Gabriella Giandelli's masterpiece Interiorae is a mash-up of day-to-day drama and surreal fantasy set in a high-rise apartment building. Lushly delineated in penciled halftones, this moody graphic novel was originally serialized in Fantagraphics' acclaimed Ignatz series in duotone form, but this complete edition restores the artist's original striking full-color treatment. 140 pgs,, FC, 7.5 x 10, $19.99 Three preview pages from issue #1 here and another three from issue #2 here.

Lee: Yep, this is gonna be strange. As always, I love the art. It has a certain appeal. It feels flat but full of depth and texture at the same time. As for the story, all of the books from the Ignatz line have been great so I am sure this will be too. If you’re looking for something different…

Gwen: Yeah, this does qualify as different. Not my cup of tea but the art is intriguing.

Graphitti Designs
EC Comics: CSS #22 by Craig T-Shirt (XL)
One of the greatest examples of controversial graphics from the 50's takes center-stage this month on the new E.C. Comics: CSS #22 T-Shirt. Features the gruesome art of Johnny Craig screenprinted in full-color on a black 100 cotton shirt. How do you spell relief? $18.95
Lee: I’m not really sure where to start with this item. If you buy it, where exactly do you plan on wearing it? What message are you trying to send with a shirt like this? Dahmer is my role model????
Gwen: Maybe you're wearing it to try out for a role on Law and Order or Criminal Minds as a bad guy?
Lee: Although… if it were a XXL or even a XXXL then it would just look like the killer was hacking up a watermelon so that might not be too bad.
Gwen: I wonder if this would be a banned shirt high-school wise.

Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
Ichiro GN by (W/A/C) Ryan Inzana

Ichiro lives in New York City with his Japanese mother. His father, an American soldier, was killed in Iraq. Now, Ichi's mom has decided they should move back to Japan to live with Ichi's grandfather. Grandfather becomes Ichi's tour guide, taking him to temples as well as the Hiroshima Peace Park, where Ichi starts to question the nature of war. After a supernatural encounter with the gods and creatures of Japanese mythology, Ichi must face his fears if he is to get back home. In doing so, he learns about the nature of man, of gods, and of war. $19.99 Visit Inzana here.

Lee: This just looks fantastic. I thought Inzana's art would be more... manga-ish maybe? It isn't anything like that. It's very sleek and stylistic which totally appeals to me. The story sounds very, very interesting too.
Gwen: I'd be willing to give this a shot just for the historical perspective. Oh, and the mythological aspect as well.

Humanoids Inc
Monsieur Jean Singles Theory HC by (W/A/C) Phillippe Dupuy
Monsieur Jean is back in this stand-alone volume, published in English for the very first time! At once continuing the adventures of our favorite Parisian bachelor and that of his entourage, this beautifully designed two-tone title also further explores the dreams and nostalgia that invariably come with adulthood. $24.95 See a sample page from the previous Monsieur Jean collection here and you can read a very old, poorly written review of the Mr. Jean collection here.
Lee: Monsieur Jean is just OUTSTANDING. I have a collection of his earlier stories and it just blew me away. Great art and an incredibly human story. This is a must buy for me.
Gwen: I'll take Lee's word on it. I wouldn't have given it a second glance on my own.

Megalex Complete Story HC by (W) Alejandro Jodorowsky (A/C) Fred Beltran
On the planet-city of Megalex, urban sprawl consumes the entire planet, leaving only a few bastions of nature on the planet. Megalex's drug-addled citizens are always searching for a distraction, even the battle Megalex wages on the planets' environment is seen as giddy entertainment. That all changes when a clone, known only as the Anomaly, is born and rescued from certain destruction by the beautiful Adamâ and her fellow freedom fighters. With the forces of nature on their side, the Anomaly and Adamâ fight to end the stranglehold Megalex has on the planet. $29.95 read Beltran’s bio with some art samples here. and you can read the Euro version of hype (in Italian) here. You should still check out the link because the art samples are amazing.
Lee: Jodorowsky is a European Grant Morrison. No I don’t consider the UK to be part of Europe. Anyway, Jodorowsky’s books are always filled to the brim with incredible over the top ideas that defy not only explanation but expectations too. Morrison’s failing is that things tend to happen off panel in order to make room for the next idea. Jodorowsky’s failing is that the ideas are on panel but rushed and sometimes have little explanation in order to get to the next idea. No matter what it’s always good. The art, I highly recommend the Italian site, is mind blowingly good too.
Gwen: I think one Morrison is more than enough for me.

The last batch of books on Friday.

Post What I Read – Jan 24

2012-01-24T16:01:00.001-05:00

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

Witch Doctor Vol. 1: Under The Knife, written by Brandon Seifert, illustrated by Lukas Ketner, published by Image. $13, 128 pgs

Witch Doctor has been developing a little buzz and I can see why. Seifert writes a solid story which is a cross between Bones and Fringe. Ketner is incredibly talented considering this is probably his first comics work. Engaging characters, fun situations, and art that reminded me of a young Tom Mandrake made this a winner. You can read the long review here.

Monster Mess by (w/a) Lewis Trondheim, published by PaperCutz
8 x 10, 32 pgs, FC, HC, $9.99

Peter and Jean’s parents are cartoonist that have magic dust, which when sprinkled on a drawing bring the drawing to life. So what do a pair of mischievous kids so with magic dust? Why they draw monsters and bring them to life. But when the monster is mean, then it’s up to Mom and Dad to draw a friendly monster to save the family. That’s where Kriss comes in. With three legs, four arms, and ten mouths, can he defeat the evil monster? Maybe, but only with Mom and Dad’s help.

Trondheim is one of France’s greatest cartoonist with a perfect sense of comic timing. I’ve been reading his material for years and snatch up anything new from him. This is an all ages book that I read myself, then with the kids. What makes this book so perfect is the fact that the children narrate the tale. It's full of "oohhh then Dad got mad" and a perspective that will make you remember what it's like to be a child. Tiny and I read it together the other night and she gave it a big thumbs up. There is no higher recommendation!

Visit Trondheim’s official site, in French, here and read, in English, his bio with lots of art here.

The Smurfs #1: The Purple Smurfs by (w) Yvan Delporte (a) Peyo, published by PaperCutz
6-1/2 x 9, 56 pgs, FC. $5.99 PB, $10.99 HC

It’s the Smurfs, either you like them or you don’t. Personally, I really like them. This volume contains 3 stories which is just right for one sitting. My only complaint, I wish the book was a little bigger. Peyo is a fantastic cartoonist and his art, which looks good small, would look fantastic at full size.

Chase by (w) Dan Curtis Johnson, J.H. Williams III (a) J.H. Williams III and more, published by DC. $30, 352 pgs

Back in ’94- ’95 Kurt Busiek created the ‘real people in a superheroes world’ genre when he wrote Marvels and Astro City. Eager to copy the success of those books, DC published Chase ’98. This is a collection of the cult series loved by critics and fans alike.

The collection is a bit of a mixed bag. Chase’s first appearance in Batman is included, which was a story by Doug Moench and Kelly Jones. What a waste of paper that was! After that, we get into the meat of the series collecting issues 1-9 and 1,000,000. After reading the first issue you immediately realize why this is so loved. Johnson and Williams script a tight story with all sorts of subplots and full of real character moments. It’s a ton of fun to read. Not every issue is perfect and some of the supporting cast members are clunky clichés but it has more ups than downs. And, even the downs aren't that bad. The remainder of the book is filler backups from various places. The stories aren't necessarily bad but because they are backups they don't have the same feel as the regular series. If you like Williams work on Batwoman then this isn't to be missed. If you want to see what all the hype was about, it works out to $3 an issue for the really good stuff with lots of extras which isn't a bad deal either.

That’s it for this week.

Indies Previews For March Part 1 of 3

2012-01-24T00:05:00.051-05:00

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!

Archaia Entertainment LLC
Siegfried Vol. 01 HC (W/A) Alex Alice
A three-part story inspired by Wagner's classic opera The Ring of the Nibelung! Siegfried, born of the love between a mortal man and a Valkyrie, is a young orphan being raised by Mime, one of the last of the dwarf-goblin Nibelungs, in a dark forest with only wolves for friends and family. While his foster parent only wants to live in peace and solitude, Siegfried yearns to discover who his real parents were and live amongst his own kind, not knowing that Odin, father of the Norse gods, has a destiny planned for him: to fight the dragon Fafnir, guardian of the Rheingold! $24.95 You can see Alice's blog here and there’s a interview here, in French BUT, great page samples.
Lee: I wasn’t going to get this and then I did some looking and now I can’t stop looking. The previews have some fantastic visuals that I cannot skip. I am such an art guy it’s pathetic.
Gwen: It's true, throw something shiny Lee's way and he can't resist. But everyone has their Achilles heel. The story concept has potential to be something I'd pick up but it's not too high on my list.

Cow Boy HC (W) Nathan Cosby (A/C) Chris Eliopoulos
Nate Cosby (Jim Henson's The Storyteller) and Chris Eliopoulos (Franklin Richards) present Cow Boy, the story of a young bounty hunter determined to send his entire outlaw family to jail. He travels the Old West on a horse that ain't his, and won't stop 'til every onea his kin's in the clink. Also in this volume: Short stories by the likes of Roger Langridge (The Muppet Show), Brian Clevinger and Scott Wegener (Atomic Robo), and Mike Maihack (Cleopatra in Space) and Colleen Coover (Jim Henson's The Storyteller). $19.95
Lee: This is calling out to me. I love all ages stuff and this looks to be some of the best. This is a who’s who of comic book humor so you can’t go wrong.
Gwen: This looks like some cute kid material. I know I'll buy a lot more indies once I have children to buy for as there seems to be more and more quality all ages material floating around.

Archie Comic Publications
Archie #631 by (W/A/C) Dan Parent
Another Love Song. The Pussycats are in town and Valerie has big news for her on-and-off-again boyfriend Archie: Her family is moving to Riverdale! Not everyone is thrilled with the news, however, as Betty and Veronica don't need the competition! The girls may have found the perfect boy to get their mind's off Archie, though - Valerie's brother! $2.99
Lee: Hello? When did Archie start dating Valeria???? There’s a fine line between play-ah and man-slut.
Gwen: Archie's been a man-slut for awhile - he dated that red-haired chick too. Besides, most guys like the cat suit thing for some reason.

Blank Slate

Dinopopolous HC by (W/A/C) Nick Edwards
Jurassic Park's got nothing on Nick Edwards astonishing solo debut: one part bande dessinée adventure, one part video-game homage, all parts dinosaur-inspired. Nigel is your average 13-year-old boy from Chipton. He loves reading fantasy/ sci-fi comics and playing video games, listening to heavy metal, and obsessing over his classmate Martha. Oh yeah, and he spends most of his time solving mysteries with his best friend Brian - a dinosaur with twin-mounted laser cannons on his back, naturally. Nigel and Brian are launched into the hunt for The Miracle Bird of Ndundoo: a mythical jewel-excreting creature living deep below the planet's crust. Racing against the clock, the Jurassic duo must beat their nefarious adversaries, Julian and his Evil League of Lizards, to the mysterious ancient prize! $7.99 Visit Nick Edwards here.
Lee: Blank Slate is becoming my preferred UK indie publisher. The art looks good. Actually the art looks really different in a fun, playful, comix way. The story sounds good. But best of all it’s got a dinosaur with twin-mounted laser cannons on his back! That is sooooo cool.
Gwen: Coolest best friend ever. I want one.

Kochi Wanaba HC by (W/A/C) Jamie Smart
Kochi Wanaba is a quiet kid who loves nothing more than to draw secrets in his sketchbook. When the day of the annual Bee Festival falls upon his town, Kochi's loud, hyperactive girlfriend Lhys can barely contain herself. Unfortunately for Kochi, tolerating Lhys' excitement becomes the least of his problems as supernatural chaos breaks out all around them, threatening to change their lives forever. Rendered in Jamie Smart's characteristic illustration style that straddles the cute and the grotesque, Kochi Wanaba is a pencil-drawn graphic novel that combines all-out comedy with genuine, captivating emotional range. $22.99 You can read Corporate Skull, Smart’s webcomic here, if you like that there is a good chance you will like this.
Lee: This is for everyone that wishes Lenore would return! This appears to be a great mash-up of cute art and gross out concepts. I can’t wait.
Gwen: While I did enjoy Lenore I'd have to pass on this for now. Lee will have to let me know how it is.

Stalin's Spy in Tokyo HC by (W/A/C) Isabel Kreitz
1941. German pianist Eta Harich-Steiner arrives in Japan for a series of concerts. The guest of Ambassador Ott, she soon discovers the superficial social nexus of Western diplomacy at the heart of wartime Tokyo. As Eta journeys through this strange environment, one character in particular stands out: Richard Sorge, a charismatic and charming journalist. Sorge has a colossal secret: in reality, he's a Soviet spy channeling covert communications between Imperial Japan and Germany back to the Kremlin. A ladies man, unable to withhold expressing his hatred of the Nazis when drunk, it's only a matter of time before the Japanese authorities become aware of Sorge's activities and move in for the kill. $27.99 You can read about Kreitz here.
Lee: This book made many “Best of 2011” lists over in Europe. Krietz is award winning German writer/artist that is just getting noticed here in the states. This looks to be a excellent historical fiction tale so what better way to see a great new-to-me artist.
Gwen: I get a kick out of most historical fiction and this type of material is as close as I'm willing to go to war-genre type books.

Boom! Studios
Pete and Miriam GN by (W/A/C) Rich Tommaso
In his first full graphic novel since his Eisner Award-winning performance on Satchel Paige: Striking Out Jim Crow, Rich Tommaso delivers another gem with Pete and Miriam. From the trouble caused by youthful impulses to exploring the seedier side of what life has to offer outside their suburban confines, Peter and Miriam forge their friendship through the odyssey of coming of age in America. This hot item at Angouleme is now available in the U.S. for the first time! $14.99
Lee: The first must have of the day! Satchel Page was a great book and Tommaso is a great writer/artist. Add that to the fact that this was well received at Angouleme, the French Comic-Con, this is an easy winner.
Gwen: Sorry Lee, I think dinosaur best friend with lasers trumps this. Honestly I'm having a hard time thinking of anything it doesn't trump.

More Tomorrow…

The Week in Review – Jan 18

2012-01-23T00:01:00.029-05:00

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.

Now the other three books I want to comment on are also DC and I have to thank Jim Shooter’s blog for making me re-think how I look at a lot of comics. Jim did a review of Wonder Woman #4 and has done some other reviews and he brings a critical editor’s eye to each book. Often his criticism is very tough and I think that at times maybe too harsh, but he is not wrong. Way too many books are not doing a great job in depicting action logically or even telling stories. My criticism of the New 52 can be seen at WCS and I think there is some real weakness in how stories are being told and what is being depicted on the printed page. It reminds me too much of the 90’s where it was all about cool moments and less about the ability to actually tell a story.

This week Catwoman #5 was thought by some people to be a good book, I would disagree. The story starts from last issue’s cliff hanger where she is thrown a nearly half a mile up in the air. She is dropping down from the sky and page one has pointless flashback scene, side by side with shots of Selina as she is rapidly falling to the earth. Panel 4 is a totally unnecessary shot of Catwoman’s cleavage that the artist could say was showing her pulling out her whip. The whip remarks, cleavage shot; what is it I am reading a good story or an arrested development male schoolboy fantasy? From there Catwoman saves herself and then goes onto fight the bad guy. Page 6 has the battle, which last for page 6. I won’t even comment on the transition from page 5 to this page because it doesn’t exist. The girl she is fighting was floating away from the building before this shot and now Selina is doing an impressive kick to the girl’s head to knock her out. The sequence has the cool shot, but nothing else makes sense. Look at the page and tell me is it is choreographed or not. Believe it or not the logic of the story goes down here from there. A policeman who is hot on Catwoman’s trail of crime overhears his boss get upset because Catwoman has stolen the bad cops money. She goes off to get a naked massage and spend her money and of course the police find out and come after her. We are on issue #5 and while the action has never stopped we also have never built up who Catwoman is or what is what is her world. She has been de-aged, oversexed and seems to be in hyper drive at all times. It is poor storytelling, poor page layout and poorly choreographed fight scenes that feel rushed. This is not a good comic book, it may have some glitz to it and on the surface looks okay, but any examination of it has to tell you it is a poor example of how to make a comic. I blame Scott Snyder for producing great work and Jim Shooter for making me re-look comics with an even more critical eye for ruining my enjoyment of such utter trash as Catwoman (yes add heavy sarcasm, except Catwoman #5 was garbage).

So far we have one super great book and one total piece of tripe this week. The other two books I want to comment on I will keep short and sweet as today is a big day for football and by the time this is posted either Lee or I will be happy, but not both of us, since we root for the Patriots and the Ravens and we can’t both win. Supergirl #5 and Nightwing #5 are the final books and that will keep us in an all DC commentary mode.

Supergirl is the quickest read and while as fast paced as Catwoman the story has been moving forward in a straight line and the action is depicted in a manner that you can follow and makes sense. Even without the quiet moments we have learned that she is a young woman total lost as to what has happened to her and she is desperately trying to make sense of her life. While I think being into issue #5 and having never slowed down is a little much, all in all this has been one of the books I have been happier with in new DCU.

Nightwing #5 on the other hand is on issue #5 and the story is barely making any sense. This issue we have an almost useless adventure with a demon and some of the worst designed pages I have seen since Catwoman #5. Check out this page and explain to me what the point of this layout. Panel one he is climbing down the side of the train. Panel two he is now upside down, why? Panel three I have no clue. Panel 4, 5,6 & 7 we see him go into his room with panels dealt out like playing cards. This was a simple information page that became overly complex for no reason. Again like many of the new DCU we are five issues into a book with no end in sight for the story and almost no setup to give us a clue of what the heck is even going on. I know we learned his childhood friends are all against him, but why are they against him, why hasn’t Dick utilized his resources as a detective to find out anything? It is disappointing to say the least.

Final point scores Batman #5 – A +, Supergirl #5, B minus, Nightwing #5 C minus, and Catwoman #5 – F.

Next week’s list is All Star Western, American Vampire, Aquaman, Batman Dark Knight, Flash, GL New Guardians, Hawkman Omnibus (that I now regret ordering as my opinion of Johns has dropped), I Vampire, Justice League, Justice League Dark, Superman, Teen Titans, Unwritten, Voodoo, Fantastic Four, FF, Secret Avengers, Ultimates, Walking Dead, BPRD, Manara Volume 2, Stuff of Legend Jester’s Tale, Vampirella and Warlord Fall of Barsoom.

Come back next week for more fun.

Rat Catcher

2012-01-22T00:01:00.020-05:00

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.

The target of the FBI and the federal prosecutor for West Texas, is a white supremacist mobster named Rawlins. He's been impossible to catch because he's got the Rat Catcher. Any time there's an informant against him, the informant is eliminated before going from FBI custody to US Marshalls custody. As a result, two US Marshalls who were going to take custody of the now late Mexican informant are also in on the FBI investigation, much to the FBI's chagrin.

It's a very entertaining story. There's a lot of mystery of who is the Rat Catcher. For a long time, and for the entire length of the story as far as the FBI is concerned, Lynch is the Rat Catcher. But is he?

It's a bloody trip, and I'm guessing there are 3 guys hanging upside down in a meat packing yard still, alive but bruised. Diggle sort of left those guys hanging, literally and figuratively.

The main drawback for me in this story was that I didn't have any real sympathy for any of the characters. Lynch is the most sympathetic, what with his pregnant girlfriend being killed and the whole of the West Texas FBI about ready to shoot him, but he has no personality of his own. He's a man on a mission to solve who is the Rat Catcher and avenge his dead girlfriend, but otherwise he's a cypher.

I suppose that's not really true. The most sympathetic character in the book was Marshall Switzer. She had personality that the others really didn't. I'd have liked to read more about her, but she's mostly tagging along with Agent Burden as the brass at the West Texas FBI hope she and her partner don't get too involved in the agency's dirty laundry that has resuled in two dead agents and a dead witness.

The eventual reveal of who's the Rat Catcher is well done. It's not entirely a surprise, some well laid clues having been left by Diggle, but it's not pat and expected, either.

Ibanez provides really superior art for the story. He has well tailored individual faces and body types, does a broad range of facial expressions and body positions, and brings the story to life. The shades of grey in this black and white work are more in the writing than the art but are nonetheless put to good use.

A very entertaining read, particularly if you're a fan of the old school crime stories or Darwyn Cooke's adaptation of the Parker stories.

DC and Marvel’s Crossover Craftiness

2012-01-21T00:01:00.041-05:00

Forget the Big Events, the Crossover has returned! And in the past three weeks, both DC and Marvel have presented us with two excellent examples of how to do them well.

This is just eye-candy, folks. I'm not talking about the stories pictured above this time...

In my mind there are two primary reasons to have a crossover: story and sales. Hopefully, in that order, but I would think sales trump story most of the time. After all, the company’s goal may be to prop up the sales of the weaker title. So, the trick is to come up with a great story to make it all work. Otherwise, it’ll seem like a cheap money grab (You know the kind where Jim doesn’t even get a “kiss” first). Well, I’m happy to say both DC and Marvel got their crossovers right recently and even managed to do it two very different ways.

Since it came out first, let’s look at DC’s O.M.A.C vs. Frankenstein: Agent of Shade, which occurred in issue 5 of both titles.

This is an example of a single-issue crossover, meaning you didn’t have to buy both issues to enjoy your regular book. In my case, it’s O.M.A.C. Now, Frank did appear in a cameo at the end of O.M.A.C #4, but that same scene is replayed in its entirety from Frank’s viewpoint in his own book. So, we end up getting to see both sides of the same battle and in the process, if you were unfamiliar with the other book you got a nice taste of it. One great thing about their encounter is that it wasn’t forced. The two characters share some similar themes; the most basic of all is that they’re both monsters. While I probably won’t continue to read Frankenstein, I was glad to have the opportunity to finally see what it was all about. Although, O.M.A.C. wasn’t nearly as exciting in Frank’s book, because I think Kevin Kho’s predicaments make the character work. Oh, and kudos to DC for the awesome covers – what a wonderful image reversal.

Update 1: I'm super upset that DC is cancelling O.M.A.C! Look for me to whine, beg, and plead for a reprieve in a future post.

Then over at Marvel, we have the Daredevil and Spider-Man team-up in Amazing Spider-Man #677 and Daredevil #8.

This is an example of a “To Be Continued” crossover, meaning you have to get both books to read the complete story. Luckily for me, I’m already buying both titles, so this didn’t add to my spending at all. This story also was very organic in bringing the two heroes together – something that’s certainly been done numerous times before (since way back in ASM #16 and DD#16). Here the Black Cat is being framed for a crime that Spidey is certain she didn’t commit and Peter seeks out Daredevil for his legal and super-heroic help.

The extra bonus was that Daredevil scribe, Mark Waid was writing both parts, so you know it’s going to be a seamless “event” (I haven’t read the DD issue yet at this writing. It comes out on Wednesday). The ASM issue could have easily been numbered Daredevil #7.5. (Hey Marvel, you should do this for the second printings!) One slight drawback to Waid handling Spidey again is that Peter seemed to be in his pre-Big Time loser-mode. And his assertion that he was so in love with Carlie was ridiculous, but not as dumb as his behavior around Cat,where he was desperate to get some “Kitty”-time. (I’m glad Felicia turned him down.) I do mean slight drawback, because overall I really liked the issue a lot and much of that was due to the beautiful artwork by Emma Rios. After seeing all the House Ads for months with the Ramos cover and confusing Rios with Ramos, I was totally surprised to see the acclaimed Cloak and Dagger mini-series artist on this book. I was actually hoping that she would handle both chapters, but I don’t think that is happening (that would have been perfect). The story had a great cliffhanger ending and I KNOW the next part will be excellent.

UPDATE 2: It certainly was! I loved the scene with the billy club and the helicopter. I also thought it was cool that the Black Cat was totally playing "horndog". Although, I think I'm going to have to reassess her relationship with Spidey back in the 80's -- looks like it was more intimate than I always thought. What did I know? I wasn't even dating at that time and comics certainly were less explicit. Guess that's why she always called him "lover"...

The other great thing that both companies did for these two crossovers was that you only had to wait a week to finish the story. I don’t necessarily want to see a proliferation of crossovers, but when they occur naturally and are done this well, I don’t mind them.

Jonah Hex: No Way Back

2012-01-20T00:01:00.002-05:00

Next on the library books adventures is Jonah Hex: No Way Back. Justin Gray and Jimmy Palmiotti handle the writing and Tony DeZuniga does the art.

What can I say? It's Jonah Hex to the hilt. Anyone who appears to have any kind of connection to Hex ends up in a bad way as Hex continues his bounty hunting. Lots of dying ensues, both from Hex killing bounties, people protecting the bounties, and from people targeting Hex's acquaintances.

No one even has to be close to Hex to get a violent end in this one. A simple bar in a simple town finds its employees tortured and murdered by a Mexican named El Papagayo who's laid a trap for Hex.

But I'm getting ahead of myself.

Hex learns his mother, who ran out on him and his father when he was a boy, is wanted for murder. He tracks her down, killing lots of deserving people along the way. Just before she dies of tuberculosis, Hex learns he has a half brother who's a minister in Colorado. Hex takes her body, and a mangy dog named Dag who's become his companion, to Colorado so his half brother can bury her as he sees fit. Hex has no allegiance to the woman, who ran off with a salesman, and has been a drunken prostitute for many years before her death.

All this leads to El Papagayo tracking Hex to his half brother's town, torturing the bar denizens where Hex's mother died to find out where he's gone. El Papagayo's motive for revenge on Hex? Hex's no good father killed all of his family in Mexico when he was a kid. Jonah never did anything to El Papagayo. Well, ok. He did leave El Papagayo tied to a pole once and has stolen a lot of guns from him at different times, but none of that is why El Papagayo wants to kill Hex.

Hex's half brother, Joshua Dazzleby, is both minister and sheriff in the town of Heaven's Gate. No guns are allowed in the town. All seems nice and peaceful. However, at Hex's first dinner with his half brother's family we learn that Joshua's wife is 21, having been only 13 when she married Joshua. Jonah makes a crack about her age, and the fact that she has sons who are 7 and 3. Jonah ends up sleeping in the family's barn, drunk. Joshua comes in to fight him, fists only. Joshua appears to have a large crucific tattoo on his chest. Ah, family drama. And here I thought you had to grow up with your brother to have arguments and fist fights.

Jonah leaves town after he and Joshua bury their mother but he soon spots El Papagayo and about 50 of his men riding toward the town. Knowing how El Papagayo has destroyed other towns, and that he was the one who framed their mother for murder in order to get to him, Hex advises the gunless town residents to flee. The town decides to stand and fight, which they do with the weapons they have at hand, such as pitch forks. They use a hot spring that is used for bathing to lure the bandits out of town, as well as some naked women.

Quite possibly the most unbelievable thing in the story, other than the general portrayal of the West as something akin to anarchy, is that these women are all hot. I've seen a lot of pictures of women in the West in that era. Hot they were not. Not only that, these religiously conservative women are quite ready to disrobe in front of both the mauraders of El Papagayo's gang but the other men of the town, which would seem like more of a long term problem. The brunette with her head thrown back also engages in heavy duty, come hither, sexy inuendo to lure the bandits into the water where the men of the town are submerged and waithing with their axes and pitch forks. Wonder where she's supposed to have picked up that skill? It's not like women are born knowing how to do that.

Anyway, a large number of the men in Heaven's Gate are killed, and Jonah is severely injured. Joshua ends up shot in the shoulder. But in the end, El Papagayo doesn't have to worry about revenge or being left tied up to a pole, or anything else.

Jonah spends months in the town healing, but won't speak to anyone in the town because once the bodies started piling up in the fight, they tried to turn him over to El Papagayo to end the fight. Before he rides out of town, still recuperating, he stops at his mother's grave. I love that Dag has a grave right next to his mother.

I enjoyed the back story on Hex. Jumping back to moments when his mother saved him from his father's abuse as well as to when she left him with that same father, the story fleshes out Hex's motivations more than any I can recall. The addition of a half brother to Jonah's family tree was largely a deus ex machina for the story at hand. That story was a bit Magnificent Seven (or Seven Samurai, if you want to go to original source material).

DeZuniga's art had its moments of trouble. Sometimes the bodies and heads were a bit disproportionate. Other times he seemed to be having trouble with hands. And what's with the out of era underwear? I noticed in Spider-Man Noir: Eyes Without a Face that Felicia Hardy was wearing a thong in one scene, which seemed out of place for 1933. In this book prostitutes Jonah is utilizing are wearing thongs, too. Now, I know these are women who traffic in sex, but were thongs really available in Nevada in the second half of the 19th Century? 'Course, we have the surplussage of hot women issue here, too.

Aside from the fleshing out of Jonah Hex as a person, this was a standard Hex story. Hex kills bad people. Other bad people kill people to try to get to Hex. Hex kills those bad people. A lot of innocent people die in the crossfire. Not that there's anything wrong with that. It's a good read for what it is. But it's not something I'm going to take the next step with and buy.

Keep bringing em back

2012-01-19T00:36:00.001-05:00

Both Marvel and DC have their old standbys. These are titles and books that will never go away. With very few exceptions, neither company will cease publishing characters like Captain America, Superman, or Spider-Man. Team books like X-Men, Avengers, or Justice League will always be published in some form.

However, every few years, the companies try to republish books that had their heyday of popularity, but never quite stuck around.

I am of course talking about your Defenders, Outsiders, New Warriors, and Suicide Squads. Books that are fondly remembered, but are not always guaranteed to be published at any given time.

The distinction is usually pretty simple. The team books that are ALWAYS published are either rock solid concepts like Justice League (all our best heroes on one team!) or a concept as distinctive as an individual character (X-Men) or somewhere in between (think Avengers, Pre-Bendis. Some headliners, but tons of characters who didn’t appear anywhere else).

The other books are ones that are usually rooted in the memory of a single creator’s run. Defenders is remembered as Marvel’s weird 70’s team book, but that’s mostly because Steve Gerber was given the reins of a random team book and went completely crazy on it. New Warriors was defined mostly by Fabian Nicenzia and Mark Bagley’s takes on what teen superheroes’ lives would be like. And John Ostrander created an incredibly rich espionage story based around super villains. The memory of these incredibly distinctive creative runs tends to do two things: generally appeal to a narrower group of fans and create a limited range of creative approaches that they will find acceptable.

An iconic mainstay, by contrast, has a much larger remit. A much broader range of stories can fit into Justice League, a book who’s description is “DC’s premier super team.” If I read a Defenders book, I probably have far more specific expectations.

Fraction’s Defenders does an admirable job of evoking the tone of the Gerber era Defenders, without feeling like a giant homage. However, you can also feel how its appeal of this sort of thing may be limited. So you can see why Marvel has tried to tinker with the concept so often. New Warriors might be the worst offender of the tinkering process. The number of different iterations that book has seen is simply staggering. New Warriors has been about everything from teen superheros to a superhero reality show to ex mutants. And none of the takes have been as successful as the original run, because that kind of creative success and timing is hard to duplicate.

That said, the one "second tier" book that manages to avoid this kind of identity problem is Thunderbolts. While it hasn’t been a huge seller in years, Thunderbolts has always stuck around and aside from a brief foray into a weird fight club comic, it never feels creatively astray. This is probably because fundamental shake ups were built into the DNA of the book by Kurt Busiek. He’s said in multiple interviews that he designed it to be completely shaken up every year or so. So as long as it involves super villains either seeking redemption or having it foisted upon them, it feels like a Thunderbolts book. Luke Cage running a suicide squad esque team out of a jail? Sure. Super villains masquerading as super heroes? Why not. Crazy super villains masquerading as people seeking redemption under the supervision of Norman Osborn? Not a problem. This approach has helped keep the book from feeling stale and it has also enabled to be well suited to adapting to new creative teams. It probably also explains why the book is still going after 15 years.

Of all the new attempts to launch new franchises in the 90’s, Thunderbolts is one of the few to stick around, and that’s probably because it’s the least tied to a single creator’s vision.

DC Preview Review for March Part 2 of 2

2012-01-18T06:21:00.000-05:00

Onto Part 2

THE GREEN LANTERN ARCHIVES VOL. 7 HC
Written by JOHN BROOME and GARDNER FOX
Art by GIL KANE and SID GREENE
Cover by GIL KANE and MURPHY ANDERSON
ADVANCE SOLICITED • On sale AUGUST 22 • 256 pg, FC, $59.99 US
In these high-flying tales from GREEN LANTERN #48-57, Green Lantern battles the evil of villains Sinestro, Major Disaster and many more!

Jim: I hate that I’m buying this book as I have been swearing off hard cover collections, but this was one of my favorite all time Green Lanterns stories as a kid and the nostalgia is just too much for me to overcome. The silver age material will be pretty much left alone when I do my hard cover sale starting February.

Gwen: Ah, back when there was a Green Lantern firing squad. This cover is fantastic! Especially considering that I'm sure whatever Hal did can't possibly be as awful as what he did as Parallax.

SECRET SOCIETY OF SUPER-VILLAINS VOL. 2 HC
Written by GERRY CONWAY and BOB ROZAKIS
Art by MIKE VOSBURG, RICH BUCKLER, DICK DILLIN, ALEX SAVIUK, JOE ORLANDO and others
Cover by RICH BUCKLER
On sale MAY 16 • 208 pg, FC, $24.99 US
Don’t miss this second helping of tales of villainy from SECRET SOCIETY OF SUPER-VILLAINS #11-15, DC SPECIAL #27, DC SPECIAL SERIES #6, SUPER-TEAM FAMILY #13-14, JUSTICE LEAGUE OF AMERICA #166-167 and a story from CANCELLED COMICS CAVALCADE #2.

Jim: The only way I can justify this book is because it is just $25. I picked up volume one and have yet to re-read it and if memory serves it was not always the best stuff, but so few villain books have ever been done that I had to pick it us to complete the run.

Gwen: Sure Jim, we all know it has more to do with the giant gorilla on the cover.

DOMINIQUE LAVEAU: VOODOO CHILD #1
Written by SELWYN SEFU HINDS
Art by DENYS COWAN and JOHN FLOYD
Cover by RAFAEL GRAMPA
1:10 Variant cover by DENYS COWAN
On sale MARCH 21 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • MATURE READERS
DOMINIQUE LAVEAU: VOODOO CHILD is the story of a half-breed, outcast and heir to the Voodoo Queenship of New Orleans, if she can live long enough to claim her birthright. New Orleans is the most haunted city in America: a town of centuries-old ghosts and newly drowned spirits; where vampires, voodoo spirits and loups-garous make their home. Ruling over this all are the powerful Voodoo Queens, whose influence stretches into politics, business and crime as they maintain a delicate balance between the mortal and supernatural worlds.
But in the aftermath of Katrina, all that has changed, for someone or something has murdered the Voodoo Queen and most of her court. The number one suspect is Dominique Laveau, a grad student at Tulane who is about to discover that her entire life has been a lie. Now Dominique must forge alliances with those out to kill her while seeking to uncover the truth behind the royal murders, as she is ultimately forced to deal with a destiny she could never have imagined. Voodoo Child is a new monthly series written by Selwyn Seyfu Hinds, former editor-in-chief of The Source magazine, award-winning author, journalist and TV producer, with art by Milestone Media co-founder Denys Cowan (THE QUESTION) and covers by Rafael Grampá.

Jim: I’m very happy to see Vertigo has such a strong line up of new books coming out. Vertigo has such cache with me that I will try any title for at least one issue. Plus I find that my interest in the straight super hero never ending story type books waning so much that I crave anything different. That is not to say I may not drop the book after a few issues, but at least it is always worth a look. Finally it is a new writer and I’m always curious to read a new voice.

Gwen: Ooo, this looks interesting. I really like the concept and the art looks solid as well. I am always excited for new Vertigo titles!

THE NEW DEADWARDIANS #1
Written by DAN ABNETT
Art and cover by I. N. J. CULBARD
1:10 Variant cover by CLIFF CHIANG
On sale MARCH 28 • 32 pg, FC, 1 of 8, $2.99 US • MATURE READERS
Another vampire/zombie comic? Really, Vertigo?
Trust us. This is different.
In post-Victorian England, nearly everyone of the upper classes has voluntarily become a vampire to escape the lower classes who are all zombies.
Into this simmering cauldron is thrust Chief Inspector George Suttle, a lonely detective who’s got the slowest beat in London: investigating murders in a world where everyone is already dead!
But when the body of a young aristocrat washes up on the banks of the Thames, Suttle’s quest for the truth will take him from the darkest sewers to the gleaming halls of power, and reveal the rotten heart at the center of this strange world.
THE NEW DEADWARDIANS is brought to vivid life by fan-favorite writer Dan Abnett (RESURRECTION MAN, LEGION LOST) with art by newcomer I. N. J. Culbard (At The Mountains of Madness).

Jim: I’m leery of this title because we have seen vampires and zombies done way too much, but this is Dan Abnett first foray into a Vertigo title and for the most part Dan’s work is always enjoyable for me. It could be a very cool book.

Gwen: Hah, this looks like it could be a lot of fun. I like the idea of becoming a vampire to avoid becoming a zombie. But what does everyone eat?

SAUCER COUNTRY #1
Written by PAUL CORNELL
Art and cover by RYAN KELLY
1:10 Variant cover by SEAN MURPHY
On sale MARCH 14 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • MATURE READERS
Arcadia Alvarado, the leading Democratic candidate for President of the United States, says she was “abducted by aliens.”
As the Mexican-American Governor of New Mexico, she’s dealing with immigration, budget cuts and an alcoholic ex. She’s about to toss her hat into the ring as a candidate for President in the most volatile political climate ever.
But then…a lonely road and a nightmarish encounter have left her with terrible, half-glimpsed memories. And now she has to become President. To expose the truth – and maybe, to save the world.
Arcadia’s quest is at the heart of this new monthly series from writer Paul Cornell (DEMON KNIGHTS, ACTION COMICS, Doctor Who) and artist Ryan Kelly (NEW YORK FIVE, NORTHLANDERS). With the help of her quirky staff, Arcadia will pursue the truth of her abduction into danger, mystery and awe. SAUCER COUNTRY is a dark thriller that blends UFO lore and alien abduction with political intrigue, all set in the hauntingly beautiful Southwest.

Jim: Sounds very political, very strange and totally bizarre and absolutely like a Paul Cornell book. Add Ryan Kelly as the artist and you have a book that I’m will to give at least three issues to win me over. I hope Cornell is not too preachy about his political views, but just tells a good story.

Gwen: Wow, this looks to be more entertaining than re-watching the West Wing. We need more presidential candidates who have been abducted by aliens.

FAIREST #1
Written by BILL WILLINGHAM
Art by PHIL JIMENEZ and ANDY LANNING
Wraparound cover by ADAM HUGHES
1:10 Variant cover by PHIL JIMENEZ
On sale MARCH 7 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • MATURE READERS
New York Times best-selling, award-winning creator Bill Willingham presents a new series starring the female FABLES. Balancing horror, humor and adventure, FAIREST explores the secret histories of Sleeping Beauty, Rapunzel, Cinderella, The Snow Queen, Thumbelina, Snow White, Rose Red and others.
The first 6 issue arc follows the misadventures of Briar Rose after she is stolen away by the goblin army in FABLES #107. Fan-favorite artist Phil Jimenez (WONDER WOMAN, THE INVISIBLES) returns to Vertigo to pencil the opening storyline. Award-winning cover artist Adam Hughes (WONDER WOMAN, BATGIRL) provides covers, starting with a wraparound cover on issue #1.
Future arcs will be written by 2011 Arthur C. Clarke winner Lauren Beukes with art by Inaki Miranda, and iZOMBIE scribe Chris Roberson with art by Shawn McManus! And remember: They may be beautiful, but there will be blood.

Jim: Hard to not want to read more Fables material and this book promises that we will have more creators then ever playing in Willingham’s Fables Universe. I also like that the focus will be on all the fairy tale princess as that seems to be great grist for the mill in playing with our expectations of what we think they should be as opposed to what they are now, see Cinderella for an excellent example.

Gwen: This looks great. I love Fables and it will be fun to go into more spin off stories (especially because I had so much fun with Cinderella as a spy).

Jim: While I find my DCU stuff getting to be more and more of a narrow focus, I love that Vertigo seems to have gotten some new life this month.

Gwen: I'm still laughing about the GL firing squad cover.

New Post At WCS

2012-01-17T17:02:00.005-05:00

A rant about what bugs me about the new DCU. Click to read.

DC Preview Review for March Part 1 of 2

2012-01-17T00:01:00.000-05:00

Jim: So I’m growing tired of DC comics like I never have before. Oh I still love Snyder, Lemire, Tomasi and other people’s work, but my love for the characters has been severely hurt but this re-launch. I no longer have the connection I used to have with my beloved characters. I still believe allowing true change and growth would have been a better way.

Gwen: Honestly I have to agree with Jim. I find my interest flagging with the relaunch.

JUSTICE LEAGUE #7
Written by GEOFF JOHNS
Art by GENE HA and GARY FRANK
Cover by JIM LEE and SCOTT WILLIAMS
1:25 Variant cover by GARY FRANK
1:200 B&W Variant cover by JIM LEEOn sale MARCH 21 • 40 pg, FC, $3.99 US • RATED T
Combo pack edition: $4.99 US
Now that the team’s origin story is complete, starting with this issue we shift to the present-day Justice League! What has changed? Who has joined the team since? Featuring artwork by Gene Ha, the story also reintroduces the team’s greatest champion: Steve Trevor!
Also starting in this issue: “The Curse of Shazam!” featuring a story by Geoff Johns and art by Gary Frank! Discover Billy Batson’s place in DC Comics – The New 52 as we reveal his all-new origin story!
This issue is also offered as a special combo pack edition, polybagged with a redemption code for a digital download of this issue.

Jim: A combo pack – who cares, I don’t want both versions, print please. Well Jim Lee drawing a monthly comic did not even last a year, so let’s switch to Gary Frank. Good luck with that, Frank seems to have the ability to still do a monthly for around four months. Next, for the first modern day story arc they are tackling the whole Shazam thing; please just give me a solid JL adventure. I’m ready to drop this book.

Gwen: I can't remember the last time I really enjoyed the JLA. I may have to go as far back as the Blue Beetle/Booster Gold years.

GREEN ARROW #7
Written by ANN NOCENTI
Art by HARVEY TOLIBAO
Cover by HOWARD PORTER
On sale MARCH 7 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T
Green Arrow’s gone looking for trouble, and he’s found it – in triplicate! Three women who give new meaning to the term “drop dead gorgeous” have our hero outnumbered and outgunned! Collectively, they’re called “Skylark,” and they’ve been sent on a secret mission with Oliver Queen as its focus! Who’s directing them, what is their shadowy goal and will Ollie let his guard down and be gulled by these beautiful and deadly adversaries? Join new creative team Anne Nocenti and Harvey Tolibao as they chart the next chapter in the life of Oliver Queen!

Jim: I have already dropped this book. It now has three writers in fewer than seven issues, really nice planning. As an editor when you get a pitch for a book doesn’t it map out at least a year’s worth’s of stories? This just seems like DC truly had no clue what the frell they were doing with this whole new 52 outside of a great marketing gimmick.

Gwen: Green Arrow has got to be a hard book to come up with good solid story for. I miss Ollie being dead and Conner being GA.

BATWOMAN #7
Written by J.H. WILLIAMS III and W. HADEN BLACKMAN
Art by AMY REEDER and ROB HUNTER
Cover by AMY REEDER1:25 B&W Variant cover by AMY REEDER
On sale MARCH 14 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T+
Six lives on converging courses that will change them forever...
Batwoman, in a hidden lair beneath Gotham Harbor, faces a horde of monsters inspired by urban legends led by Falchion, an evil mastermind.
Jacob Kane waits in agony for some sign of life.
Kate Kane tries to enjoy new romance as the werebeast Abbot begs for her help.
Maro, an enigmatic wizard, evokes an evil that all children fear: their own reflections in a darkened mirror.
Detective Maggie Sawyer is caught in a turf war between The Werebeast Cult and The Medusa Syndicate.
DEO Agent Cameron Chase struggles with a new operative who refuses to be controlled.
It’s all coming in “To Drown the World,” part 2.

Jim: Now I love this book. First and foremost I love JH Williams, but add in Amy Reeder as the artist and I will buy it. She is one of the best in the business; she has beautiful line work, great story telling ability and draws the most beautiful real women in comics. When I have more money saved up I want to buy more of her art (I own one page right now). It has been a good story so far and this book is unchanged due to the new 52 outside of changing Jim Gordon’s hair color.

Gwen: My major art regret in life is not having the hundreds of dollars I would have needed to buy Amy Reeder's cover for the Supergirl annual featuring Supergirl and Brainiac 5. Sadly, I am not rich. I do have the awesome Madame X page Jim got me for my graduation present though. :) I am glad to see Amy's name again.

ALL-STAR WESTERN #7
Written by JUSTIN GRAY and JIMMY PALMIOTTI
Art by MORITAT, PATRICK SCHERBERGER and DAN GREEN
Cover by LADRONNOn sale MARCH 28 • 40 pg, FC, $3.99 US • RATED T+
Jonah Hex tracks the kidnapper Thurston Moody to New Orleans in pursuit of his bounty. But he and Amadeus Arkham find New Orleans under attack by the August 7, a group of anti-immigrant, steampunk terrorists. Only the renowned Nighthawk and Cinnamon stand between the terrorists and the immigrant workforce of this city. Hex consents to put the bounty aside (for the moment) to help his friends and finds himself in a battle to the death! Plus: Some of the best love stories are tempered with revenge, especially in the case of Nighthawk and Cinnamon.

Jim: Another very cool series by DC, but Palmiotti and Gray were churning out great Jonah Hex westerns before the jump and have continued to do so after the jump, just moving Jonah to some different towns like Gotham and now New Orleans. Notice this is another book I love that no one is wearing their underwear outside of their pants.

Gwen: I'm not big on Jonah Hex so you'll have to take Jim's word on this.

BATMAN: DEATH BY DESIGN DELUXE EDITION HC
Written by CHIP KIDD
Art and cover by DAVE TAYLOR
On sale MAY 30 • 112 pg, 6.75” x 10.25”, FC, $24.99 US
In this new, original graphic novel from superstar writer/designer Chip Kidd and artist Dave Taylor, Gotham City is undergoing one of the most expansive construction booms in its history. The most prestigious architects from across the globe have buildings in various phases of completion all over town. As chairman of the Gotham Landmarks Commission, Bruce Wayne has been a key part of this boom, which signals a golden age of architectural ingenuity for the city. And then, the explosions begin.
All manner of design-related malfunctions – faulty crane calculations, sturdy materials suddenly collapsing, software glitches, walkways giving way and more – cause casualties across the city. This bizarre string of seemingly random catastrophes threatens to bring down the whole construction industry. Fingers are pointed as Batman must somehow solve the problem and find whoever is behind it all.

Jim: I have no clue about who Chip Kidd is and will not spend $25 to read a story by an unknown to me. I don’t understand this publishing decision unless Kidd brings in a huge built in fan base. I’d rather see Scott Snyder do a one off story or someone else I trust.

Gwen: Well it says he's a superstar... but I've never heard of him either *shrug*.

NIGHT FORCE #1
Written by MARV WOLFMAN
Art by TOM MANDRAKE
Cover by LEONARDO MANCOOn sale MARCH 7 • 32 pg, FC, 1 of 6, $2.99 US • RATED T
Marv Wolfman reimagines his classic adventure series for the new millennium!
There’s a conspiracy under way that’s been going on for hundreds of years. One determined cop has unknowingly scratched the surface and suddenly finds himself summoned to Wintersgate Manor. But this chilling menace may prove to be too big even for Baron Winters.

Jim: Oh joy, joy we are bringing Marv Wolfman back again. This series was interesting in its day with Wolfman and Gene Colan. I love Mandrake’s art, so as much as I want to pass on this title I will check out one issue of this since it is not a cape book. My expectations are the story will be below par. Awesome cover BTW.

Gwen: I loved Marv Wolfman back in the eighties but anything recent I've read by him has been so-so at best.

WONDER WOMAN VOL. 1: BLOOD HC
Written by BRIAN AZZARELLO
Art by CLIFF CHIANG and TONY AKINS
Cover by CLIFF CHIANGOn sale MAY 30 • 160 pg, FC, $22.99 US
The first six issues of the critically acclaimed new WONDER WOMAN series are collected in hardcover! Hippolyta, queen of the Amazons, has kept a secret from her daughter all her life – and when Wonder Woman learns who her father is, her life will shatter like brittle clay. The only one more shocked than Diana by this revelation? Bloodthirsty Hera – so why is her sinister daughter, Strife, so eager for the truth to be told? Superstar writer Brian Azzarello creates a new direction for one of DC’s best-known heroes, with spectacular art by Cliff Chiang and Tony Akins!

Jim: Love, love this series and if you have not read it, check it out, but I picked this to complain about the price point. DC has become the same level of whores that Marvel has been for a long time. Six comics was $18, putting a golden book cover on it and a glue binding and you get to pay an additional $5 for the same material. I hope they at least kiss the buyers after this f*****. Where are the extras? Script pages, interviews with the creators, sketches, the pitch, it is so easy to make each book special, but it is all dollars and cents.

Gwen: I never thought I'd care for a Wonder Woman book. I mean, there have been some okay ideas in the past, but this is one of the few relaunch books I have actually gotten into. WW needed an overhaul the way most of DC did not.

PART 2 Coming Soon

The Week in Review – Jan 11

2012-01-16T00:01:00.011-05:00

I have already bored you with multiple reasons while this column is more of what I read this week instead of a week in review and until I get my life back in order it will continue. Football, Mom’s 90^th birthday (she had me when she was 60 – do you believe that? – I don’t either) and work and blah, blah, blah has created limited time to read. Joining a book club and trying to finish the “Girl Who Kicked Over the Hornet’s Nest” before starting the book club stuff has not helped either. Enough of my excuses let’s get to comics.

First up is Punishermax #21 the penultimate issue of the series with one of the worse comic titles ever created. I thought Garth Ennis had done great work with this version of Frank Castle, but Jason Aaron (writer) has crafted a an equally fantastic take on Frank along with Steve Dillon (artist). This issue Frank dies after finally killing the Kingpin. I heard this series was going to be 36 issues long, but sales and corporate edicts apparently interceded and cut it short, doesn’t matter as it reads fine. I like this Frank because he is from Viet Nam and he is old. Frank is so flawed it is beyond having feet of clay, Frank is inhuman in some ways, but Jason defines it for us in this series. Frank is lost and appears to have had no love in his love and appears incapable of generating any love from within. The war gives Frank a reason to live and the killing of his family allows Frank to have a visible motive to bring the war home. Frank is not evil, as he has a strong moral code, but he is not good either. He is driven, obsessed and lost and sad. Trying to learn how to live what we call a normal live and never succeeded in making it work. This series is ending the only way it should with Frank dying. Next issue is an epilogue. I hope Frank is dead because that makes the story work. Too many comics are confined by maintaining the status quo and the max Universe allows for things to actually happen. I find this type of comic still inspires my passion in comics and capes are becoming less and less of an interest. Pick up the trades and read this series. It is Jason’s second best work (behind Scalped) and goes down as a definitive take on the Punisher character and a series that will be something people can read far into the future as an examination of a man. A character that you can admire and has much to horrify you, Frank Castle – RIP.

Next up is the Strange Talent of Luther Strode #4 (of 6) by Justin Jordan as writer and Tradd Moore on art. The book continues to pick up steam and has moved from a teen angst book to a book about power and the abuse of same. I never heard of Justin Jordan before, but I’ll be looking for his name in the future. In four issues I have been drawn into Luther’s world of being an abused child, living with his Mom who was abused by the same father. Moving tto Luther getting his wish fulfillment of gaining powers to fight off bullies and their ilk to trying to be a super hero to finding out that all of this was about something else. This issue gets into what that something else is, Luther has the talent to use this power, but they want him to exercise his power to rule and killing is just one element of it. Luther is refuses and the consequences will impact his friends and family. Justin is writing a great story and Tradd Moore’s art will not impress you as photo realistic or as super hero art, but he is a great story telling, with solid art, great expressions and has conveyed Justin’s ideas in great fashion. Hope issue #6 is just the end of the beginning.

Batman and Robin #5 has put this book right next to the Batman series itself as one of DC’s better series. As the new DCU continues to put me off, books like this will remain no matter how many DC books I cancel. Peter Tomasi (writer) with Patrick Gleason and Mick Gray (artists) are producing a terrific story of Damian’s descent back into the dark side. While I have reservations about this since Dick had starting to get through to Damian, the dynamic between Bruce and Damian makes sense that he would regress. Seeing Bruce as a father realizing he has failed his son and him tracking him across the city as we listen in to his thoughts was fantastic. As a father I know how strong those emotions can be. Watching Damian run around with Morgan Ducard and apparently give in to his darker side is equally compelling and we do not hear his inner voice. Damian could just as easily be leading Morgan on as much as anything else. At the same time we get the back story of Bruce and Morgan. It was a lot of story and extremely well done. This is one of DC’s must reads.

Scalped #55 was off the charts. The art was a little muddy and either the coloring was too heavy handed or the printing was poorly done, but the battle royal between Shunka and Bad Horse was just brutal and full of the raw emotion that has been a hallmark of this series. Jason Aaron (writer) and RM Guera (artist) have a series that will go down as one of the all time great books in comics’ history. Without a doubt this book deserves a high end hard cover treatment and it will be an easy buy for me and stay on my book shelf forever. Almost the entire book was one long battle between the Bad Horse and Shunka and it was brutal, hard and nasty. Bad Horse had lost until Red Crow shows up and kills Shunka, just as Shunka confesses his love for Red Crow. Then Dash Bad Horse turns the tables and arrests Red Crow revealing he is an FBI agent, which I think Red Crow has known that for a long time. The final arc is next.

All in all this was a good week, but I took what I thought would be best to read and left a lot unread. A few quick hit notes:

Batwoman #5 just rocked. JH Williams III is a brilliant artist and along with his co-writer W. Haden Blackman he has crafted an interesting story that has made Kate an agent of the DEO and separates her from the Bat family.

Severed #6, the penultimate issue of the series holds onto the creepy psychological horror vibe even with almost all the secrets revealed. Scott Snyder and Scott Tuft (writers) capture the essence of the time period and the horror, while Attila Futaki delivers terrific art. I hate to point it out, but there was a two page spread where the design did not work for me and I was re-reading it once or twice to figure out the panel order. This is a small quibble regarding an excellent mini-series.

Finally is Invincible #87, I love how Mark’s plan to really change the Earth with Dinosaurus has put him at odds with the rest of the super crew on Earth and the battle to save Earth from his well intentioned friends is also very cool. A lot going on and Robert Kirkman (writer) with Ryan Ottley and Cliff Rathburn (artists) deliver a consistently entertaining title where stuff actually happens and matters. BUT, I still have a serious issue with fat Atom Eve. It has an almost misogynist taint to it. There is no way a male character is allowed to look that bad and Atom Eve is being made to be less then what the character should be.

So DC has helped me cancel a few more titles. Since DC has canceled Blackhawks and Mister Terrific with issues #8, I cancelled them after next week to help out. Since Rob Liefeld was announced to take over Grifter soon, I jumped ship with that book also. I have serious issues with the new DCU which I will give vent to over at WCS (Why Comics Suck) blog.

Next week’s list is Batman (best DCU pure cape book), Birds of Prey, Catwoman, DCU Presents, Fables, GL Corps, Hellblazer, Nightwing, Supergirl, Thunder Agents (which I also canceled), Wonder Woman (another great book), Avengers, Daredevil, Legion of Monsters, Moon Knight, Thunderbolts, Uncanny X-Force, Uncanny X-Men, Chew, Near Death, Morning Glories, Cobra, Memorial, Caligula and Lord of the Jungle. Wow that is almost a reasonable list for me. That is the goal to get my list down more and more over this year. I want to continue getting comics, but only what I think is the best of the best and leave more time to read standard prose books and more time to just goof off.

Be back next week and we can do this all over again.

Spider-man Noir: Eyes Without A Face

2012-01-15T00:01:00.014-05:00

Ok, I've got a slew of library books to go through. Most of them I'm less than fond of, which is better than me being less than fond of after having bought them, but I'm going to start with one I liked.

It's somewhat surprising that I like this because I've generally been down on Spider-man of late. Peter Parker is just too whiny for me anymore. But, in David Hine, Fabrice Sapolsky, and Carmine di Giandomenico's work, set in 1933, the whining is nowhere to be found. It's a wonderful change.

Sure, we have Peter in non-traditionals Spider-man duds, and Felicia Hardy channeling one of the many incarnations of Selina Kyle, but there are some really creative turns in this noir tale. In fact, the most cliched part is Hardy being a speakeasy operator/madam, sleeping with both Peter and a villain in the story.

The Goblin having been taken down as the crime boss of NYC in the last Noir series, there's a new boss in town called the Crime Master. He's exerting his authority in typically brutal fashion. Concurrently, Robbie Robertson, son of Carver Robertson and a reporter at The Negro Times, wants to investigate the experiments of Dr Otto Octavius out on Ellis Island, but the good doctor won't give an interview to a report from a black paper. Robbie convinces Peter to get an interview, which the doctor grants due to Peter's scientific background, and Robbie tags along.

This version of Doc Ock is a wheelchair bound genius who has mechanical arms attached to the back of his chair, which he manipulates with a controller on his chair. They're not attached to him or controlled by his mind. Doc Ock is running experiments on monkeys by cutting into their brains to see what can be done to modify their behavior without killing them. These are his government funded experiments.

On the side he's also experimenting on black people kidnapped from the streets of NYC by the Crime Master's gang. Of course, both Crime Master and Doc Ock are working for the local Nazi sympathizer group.

Peter defeats the Crime Master and Doc Ock, though Doc Ock is only deported to Germany. Amusingly, he's rejected by Heimlich Himmler and not allowed to do any work for the Nazis because he's a congenital cripple. They just can't have any birth defects in the perfect Reich.

In the course of the story Felicia is moved toward the path of being the Black Cat, Robbie is severely injured, and Curt Connors makes an entirely superfluous appearance as a Nazi.

The art by di Giandomenico is rough at times, but works well with the noir setting. His colors, as well as those by June Chong for issue 4, have the expected sepia tones, with some bright colors thrown in for emphasis on occasion.

I liked the character work, especially Carver Robertson, Peter, and Aunt May. Aunt May, in particular, isn't the usual victim she seems to be in so many mainstream Spider-man stories. She's busy with her own life, runs a soup kitchen, and generally seems much more proactive.

I don't know why Curt Connors was in the story at all. He's his expected one armed self, but he's just another Nazi scientist. What's the point in bringing him in? He doesn't do anything in particular but get caught with Doc Ock. Guess he didn't get deported, though.

I question a bit of the timing on the Nazi angle, too. This story is set in 1933. At that point the Nazis were just consolidating power in Germany. A sophisticated operation in the US, to the point of taking over crime in NYC, was likely well beyond their operational capabilities at that point.

Still, this was a pleasant surprise. If I see the first Noir series at the library, I'll be sure to check it out.

Action Comics # 5 – A Review

2012-01-14T00:01:00.004-05:00

Action Comics #5

“Rocket Song”
Writer: Grant Morrison
Penciller: Andy Kubert
Inker: Jesse Delperdang
Colorist: Brad Anderson
Letterer: Patrick Brosseau

“Baby Steps”
Writer: Sholly Fisch
Artist: ChrisCross
Colorist: Jose Villarrubia
Letterer: Carlos M. Mangual

Publisher: DC Comics
Price: $3.99

Since The New 52, Action Comics has been telling the backstory of Superman when he first started operating in Metropolis. It’s supposed to take place approximately five years ago, but that doesn’t really make since, because Justice League is also set “five years ago” and Superman has two different costumes and confidence levels. Obviously, Action precedes Justice League, but by how much who really knows (I don’t think DC has even figured it out yet). Is it six months, a year? Well, it doesn’t really matter for this issue, because now we interrupt the current arc for the backstory’s backstory – two tales of Superman’s parents (both sets). We’ve seen this played out numerous times before (even the cover loudly proclaims “AGAIN”). But, y’know what? It’s still a fascinating tale and we get some interesting new and expanded elements this time around.

“Rocket Song”

Some people have complained that this book (although enjoyable) has been too normal up to now, lacking that distinct Grant Morrison feel. Well, that all ended with the first part of this issue, which caused me to work extra hard at appreciating the story. For one thing there were less words than normal, so I initially thought I could sneak in a quick read at the end of a long day. Unfortunately, words like “Mothermatician”, “Superliminal Thrust”, “Superspace” and “Un-Time”, etc. just made me give up and go to bed. So, I tried again and this time I read it aloud (softly, so the family wouldn’t think I was nuts) and it helped…A LOT! It turns out that you have to approach this more like a silent story and really focus on what’s going on in each panel (something I don’t always take time to do or in many cases don’t need to).

Krypton’s about to explode and Jor-EL and Lara try to escape into the Phantom Zone with baby Kal-EL (wrapped in his grandfather’s red cloak) and a fierce looking Krypto. At the portal with the projector set for four, Zod begins taunting Jor-EL, promising to break his wife’s mind and corrupt his son. Then impossibly Zod extends his hand outside the Zone, asking Jor-EL to take it. Well, even though Jor-EL doesn’t bite at the offer, Krypto certainly does! When Zod pulls back, Krypto hangs on, entering the portal before the surface shatters into thousands of glass shards. Jor-EL is paralyzed with indecision, but Lara reminds him of the rocket prototype and they race off toward it. And unbeknownst to them, in a little red and white blur, something escapes into the projector (four people perhaps? Krypto, Zod and his two associates?).

The two loving parents (not the cold Bryne Kryptonians) place Kal-EL into the rocket, which was originally designed for an animal test flight. On board the ship is equipped with Brainiac A.I. and Jor-EL instructs the ship to find a world with a low gravity that circles a young (yellow) sun. The ship takes off, rising above the catastrophe before rocketing out of orbit as the planet erupts in glowing green fury. Brainiac/The Rocket takes over the narration at this point and being a superior intellect starts using those Morrison words that my “Level 3” mind can barely comprehend. I think Un-Time means that Kal-EL doesn’t age on the journey like he did in Superman: The Movie.

When the ship approaches Earth’s atmosphere it constructs a protective crystalline shell of Kryptonian Sunstone before it ignites like a flaming meteor over the cold Kansas sky. Jonathan and Martha see it land while Jon is changing a flat tire. As they drive away with the baby, government helicopters can be seen hovering over the crash site. After assessing the technological level of the world (“Apes with Atom Bombs” and non-aware machines), the ship goes silent as the investigators approach. The Kents meanwhile are stopped by an army roadblock and told to detour from a “chemical spill”. But Jonathan freely admits that they saw some sort of spaceship crash and asks them to investigate his homemade “spaceman” – a deformed calf in a silver suit – in the back of his pickup. A ruse to have the government think he’s some kind of opportunistic crackpot.

Flash-forward to a previous issue, when Superman finds the rocket, which speaks to him. He tells it to protect itself and we then get some hints of the conclusion of the first arc and the dawn of the age of superhumans. Next some weird stuff happens that I’m not even going to try to explain, other than bad guys steal the Kryptonite engine of the rocket before Superman (in his Greg-loving Jim Lee costume) and the three original Legion of Super-Heroes (Saturn Girl, Cosmic Boy, and Lightning Lad) can stop them. That’s not good, because now the Earth is doomed!

It’s a familiar story with lots of new twists, which is why I went into as much detail as I did in the synopsis. And now that I’ve analyzed it several times, I can honestly say I love it! Andy Kubert’s art is beautiful and moody in this story and reading the book out loud helped me get the pacing right to be impressed by some of the epic images. I really liked the full-page splash of the rocket rising above the chaos. It was also cool how Morrison brought the story into both the current arc (Collector of Worlds) and provided a prelude to the next (likely) one as well. DC may not have their timelines all straightened out yet, but Morrison sure knows what he’s doing on this title.

So far so good, right? Well, the second story I loved even MORE!!!

“Baby Steps”

While I wasn’t wowed by Sholly Fisch’s Steel story from last issue, despite the fact that I really enjoy his All-New Batman Brave and the Bold series (BEST All-Ages book of 2011), this 8-page story was EXCELLENT!!! It shows Jonathan and Martha at their wedding, optimistic about having a houseful of children. Two years later, we see them struggling with infertility. Seeking medical advice, they find out that both of them have conditions that make conception unlikely. When a year of hormone therapy doesn’t work, they talk to their pastor, who gives them some wise Biblical council, which renews their hope. The couple saves a bundle for in-vitro fertilization, but the pregnancy tragically ends in a miscarriage. Finally, they end up at an adoption agency, but it will take years to save up for the costs. Jonathan suggests they mortgage the farm to get the money, which could put his family homestead at risk. Martha is very appreciative of her husband’s willingness to sacrifice his livelihood for her while she simultaneously admonishes him to watch out for that rough spot in the road – the one that will give them a flat tire, just in time to see Kal-El fall to earth.

From someone who has a houseful of six children, it may come as a surprise that I can somewhat relate to this story, but we’ve had miscarriages too (including a blighted ovum). And while we’re content with all the children we’ve been blessed with, we’ve been leaving things open to the Lord for two years now about more and the answer has been “No”. Not a bad thing (we want God’s will), but it is mystifying from a biological standpoint, since my wife and I are only in our early 40’s. This story hits all the right emotional notes of an issue people deal with everyday. It’s quite beautiful and poignant and really shines a light on the Kent’s loving relationship (really makes me sad that they’re already dead in the current DCnU continuity).

However, I was overjoyed with the way Sholly portrayed the visit to their church. For one, it was a Baptist church – while it may not be Southern Baptist, which I attend, it could be American Baptist that my family in Kansas goes to. Not only that, but the preacher uses some great Scripture passages to help them (I Samuel 1:8 and Genesis 21) when they ask why is God punishing them (it also was cool that it didn’t appear to be that Martha was the only churchgoer). Here’s what he tells them:

“I don’t know why the two of you have had these troubles, but I do know that everything is part of God’s plan. And with two people as fine as you, I can’t imagine it’s a punishment. I’m sure it’s because, when the time is right, He has something wonderful in store for you.”

I don’t know what Sholly’s faith background is (he recently penned a great Hanukah story in Brave and the Bold), but he portrayed a Bible believing church (not just limited to Baptists) perfectly. I doubt that has EVER been done before in a comic.

ChrisCross’ art was great too and perfectly suited for this heartfelt tale.

The only blemish was a slight continuity glitch with “Rocket Song”. This story takes place right before the flat tire scene and ends on a hopeful note, but in the Morrison tale, Martha seems hopeless about their baby prospects while Jonathan’s out changing the tire. I think it was important to mention their loss to set the context of them finding Kal-EL, but it was a bit out of sync.

GRADE A+: Best issue of the series so far! An outstanding depiction of two sets of loving parents in the familiar (but never tiring) story of Superman’s rocket journey.

Image Previews For March

2012-01-13T00:05:00.059-05:00

Thomm: I already know I’m looking forward to some of this. Let’s see what else Lee has picked.
Lee: Maybe we should let you pick some month. It would be interesting to see how we differ.

SAGA #1
story Brian K. Vaughan
art / cover Fiona Staples
48 Pages / FC / M / $2.99
Y: The Last Man writer Brian K. Vaughan returns to comics with red-hot artist Fiona Staples for an all-new Ongoing Series! Star Wars-style action collides with Game of Thrones-esque drama in this original sci-fi/fantasy epic for mature readers, as new parents Marko and Alana risk everything to raise their child amidst a never-ending galactic war. The adventure begins in a spectacular Double-Sized First Issue, with forty-four pages of story with no ads for the regular price of just $2.99!
Thomm: And this is one of the ones I had my eye on. Although I really need to go back and re-read it, I greatly enjoyed Y: The Last Man, as well as Vaughan’s Ex Machina and Pride of Baghdad. The art looks great, too.
Lee: If this is as long as it appears it's going to be I am waiting for the trade. Don't get me wrong, I am eagerly waiting... but waiting just the same. And kudos to the cover with a breast feeding woman. Don't see many of those on the stands these days.

THE MANHATTAN PROJECTS #1

story Jonathan Hickman

art Nick Pitarra / Cris Peter

32 Pages / FC / $3.50

"Infinite Oppenheimers" What if the research and development department created to produce the first atomic bomb was a front for a series of other, more unusual, programs? What if the union of a generation's brightest minds was not a signal for optimism, but foreboding? What if everything… went wrong? Welcome to The Manhattan Projects, a brand new, ongoing, monthly comic from the creators of The Red Wing.
Thomm: This was another one I was anticipating. Something must be wrong. Lee and I are picking out the same stuff. A super-secret project as cover for an even more super-secret project? Everything went wrong but we’re not all dead? Where is Hickman going with this? Intriguing.

Lee: The pitch sounds great but I have doubts about Hickman’s ability to sustain another monthly title. Collectively, how many is he writing now? It’s either going to be great or awful.

HELL YEAH #1

story Joe Keatinge

art / cover Andre Szymanowicz

32 Pages / FC / $2.99

The Last Generation Of Heroes Is Here! Twenty years ago, the first-ever superheroes debuted without warning and forever altered our global culture! Now, the generation born in their wake fight to claim their place in a world evolved beyond them! Written by Eisner and Harvey award-winner Joe Keatinge and illustrated by Elephantmen and Popgun's Andre Szymanowicz, Hell Yeah combines the over-the-top excitement of the original Image Comics launch with modern, innovative storytelling. It all begins with a giant-sized first issue containing a full thirty-two pages of story with no ads for the regular price of just $2.99!

Thomm: This is less appealing to me. I didn’t get on board with Image until much later than its original launch. These characters and this sort of concept really aren’t my thing.

Lee: The story is certainly generic enough but the appeal to the book is the artist Andre… something or ‘nother. Jim and I met him at the last Balti-Con or the one 2 years ago. He was very, very nice and gave us great sketches. He’s got a great style and has the potential to do great things. This is a “I knew Andre before Andre was Andre” book. And yes, his art is a lot better than the cover suggests!

HOAX HUNTERS #0
story Michael Moreci / Steve Seeley
art JM Ringuet
Cover Steve Seeley
32 Pages / FC / $2.99
"Getting Away With Murder" Cryptids. Aliens. Monsters. All the world’s bizarre secrets--what if they were real? Their existence would be debunked by a reality TV show! Hoax Hunters is that show, publicly disproving all variety of lore. But their real goal is the opposite: as the world’s dark corners surface, the Hoax Hunters cover them up. When a mysterious astronaut made of crows appears in Russia, the Hoax Hunters are on the case.
Thomm: Image really likes this general idea. Perhapanauts, Proof, and now this. The debunking angle is more Scooby Doo than the other two. Wonder if there’ll be a musical interlude?
Lee: Now that you mention it, Image does seem to do alot with this plot. But the real draw here is JM Ringuet. Jim and I have been fans of his for years and I am always excited to see new work by him. You can read Jim's interview from 2008 here.

THE LAST OF THE GREATS, VOL. 1 TP
story Joshua Hale Fialkov
art / cover Brent Peeples
136 Pages / FC / $12.99
Meet The Last - He's mankind's last hope and he f#@ing HATES us. As the Earth stands on the brink of annihilation we must beg the last survivor of a family of superheroes to put aside his hatred and save our asses. From the Eisner and Harvey Award-nominated writer of ECHOES, Tumor and I, Vampire comes the complete first volume of the critically-acclaimed vision of Super Heroes for the 21st century. Collects Last Of The Greats #1-5
Thomm: I know nothing of this series, but I have enjoyed Fialkov’s take on I, Vampire. It’s worth a look, at least, just on that, but the concept looks like fun, too.
Lee: I know nothing of the series either but Fialkov seems to be getting some buzz with the success of I, Vampire. This is a good way to see some of his 'early' work.

SAVAGE DRAGON ULTIMATE COLLECTION, VOL. 1 HC
story / art / cover Erik Larsen
336 Pages / FC / Oversized / $34.99
The earliest adventures of fandom’s favorite fin-head are collected for the first time in an oversized volume in full color! It’s all here! Overlord! SuperPatriot! Mako! Arachnid! Freak Force! It’s the beginning of the greatest comic book in the history of comic books! Savage Dragon defends Chicago from Overlord and the Vicious Circle and the stakes--and body count--couldn’t be higher! It’s the definitive Savage Dragon collection! Guest-starring Rob Liefeld’s Badrock and the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. Comes with our highest possible recommendation! Collects the expanded five-issue miniseries and Savage Dragon #1-7, plus covers, sketches and behind the scenes material.
Thomm: My only Savage Dragon reading has been when the character shows up in other Image books. Of course, the mention of Liefeld is not making me want to look into this, even though it’s just a guest appearance of his characters. Probably something for someone who’s already a fan, rather than someone unfamiliar with the work like me.
Lee: There is a more than a little nostalgia at play here. I'm sure I have these issues somewhere in the collection but finding them is something else entirely. I can't remember if I liked this enough to invest in the hc. Then again, I dropped the series before getting to 10 issues so maybe I should consider that.

THE WALKING DEAD: CUTTING ROOM FLOOR HC

story / art Robert Kirkman
cover by Charlie Adlard / Cliff Rathburn
112 Pages / FC / Oversized / $19.99
For the first time ever: an unprecedented, behind-the-scenes look at Robert Kirkman’s original, hand-written plot lines for the early issues of the Eisner-award winning series! See what plot lines were left on the cutting room floor and get an in-depth look at how the series came together. This collection includes commentaries on Kirkman’s original plots with never before seen material. This is the Walking Dead collector’s item of the year! Collects Never Before Seen Walking Dead Plots!
Thomm: This is for collectors all right. Just not the kind of collector who wants something for the potential future value. This is for the collector who’s a completest. I love The Walking Dead, but I’m not all that interested in the mind of Robert Kirkman. He puts his mind out there pretty well with his literary works. Best bought if you’re going to teach a course on Kirkman.
Lee: Definitely for the completist but why is it oversized? Is this the large print edition?

Thomm: All in all, a good month for Image. Some very intriguing new books in particular.
Lee: I can't believe we agreed on as much as we did. That's kinda creepy.

Scarlet Spider #1

2012-01-12T00:09:00.002-05:00

So a year ago, I didn't think that Marvel would be publishing a book made up of the detritus of the Spider-Clone saga. Let alone that I would enjoy it so much.

So I could explain the history of Kaine, but we don't have 3 weeks and a flow chart, so let's make it real simple. Kaine is a failed clone of Spider-Man that suffered from degeneration which made him crazy, scarred, and perpetually months away from dying. Like most of the ideas from the Clone Saga, he was wisely relegated to the dustbin of Marvel comics for years. He reappeared in a few Spider-Man stories over the past couple years, but the important thing is that after Spider-Island, he's back, no longer dying and no longer scarred. As bad an idea as it may have once seemed, this has worked ok. As an aside, its interesting how many elements of the clone saga aren't so bad when you remove the whole "Is Spider-Man a clone?" crap.

Essentially, the hook of the book is that Kaine is now living for the first time without death hovering over him or any of the scars that remind him he's a failed clone. Kaine can now actually live a life, but he's also a former super villain so he's heading for Mexico. He decides to rip off some drug dealers for some quick cash in Houston and then his struggles with Peter Parker's conscience kick in.

Again, nothing about this book should work, but it is fun to read and its surprisingly well done as a grittier Spider-Man book without over doing it. I'm a sucker for redemption books like this and the mix of Kaine's selfish impulses with the Peter Parker conscience, as well as his lack of experience in being a super hero all make for a very interesting character.

Christopher Yost is a solid writer but his book's tend to descend into unnecessary violence and gore (just look at his runs on New X-Men and X-Force), but this book just about hits the sweet spot. Yes there's violence here (also lots of corpses) but its not over the top and its actually really effective in establishing how Kaine is a different character than Spider-Man himself. Yost also deserves some credit for summarizing Kaine's incredible complicated origin in a very succinct 3 pages.

The unique setting of Houston helps as well. What I'm hoping is that Marvel uses this book as not only the opportunity to expand their universe beyond NYC a bit, but to create a setting with a unique identity like DC does with its made up cities like Opal City and St. Roch. At the very least its a nice change of pace from New York.

The art is by Ryan Stegman, who I'm unfamiliar with, but his art is great. His characters are expressive and the action sequences pop. I predict this guy is going to get yanked off this book within a year, tops, to work on some Avengers book. He's one to watch.

All in all, this wasn't an easy book to pull off considering how much baggage there was attached to it. But it was fun and a good introduction. I'm definitely looking forward to the next issue.

Dark Horse Previews For March

2012-01-11T00:05:00.028-05:00

Lee: I feel like Dark Horse has been coming on strong this year. I'm feeling the love this month.
Thomm: In like a lion, out like a lamb. Will March’s previews be fierce or mild?

BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER SEASON 8 VOLUME 1 HC
Joss Whedon (W), Brian K. Vaughan (W), Georges Jeanty (P), Paul Lee (P), Cliff Richards (P), Andy Owens (I), Dave Stewart (C), Michelle Madsen (C), and Jo Chen (Cover)
FC, 304 pages, HC, 8” x 12 3/16”, $29.99
This deluxe, oversized hardcover edition contains the first two arcs of Season 8, plus two one-shots.
After the destruction of the Hellmouth, the Slayers—newly legion—have gotten organized, but it’s not long before new and old enemies begin popping up. Buffy, Xander, Willow, and a very different Dawn are introduced to the season’s big bad, Twilight, and are only beginning to understand the incredible reach of this mysterious threat. Meanwhile, rebel Slayer Faith teams up with Giles to handle a menace on the other side of the Atlantic. It’s a dirty job, and Faith is just the girl to do it!
Lee: I love big oversized collections. If I was a bigger Buffy fan I would think this was really, really cool.
Thomm: I’ve read a few trades of the start of this. It’s following right where the show left off. I’m not convinced of the necessity of it. The show reached a good concluding point. I’m fine with leaving it at that.

CHANNEL ZERO TP
Brian Wood (W/A/Cover) and Becky Cloonan (A)
B/W, 296 pages, TP, 7" x 10", $19.99
A blistering take on media control in a repressive future America! DMZ and The Massive creator Brian Wood launched an all-out assault on the comics medium in 1997 with Channel Zero, an influential, forward-thinking series that combined art, politics, and graphic design in a unique way. Touching on themes of freedom of expression, hacking, cutting-edge media manipulation, and police surveillance, it remains as relevant today as it did back then.
The Channel Zero collection contains the original series, the prequel graphic novel Jennie One (illustrated by Becky Cloonan), the best of the two Public Domain design books, and almost fifteen years of extras, rarities, short stories, and unused art. Also featuring the now-classic Warren Ellis introduction and an all-new cover by Wood, this is the must-have edition. See where it all began!
Lee: I actually have a signed copy of the first Zero collection because Wood visited our local store back in ’99. Haven’t read it since but I remember really liking it. And, since Wood has continued to produce great stuff over the years this is an easy winner.
Thomm: Wood can get a bit preachy and pedantic in DMZ, but I really like Northlanders. I’d figure this is closer to the former than the latter, but it should be really good, even if he does get hung up on pushing a view over moving the story.

FLCL OMNIBUS
Gainax (W) and Hajime Ueda (A)
b/w, 392 pages, TP, 5 1/8" x 7 1/4", $19.99
The complete FLCL manga adaptation—now with bonus color illustrations and remastered story pages! In this surreal sci-fi romp, a sullen Japanese boy finds himself in the middle of an interstellar conspiracy. As his home life unravels, a sexy space assassin becomes his family maid, and his own head becomes a portal for armed robots. Life as he knows it is quickly falling apart, and Ueda doesn’t know who’s friend or foe! One thing’s for certain—he has to grow up quick and save his hometown, whether he wants to or not!
• A popular Adult Swim cartoon—now read the manga series!
• Dark Horse Manga’s FLCL Omnibus will include remastered story pages, a remastered script, and bonus color pages.
Lee: Lots of pages for not so much money… this is my kind of Manga. I’m willing to take the chance because I won’t be committed to 20+ mini-novels to get a complete story.
Thomm: Ah, Manga. Mostly miss for me, but sometimes hit. It’s a cheap enough item to check out. Is Ueda that common a name in Japan that the boy who’s the central character shares the name with the artist?

THE INCREDIBLE ADVENTURES OF DOG MENDONÇA AND PIZZABOY TP
Filipe Melo (W), Juan Cavia (A), and Santiago Villa (C)
FC, 112 pages, TP, 6" x 9", $12.99
What do an overweight Portuguese werewolf, a seven-year-old girl who’s actually a six thousand-year-old demon, and a downtrodden pizza boy have in common? In this smash-hit import, the unlikely team bands together to ward off occult evils, Nazis, and impending global doom!
• Werewolves! Demons! Mad scientists! Pizza!
• Introduction by An American Werewolf in London director John Landis!
• The humor of R.I.P.D. meets the action and excitement of B.P.R.D.!
Lee: Everyone at this point should know that I love imports so this is an easy buy for me. My only concern is the small size. If this is done Euro style with lots and lots of panels the reduction is going to make my eyes bleed.
Thomm: I’ve read the installments in the latest incarnation of DHP. There’s no time wasted on background, just right into some amusing stories. I’m guessing this is more of the same, but $13 is a bit much for 112 pages.

MANARA EROTICA VOLUME 1: CLICK! AND OTHER STORIES HC
Milo Manara (W/A)
b/w, 292 pages, HC, 8.375" x 10.875", $59.99
Milo Manara’s landmark collaboration with Dark Horse continues with the premier volume of Manara Erotica, a sumptuous companion to the Manara Library! A master of storytelling and of the human form, Manara has created some of the sexiest comics ever published, all of which are included in this deluxe three-volume series.
Volume one is anchored by all four parts of Manara’s internationally acclaimed Click! A beautiful but passionless woman is plunged into a hilarious, world-spanning adventure when she is implanted with a remote-controlled chip able to unlock her inner lustfulness. Manara classics Fatal Rendezvous and “Piercing” round out this dazzling compilation, a must-own for any fan of European comics.
• All four volumes of Click! newly translated and collected together for the first time in America.
• Includes introductory material providing historical context for American readers.
Lee: Yes it’s adult material but it’s such good adult material. Click is a fantastic story because (1) it is a story, (2) it is very funny, and (3) it’s very sexy without the offensiveness that smut sometimes devolves into. Intelligent smut for distinguishing connoisseurs.
Thomm: The benchmark for adult material for me is Omaha the Cat Dancer, so I’d like to know how it compares with that.
Lee: Just as good, and probably better. If you liked Omaha, then you will like this.

Lee: This was a really strong month from DH. They are going to damage my wallet more than usual.
Thomm: I’m going to lean toward fierce on March’s Dark Horse offerings. A lot of good quality stuff here.

What I Read – Jan 9

2012-01-10T00:05:00.106-05:00

How would I describe my reading for the past couple of weeks? Confusing is the best word I have. The past few weeks have been characterized by books that I didn't understand.

I started with Any Empire, written and illustrated by Nate Powell, published by Top Shelf Productions. Empire "examines war and violence, and their trickle-down effects on middle America. As a gang of small-town kids find themselves reunited in adulthood, their dark histories collide in a struggle for the future. Any Empire follows three kids in a Southern town as a rash of mysterious turtle mutilations forces each to confront their relationship to their privileged suburban fantasies of violence. Then, after years apart, the three are thrown together again as adults, amid questions of choice and force, belonging and betrayal."

That's the text from Amazon and I'm glad I read that because I wasn't getting that from the book. To be fair, I was reading this in the Dr's waiting room while my Dad was getting a checkup so the location might not have been the best. I only made it through 1/2 of the book before I realized I wasn't paying enough attention and switched to playing poker on my phone.

Anyway, the art is fantastic and the theme of violence is certainly there. The message was coming through but I wasn't paying enough attention to the details or the symbolism to really understand what was happening. I will come back to this but it needs to be a happy, cheery day because the material is a little dark and depressing.

Then I went onto Bubbles and Gondola, written and illustrated by Renaud Dillies, published by NBM. Bubbles is "a fairy tale about solitude and awakening the creative spirit." Bubbles was just utterly fantastic.

More books and more about Bubbles below the break.

The other night, I was tired and just needed to go to bed. But, if I don't read when I go to bed it pretty much means I won't read anything that day. Because I was so tired, I needed something simple, bright, and cheery. Bubbles, based on the cover, should have been all that. It was and more. In this case, I saw the symbolism, and I got the message but I was so tired that I couldn't completely appreciate it. I read it quickly and at the end I was ready to read it again just because I knew I had missed so much. I will be reading this again in short order.

I even managed to read two prose books, Before I Go To Sleep written by S. J. Watson and Oryx and Crake written by Margaret Atwood. I don't think I could have managed to read two incredibly different books if I had tried.

I picked Before because it was hyped as Memento (the movie) on crack. The concept is certainly the same but all similarities end there. Memento is an absolutely stunning movie that defies all expectations while Before managed to fall into the obvious traps associated with the concept.

The summary, Christine is an amnesiac whose memories are limited to a 24 hr period. Every time she falls asleep she forgets everything including her husband, her life, even where she is. When she stumbles upon a diary that she supposedly kept which says 'don't trust your husband' she begins to unravel the mystery that is her life.

Because Christine wakes up every morning not knowing where she is or who she is sleeping with (her husband) the book could get very repetitious and dull very quickly. But, Watson handled it with deft ease that kept the story moving. The problem is that the suspense never built in a believable way. Or maybe it did but it got drowned out by pages of tears about missing a child she never knew. Basically, Memento is a gritty noir movie about amnesia, Before is a light fluffy suspense thriller for those that can't handle the thrill or really don't want the suspense because it gives them bad dreams

Oryx, on the other hand, is an absolutely stunning end of the world novel that is part Brave New World and part The Road or maybe I am Legend sans vampires. Atwood takes everyday grains and magnifies them 100 fold to create a society that is so numb to everything yet so incredibly believable. Add an very believable element of genetic engineering (lots of it actually) and you have a story that won't let you go.

Snowman might be the last man alive and his only task, besides surviving in a environmentally destroyed world is saving the "people" that his friend Crake created (yes created) before the collapse of civilization. And so begins our tale of Snowman before the fall, intertwined with the man that Snowman becomes.

The highest praise that I can give this book is that it doesn't give you the easy answer. It expects you to think about it and reach the conclusion. When the villain is revealed, there are no answers. I expected the pages long explanation of 'why' but instead I got three words, "I killed him." AND IT WAS PERFECT. The pieces of the puzzle are there, and even though I know the answer now my mind still refuses to accept it. If you like post-apocalyptic fiction, it doesn't get any better than this.

The Week in Review – Jan 4

2012-01-09T00:01:00.012-05:00

The week in review is still struggling to be the actual week’s worth of books that I have purchased and will continue to be for the foreseeable future. A little bit of behind the scenes stuff from my personal life is that in August of last year we (my wife and I) sold our home in Maryland. Since then we have been in the midst of moving to Florida on our own dime. This meant my wife needed to find a new job and she moved to Florida before I did and we have been living off the kind graces of my in-laws for places to live (as they have domiciles in Florida and Maryland). So I have been essentially homeless as the vast majority of our stuff is in PODs. During this time our beloved dog Kiki had to be put down due to bone cancer, I had a grandson born Connor Jacob McLaughlin the son of Dallas and Jamie (my daughter) McLaughlin and a busy as all get out work schedule. I have also re-discovered the joys of prose and have switch from mainly drinking beer to red wines. My own job is portable and my company is going to allow me to work from home and we should be all set up in our new housing by February of this year. So the week in review is more of what I have managed to read in review.

Speaking of prose books I have read a very short book which has caused me to think even harder than ever about lying in any way shape or form, the book is called appropriately enough, Lying by Sam Harris. It cost $2 for a download on Kindle or whatever and I believe you can get it as a PDF file. While I have always considered myself relatively honest (but who doesn’t) this book has made me push the envelope even further making even a white lie something that I would now shy away from in almost any form. When I was in my late forties I read a book called Buddhism Plain and Simple and it caused me to re-think a lot of things and I think actually changed who I was or at least how I approached my life. Lying is still settling into my mind but I believe it is having an impact on how I approach my life. It is rare that something can do that for me and I highly recommend you spend $2 and read Lying, it is very short and won’t take much of your time, but could at least give you something to think about. I actually purchased the book for 4 people who I’m close too and asked them to read it when they got a chance.

So let’s get back to comics. All Star Western #4 from DC comics was another great issue as they managed to still keep Jonah Hex in Gotham. I can’t wait to see how that gets incorporated into a Batman book down the road as I’m sure this material is too good for Scott Snyder to not want to acknowledge. Justin Gray and Jimmy Palmiotti have managed to keep Jonah Hex as the same person and yet move him east in a logical manner and continue to make good hard boiled Jonah Hex stories. This issue he finds the men he was searching for and is ready to collect his bounties and head home when a Mr. Moody confronts his with a proposition to find his son who has gone missing. This leads to some great dialogue:

Jonah Hex – “Mister Moody, ah hate this city like poison. Ah got no reason, financial or otherwise ta stay here past collectin’ the bounty on these dead animals.”

Mister Moody – “Would you stay for fifty thousand?”

Jonah – “Got a picture a’ yer boy?”

It was a perfect Hex moment. This series is a great example of DC trying to make sure they do more than capes and trying to modernize the western comic at the same time. It is one of my favorite series.

Hellblazer #286 and the 2011 Annual were both excellent reads. The Vertigo Hellblazer does not get the accolades it deserves, but Peter Milligan has been writing his ass off on this book and the Annual about the Suicide Bridge was very poignant. It is a bridge that no longer exists, but people are jumping into a sort of limbo/hell type of thing. Milligan has been having a brilliant run of the book and has actually managed to move John forward as a character with his young wife and problems with his niece John is a man constantly at a crossroads and facing down demons from his past. Constantine is at times a true bastard and at times a man whose heart is in the right place. Like all great characters, neither good nor evil, but human.

Pigs #4 from Image Comics was a another good read. Nate Crosby and Ben McCool as writes have crafted an odd story about kids who were raised to be KBG sleeper agents. The project was started during the Cold War and now they have been activated. One of the members no longer wants to play along but is being forced in order to protect his family. I haven’t read the book tightly but I have enjoyed the slow unveiling of how they were raised at the same time we are learning exactly what they are doing in the US and why. Artist Breno Tamura does a nice job with layouts and storytelling and does a great job with making each character look like a different person. When I’m trying to follow a new group too many artists are unable to create distinguishing characters and it makes it hard to know who is who (see GI Joe Cobra at times). Now Tamura is not a top flight artist at this point, but he certainly has the skills to be able to tell a story and make it flow.

The best book of this week has to be Fatale #1 by Ed Brubaker and Sean Phillips. The last Criminal Arc was their best Criminal story and it seems that Ed and Sean are just getting into a perfect groove where their storytelling skills mesh and the whole is greater than the sum of the parts. While this issue is all set up to get the series going it is done to perfection. We start in the present day with Nicolas Lash at his grandfather’s funeral, Nicholas does have the annoying single gray streak in his hair made famous by Jim Corrigan in the Spectre comics from long ago, but otherwise he is a surly middle age guy burying a relative. He meets Jo and is dumbstruck by her and she disappears. He goes to his grandfather’s house and the sh*t hits the fan as Jo shows up and saves him from two killers. The a small plane is chasing them in her sports car and a crash occurs. Nicholas wakes up in a hospital missing part of one leg and then the story begins as he sees a picture of what appears to be Jo with her grandfather, we flashback to the fifties and start to get the back story on Jo. From there is gets pretty bloody with a criminal investigation into some sort of Satanic cult, but this is pure noir with Lovecraftian horror being mixed in. At this point the only reason you know there are true horror elements are from one page in the book that hints that Jo was with US soldiers attacking some sort of Nazi cult that was headed by a monstrous headed Nazi. Then reading the introduction by Ed and seeing the variant cover it is the intention of Ed and Sean to make a horror/criminal/noir book. A great first issue and one that is already pushing itself into my personal top ten of best series.

There is so much more I want to write up like how much I loved Spaceman from Azz and Risso after reading issues #2 & #3 back to back, Stormwatch I thought was a cancel, but reading #4 and #5 has made me like the series now. One of the problems with the DCnU is the time it is taking to establish a series and even I do not have the patience or wallet to wait for all of them to come together.

I will say getting behind in my comic reading is at times a good thing as many series when I read two or three issues in a row helps me to get back into the series. Not sure if I reported on my latest drops from DC and those two are Green Arrow and Batwing. Green Arrow should have just been a brand new character instead of weird young mega-rich Ollie Queen and Batwing was taking too long to come together and actually seems to be more part of the old DCU as I have no clue how Batman Inc. fits anymore.

Next week’s books are Invincible, Lobster Johnson, Strange Talent of Luthor Strode, Severed (great series), Pigs (good read, go buy it), Last of the Greats, Cobra Annual, Avengers 1959 (probably a better trade), Captain America (per Matthew I need to get caught up), Incredible Hulk (iffy if I keep getting this too little story for too much money), Marvel Masterworks Captain Marvel, New Avengers, Punishermax (penultimate issue of a great series), Secret Avengers, Wolverine and the X-Men (mad fun), Batgirl (growing on me), Batman and Robin (very good series), Batwoman (awesome art and good story), Demon Knights (Shinning Knight should have been a girl), Frankenstein Agent of Shade (an insane fun series), Green Lantern (Johns is moving too slow with the plot), Grifter (on the chopping block), Mister Terrific (also iffy, but I love the character), Northlanders (wonderful series coming to an end), Preacher HC Collection, Ray, Resurrection Man, Scalped (another great series coming to an end soon), Shade, Steve Ditko Omnibus Volume 2, Suicide Squad (very good series), Superboy, Unwritten and Batman Original Graphic Novel.

Come back next week for more as we can all see if I can ever catch up with my reading.

Unfortunate Placement

2012-01-08T20:55:00.000-05:00

In Captain America #6 we have this page side by side with this ad. Plus have to love Agent 13's outfit, it should be considered okay for business casual workplaces.

It struck me as very funny since Cap is having nightmares, don't think you want to be giving those dreams to your child.

New Post At WCS

2012-01-08T18:10:00.004-05:00

A rant about what bugs me about Marvel. Click to read.

Captain America #6 – A Review

2012-01-08T00:01:00.004-05:00

Captain America (2011) #6

Writer: Ed Brubaker
Penciler: Alan Davis
Inker: Mark Farmer
Colorist: Laura Martin
Letterer: VC’s Joe Caramagna
Publisher: Marvel
Price: $3.99

In Jim’s Dec 21st Week In Review (posted 12-26), he said Marvel was insane for publishing two issues of Captain America in one week (#5 & 6). I was in hearty agreement with him at the time, but now that I’ve read both issues back-to-back I have to say it was not only sane, but also an extremely necessary move.

Despite my love of the first issue way back in July, the story has been extremely slow since then and I haven’t really enjoyed the “Unreal” fantasy world element either. And not counting this week’s catch-up issues, we only got four chapters in just over six months time. By contrast the Captain America & Bucky title has been superb both in story and schedule (if that wasn’t the case for the latter then the story made up for any lapses). So, it will come as no surprise (from fickle me) that the regular “current time” Cap book was on the chopping block from my pull list.

Issue 5 by itself would not have lifted the title from its dire fate. For one thing, the book had two artists with incompatible styles: Steve McNiven and Giuseppe Camuncoli. Camuncoli is the artist I had difficulty appreciating his style over in Amazing Spider-Man recently. He only pencilled six pages, but for a book that was delayed, couldn't we have waited another few weeks for McNiven to finish the whole issue? I really love McNiven’s figure work, but he’s a bit of a minimalist when it comes to the backgrounds. So, even while it looks great and the action sequences are usually stellar, it sometimes comes across as a bit lite.

I had issues with the story too. Codename: Bravo (one of the “strangest” [I’m being kind here] names EVER) starts harping on how all of Congress has been bought and paid for by the Robber Barons and Cap has failed the nation by not standing up to this. He implies that the media is controlled by this elite as well. Given that Brubaker has shown more left-leaning tendencies in the past, it really had me mystified as to his intentions here. It seems like he’s lumping both parties in together – I suppose that’s being fair and balanced – and I won’t argue that politicians are under various influences for good or ill to the point I’m hesitant to trust any of them. Still, Cap really gets shaken by all of this and you have to wonder if he’s not going to join Occupy Wall Street in the near future. That would be…topical, but it might not make for the best super-hero comics.

Issue 6 by comparison was an example of good-ol’ fashioned super-hero storytelling – something that has been missed from this title since Brubaker took over the writing chores. Don’t get me wrong, the Winter Soldier, and more S.H.I.E.L.D oriented dramas have been for the most part exceptional. However, there’s a huge portion of Cap’s history that has been largely put on the back burner. It’s fitting that this shift comes at the same time Alan Davis and Mark Farmer begin handling the art. I don’t think it’s a coincidence either. I’ve long had a theory that writers often craft their stories to match the artist’s strengths – and Davis is the King of Spandex.

While Baron Zemo and Queen Hydra (loved the concise caption intros) are plotting and scheming, Cap is having nightmares about him reverting to his former 4-F state. This actually happened to him during his time in the Unreal. So at Sharon’s behest, Steve goes to visit Tony Stark for a check-up (glad they’re friends again). Nothing seems to be the trouble, but (and this was great) Tony will get back to him with final results the next day. (I mean how often does it actually take time to do something in comics – I’d never make it on the Enterprise. “Sorry Cap’n it’ll take me at least a week to do the analysis, NOT 20-minutes!!!” 23rd Century computers might work faster, but the human mind doesn’t.)

An unrecognizable Hawkeye is also present (he’s been “Ultimatized” in preparation for the new Avengers film and he looks just like the DCnU Green Arrow only with a different color scheme) and suggests to Cap that they go bust some heads by doing some street fighting. They tangle with some sort of clown-gang tripped out with tech from the Tinkerer. (Although, I thought it was strange that they said he was back in town, because I’m not sure he ever left town! Hasn’t he always been working behind the scenes for New York’s underworld since ASM #2?) While searching for big-T’s hideout, they get a call about a full-scale riot in the streets. Having just read Cap #200 within the Jack Kirby Captain America Omnibus, I recognized the symptoms immediately and was not disappointed at all when they came face-to-face with the source of the madness – a Madbomb! (This one is nameless, despite that all the originals had designations – I’ll call this one “Sugar Baby” – after the candy).

Anyone remember how the Falcon single-handedly diffused (or more accurately overloaded with sonics) – the “Big Daddy” Madbomb, saving the entire nation on America’s bicentennial? It’s hard to believe he got such a cold, almost racist reception from Hawkeye when Gyrich added Falc to the team to fill a quota (Avengers #181). Of course Hawkeye was kicked off the team in the process – but I digress…

Before Cap can even call in one of the Avengers scientists to dissect the device, he begins to perspire profusely, falls prostrate on the ground, screams in agony, and reverts to his frail form. Meanwhile an electric blast downs Hawkeye. The source: the Eel from the Serpent Society, who is accompanied by the Cobra and the Viper in all their four-color costume glory. (Cap’s costume looks great by the way. The mask is seamless with the chain mail – the way it was portrayed for decades. It doesn’t look like a big ugly – although it could be more realistic – cowl.) Eel destroys the Madbomb (to prevent anyone from learning its secrets) and the three villains start to beat up on Cap – just like the dream he had with a multitude of Baltroc the Leapers! To Be Continued…

Now this is more like it! I sure hope Davis and Farmer are on the book for the good stint. How about a year or two? – PLEASE!

Grade A: Slick and smooth like colorful spandex. A welcome return to costumed super-heroics that has me pumped about the series again.

Best of 2011

2012-01-07T00:01:00.006-05:00

I'm the last in line for this week's theme, so it's entirely possible someone else will have picked the same thing, but not likely for the same reason.

After much thought, I'm picking the New 52 as the best of 2011. I only read a fraction of what came out in this magnum of number one issues in September, and only 1 issue of any of the books for any of the big players (Batman, Superman, Green Lantern, JLA). I don't budget like Mr Deep Pockets (you know who I mean), who bought all 52 first issues. As a result, it can easily be argued that at least half of the 52 titles are ought but crap. I wouldn't know.

However, there are two reasons for me to consider the New 52 the best of 2011. First, by the time DC embarked on this re-launch I was down to one title a month (the late, lamented Secret Six). Now I'm buying about a quarter of the 52 titles, and actually expanded from my initial purchases by adding I, Vampire and Demon Knights based on favorable comments by others. So far I haven't dropped any of the titles I started with the new launch, so that's a pretty big deal for DC. Not that my personal buying habits are all that important to DC in the grand scheme of things, but if it represents a greater trend, then it is very important to DC.

The second reason is more personal to me. Among the new titles I'm reading from the New 52 are Brian Azzarello's Wonder Woman and Jeff Lemire's Animal Man. These were such good reads that I picked up Lemire's Essex County collected edition and Azzarello's Spaceman that's now coming out in singles from Vertigo. I enjoyed those so much that I then bought trades of Lemire's Sweet Tooth and Azzarello's 100 Bullets and Loveless. Now, this last title may be a bit of a problem, but all the others have been great so far (and will be subjects of posts some time down the road).

For expanding both DC's sales and my own reading catalog, and particularly for bringing two really good authors to my attention, the New 52 is the Best of 2011.

The Best of 2011

2012-01-06T00:05:00.095-05:00

Looking back I realize this year was fairly different from the previous year for me because I drifted away from the memoir, slice of life stuff. This year there was so much Euro material out there that I was really drawn back into the science fiction and fantasy story lines.

My favorite publisher in 2011 was Humanoids. Much to my local stores chagrin, I think I actually ordered every single book they solicited this year. Yes, even the ridiculously expensive ones that I picked in the monthly indie previews. While not every one was a winner, I experienced so many new stories and styles of art that I loved it. Second place has to go to Fantagraphics for continuing to publish the best comix out there, and third goes to IDW for making sure I still had a full plate of classic stuff and horror books too.

Of course, one of the joys of having a blog is having an accurate record of everything you read in the previous year. Or semi accurate at least. I have a list of 67 books that I read over the past year that doesn’t include the ones I read prior to July. I can figure it out but it’s just too much effort right now and I figure that 67 is large enough sample size to pick a best of from.

Below the break, I separate all 67 books in a couple of catagories...

The books that I am looking forward to the next installment of
Next Men Premiere Edition Volume 1, The Zombies That Ate the World, King of Flies, Spirit: Angel Smerti, Orc Stain,

These books were the ones that I really enjoyed and can't wait for the next installment. The one that I have the shortest wait for is Byrne's Next Men because it's collected all over the place. The rest should be out soon, or hopefully this year.

Best all ages books that my kids and I read
Sidekicks, Thor vs. Seth the Serpent God,

Girl and Tiny really loved Sidekicks which proved to be an excellent introduction to superheroes. But Boy, man oh man does he love Thor. DeFalco and Frenz channel Lee and Kirby and produce some incredibly fun stuff. These were the books that I used to insure my kids would inherent my love of comics. Wife LOVES that I do this.

Books that I read, enjoyed, but need to read again because I felt there was something more going on that I missed
Stigmata, Strange Science Fantasy, Cradlegrave, The Man Who grew His Beard

Stigmata and SSF were books with both great stories and great art. That is reason enough to want to read them again, but more than that, there was just stuff going on. Not people hitting other people stuff, more like mental stuff. I tend to read fast and at the end I enjoyed it but I couldn't escape the feeling that I missed it. Cradlegrave was the same way. Man Beard... that was just out there and I wasn't ready to read 'out there' so I'm not sure I ever came close to getting it. I'm not even convinced I will like Beard but I need to read it again to make a decision.

Books I read that I look forward to reading again someday
I Am Legion, Daffodil, Hicksville, Day of the Magicians, Legend of the Scarlet Blades, The Suicide Forest, Arsenic Lullaby, The Anthology Project, Wildcats 3.0 Year 1 and 2, Rocketo Vol. 1, Zombo, Mondo Urbano, Tharg's Terror Tales Presents Necronauts and A Love Like Blood, Crime Does Not Pay, Nuts, The Armed Garden, Grandville Mon Amour, Okko Vol. 3, Ruse: The Victorian Guide to Murder, Yesterday’s Tomorrows, Unknown Soldier Vols. 3 and 4, Greysuit: Project Monarch, Cursed Pirate Girl, Salvatore, Elmer, Palookaville Vol. 20, Miss Don’t Touch Me Vol. 2, Casanova: Gula, The Bombyce Network, Shaman Warrior Vols 2 through 7, John Lord, and Supergod

This is the list of what I really loved and will read again someday. Whether it was great art with ok stories (Tharg and Yesterday's), or stuff that was mindless good fun (Zombo), these books left me feeling warm and fuzzy inside so that I knew I would read them again. Except for Suicide Forest which left me feeling creeped out and afraid to go in the woods by myself, which is just as good as warm and fuzzy.

Books that I read but probably won’t read again
Hellspawn: The Complete Collection, Madame Mirage, Nancy in Hell, Dylan Dog, Cholly and Flytrap, Cyclops, Doomsday for Dredd, Hard Looks, Strange Embrace, Something Monstrous!, De:TALES, Bouncer, The One-Armed Gunslinger, Meatcake, Reunion, Bullet to the Head, Rodd Racer, G.I. Joe: Cobra Vol 1, Dreadstar the Beginning, Godzilla: Gangsters and Goliaths, R. Crumb’s Mr. Natural.

These books aren't bad per se, but they weren't exactly the strongest either. There was just something that was missing such as Hellspawn which had fantastic art but a fairly week story or Cholly which suffered from creative meddling 20 yrs after the fact. Crumb was classic and I can appreciate it but I am not sure I liked it and Bouncer was good and entertaining but quickly forgotten.

Overall, it was a great year and I really enjoyed most everything I read. Even the stuff that I probably won't read again.

Best of the Year

2012-01-05T00:09:00.000-05:00

The best book of 2011 has to be Mark Waid, Paolo Rivera, and Marcos Martin's Daredevil.

While 2011 gave us a lot of great comics, I feel that this one wins out because it succeeds on so many levels.

With this new Daredevil run, Mark Waid has crafted an enormously fun superhero adventure book that seamlessly combines ongoing character development and story lines with entertaining stand alone stories. In the 7 issues so far, we have seen Daredevil fight Klaw, a thug in a luchadore mask trying to market himself to Marvel's secret criminal cabals, and cold weather. Not only is all this varied, but it is an enormous relief from the noir/crime genre that has defined this title for decades.

The past couple runs, while largely excellent, have seemed to be a competition between creative teams about who could make Matt Murdock's life the most miserable. That seemed to have run out of gas with the Shadowland crossover. Waid's more upbeat Daredevil is a welcome break from that, but even better, it uses the events of the past couple years as a foundation to build upon. Matt is trying to be more positive and carefree, because if he doesn't, he'll probably go kill himself.

This is not only a much needed change of pace, but a textbook case of how to use continuity. Waid uses what came before him to create a brilliant new status quo, but he doesn't dwell on it or revel in it. Everything in this run feels so fresh and new for a Daredevil book and it is a joy to read, but it is all made even better for a longtime Daredevil like myself by the sense that it is a logical step out of what came before. Simultaneously, it is 100% accessible to a new reader. I've said it before, but this is a perfect example of what a superhero book in the 21st century should be like.

However, this would not be the book of the year without a mention of the art. The book's two rotating pencilers, Rivera and Martin, have very distinct styles, but they are united by their incredible ability as not just tell stories, but to do innovative things with panel design. Their art doesn't just look incredible, it plays with panel structure in fascinating ways and does so in a way that emphasizes the protagonists' enhanced senses. Sound effects in particular benefit from this approach as they are used to incredible effect to enhance the story.

This is a book that is one of the best written and best looking books on the market, it has revitalized one of Marvel's most creatively storied titles, and every month does things that I've never seen before on a comic book page. No wonder Matt Murdock is smiling again.

2011 - Gwen

2012-01-04T00:01:00.002-05:00

Ever since I took a new job as a teacher I've had little to know time for "just for fun" reading. Comic books at least have the merit of being quick reads so I have managed to squeeze in some reading time here and there.

My favorite comic book stuff for 2011 as follows:

Batgirl - before the new 52

Not that I don't like Babs as Batgirl traditionally but I would have embraced the move more wholeheartedly if they hadn't finally gotten Batgirl right after so many years and then wiped away Stephanie Brown underneath the cape with the DC relaunch. I had a lot of fun with Stephanie as Batgirl. I felt that not only had DC finally found a good place for Stephanie but they had also made Batgirl a fun and interesting character again. I don't have anything against Cassie but I could never relate to her the way I did to Babs when I was a kid. Stephanie was easy to relate to and I started to love reading Batgirl again because of her. I think because of this I've found it difficult to fully embrace Barbra Gordon back under the cape after all these years. I think that's it's a shame that we saw so very little of Stephanie as Batgirl.

New 52 Wonder Woman

This is the first time I've really like reading Wonder Woman. Perhaps I'm biased because I really enjoy Greek mythology (and am familiar enough with it that I probably get more of the references than some other readers of the current WW). It's like, wow, finally, a convincing back-story for Diana that also opens up possibilities for so much story - and story that you don't really see in other cape books. I mean, it makes so much better sense to have Diana as Zeus' daughter rather than having her made from clay. Especially as in Greek mythology Zeus slept around A LOT. And using this to make Hera a villain is brilliant. WW is an awesome and fun book these days, I have never before been this interested in this character.

Red String (by Gina Biggs, a web comic)

I continue to love this online comic. Gina writes a great love story that actually *gasp* moves the character's lives forward. I like that Gina isn't afraid to have her characters make mistakes and that she is a confident enough writer that she actually broke up her main character's seemingly fated love relationship. This story reminds me so much of how love works in the real world which is something that you don't find often in fiction. Don't get me wrong, I really enjoy epic love stories. But usually love isn't some awesome epic story like John Carter and Dejah Thoris. It's more likely that you fall in love with more than one person in your lifetime (and sometimes you get lucky and find someone that makes the love seem like it was the only one regardless). Gina also addresses the fact that there are a lot of different types of love in the world and some love is harder in our culture than others. She has at least two gay couples and brings to light some of the struggles both gay teens and adults face today. Also, congrats to Gina on the birth of her daughter this year!

That's really it for me, I've had fun with other stuff of course but these were what really stood out as the year's best to me!

Best of 2011 (Matthew’s Picks)

2012-01-03T00:01:00.001-05:00

It’s funny. Lee told all of us that it was time for our annual Best of Lists, but searching the blog archives, I didn’t see that we’ve ever each done one before, other than Jim of course. And although Thomm has already queued up his list (to be posted Saturday), I’m not going to peak at it ahead of time to see how he set up his categories. So, it’s likely going to be a free-for-all this week, with Top 10 lists, Oscar nominees, etc. Anyway, here’s my picks for 2011 (format subject to change in ensuing years).

Speaking of the Oscars, I’ve found myself succumbing to a similar syndrome where I can hardly think of what was happening at the beginning of last year with only the most recent comics fresh in my mind. (This is why most top movies are released during the last two weeks of the year and why Woody Allen would deliberately release his movies in January.) It did help that I recently bagged and boarded the last seven months or so a few weeks back, so everything I’ve purchased is still on the downstairs table ready to be boxed up. (And I really hoped to get that cleaned off this past week – Oh well.) It was a great year of comics for me (and a record year of spending thanks to the DCnU) with only a handful of disappointments (not to be mentioned here – I hope).

Best Publisher

This might be a strange way to start, but I think it’ll help me sort out my thoughts for the rest of the categories. I’ve always been a solid Marvel and DC comics reader with a few scattered independents, but this year the independent companies made up a solid third (if not more) of my reading. That’s unprecedented for me and an indication that early in the year the Big Two weren’t doing too well with me. So, I looked elsewhere for entertainment and the material was so good that I stayed with it even after Marvel and DC started catching my interest again.

Oh Man, it’s so hard to pick, but I’m going to go with IDW. They have the best quality trades in the business, they do an awesome job with their HCs too (I sure would like to get one of those Artist Editions), and their monthly titles, both licensed and non-licensed have been consistently top notch. While I don’t read it, I know GI Joe: Cobra has been getting rave reviews, but what I’ve enjoyed the most from them are the Godzilla titles, and John Byrne’s books: Next Men and Cold War. I’d add Love and Capes to the list too, but I was waiting for that to come out in trade, but now that it has I can’t seem to find a copy anywhere other than from IDW directly.

I have to give a nod to Dynamite too. Other than being disappointed with them for turning Warlord of Mars into a mature title and taking the great Kirby Genesis concept and overdoing it with multiple tie-in books, I’m actually getting several Dynamite comics now.

Best Cover Artist

Speaking of Dynamite, I think they have the best covers of any publisher from Joe Jusko’s Warlord of Mars to Francesco Francavilla’s Dark Shadows. But, I’m going with Alex Ross as the best cover artist for his work on Bionic Man.

Best Limited Series

By limited series, I mean anything intentionally designed to be 12 issues or less. This means Thor: Mighty Avenger is excluded, since its magnificent run was cut short early last year. While I loved the first issue of Cloak and Dagger, and the Red Skull: Incarnate series was certainly worthy, I’m going to go with Godzilla: Gangsters and Goliaths. This was my first exposure to John Layman’s concise, humorous, and straightforward storytelling. The small-scale conflict between an honest policeman and a gangster with far-reaching connections had gargantuan side effects for all of Tokyo. A satisfying read from beginning to end.

Best Artist

There are so many artists I like for a variety of reasons; it’s almost unfair to just pick one. However, also just like the Oscars, if a deserving film (or in this case a comic) can’t make one category, it usually ends up getting recognized in another. So, I’m going with Chris Samnee for his work in both Thor: The Mighty Avenger (including the Free Comic Book Day chapter) and Captain America & Bucky. Slightly reminiscent of a melding between Bruce Timm and Darwyn Cooke, Chirs’s art is highly moody and emotional and always perfect for whatever genre he’s drawing. Most of all he really makes the readers connect with the characters. Who didn’t fall in love with his version of Jane Foster just from the soft, real-girl look? And I don’t think Bucky’s personal backstory could have been as effective in anyone else’s hands. My only question is, “What is he going to do next?”

Best Colorist

Ah, this is an easy one, since I just raved about the coloring in my recent O.M.A.C. # 4 review. I’m going with Hi-Fi.

Best Series featuring a Super Hero or Super Hero Team

If you think I’m stretching things a bit to expand the number of categories, you’d be right, but I had to find some way to recognize the “magnificent” work of Mark Waid, Paolo Riveria, and Marcos Martin on the relaunch of Daredevil. If I had chosen such a category, DD would’ve won for best Marvel book too (Sorry, guys I don’t read Uncanny X-Force). The totally compatible rotating art team (“You’ll be missed Marcos!”) has shown us Matt’s life and powers in new and innovative ways. And Waid has brought Murdock out of the dark, grim and gritty Miller influence and back into the light, swashbuckling Gene Colon style WITHOUT ignoring anything from the past continuity. There’s still trouble brewing for Matt underneath, but it sure is fun. It helps that DD has been largely a stand-alone title unaffected by big events like Spider-Island too. I just hope his membership with some splinter team of the Avengers doesn’t adversely influence the direction of the book in 2012.

Best Series Suitable for All-Ages

I could also entitle this category as “best series consistently entertaining throughout the year”, which limits it to titles that began on or before January and are still alive today. I’m going to go with a TIE (I can do that, right?): All-New Batman Brave and the Bold and Life with Archie: The Married Life. The Batman title has been great fun with some clever page layouts, despite it’s animated style restrictions and one-and-done stories. Life with Archie on the other hand contains TWO long continuous soap operas (Veronica and Betty) with tons of twists and turns that make you eager for the next issue. Not just for me, but for some of my girls too!

Best Collected Edition (Recent Material)

Y’know I’m really starting to be glad that we didn’t have strict categories to follow – it’s so much more freeing this way…in this case “recent” is within the last five years.

I’m going to go with the massive trade – Echo: The Complete Edition. It’s almost like a black and white Essential containing 30 whole issues, but the paper is much, much better. It also wasn’t colored in the first place. The retail price was $40 and I got it for 60% off at my store’s year-end sale, so it was a real bargain. I read the entire thing in just over a week and it was just as good as everyone said it was for the past three years. I think it would’ve been fun to be on the monthly bandwagon, but it was sure nice to just move on to the next chapter with no waiting (just like a DVD box set). The only downside is that I couldn’t resist the urge to peak ahead. Certainly the best dialogue I’ve read all year (with the exception of a few choice objectionable words that I plan to wipe out with correcting tape in the near future – Terry even managed to avoid using the F-word at least [unlike Chew]).

Best Collected Edition (Older Material)

Tough, tough choice here. Do I go with the one that is most aesthetically pleasing, which I haven’t read yet or the one that I enjoyed the most this past year? Or I could simplify it and just say Marvel Omnibuses or Omniboos as they’re often called. I’m going to go with The Mighty Thor Omnibus by Walt Simonson. I haven’t read it all yet (I’m currently a fourth of the way through the John Byrne Fantastic Four Omnibus and I did read my Silver Age Captain America Omnibus), but it sure is a beautiful collection. Steve Olliff has wonderfully recolored each issue. (He’s the same individual responsible for the outstanding coloring job on Tales of Asgard too). Although, seeing the new coloring (and the covers without the trade dress) is a bit weird for me, because I’m so familiar with (and still have) the original run – it’s sort of like watching a George Lucas Special Edition. Still, I can’t deny the care taken to put this tome together, which contains some new text pieces by Simonson. I’ve read one issue so far to one of my daughters, but we’re trying to finish the Jack Kirby Captain America Omnibus together first.

Best Event

I’m not going to tell you what I thought the worst event was (regular readers will know), but I can say that I totally skipped DC’s Flashpoint. However, DC still is the winner with The New 52. I was only getting one “regular” DC book before Flashpoint, but now I’m getting at least SEVEN! The last four months hasn’t been perfect, but the relaunch really got me hooked in and I hope my enthusiasm continues throughout the year. My favorite titles of the new line are Supergirl, O.M.A.C, Swamp Thing, and Batman. I would’ve included Superman, but I didn’t like last week’s issue 4 as much. Still, and this is important, the best event for 2012 would be NO EVENT!!!

Best Letterer

I’m going with Rob Leigh for his work on DCnU’s Supergirl. Maybe it stands out more, because I’m reading this title out loud to one of my children. She reads the girl parts and I read everything else. Anyway, there are a lot of sound effects and its an integral part of the book.

Best Comic Book Movie

I’m going with the awesome, heartfelt Captain America! If you’ve seen it, you know that it’s true. Compared with Thor and Green Lantern, there’s no comparison.

Best Movie based on a Comic Book

There’s a very subtle distinction between the previous category and this one, but it really boils down to a movie that people could really enjoy who don’t read comics – a more “meatier” film like The Dark Knight. And I’m going with X-Men: First Class. If this year has taught us anything is that period comic films WORK! Of course, the best movie of the year would be Rise of the Planet of the Apes!

Best TV Show based on a Comic Book

Since I don’t watch Walking Dead, I’m going with Avengers: Earth’s Mightiest Heroes (thanks again for the tip Greg). I watched the entire, incredible cartoon (season one) on Netflix and I’m eager to see the new season sometime – a worthy successor to DC’s animated line.

Best Toy based on a Comic Book

Lego DC Superheroes!!! I'll probably have more to say about these sometime in the future.

Also, the great Justice League Unlimited line came to an end as well as the Retro-Action figures. R.I.P.

Best Series to Blog About

I’m not positive, but I think Amazing Spider-Man would be the winner here. Kind of a mixed blessing to be sure…

Best Writer

I know I should probably say Scott Synder, but I’ve only been reading him in the DCnU (and I haven’t read American Vampire yet) and it’s really too soon for me to pick him. So, I’m going to go with a dark horse candidate (or maybe I should say a BOOM! Studios candidate), a relative newbie to the biz (and YES he does get points for allowing me to interview him), the one and only, exceptional prose writer too – Daryl Gregory! He’s the writer of the…Drum Roll Please…

Best Series

I’m going with Planet of the Apes! As if there was any question coming from me. Each issue has been great. Both the writing and the art are exceptional. While it certainly is grounded in the original films (fifth one specifically), Daryl and Carlos Magno have created a completely new world for man and ape-kind. The characters are strong, the plot is intriguing, and the action is explosive. I may be the only one on the blog to read this title – I don’t care – it’s still the BEST!!!

I could probably think of more categories, but this post has gotten a little too long already. Besides, it’s time to get on with the new year’s books. Looking forward to another year (Lord willing) of reading and blogging. Here’s hoping I can develop some buffer posts in the queue, since having a cushion makes it all even more enjoyable.

2011The Year in Review

2012-01-02T00:01:00.001-05:00

So Lee has been driving the blog as taskmaster and has commanded that a year in review be done. I’m curious to see if any of this rather disjointed and opinionated bunch will follow through, but since I stared this puppy lo those many years ago and was taskmaster for a long time I know being the big cheese is not always easy.

All years when looked at in retrospect have a lot happening. I sold my house, in the middle of a move to Florida, lost my beloved dog and have a new grandson as of December 22, 2011 Connor Jacob McLaughlin. Of course I don’t think Lee wants the Christmas letter that people send out he wanted more of a year in review of what happened in the comic book world.

The big things are Joe Quesada and Dan Didio are both kicked upstairs and we officially have Alex Alonso and Bob Harras running the day to day show and that impact is going to felt slowly over the coming months and years since their predecessors did not leave their influence will take more time to be visible.

Of course the biggest event of 2011 was the new DCU. The unprecedented re-launching of the entire DCU that culminating with 52 brand new series and temporary put DC on top of the sales charts. We are only on month 4 and while I have dropped 15 of the titles to date, that means I’m still reading 37 series from the DCU which is a good sign. I’m unconvinced this was needed and also not convinced it was a great idea. While the short term marketing gimmick worked like any gimmick it can only be played out for a short period of time.

The flaws I see in the plan have become painfully obvious to me as I have been reading all of the new DCU. It is too much being launched at the same time. Essentially I went from a lackluster universe that could be considered somewhat cohesive to a universe which contains characters I’m familiar with, but doesn’t really hold together anymore. My biggest problem is the Bat family as Nightwing appears too young, Tim Drake almost doesn’t even seem to be part of the family, Stephanie Brown has been all but forgotten in the new DCU and the rest of the characters are just starting to come together. Instead of knowing these characters, I now think I know them, but don’t really know them. That lack of familiarity has cut ties with my affinity for the DCU and I’m able to let go of things and no longer have that deep and abiding care about the characters. Week after week I find it easier and easier to cut books like Green Arrow, Legion of Super Heroes, Red Hood, Hawkman, JLI and others. In the end the books I like are going to be good books by good writers, so Scott Snyder, Jeff Lemire and Peter Tomasi are writers I will follow, but would have followed anyway. Seeing stuff by Josh Failkov (I. Vampire) and having names like Adam Glass, Kyle Higgins and others is a good thing, but I thing the massive re-launch was too much to absorb at one time. 2012 will give us the final tally as to whether the new DCU is a success or like Marvel’s Heroes Reborn a chapter to forget in the years ahead.

Marvel has been in event overload and with Fear Itself, Spider-Island, Hulk Wars. X-Men Schism and other such nonsense I have become burnt out on many of their titles also. I had just started to get back into Spider-Man and Spider-Island ruined that, getting back into Thor and Fear Itself destroyed that and the beat goes on. Again good books by good creators wins the day Brubaker and his Captain America work (all of it) has been very good, Jason Aaron’s new Wolverine and the X-Men has started off with a bang, Rick Remender’s magnus opus with X-Force was a thing of beauty and a joy to behold, but for the most part Marvel and DC are teaching me to follow the creator and not the character.

Both companies cannot make themselves actually advance their characters and after following this stuff for 50 years I’ve grown tired (finally) of that type of story telling. I can still enjoy great work and great Batman stories by Scott Snyder, watch Jeff Lemire play with Animal Man and enjoy Brubaker redefine Bucky and make him work as a covert operative, but for the most part I will look for my entertainment elsewhere.

This leads me to Terry Moore, Scott Snyder, Robert Kirkman and Joe Hill, who are producing some of the better independent titles. Terry Moore finished Echo and we now have Rachel Rising, Scott with Mr Tuft is giving us Severed, Kirkman has Walking Dead and Invincible and Joe Hill is crafting Locke & Key. Except for Kirkamn’s material all of these books are stories with a beginning, middle and an end. In Kirman’s books things that happen actually have long term and permanent repercussions to the characters. What you read matters in the context of the story.

The year in review for me has meant that I have reached a saturation point with a lot of what is happening in comics. I’m cutting way back on hard covers, reducing my weekly intake of comics to hopefully 15 books or less a week and may start getting more into the original art. This year is making me realize that less is more. If I only follow 40 or 50 series I can actually look forward to everything instead of just waiting for an arc to end and hope for something better.

As for what 2011 brought us is how about the writer of the year being Scott Snyder. As the old DCU wound down he brought us a Batman story that is one of the best in decades. Dick Grayson’s time as Batman will be a high point of the Batman mythos for all time. The new Batman series is the best super hero book on the stand, Severed is a great independent comic, one of Vertigo’s best series is American Vampire and the new DCU’s darker corner has a great series Swamp Thing. All penned by Scott Snyder with Scott Tuft on Severed as a co-writer. Scott is flat out the best writer in comics for 2011 and I expect him to become a long term super star in the industry. I just hope he does not got overworked as I see so many writers overreach and their work often suffers, see Bendis, Johns, Brubaker, Aaron and almost anyone else who becomes a star. That is not to say all their work suffers, just that no longer is every book their best work.

Next year should be interesting as I purge my collection of trades and hard covers and try to narrow my comic book focus. This will also leave me more time to read fiction and non-fiction prose material, settle into Florida and working from home and spending time with my adult children who both happen to live in Florida, plus playing at being Granddad. I love that life is ever changing, not like I have a choice, but I look forward to changes.

The List - December 2011

2012-01-01T00:01:00.023-05:00

Righty-o. Another short turn around month, but I 'll do the best I can to get something worthwhile written up here. I don't think I mentioned it as official policy, but I'm not putting trades and such on The List. It's just the singles, and the other stuff will get write-ups as warranted. So, in addition to this month's singles, I read trades for Sweet Tooth, Loveless, 100 Bullets, Kill Shakespeare, Love and Rockets, and Essex County. Gotta love half price sales.

On to the show.

1. Spaceman 3 - The more I read of this limited series, the more I love it. Azzarello's dialog alone is a joy. He's taking English as we know it and moving it into a possible evolution, or devolution, in a future of maybe 100 years distance. Then there are the references to the banalities of our own pop culture as well as the vast quantity of literal garbage we produce, now objects of possible treasure. And that doesn't even get into the meat of the story of Orson and Tara, rescuer and and kidnap victim, each carrying baggage that keeps them from coming forward with her rescue. Now we have a former astronaut crewmate of Orson's coming into the picture and complicating matters. Well, not yet, but that appears likely. Risso's art is really capturing this future composed of our junk, giving the whole thing the right atmosphere of discarded objects, living and inanimate.

2. Atomic Robo: The Ghost of Station X 4 - Penultimate issue to this latest in the ongoing limited series for Clevinger and Wegner's metallic hero, yet it seems like there's quite a bit to develop in the final installment. But, the London and US arcs of the story are dovetailing in the Pacific, so that's something. As always, this is a lot of fun adventure. Love the belt buckle Robo is sporting on the cover. Plus, the whole convoy, CB radio thing took me back to my childhood and goofy movies like Smoky and the Bandit. Ah, nostalgia.

3. Fables 112 - Santa Claus, paladin of justice. I don't recall many Christmas themed issues of Fables, and this is a stand alone issue that moves the overall Fables story arcs along at the same time. Snow and Bigby enforce a 2 week break in the training of the new North Wind, over the objections of both the other cardinal winds and the castle staff of the North Wind. More of the story is Red finding herself on a journey to meet paragons of hope, which she is becoming, so that she can choose what aspect of hope she's going to be. It has some elements of Dicken's Christmas Carol but none of the past, present and future stuff. There's a bit of mystery at the end when one of Snow and Bigby's daughters receives a toy boat as a gift, but no one knows who it's from.

4. Wonder Woman 4 - The Wrath of Hera, it turns out, actually isn't boundless, but even when she appears to have calmed, she's just as deadly. I really like Chiang's depection of Apollo, as well as Azzarello's use of Apollo as a scheming child of War. I imagine the fate of Hippolyta and the other Amazon's isn't permanent, but it's a nice touch all the same. Still, the most fun may have been Diana, Zola, Strife, and Hermes clubbing in London. Does no one notice a man with bird's claws for feet?

5. American Vampire 21 & 22 - Two issues this month meant the end of one story arc and the beginning of another. The first is the end of the 1800s story of Skinner meeting and surviving the first American vampire. I was surprised that she was still alive for this issue, as I'd thought she'd been killed by Hole in the Sky in the previous issue. Instead, things go as badly as possible for Hole in the Sky and his people, naked vampire girl goes back to hiding in her cave, and Skinner kills his CO. It's the last time Book and Skinner are on the same side, as Book spends most of the rest of his life trying to hunt down Skinner, first as an outlaw, then as a vampire. The new arc is a look at a 50s greaser who's also an untrained vampire hunter. I love the wooden teeth he uses to dispatch vampires. Bite Them Back, indeed. I was impressed that Snyder and Albuquerque didn't reveal the identity of the vampire who killed the entire family of Travis, our protagonist, in this issue. I thought that would be the big reveal at the end, but it was something else entirely. Nicely done.

6. The Unwritten 32.5 - I'm separating this issue from the regular story in issue 32 this month because I think this one stands above the regular arc. We've seen that Pullman has been alive for a very long time, but now we see one of his earliest stories. He's already aware of his immortality when he meets and manipulates Gilgamesh into killing Leviathan. At this time Pullman's name is Utnapishtim. I'm glad I just have to write it and not pronounce it. Anyway, it's a great story fleshing out a seminal character in the series who's largely been a mystery, as appears to be the case for all the .5 stories. I love the art style Gross employs for this issue. I recall him using it occasionally in Lucifer, too. Great work.

7. The Walking Dead 92 - This has to be a turning point issue akin to the fall of the prison. That story was incredibly sad, leading to the death of so many established characters as it did. But it also generated much needed change for Rick, Andrea, and the other survivors to move them toward their current habitus in the Maryland suburbs of DC. Now we have a new player in Paul Monroe who leads a confederation of several other communities in Virginia. That's a huge change for Rick and the others, who've come across nothing in the way of benevolently organized survivors until they reached Maryland, and that community turned out to have its own internal problems. And how about those skills on Monroe? Kicked ass on both Michone and Abraham.

8. The Unwritten 32 - Now, this isn't a bad issue, what with making the top 10 on the list, but I did feel there was some separation between it and 32.5. The Cabal has a tutorial from Pullman on how to attack Tom and Tom recovers from his sojourn in the frozen wastes just in time to save Richie and Lizzie from their own frozen demise. Frank's sacrifice doesn't look to me to be permanent, given his own story.

9. Swamp Thing 4 - Man, this is really taking me back to the good old days of Alan Moore first revising this character. At the same time, it has its own twists that have really brought fresh legs to the story. Arcane's are still evil, but there's no Anton, nor even an adult. There's a larger force at work that's using the Arcane's, especially the boy. Abigail is a prime mover in the story, not the more passive actor she came across as in the Moore stories. What's most interesting is that Moore's stories aren't simply thrown aside. Abigail and Alec both remember those lives and talk about them, but say they're in a new reality, which would be the New 52. This is the only New 52 book that I know if that acknowledges the old continuity. The others go merrily along in their new continuity or, like Batwoman, appear to be doing the same stories written for the old continuity without any mention of the changes. I suppose I shouldn't be suprised that Scott Snyder's working so well in this mileu.

10. Animal Man 4 - The companion title of sorts to Swamp Thing, Lemire's Animal Man is much as I remember him when I last read the book a few years ago. The older Morrison stories, not anything more recent. But while Buddy seems the same, Maxine seems a lot more powerful than she was back then. The whole visiting the red business is still rather psychedelic, and the three hunters are formidable foes, but Maxine's power level, if not tempered, could make it a sort of Superman situation where it's hard to find anyone powerful enough to oppose her, but for her youth and inexperience.

11. Batwoman 4 - As noted above, this title continues to present stories that don't have any mention of what 'verse they're in, but seem to have been written in the old continuity. That's fine. I like Batwoman being largely self contained in her own world, and JH Williams III's art is so striking and beautiful, he could tell me almost any story, but the juxtaposition of Kate's sexual ecstasy with the beating Bette takes is a hard one to take. No doubt hard for Kate, too, once she learns what happened to Bette. And here comes the vigilante hunters of the US government, hard on Kate's heals.

12. Invincible 86 - Well, Nolan was none too please with Alan's plan, as expected. That Oliver sided with Alan isn't much of a surprise, either. He's always been a utilitarian and had little love for humans. I did like how Kirkman showed Nolan and Oliver's differing experiences in life to be the reason for the difference in their perception of humanity. Nolan's a bit rose colored but right about what humanity did to change him, while Oliver is unduly pessimistic. I'm thinking Mark falls somewhere between those perceptions, but won't be too happy about Alan's plan that could result in the deaths of all humans.

13. Memorial 1 - This is a new book from IDW by Chris Roberson and Rich Ellis. It has a superficial resemblance to Locke & Key because a key appears to be significant in where the story is going, but that's about it. There's only one, not many. The bad guy is a Gorgon-ish figure with an island full of statutes who were formerly living and a collection of people and places that have become legendary but once actually existed. Our heroine goes by Em, or Miss M, and is an amnesiac who has shaped a solitary life for herself in an unnamed city. The name comes from the closest thing to ID on her when she was found, a pendant with the letter M. I'm guessing it's not actually the letter M, though. It looks a bit Greek. This is a very good start to this book and I'm looking forward to seeing where it's going.

14. Dark Horse Presents 7 - Yeah, the $8 price is still hard to swallow, but there are always really good stories in here. This month has a Mignola written and drawn Hellboy story and a Stan Sakai Usagi Yojimbo, as well as the numerous ongoing stories by Chaykin, Adams, and others. It remains a great sampler of stories from various artists and writers, all of high quality.

15. Blue Beetle 4 - Silverback's an interesting creation. I'm no encyclopedia of DC villains, but it's a new one to me. I'm guessing Jaime's parents aren't too familiar with tattoos. The one they think their son has is glowing, which should be a bit of a clue that something has happened other than a tattoo. The tense interaction between Jaime and the suit is a highlight. Doesn't look so good for Paco at the end.

16. Incorruptible 25 - So, it turns out that Plutonian and Max Damage ran across each other's path when they were kids. Plutonian was a savage little bugger. I don't know how he ended up aping being a superhero. That's not making a lot of sense to me right now, nor is the how of Max going from a caring, if damaged kid, to an utter sociopath.

17. Demon Knights 4 - The Shining Knight, much to my dismay, isn't a woman after all. He's just an immortal adolescent. It's either a blessing or a curse by Merlin, who seems to have been around a lot longer than the Camelot days. Still loving the humorous presentation of Vandal Savage, too.

18. iZombie 20 - It's funny, but this denouemont issue is actually more interesting than the action issues that have gone before it recently. I suppose it's because a lot is happening with our various cast members. I'm sensing a sort of three way relationship for Francisco, Ellie, and Claire, bringing together a constructed man, a ghost, and a vampire. Kinky.

19. I, Vampire 4 - John Constantine meets Andrew. I haven't read anything with Constantine in years. Still the bastard I remember. Cool as ever, too. Too bad about Steve losing his control, and his head.

20. Batwing 4 - We're trodding heavily on the ground covered by Unknown Soldier in this issue. Our hero was once a child soldier in some rebel army. He and his brother were quite the skilled killers, too. They just refused to kill women and children to get at their leader's opponent, though. This is all background while Batwing searches for Massacre.

21. Resurrection Man 4 - If this is the bottom of the list of what I bought, it's a very good month. Abnett & Lanning are developing a very interesting story with Resurrection Man's mysterious background. Transhuman's become a more interesting character, too.

22. What If 16, 24 & 33 - This trio of free comics is from the series that started in the late '80s and is all X-Men oriented. The first is if Wolverine battled Conan. The second is if Wolverine was Lord of the Vampires. The third is if Phoenix rose again. Two out of three times the result is the end of the world. Actually, one's the end of the universe. And the one that doesn't end in the destruction of the world may as well have with the horde of vampires overrunning it. A lot of fun, if a bit nonsensical at times. Long ago I had an issue of What If about Phoenix not dying on the moon but this time, in 33, it's after history was revised so that instead of Jean coming back we have the Phoenix force coming back. Goofy.

23. The Stand Sketchbook - I read the Stephen King book some time when I was in high school. I haven't had anything to do with it since. This was just some sort of free promotional thing that Marvel put out when it was doing the comic version of the book. Not much to it. It was in a pack of three free books, one of the others of which was a Jonah Hex I already had.

24. Tangent: Superman's Reign 2 - So this was the other freebie in that pack. Glad I didn't buy this stuff. The art's quite nice, as to be expected with Jamal Igle, but the story is of no interest to me. It's one of those crossover nightmares that are much sound and fury signifying nothing. No fault of Dan Jurgens in the writing, its just of no interest to me.

If this is any indication...

2011-12-31T00:01:00.003-05:00

2012 is going to be another great year for comics!

HAVE A SAFE NEW YEARS EVE!

COMING NEXT WEEK OUR BEST OF 2011 Lists (I think)

Technically, these new LEGO sets are already out in stores and I've been having a great time building them all week while I've been off. Still, with Marvel LEGOS to follow -- It's going to be AWESOME! Although, my comic budget might take a hit to compensate. The first wave (of six sets) retails at nearly $230.

Indies Previews For February Part 3 of 3

2011-12-30T00:05:00.052-05:00

Humanoids Inc
Celestial Bibendum Vol. 01 Deluxe HC by (W/A/C) Nicolas De Crecy
From multiple Eisner-nominated creator Nicholas De Crecy comes a masterpiece of color and irony, recounting the absurd tale of one lonely seal by the name of Diego in the vast and corrupt metropolis of New York on the Seine. Presented in Humanoids Deluxe format: a limited and numbered edition of 550 copies with slipcase, in its original European-sixed format. $69.95
Lee: De Crecy is one of the original French masters of the medium. This is a chance to have a one of his masterpieces in a fantastic format. Yes, it’s expensive but if you plan on keeping this a long time, like I do, then you can’t go wrong.
Gwen: Ever since I took a French Literature course in college I've found myself drawn to all sorts of French story telling. The concept intrigues me but sadly the price puts it out of my "trying it out" range.

Pandemonium Vol. 01 GN by (W) Christophe Bec (A) Stefano Raffaele (C) Olivier Peru
In 1951, a mother and her young daughter entered one of America's most prestigious institutions for the treatment of tuberculosis, the Waverly Hills Sanatorium. The events that befell them shortly thereafter, both of a supernatural and criminal nature, were some of the most sordid of the times. Based on real events. $19.95 You can read about the Sanatorium here.
Lee: As soon as I got to the ‘based on real life events’ part of the hype I was sold. Then I read about the Santorium, which sounds down right scary, then I knew I had to read this. You really can’t go wrong with ghost stories set in places that are really supposed to be haunted.
Gwen: Excellent creepy vibe to this - Why is it that we have cool looking horror genre comics for Feb. but all we get for October seems to be generic monster stuff.

Metropolitan Books
Journalism HC by (W/A/C) Joe Sacco
Over the past decade, Joe Sacco has increasingly turned to short-form comics journalism to report from the sidelines of wars around the world. Collected here for the first time, Sacco's darkly funny, revealing reportage confirms his standing as one of the foremost war correspondents working today. In The Unwanted, Sacco chronicles the detention of Saharan refugees who have washed up on the shores of Malta; Chechen War, Chechen Women documents the trial without end of widows in the Caucasus. Other pieces take Sacco to the smuggling tunnels of Gaza; the trial of Milan Kovacevic, Bosnian warlord, in The Hague; and the darkest chapter in recent American history, Abu Ghraib. 208 pgs. $24.00
Lee: It's a collection of Joe Sacco material so you really can't go wrong. But, just in case you don't know, Sacco is one of the best at chronicling world events in the medium we love best. These will be stories that don't make the front page but are infinitely more interesting.
Gwen: Honestly, as interesting as this looks, it's not my cup of tea. I prefer my world news (especially wartime news) in brief facts not as full stories.

Papercutz
Ernest and Rebecca Vol. 01: My Best Friend is a Germ HC by (W) Guillame Bianco (A/C) Antonello Dallena
Rebecca is a six and a half year-old girl who is out of luck - her parents are on the verge of divorce and she is always getting sick due to a weak immune system. One rainy day Rebecca's luck changes when she meets a magical microbe named Ernest, who becomes her best friend! Ernest is no regular germ-he's about the same height as Rebecca and he can talk. Can Rebecca keep her parents together with the help of her new friend? And can anyone really have a friend who belongs in a Petri dish? Visit the artist here. 48 pgs. $11.99
Lee: Papercutz is putting out some of the best all-ages comics bar none these days. This looks to be another Euro import which is really good too. A large segment of the French market is devoted to the all-ages market so I am betting this is pretty good. If you have a young reader you really can’t go wrong. The artist has worked for Disney so the art will be pretty for older readers to enjoy too.
Gwen: Very cute concept. We've moved past imaginary human or animal friends to a germ friend. Heh.

Powerhouse Books
Golden Age Western Comics HC
Powerhouse Books is pleased to present a collection of these uniquely American stories as told through a uniquely American medium…the comic book! Golden Age Western Comics lovingly reproduces in full-color, restored, complete scans of 20 of the best Western stories—plus a few pin-ups—created between the years 1948 and 1956. These lavishly illustrated stories of guts and glory, violence and valor, intrigue, romance, and betrayal, on the range and in lawless frontier towns, were created by some of the best artists and writers of the era. The action flies off the page in stories such as “The Tragedy at Massacre Pass,” and “Breakout in rondo Prison,” from the greatest earliest publishing houses, including: Fawcett, Charlton, Avon, Youthful, and more. Golden Age Western Comics is a collection unlike any other and is sure to delight fans of rootin-tootin, gun-toting, adventure of all ages! See the preview page here. 144 pgs. $24.95
Lee: On one hand this looks really really good because I like old comics but on the other hand it’s about cowboys. Cowboys really aren’t my thing. But, this is probably the only way I will get to see these comics because I am not going to spend the money on the original books. This is a really tough call.
Gwen: Westerns are a lot of fun although American Vampire is the only comic that pulled off a good Western comic book as of late (that I've read that is).

Rebellion / 2000AD
Judge Dredd Crusade SC by (W) Grant Morrison (A/C) Carlos Ezquerra
The Thing meets Where Eagles Dare as two of the world's most popular comic book writers - Grant Morrison and Mark Millar - produce a high-octane thriller! The greatest future lawman of them all, Judge Dredd, joins an international cadre of judges to recover a scientist who claims he has a message from God! And in The Frankenstein Division, Millar creates the ultimate judge - by stitching together pieces of the best! $16.99
Lee: What would a month of indies be without at least one book by Morrison/Millar. This is early material from both so it should be comprehensible and less gratuitously violent! This is a chance to read stories by the stars from before they were stars.
Gwen: I'm torn. On the one hand I love Judge Dredd. On the other hand I am not a Grant Morrison fan. Of course it's earlier Morrison which is sometimes more tolerable. Hmmm.

Selfmadehero
Chico & Rita GN by (W) Fernando Trueba (A/C) Javier Mariscal
Cuba, 1948. Chico is a young piano player with big dreams. Rita is a beautiful singer with an extraordinary voice. Music and romantic desire unite them, but their journey brings heartache and torment. From Havana to New York, Paris, Hollywood, and Las Vegas, two passionate individuals battle impossible odds to unite in music and love. Mariscal's art perfectly captures the steamy, vibrant atmosphere of 1940s Havana and transports the reader back to a time filled with music and romance. Read about the author here. 216 pgs. $24.95
Lee: YAHOOO! I can’t believe is here. Based upon the animated film of the same name, this was a huge hit in France just before I left. Absolutely fantastic art and from the bits I could read in the store, a good story to boot. It isn’t often we get Euro books fairly close to their original release so I have got to support this. And, I highly recommend reading about the author (see link above), Mariscal is incredible talented having done covers for The New Yorker and other high profile things. This is serious art in a comic book.
Gwen: I don't usually enjoy comics from movies. It does look like an interesting concept though and I'd be willing to give it a try.

Villard Books
Jonathan Kellerman: Alex Delaware Book 01 - Silent Partner GN by (W) Jonathan Kellerman (Adapted by) Ande Parks (A/C) Michael Gaydos
New York Times bestselling author Jonathan Kellerman makes his debut in the graphic novel world with a graphic adaptation of his noirish Alex Delaware thriller Silent Partner with stylish, black-and-white, noir-inspired art from award-winning artist Michael Gaydos. In Silent Partner, Alex investigates the murder of his ex-lover, a mysterious, alluring woman with a troubled past. His investigation will take him to the seamy side of Hollywood and its glamorous ultrarich... to the dark and twisted corridors of the mind. 192 pgs. $23.00
Lee: As the author of 30+ books, I think that Kellerman has a handle on crime fiction. The question is how well will he do translating his own work into pictures? I think choosing Gaydos, a very accomplished artist is a very wise move, and this could be very good. Also choosine Ande Parks (Capote in Kansas GN) is another wise choice. If you like crime fiction it's worth a look-see.
Gwen: Sweet, murder mysteries are awesome.

Lee: What a great month! There isn't a shortage of new material that's for sure. I continue to overspend at Humanoids and this month is no exception.
Gwen: February seems somewhat Halloweenish.

Watchmen 2: You get what you deserve

2011-12-29T00:05:00.000-05:00

So unless DC is just commissioning super high profile fan art, this week’s publishing of JG Jones’ Comedian art and the Kuberts’ Nite Owl art would seem to suggest that we are getting some form of new Watchmen comics.

It could be a sequel or it could be a prequel, but allow me to state the obvious: this is a really bad idea.

Alan Moore has been asked for questions about a sequel to Watchmen since he finished the last issue. And it seems as if until he had a falling out with DC Comics, he had plans to at least expand the universe a bit through Role Playing games and maybe even comics. Years later, however, he noted that the book didn’t need a sequel and he didn’t understand why anyone would want one. He noted that they weren’t exactly clamoring for a sequel to A Tale of Two Cities. Now, comparing one’s self to Dickens doesn’t do him any favors, but Moore has a point here.

Comics fans obviously want a sequel to Watchmen because it was one of the seminal comics in the history of the medium. They also want it because comics fans are almost pathologically incapable of trying something new and interesting. They only want sequels or books with familiar titles adorning the covers. How else do you explain DC calling a new supernatural team book “Justice League Dark” or Marvel slapping Avengers on any new team book they pump out.

We don’t need more Watchmen. The entire comics industry has spent DECADES learning all the wrong lessons from that comic. The sheer number of horrible grim and gritty comics produced by creators trying to ape Watchmen makes me wonder sometimes if the book was worth it I the first place. I don’t know about you, but I absolutely cringe at the idea of today’s JMS giving us his take on this book’s characters and themes.

Now, good sequels have been made out of things that didn’t need them, just look at the Godfather Part 2. But for a more analogous example, let us move to the next installment of that series. Made due to financial concerns, Godfather Part 3 was by no means a horrible movie, but it was nowhere near as good as the two movies that preceded it. While it made a lot of money for all involved at the time, it is a piece of work that induces nothing more than regret when brought up today.

Watchmen 2 (or whatever it’s called) is going to make a lot of creators money. And that’s good. Nostalgia and morbid curiosity are going to drive huge sales for this, but at the end of the day, this is a project that we are going to remember with the same fondness that we have Andy Garcia acting across from Don Corleone.

Indies Previews For February Part 2 of 3

2011-12-28T00:05:00.046-05:00

Blank Slate
Hector Umbra HC by (W/A/C) Uli Oesterle
Master DJ Osaka Best has disappeared, mysteriously vanishing in a blast of blinding light during the climax of his set at a nightclub. Enter Hector Umbra, Osaka's best friend and artist-turned-detective, to solve the mystery of a lifetime. Hector turns over every dirty stone in Munich on the hunt for the displaced DJ. Soon he will learn that not all is as it seems, and Hector will find himself embroiled in a plot involving religious freaks, Elvis impersonators, aliens, and even the dead! 216 pgs. Visit the blog here and a five page preview here. $27.99
Lee: Like most indies I noticed the stylish cover and fell in love with the art when I saw the previews. This has stylish art and an interesting premise so I am sold!
Gwen: I'm just a sucker for detective stories. But yes, the art is cool looking too :)

Boom! Studios
Terror on the Planet of the Apes #1 by (W) Doug Moench (A) Mike Ploog (C) Bob Larkin
In 1974, mighty Marvel Comics published the bone-breaking Planet of the Apes Magazine featuring a fan-loved all-new original story written by Moon Knight co-creator Doug Moench and drawn by Ghost Rider co-creator Mike Ploog: Terror on the Planet of the Apes! With an all-new Age of the Apes happening between the hit BOOM! series and the blockbuster Rise of the Planet of the Apes movie this past summer, you've hit us on Facebook, you've hit us on Twitter and we're listening: by popular demand, we're reprinting this classic! Featuring The Lawgiver and Fugitives on the Planet of the Apes in the first issue! $3.99
Lee: This should actually be very good. Ploog was at his peak when this was first released and Moench, by all accounts, turned in a heck of a script. The original b/w magazines are fairly hard to find in good condition so this is perfect for me.
Gwen: I can't say I'm all that interested in anything Planet of the Apes anymore. It feels like it's been overdone for me - like all the Star Wars spin offs. Of course I still enjoy the original material but I tend to pass on these. The newer material is good from what I hear, I'm just not feeling it.

D. E./Dynamite Entertainment
Garth Ennis' Jennifer Blood Vol. 01 SC by (W) Garth Ennis (A) Adriano Batista (C) Tim Bradstreet
Jennifer Blood is a suburban wife and mom by day - and a ruthless vigilante by night! Every day she makes breakfast, takes the kids to school, cleans the house, naps for an hour or two, makes dinner, puts the kids to bed, and kisses her husband goodnight. This suburban punisher is ready to be unleashed in a story that can only be told by the legendary Garth Ennis. $19.99
Lee: So, was this any good? It appeared to me to a response to Bendis’ Scarlet series. There hasn’t been a lot of hype around it so I am cautious about picking it up.
Gwen: I gotta say - I have a hard time imagining how she has the energy to be a vigilante after all that. Maybe it's the midday nap.

Deepcut Productions Stan Lee's Stripperella GN by (W) Stan Lee (A/C) Anthony Winn
From the imagination of legendary comic book creator Stan Lee comes a superheroine with a pair of huge attributes - courage and determination! Exotica Jones is a dancer by trade, but when she's not swinging from a pole and tucking twenties into her g-string, Exotica is the sexiest costumed superhero you've ever seen. While hot an heavy action and adventure are her forte, the object of Exotica's desire is Nick, who just may be the only man on earth who doesn't seem to notice her at all! Join Stripperella as she battles The Macabre Menace of the Mad Melter. $14.99
Lee: And another classic is back in print! I remember all the hub-bub when this was first announced. And with a little wiki research I learned it was actually a 13 issue animated series. How did I miss that? Fool me once... as they say.
Gwen: Wow, what a role model. Hah. I can see why Jim never gave this to my sister and I to read as kids...

Drawn & Quarterly
Gloriana HC by (W/A/C) Kevin Huizenga
Kevin Huizenga exposes the mechanics that underpin everyday life. His protagonist, Glenn Ganges, has conversations about dish soap and library visits that are both faithful depictions of the mundane interactions we all have and so much more: existential dissections of the units that construct our lives. Huizenga has an understated, quiet approach to story writing that allows his characters (and his readers) the self-awareness to recognize the humor and tragedy of every moment. Huizenga's much-lauded work is finely detailed, and in its innovative use of form, it explores the boundaries of the comic medium, deconstructing and reconstructing panels to express temporality and lived experience more fully. Presented in this expanded edition, Gloriana employs familiar settings and thorough, sometimes scientific explanations to reach thoughtful conclusions. 5 x 6.5, FC, 96 pages $19.95
Lee: This is a little small but Huizenga’s work on his other series Ganges has been so good that I might just dive right in. This is just fantastic stuff exploring life and… well if not it’s meaning then at least it’s mundane-ness. Great stuff.
Gwen: This looks very interesting but probably something I'd have to have more time to delve into. Sadly I have to keep my reading fairly light during the school year.

Jinchalo GN by (W/A/C) Matthew Forsythe
Jinchalo is Korean for Really? and that question is at the heart of this book. A companion to Ojingogo, Jinchalo stars the same little girl as its heroine. When the mischevious shapeshifter Jinchalo hatches from a mysterious egg, he starts our heroine adventuring anew. Magical troubles drag the pair out of the safety of her home. These comics are firmly rooted in Korean folktakes and stylistic conventions, with a playful, joyous line to create a Miyazaki-tinged dreamscape where spotted octopi fly and bears give piggyback rides. 120 pgs $19.95 Visit Forsythe’s site here and see a little preview here.
Lee: I've always had a weakness for cutesy artwork and this qualifies. It appears to be wordless but it has something... I don't know... special going on? It just looks like it will be fun.
Gwen: This is awesome. I'd love to get this for my former Korean roommate as I remember she used to tell us stories about Korean mythology. She had a great story about how her family was descended from bears :)

Fantagraphics Books
Kolor Klimax: Nordic Comics Now GN
Scandinavia has become a hotbed of cartooning activity, from the internationally acclaimed Jason (Norway) to Sweden's Martin Kellerman and Denmark's Eisner-nominated Nikoline Werdelin. This anthology of comics, many of them created for this book, offers an intoxicating and compelling sampling of current works from a new generation of Scandinavian alternative cartoonists. $29.99
Lee: Who would’ve thunk, Norway home of Death Metal and all sorts of nasty music is also the home of a budding underground comix scene! I have a couple of collections of scandavian comics and I have always enjoyed them. The art always entertains and the stories are surprisingly tight.
Gwen: I think I'd need to see a bit more of this before I decide whether or not it would draw me in.

Cinema Panopticum GN by (W/A/C) Thomas Ott
T. Ott guides us through a funhouse of fear with five graphic horror novelettes, each executed in his hallucinatory and hyper-detailed scratchboard style. Dark, stark and grimly funny, Ott's plot twists will delight fans of classic horror like The Twilight Zone and Tales From the Crypt and his artwork will haunt you long after you've put the book down. $16.99 Visit Ott here. http://www.tott.ch/
Lee: Words I have heard describe Ott’s work include dark, darker, and even darkest. This is a collection of horror stories in the same vein as EC and Creepy. I believe they are wordless but the art is just incredible. If you have an extra dollar or two this is worth it.
Gwen: This does look cool. Personally I would have solicited it for October though.

One more day to go... Friday.

Indies Previews For February Part 1 of 3

2011-12-27T00:05:00.067-05:00

Lee: What a great time to have a huge chunk of indie books to look at! Christmas is over and there is nothing to do until New Year’s but read the blog and ooohhh and aaahhhh over the cool books coming in the next couple of months.

Jim: Indies, what the heck is this stuff. it has been a long time.

215 Ink
Footprints GN by (w) Joey Esposito (A) Jonathan Moore
Bigfoot and his gang of cryptozoological deviants enter a crime noir world full of mystery, horror, monsters and conspiracy. When Foot's estranged brother Yeti is murdered in the Arctic, Foot reunites his old team of Jersey Devil, Nessy, and Megaldon for one last case that spans back to their very long history together. See the official page with lots of previews here. $11.99
Lee: These posts are always about trying something new and this appears to be it. Maybe not wildly new but if you're only reading Marvel/DC this could be a good place to start. I'm always up for a good Bigfoot story so we shall see.
Jim: The series from Image called Proof did a good job with a bigfoot character and this seems to be a direct rip off.

:01 First Second
Friends with Boys GN by (W/A/C) Faith Erin Hicks
A coming-of-age tale with a spooky twist! Maggie McKay hardly knows what to do with herself. After an idyllic childhood of homeschooling with her mother and rough-housing with her older brothers, it's time for Maggie to face the outside world, all on her own. But that means facing high school first. And it also means solving the mystery of the melancholy ghost who has silently followed Maggie throughout her entire life. Maybe it even means making a new friend, one who isn't one of her brothers. Funny, surprising, and tender, Friends with Boys is a pitch perfect teen graphic novel full of spooky supernatural fun. One of here webcomics can be found here and her main site is here. $15.99
Lee: Hicks wrote the wonderful "Zombies Calling" back in 2007 which made me a fan of her work. She is a really skilled artist and writer and this is a sure fire winner. If you've never read anything by her then you may as well start here. You won't be disappointed.
Jim: Sounds more like a chick flick which lowers it down in interest scale.

AAM Markosia
Turkey Grove Farms GN by (W) William Bienz (A/C) J. C. Grande
Something is amuck at Turkey Grove Farms. Jasper's dad, the famous face of the farm's commercials, hasn't been seen since before Thanksgiving. Why is Jasper telling anyone who will listen of a great turkey uprising? Has Jasper gone crazy or is this just another publicity stunt? One thing for is certain, business is booming and the turkey has never been more delicious. Everything evolves, why not turkeys? $15.99
Lee: I would think this would have been a better solicit at Thanksgiving but it's still good for Christmas. This seems to have just the right amount of silliness to make you smile.
Jim: It did miss it's time, but funny is funny.

AC Comics
Bizzare Thrills: Paragon Publication's Story SC
A compendium of Bill Black's legendary Paragon Publications line of comics prozines of the 1970s! Black wanted to create a line of comic-book based periodicals that incorporated the idea of design and featuring his own original characters in ongoing, interconnected stories; a universe, if you will, of superheroes and adventurers. From roughly 1970-1980, Paragon did that, fueled not only by Black's tasteful sense of visuals, but also a healthy dose of the one aspect fairly rare in the mainstream newstand comics of the day - strong female characters. See what the AC Comics empire was built on, with never-before-reprinted stories starring Synn, Tara, Paragon, Scarlet Scorpion, The Shade, and more! $29.95
Lee: I’m not sure what the disconnect is with this book. Could it be the description of “strong female characters” juxtaposed with the cover of a… well slightly indisposed heroine? Might be. That said, having read a couple of AC books back in the day, they are not nearly as gratuitous as the cover implies.
Jim: And the material was never that strong.

Adhouse Books
American Barbarian HC by (W/A/C) Tom Scioli
A red-white-and-blue-haired hero must defend a post-post-apocalyptic world from the immortal Two-Tank Omen. Created by Tom Scioli, the co-creator of the Eisner-nominated series Godland and the Xeric-winning UnMortals: The Myth of 8-Opus. $19.95
Lee: I was wondering what Scioli would do now that Godland was wrapping up. Or maybe never finishing… but whatever. I am curious to see how much he learned about story telling by working with Casey and I love his Kirby-esque art so I’ll probably check this out.
Jim: Pass, never got into Godland.

Archaia Entertainment LLC
Genetiks TM Vol. 01 HC by (W) Richard Marazano (A/C) Jean-Michel Ponzio
Following the success of The Killer, Okko, and The Secret History, GenetiksÖ is part of the wave of new French titles Archaia is bringing over to English-speaking readers! Genetiks is a pharmaceutical company on the cutting edge of biological science. Thomas Hale is one of thousands of employees in the Genetiks labs. Like his colleagues, he had agreed to give a drop of blood to his employers - a drop of blood that will allow the researchers at the company he works for to decode his entire genome. GenetiksÖ is a topical story on the intersection between commerce and biological science, touching on many hot-button issues such as genetic manipulation and the rise of corporate power. 104 pgs. $19.95
Lee: Ponzio's art appears to be typical french with clean lines and solid structure so that shouldn't disappoint. As for the story, it certainly sounds interesting too. I am a little leary because while I loved Okko and Killer, Cyclops was a little bit of a miss for me.
Jim: Cyclops was a miss, but this is worth a gander at least.

Judge Bao Vol. 01: Judge Bao & Jade Phoenix HC by (W) Patrick Marty (A/C) Chongrui Nie
To combat the scourge that goes along with great prosperity, Chinese Emperor Ren Zong gives broad magistrate powers to Judge Bao. He becomes a symbol of justice for the people of the land. His aversion to corruption and dedication to justice make him a popular hero, with many enemies. Bao finds himself in a small village where a mother mourns her son, languishing in prison, caught in a complicated love triangle and accused of a murder he says he did not commit. Will Judge Bao find the real murderer? 160 pgs, 7” x 5.25” (landscape), Previews can be seen here, all text in French but you can see the art. $14.95
Lee: When I saw this was landscape I wasn't really sure. Then I thought of some of the other great landscape books like Bayou and read the hype again. It sounds like a good historical crime fiction story and the art looks really good too. It's worth the risk to see this.
Jim: For $15 why not.

Ardden Ent/Hell Freezes Over
Multiverse Magazine #1
It's finally here: the magazine I, Vampire writer Joshua Fialkov describes as beautifully designed, with a modern, smart sensibility about mainstream comics that's been missing from print comics journalism for a long time. Alongside the title's regular news and reviews sections, each issue of Multiverse also includes exclusive interviews with established creators as well as up-and-coming talents, many accompanied by rarely seen art. Each issue ships with an extra bonus free preview comic book, too! $4.99
Lee: I have to question the motivation behind this book. Don’t get me wrong, I think it’s a great idea but what are they aiming for? Wizard went down in flames. TCJ went down this past year too. Can a print magazine compete with the internet? I hope it works but it’s a really tough sell.
Jim: Will never succed.

More tomorrow...

New Pet -- Needs Salt!

2011-12-27T00:01:00.001-05:00

One of my Christmas gifts this year and a super cool retro-MEGO figure!