The Week of September 15 In Review

This week is a catch up week. Books from two weeks ago, last week and this week can all be included as I’m still playing catch up after essentially skipping a week with Jamie’s wedding. I’m going with capsule reviews of the books for the most part and giving more of my impressions as opposed to a summary of the actual story.

Batman Odyssey #3 (of 13) – Neal Adams artwork still goes blows me away. It is highly detailed and crams tons of information into each panel. The story itself is getting better, but there are odd moments as I try to place this story in a place or time of Batman’s career and it never quite works. The weird dialogue can be out of place at times and Neal’s depiction of Commissioner Gordon is something different and feels a little off. Another point is when the heck did this become a 13 part series? I wish DC would communicate inside each book better and let the fans of a particular series know what is going on. I worry that the big publishers assume all of that type of news will be spread in other ways, but I prefer the books that think that this is the only chance you have to touch base with your readers. The bottom line on this book it is out and out glorious Neal Adams Batman with a story that is coming together and making a little more sense. As a bonus we get Neal drawing Talia. This book is on my list and a collected edition of this book is in my future.

Hellblazer #271 – I can’t believe I was about to drop this series. The story of Epiphany and John continues. John struggles with trying to access the madness so he can save Epiphany from Shade. John jumps through a window a few stories about the pavement to access madness (let’s hope he makes it). Meanwhile, his child bride-to-be gets Shade to send her back to Earth, except it is 1979. Well John worried she was only half his age so this could solve that problem. Miligan with art by Camuncoli and Landini is making this series shine.

DMZ #57 – I got back into this series and still don’t have a total handle on the overall direction of the book and while this book harkens back to a character from early in the series it never mattered. It was a great stand alone issue about motherhood and children and what a war can do to both. A great read and probably the best book I read this week.

Fear Agent #29 – I glad to see that this series is coming to an end because it is a story that feels like it needs an ending. Regardless of how insane and over the top it is, it is still telling a good story and I keep looking for a happy ending. Fear Agent is Rick Remender’s best work and has been blessed with great artwork.

Brightest Day #10 – Okay a lot of stuff with Aqualad and Firestorm can destroy the universe, but how this all ties into the resurrection is still not coming together. Next, can we please move the story forward. I have to say that Johns has made Aquaman a more promising character, but he has yet to do anything yet. The pacing of this book is too slow and no matter how good Johns and Tomasi write or how strong the art, something needs to happen.

Green Lantern Emerald Warriors #2 – Fernando Pasarin is another DC artist who is absolutely stellar. Ivan Reis, Doug Mahnke and Pasarin all help to make the Green Lantern/Brightest Day stuff look terrific. Peter Tomasi is one of my favorite DC writers, so this should be a great book and it could be, but it isn’t. As with Brightest Day we are taking forever to tell a story. At the end of last issue we saw a Red Lantern take off from Atrocitus to go and hook up with Guy for his mission. At the end of this issue she shows up and attacks Guy. Two issues of set up and still no clue what is going on with this book. It is all done very well so it is easier to accept, but can we ever get to what is happening?

Doc Savage #6 – A new creative team and I have no clue of what the heck is happening. It is certainly more compelling then what had been going on. I’ll leave this book back on my list for a second try out. The Justice back up was well done and still the best part of the book, but the front half is now better and makes it possible for me to buy the book again.

X-23 #1 – Okay between Wolverine #1, Daken #1 and now X-23 #1 Marvel is hitting a ton of hot buttons for me. Each one of these books is highly publicized #1 issue. Wolverine #1 felt like a continuation of Weapon X and apparently about Wolverine turning into a Christian from what I have heard. Horrible idea for the baddest of good guys Marvel has and the other books missed the mark as well. Having not been a Marvel Zombie I had little information on who or what X-23 was and this issue had seven pages of back story to bring us up to speed. Are you kidding me? How did a character that has not been around that long up end with such a dense and impenetrable back story. If I had not read the back story the ending of issue #1 would have not had the impact they were trying to make. Since I did, I at least understand that she could have gone into a berserker rage and killed everyone. Also it is clear her story has little to do with what is happening in Wolverine. I may come back for issue #2, but I have to think that as an opening issue the artwork saved the day as the story told us little and just set up a cliff hanger that needed the back story to make sense.

That will have to wrap it up for this week. As I have stated on Monday the Tuesday column will be my only regular appearance on the blog for the rest of this year as I take a sabbatical to try and cure my comics’ burn out and hopefully enjoy a winning season from the Ravens.