Dark Moon Rising: Batman and the Mad Monk
Matt Wagner
This book gets better and better with each chapter. It really is a throwback to Miller's Year One, though Batman as slightly farther a long(Year Two-ish). The interior dialouge is well done, the art is pretty good, and the overall supernatural B-movie nature of the villain is just a hoot.
In this chapter Batman actually makes it to the castle of the Mad Monk, which suprise suprise, is booby-trapped galore. I'm kind of hoping for some of those 70's Batman TV show traps in the next issue.
This issue is worth it alone just for the scene where Alfred complains about Batman melting down the silver candlesticks so he can make pure silver batarangs.
Good fun. There's a lot of great Batman work out there these days, and this is another book you can't go wrong with if you're a fan at all of the Dark Knight.
Dr. Strange: The Oath
Brian K. Vaughan-Marcos Martin
More BKV brilliance here. Probably not quite as strong as the opening chapter, but still one of the better books out there. Lots of cleverness. Dr. Strange is a lot of fun with BKV writing him. Love the Night Nurse, who doesn't? The core of this chapter is basically a window back into Dr. Strange's past, after he had the accident that took away his career as a surgeon. This story is book ended by the current search for the man who shot Dr. Strange and took his neato elixir that cures cancer that he was going to use for his trusty asian assistant Wong.
The dialoge is sharp as a scalpel. The magical action is well drawn and interesting to look at. Just in general a very good book. Definitely one you should be reading, as well as anything else Brian K. Vaughan writes.
Good art, good writing, were that every book at bare minimum this good.
Wednesday, November 29, 2006
Criminal 1 and 2; Cross Bronx 1-3
Criminal
Ed Brubaker-Sean Phillips
By now you've probably already heard a lot about this newish book by Ed Brubaker and Sean Phillips. So take this all with a kind of Out of the Past joy. Book's good. It's damn good. The book is about a coward named Leo who happens to be a brilliant criminal and a "one last heist" sort of situation that goes awry for various reasons.
The book plot wise hits all the right notes we've come to expect from the crime/noir genre. But as in most instances, what separates the best from the rest in this field is whether you can fill in the details in a compelling way, and Phillips and Brubaker definitely do. The art, of which the cover is a very poor indication in my opinion, is perfect for this book, and really sings at times. There's a quote from one of the reviews in the back of one of the issues that says something like, it makes the characters look like they are drenched in the blackest blood from hell, or something to that effect, and yeah that's about right.
Brubaker does a great job on the very first page of the book of building the pathos behind our main character, after finishing issue two, I went back and reread that first couple of pages, and it really is quite brilliant. The way Brubaker both sets up all of the elements that will be involved for the rest of the story, and the way that he pulls you through the page, holding Leo's "rules" out in front of you like a carrot, makes the beginning of this book almost textbook in terms of how to grab a reader by the throat and never let go.
And really, this book doesn't slow down. It clocks in at 26 pages, plus some extras at the back of the book(issue two has a Brubaker article about Out of the Past), so you are talking n about getting real bang for you buck.
I regret that I was so slow to pick up on this book, so if you're like me and kind of slow on these things sometimes, don't waste time. This is definitely a book you want to rush to. It's only going to be five issues, so you better act quickly, otherwise you'll be trade bait. If you are at all a fan of the crime genre, the craft of storytelling, or just like something slick to slip between readings of Civil War, this is your book. You have to hand it to Marvel. This kind of book is refreshing from a company that has mostly stuck to it's tights. Between this and the success they've had with Laura K. Hamilton's book, I think we could be entering a new era with Marvel. It would be nice if they could forge an answer to DC's Vertigo label.
Oh. Also of note, there's a cool Kafka/detective comic strip that serves as a metatexual reference to the overarching story that is going on in this book, ala the Pirate comic in The Watchmen, so if you're into that--well there you go.
Cross Bronx
Michael Avon Oeming-Ivan Brandon
Cross Bronx is a supernatural crime comic drawn and partly written by Michael Avon Oeming of Powers fame with the help of Ivan Brandon. It attempts to have a distinctly Latin flavor to it. I say attempts because if there's a failing of this pretty wonderful book, it's that the attempts to Latinize the book for me fall flat on their face. There is a disconnect between how the characters look and how they speak for the most part, that just proves too much to reconcile for the dialogue.
The main detective of the book, swear to god, looks like a kind of Jim Gordon type detective, yet I'm supposed to believe he is Latin? His partner looks like Dante from Clerks the animated series, and I'm supposed to think he is Latin? There are no visual signifiers in the book to make me think any of the detectives or most of the criminals are Latin. Yet that's what the dialogue tries to hammer home at every chance. And besides that, the dialogue is just terrible. There are times when I literally had no idea what was being said.
There was a joke about fellatio in here, that I still don't really understand, but the characters all thought it was clever, I just felt out of the loop. All of this is of course a shame, because the book looks wonderful, the panels are fresh, the overall concept of the book is good--it's just that the nuts and bolts writing of the book falls flat. Honestly this book would be better if you stripped out the text from the book and just let the pictures tell the story.
Also the whole cop losing or having lost his faith in the world has been done before, and done a lot better. It's something that is alluded to, but not fully developed in the book, and could be dropped altogether from the book, and I don't know if you'd miss it. Though I almost guarantee in issue four it's going to be brought back as the central focus inexplicably.
Frustrating frustrating book. Don't get me wrong though, it's hardly a bad book. My problems with the book are overstated because part of me really does like the book a lot, and so the things holding it back are that much more frustrating. It's not a bad book, but it could have been a lot better.
Ed Brubaker-Sean Phillips
By now you've probably already heard a lot about this newish book by Ed Brubaker and Sean Phillips. So take this all with a kind of Out of the Past joy. Book's good. It's damn good. The book is about a coward named Leo who happens to be a brilliant criminal and a "one last heist" sort of situation that goes awry for various reasons.
The book plot wise hits all the right notes we've come to expect from the crime/noir genre. But as in most instances, what separates the best from the rest in this field is whether you can fill in the details in a compelling way, and Phillips and Brubaker definitely do. The art, of which the cover is a very poor indication in my opinion, is perfect for this book, and really sings at times. There's a quote from one of the reviews in the back of one of the issues that says something like, it makes the characters look like they are drenched in the blackest blood from hell, or something to that effect, and yeah that's about right.
Brubaker does a great job on the very first page of the book of building the pathos behind our main character, after finishing issue two, I went back and reread that first couple of pages, and it really is quite brilliant. The way Brubaker both sets up all of the elements that will be involved for the rest of the story, and the way that he pulls you through the page, holding Leo's "rules" out in front of you like a carrot, makes the beginning of this book almost textbook in terms of how to grab a reader by the throat and never let go.
And really, this book doesn't slow down. It clocks in at 26 pages, plus some extras at the back of the book(issue two has a Brubaker article about Out of the Past), so you are talking n about getting real bang for you buck.
I regret that I was so slow to pick up on this book, so if you're like me and kind of slow on these things sometimes, don't waste time. This is definitely a book you want to rush to. It's only going to be five issues, so you better act quickly, otherwise you'll be trade bait. If you are at all a fan of the crime genre, the craft of storytelling, or just like something slick to slip between readings of Civil War, this is your book. You have to hand it to Marvel. This kind of book is refreshing from a company that has mostly stuck to it's tights. Between this and the success they've had with Laura K. Hamilton's book, I think we could be entering a new era with Marvel. It would be nice if they could forge an answer to DC's Vertigo label.
Oh. Also of note, there's a cool Kafka/detective comic strip that serves as a metatexual reference to the overarching story that is going on in this book, ala the Pirate comic in The Watchmen, so if you're into that--well there you go.
Cross Bronx
Michael Avon Oeming-Ivan Brandon
Cross Bronx is a supernatural crime comic drawn and partly written by Michael Avon Oeming of Powers fame with the help of Ivan Brandon. It attempts to have a distinctly Latin flavor to it. I say attempts because if there's a failing of this pretty wonderful book, it's that the attempts to Latinize the book for me fall flat on their face. There is a disconnect between how the characters look and how they speak for the most part, that just proves too much to reconcile for the dialogue.
The main detective of the book, swear to god, looks like a kind of Jim Gordon type detective, yet I'm supposed to believe he is Latin? His partner looks like Dante from Clerks the animated series, and I'm supposed to think he is Latin? There are no visual signifiers in the book to make me think any of the detectives or most of the criminals are Latin. Yet that's what the dialogue tries to hammer home at every chance. And besides that, the dialogue is just terrible. There are times when I literally had no idea what was being said.
There was a joke about fellatio in here, that I still don't really understand, but the characters all thought it was clever, I just felt out of the loop. All of this is of course a shame, because the book looks wonderful, the panels are fresh, the overall concept of the book is good--it's just that the nuts and bolts writing of the book falls flat. Honestly this book would be better if you stripped out the text from the book and just let the pictures tell the story.
Also the whole cop losing or having lost his faith in the world has been done before, and done a lot better. It's something that is alluded to, but not fully developed in the book, and could be dropped altogether from the book, and I don't know if you'd miss it. Though I almost guarantee in issue four it's going to be brought back as the central focus inexplicably.
Frustrating frustrating book. Don't get me wrong though, it's hardly a bad book. My problems with the book are overstated because part of me really does like the book a lot, and so the things holding it back are that much more frustrating. It's not a bad book, but it could have been a lot better.
Wednesday, November 22, 2006
The Killer; Batman 658; JLA 3; Green Lantern 14
The Killer
Matz-Luc Jacamon
The Killer is a french book that originally came out in 1998 which Archaia Studios Press(the people who put out Mouse Guard and a lot of other high quality stuff) has so kindly translated and brought across the pond to our greedy american comic grubbing digits. It's a cheap comparison to drop Le Samourai as a comparison, but I'll do it anyways, as this book and that movie are both excellent books about assassins who philosophize more than they kill.
The Killer has a really interesting style, that is obviously pretty much unlike anything you've seen in major american comics, so it's pretty cool to look at and a nice change of pace. The writing is hard to judge because it's a translation, but I'll give them a B+ because for the most part it was pretty good. The gist of what is being said is pretty spectacular though. There's a lot in here about how terrible the world is, and how awful man is to man--it's very political and drops many an ignored atrocity from world history, so it's definitely a thinking girl's book.
Towards the end of the book we see that our Killer's sanity is starting to slip, and presumably this is what is going to take up the bulk of the ten issues, is his internal battle with I assume sporatic bouts of violence. Perhaps another comparison to make would be The Professional--though the comparison there is more in terms of pacing. This is the type of book you maybe read on a rainy sunday, with some jazz in the background, maybe a nice drink. It's defintely worth tracking down month to month, but I imagine the experience of reading this as one whole, would be spectacular. But then again, it is kind of nice to have something like this every month for the next ten months.
But yeah, so this is issue 1, so you need to go track it down, because your jumping on point is now.
Batman 658
Grant Morrison-Andy Kubert
I know I've reviewed this series to death, but I love it so. Damian is such a cool character, and I am in love with this notion of Batman setting up a family with his baby's momma Talia, and teaching Damian the ropes of the world. It's time really. How many Robins do we need to cycle through? Batman has been alone for too long. I'm not saying you have to marry them either, though I wouldn't be opposed to it. But Talia and Damian just push all the right buttons for Batman. For one because Talia is kind of an equal to Batman. She can take care of herself. And Damian because he's powerful, but in desperate need for guidance. I just love the dynamics of it, and I hope Morrison decides to explore it further.
So count me in as Pro-Bat family. I mean, Batman has been technically doing this sort of thing anyways, why not have the ties be blood for once?
Apparently we're bringing the Joker back next issue, so we'll see how that goes. I still don't understand what is going on there. When I picked up this book Batman shot Joker in the face. So who knows what's going to happen there.
Oh. Did you know Batman has a rocket? Me neither. If it weren't Grant Morrison doing these things, they might come off as a little silly. But Morrison and Kubert make me buy the whole Batman having a rocket, having a kid, should settle in with his family.
Basically right now if it's got Grant Morrison's name on it, buy it. He's in top form these days.
JLA # 3
Brad Meltzer-Ed Benes
Every review of this book always points out that Meltzer is a New York Times best selling author. I wonder if every review of his book starts out "writer for DC Comics"? I should look into that. I hope so.
We get more character development with this issue, though there's a misconception being perpetuated that this book has no action in it, when it actually is fairly action intensive. There's like 3 major battles in this book, and it's only 20 some odd pages? So there's definitely action.
The cool thing about Meltzer's JLA is that we're getting beyond the main-list JLA people we all kind of associate without thinking for the the team and actually getting to some shine for slightly lesser knowns. Black Lightning for instance is shaping up into a kind of career resurgance reminiscent of Luke Cage under Bendis(am I making that comparison because both characters are black? Probably. Though neither character wears a costume, and though Black Lightning can shoot lighning he seems to prefer to punch people like Luke Cage, so who knows. But he could definitely become a star for the DCU, which is a good thing, because guys like Hal Jordan make the whole experience feel too aryan).
Black Canary kicks some but in this issue too.
The big three do some more voting. They seem to be having a really good time.
Good book, groundwork is being laid for a great book, so you really don't want to sleep on this title.
Green Lantern 14
Geoff Johns-Ivan Reis
I got this because I really like Geoff Johns. It was kind of against my better judgement because I've read Geoff Johns on Green Lantern, and it was...okay. I mean, the big problem is, I just don't really like Green Lantern. He has a cool power. But all of the guys who have been the main green lantern have come off as kind of flaky to me. Plus when the ring talks it makes me think of Iron Man's suit. And honestly Hal Jordan might as well be wearing a robotic suit. The guy just doesn't emote. Very much the square jawed hero with no fear that you've known to expect.
All in all the book is okay. If you are a fan of Green Lantern, in particular the Hal Jordan one, you might like(or you might hate it, I obviously don't "get" Green Lantern). But for the casual reader just looking for something to check out this week, you'd do far better to check out any of the other books I reviewed today.
Matz-Luc Jacamon
The Killer is a french book that originally came out in 1998 which Archaia Studios Press(the people who put out Mouse Guard and a lot of other high quality stuff) has so kindly translated and brought across the pond to our greedy american comic grubbing digits. It's a cheap comparison to drop Le Samourai as a comparison, but I'll do it anyways, as this book and that movie are both excellent books about assassins who philosophize more than they kill.
The Killer has a really interesting style, that is obviously pretty much unlike anything you've seen in major american comics, so it's pretty cool to look at and a nice change of pace. The writing is hard to judge because it's a translation, but I'll give them a B+ because for the most part it was pretty good. The gist of what is being said is pretty spectacular though. There's a lot in here about how terrible the world is, and how awful man is to man--it's very political and drops many an ignored atrocity from world history, so it's definitely a thinking girl's book.
Towards the end of the book we see that our Killer's sanity is starting to slip, and presumably this is what is going to take up the bulk of the ten issues, is his internal battle with I assume sporatic bouts of violence. Perhaps another comparison to make would be The Professional--though the comparison there is more in terms of pacing. This is the type of book you maybe read on a rainy sunday, with some jazz in the background, maybe a nice drink. It's defintely worth tracking down month to month, but I imagine the experience of reading this as one whole, would be spectacular. But then again, it is kind of nice to have something like this every month for the next ten months.
But yeah, so this is issue 1, so you need to go track it down, because your jumping on point is now.
Batman 658
Grant Morrison-Andy Kubert
I know I've reviewed this series to death, but I love it so. Damian is such a cool character, and I am in love with this notion of Batman setting up a family with his baby's momma Talia, and teaching Damian the ropes of the world. It's time really. How many Robins do we need to cycle through? Batman has been alone for too long. I'm not saying you have to marry them either, though I wouldn't be opposed to it. But Talia and Damian just push all the right buttons for Batman. For one because Talia is kind of an equal to Batman. She can take care of herself. And Damian because he's powerful, but in desperate need for guidance. I just love the dynamics of it, and I hope Morrison decides to explore it further.
So count me in as Pro-Bat family. I mean, Batman has been technically doing this sort of thing anyways, why not have the ties be blood for once?
Apparently we're bringing the Joker back next issue, so we'll see how that goes. I still don't understand what is going on there. When I picked up this book Batman shot Joker in the face. So who knows what's going to happen there.
Oh. Did you know Batman has a rocket? Me neither. If it weren't Grant Morrison doing these things, they might come off as a little silly. But Morrison and Kubert make me buy the whole Batman having a rocket, having a kid, should settle in with his family.
Basically right now if it's got Grant Morrison's name on it, buy it. He's in top form these days.
JLA # 3
Brad Meltzer-Ed Benes
Every review of this book always points out that Meltzer is a New York Times best selling author. I wonder if every review of his book starts out "writer for DC Comics"? I should look into that. I hope so.
We get more character development with this issue, though there's a misconception being perpetuated that this book has no action in it, when it actually is fairly action intensive. There's like 3 major battles in this book, and it's only 20 some odd pages? So there's definitely action.
The cool thing about Meltzer's JLA is that we're getting beyond the main-list JLA people we all kind of associate without thinking for the the team and actually getting to some shine for slightly lesser knowns. Black Lightning for instance is shaping up into a kind of career resurgance reminiscent of Luke Cage under Bendis(am I making that comparison because both characters are black? Probably. Though neither character wears a costume, and though Black Lightning can shoot lighning he seems to prefer to punch people like Luke Cage, so who knows. But he could definitely become a star for the DCU, which is a good thing, because guys like Hal Jordan make the whole experience feel too aryan).
Black Canary kicks some but in this issue too.
The big three do some more voting. They seem to be having a really good time.
Good book, groundwork is being laid for a great book, so you really don't want to sleep on this title.
Green Lantern 14
Geoff Johns-Ivan Reis
I got this because I really like Geoff Johns. It was kind of against my better judgement because I've read Geoff Johns on Green Lantern, and it was...okay. I mean, the big problem is, I just don't really like Green Lantern. He has a cool power. But all of the guys who have been the main green lantern have come off as kind of flaky to me. Plus when the ring talks it makes me think of Iron Man's suit. And honestly Hal Jordan might as well be wearing a robotic suit. The guy just doesn't emote. Very much the square jawed hero with no fear that you've known to expect.
All in all the book is okay. If you are a fan of Green Lantern, in particular the Hal Jordan one, you might like(or you might hate it, I obviously don't "get" Green Lantern). But for the casual reader just looking for something to check out this week, you'd do far better to check out any of the other books I reviewed today.
Wednesday, November 15, 2006
Desolation Jones: Made in England TP
Desolation Jones: Made in England
Warren Ellis-JH Williams III
Whenever I read Ellis done right, I imagine the feeling is something akin to what a smack monkey feels after a shot of mongolian horse hoof in the vein. And with Desolation Jones, the feces is definitely spittering off the fan.
Desolation Jones is a story about an ex-James Bond type who undergoes a radical experiement of which he's the only survivor, wherein' he is tortured and kept awake for a whole year. What emerges is a gray skinned, white haired, sad sack of a man, who feels nothing emotionally or physically, and slobbers zombie like through Los Angeles(which is a playground in this book for all ex-intel spook freaks like Jones). That said, the book has more in common with The Big Sleep than it does any Bond movie. In many ways this is Ellis perverted psychopath re-imagining of the classic Chandler tale. And frankly, it never misses.
The art is done by J.H. Williams III who I also encountered on Alan Moore's Promethea. He very well might be my favorite artist in the business. The variety of styles he throws on just a single page are incredible. His work is always an esoteric mix of the occult and psychedelia. This is an instance where the art stands on equal footing with the narrative. Perhaps even in some cases overshadowing it.
The Made in England arc of Desolation Jones centers around Jones trying to find a missing porno film that Hitler supposedly made in 1944. I probably could have crammed that into the opening spot, but really, it's just something that deserves it's own mention in it's own paragraph. No real reaction to it, but that gives you a good indication of the kind of depravity you're dealing with in this book.
I definitely reccomend this book if you are looking for something to jolt your system. Or if you like Warren Ellis at all. This is one of his good books.
Incidentally the second run of Desolation Jones just started last month, so it's an ideal time to jump in. You can get this trade, and then the issue from last month, and then you are good to go.
So yeah...
Warren Ellis-JH Williams III
Whenever I read Ellis done right, I imagine the feeling is something akin to what a smack monkey feels after a shot of mongolian horse hoof in the vein. And with Desolation Jones, the feces is definitely spittering off the fan.
Desolation Jones is a story about an ex-James Bond type who undergoes a radical experiement of which he's the only survivor, wherein' he is tortured and kept awake for a whole year. What emerges is a gray skinned, white haired, sad sack of a man, who feels nothing emotionally or physically, and slobbers zombie like through Los Angeles(which is a playground in this book for all ex-intel spook freaks like Jones). That said, the book has more in common with The Big Sleep than it does any Bond movie. In many ways this is Ellis perverted psychopath re-imagining of the classic Chandler tale. And frankly, it never misses.
The art is done by J.H. Williams III who I also encountered on Alan Moore's Promethea. He very well might be my favorite artist in the business. The variety of styles he throws on just a single page are incredible. His work is always an esoteric mix of the occult and psychedelia. This is an instance where the art stands on equal footing with the narrative. Perhaps even in some cases overshadowing it.
The Made in England arc of Desolation Jones centers around Jones trying to find a missing porno film that Hitler supposedly made in 1944. I probably could have crammed that into the opening spot, but really, it's just something that deserves it's own mention in it's own paragraph. No real reaction to it, but that gives you a good indication of the kind of depravity you're dealing with in this book.
I definitely reccomend this book if you are looking for something to jolt your system. Or if you like Warren Ellis at all. This is one of his good books.
Incidentally the second run of Desolation Jones just started last month, so it's an ideal time to jump in. You can get this trade, and then the issue from last month, and then you are good to go.
So yeah...
Irredeemable Ant-Man
Irredeemable Ant-Man
Robert Kirkman-Phil Hester
Finally a Robert Kirkman book I thoroughly enjoy with no qualifications. Irredeemable Ant-Man is about "the world's most unlikable super-hero". You know how I know this? Because it says so on the cover of the book.
But it's true. This is a book basically about the kind of schmutz who steals your girlfriend, who doesn't pay for dinner, lies about everything, and just in general only looks out for number 1.
Which makes him a fantastic hero.
The artwork by Phil Hester is a lot of fun. I've always been a fan of his.
One of the things that has really stood out to me about Kirkman lately is his sense of humor. It's not so much in his dialouge, but in the situations he creates. His books won't make you bust out of your gut laughing, but you will have a smile on your face while reading. Kirkman's work could probably be best described as "pleasant"...though I guess Walking Dead wasn't really "pleasant" but maybe in it's own way. I dunno. Just a lot of authors can come off kind of soulless, and whenever I finish with Kirkman, whether I totally like everything he's written or not, I come away with the notion that "here's a nice guy doing good work".
But yeah. Of all the Kirkman I've read so far, Ant-Man is the best. Though I haven't read Invincible which is supposed to be his calling card. I'm waiting for the 800 page Omnibus this christmas.
Robert Kirkman-Phil Hester
Finally a Robert Kirkman book I thoroughly enjoy with no qualifications. Irredeemable Ant-Man is about "the world's most unlikable super-hero". You know how I know this? Because it says so on the cover of the book.
But it's true. This is a book basically about the kind of schmutz who steals your girlfriend, who doesn't pay for dinner, lies about everything, and just in general only looks out for number 1.
Which makes him a fantastic hero.
The artwork by Phil Hester is a lot of fun. I've always been a fan of his.
One of the things that has really stood out to me about Kirkman lately is his sense of humor. It's not so much in his dialouge, but in the situations he creates. His books won't make you bust out of your gut laughing, but you will have a smile on your face while reading. Kirkman's work could probably be best described as "pleasant"...though I guess Walking Dead wasn't really "pleasant" but maybe in it's own way. I dunno. Just a lot of authors can come off kind of soulless, and whenever I finish with Kirkman, whether I totally like everything he's written or not, I come away with the notion that "here's a nice guy doing good work".
But yeah. Of all the Kirkman I've read so far, Ant-Man is the best. Though I haven't read Invincible which is supposed to be his calling card. I'm waiting for the 800 page Omnibus this christmas.
Marvel Zombies HC
Marvel Zombies HC
Robert Kirkman-Sean Phillips-Arthur Suydam
Have you ever wondered what would happen if the Marvel Universe suddenly went zombie? I haven't. But I wish I had. That's the premise behind Marvel Zombies. Zombie-master extraordinarre Robert Kirkman's epic tale of a Marvel U that hungers for flesh and brains. The artwork, particularly the covers for each book, is amazing. Just things that you never imagine, like the Hulk biting off the Silver Surfer's Head, or Wolverine, Spiderman, and others chowing down on Magneto. It's a horrifically funny book.
The dialouge is at times funny, but on the whole one character's dialouge is pretty indistinguishable from the next. However, the story ideas and concepts are fantastic.
Supposedly they are going to expand this into a fullblown universe within Marvel, I think it would be a lot of fun. There's a lot of cool stories you could tell here.
I reccomend it just for the shock value. It's not a great great book, but it's definitely enjoyable.
Robert Kirkman-Sean Phillips-Arthur Suydam
Have you ever wondered what would happen if the Marvel Universe suddenly went zombie? I haven't. But I wish I had. That's the premise behind Marvel Zombies. Zombie-master extraordinarre Robert Kirkman's epic tale of a Marvel U that hungers for flesh and brains. The artwork, particularly the covers for each book, is amazing. Just things that you never imagine, like the Hulk biting off the Silver Surfer's Head, or Wolverine, Spiderman, and others chowing down on Magneto. It's a horrifically funny book.
The dialouge is at times funny, but on the whole one character's dialouge is pretty indistinguishable from the next. However, the story ideas and concepts are fantastic.
Supposedly they are going to expand this into a fullblown universe within Marvel, I think it would be a lot of fun. There's a lot of cool stories you could tell here.
I reccomend it just for the shock value. It's not a great great book, but it's definitely enjoyable.
Tuesday, November 07, 2006
Supergirl and the Legion of Super-Heroes TPB
Supergirl and the Legion of Superheroes TPB
Strange Visitor from another planet
Mark Waid-Barry Kitson
Well after reading issue 23 of this series, I knew I had to catch up and fortunately this trade came out only a few weeks back. So really, you read this book, pick up the last two issues of the monthly and you're good to go.
Before reading the book I sauntered over to the Legion messageboard on DC, to see if others were sharing my love of all things Supergirl. And I was shocked to see she was one of the most reviled aspects of the book, second only to Mark Waid himself. I thought "this can't be!".
Well after reading this collection I can understand the beef. But having read issue 23 first, I got to see where Waid was going ahead of time, and was able to see it was worth it.
Honestly after having read the trade, I would recommend just skipping right ahead to issue 22or 23. Supergirl basically just shows up, flies around, doesn't really give much in the way of characterization, and generally upsets what looked to be an interesting balance for the book.
However I think all of the Supergirl haters on Legion will come back around to her side. As annoying as she may have been for what amounts to about 6 months on this book, what they are doing to her in issue 23 is pretty heartless, and I think something good will come of it.
Running down the strengths of this book on it's own, this is pretty much a rebuilding issue after some great catastrophic battle and the death of several members, so reading this on it's own, you'll probably just want to read the book right in front of it.
The Legion is populated with pretty interesting, if somewhat hard to distinguish heroes. The cast is huge. But on the whole considering the size of the cast, Waid does a good job of creating distinct characters. The characters are all pretty sarcastic, and the book is on the whole pretty funny in a team hero dynamic sort of way.
I'm definitely interested in following the Legion even after Supergirl leaves. But I do hope she has finally found a home, as she has pretty much been kicked out of every single team she's encountered. Which is kind of sad. I do hope we see more of her wit down the line, because she can actually be very clever and cutting in her comments.
Hopefully DC decides to make her a main facet of their universe down the line.
Strange Visitor from another planet
Mark Waid-Barry Kitson
Well after reading issue 23 of this series, I knew I had to catch up and fortunately this trade came out only a few weeks back. So really, you read this book, pick up the last two issues of the monthly and you're good to go.
Before reading the book I sauntered over to the Legion messageboard on DC, to see if others were sharing my love of all things Supergirl. And I was shocked to see she was one of the most reviled aspects of the book, second only to Mark Waid himself. I thought "this can't be!".
Well after reading this collection I can understand the beef. But having read issue 23 first, I got to see where Waid was going ahead of time, and was able to see it was worth it.
Honestly after having read the trade, I would recommend just skipping right ahead to issue 22or 23. Supergirl basically just shows up, flies around, doesn't really give much in the way of characterization, and generally upsets what looked to be an interesting balance for the book.
However I think all of the Supergirl haters on Legion will come back around to her side. As annoying as she may have been for what amounts to about 6 months on this book, what they are doing to her in issue 23 is pretty heartless, and I think something good will come of it.
Running down the strengths of this book on it's own, this is pretty much a rebuilding issue after some great catastrophic battle and the death of several members, so reading this on it's own, you'll probably just want to read the book right in front of it.
The Legion is populated with pretty interesting, if somewhat hard to distinguish heroes. The cast is huge. But on the whole considering the size of the cast, Waid does a good job of creating distinct characters. The characters are all pretty sarcastic, and the book is on the whole pretty funny in a team hero dynamic sort of way.
I'm definitely interested in following the Legion even after Supergirl leaves. But I do hope she has finally found a home, as she has pretty much been kicked out of every single team she's encountered. Which is kind of sad. I do hope we see more of her wit down the line, because she can actually be very clever and cutting in her comments.
Hopefully DC decides to make her a main facet of their universe down the line.
Supergirl and the Legion of Super-heroes; X-men; 52
Supergirl and The Legion of Super-Heroes # 23
Mark Waid-Barry Kitson
Just when you thought I wasn't going to ramble on and on about Supergirl some more, I read this excellent title. I've never really jumped in on The Legion before, just because I had no real idea of where or what--just pretty much a whole glut of cluelessness. Well I am taking the plunge because in addition to plenty of Supergirl madness, it's also just a damn neat team/concept. I don't know everyone on the team yet, or what is going on exctly, because I'm mid-stream, but the dyanamics of the character interactions is very X-mensy. Or what we all love about the X-men.
It's odd because I usually find Mark Waid really dry. But the characters and dialouge of this book just crackle across the page. I don't know who the characters are, but reading this, I want to know them. And I just found out that the trade collecting the brunt of the Supergirl appearence is out in trade paperback, so I'm getting that toot sweet(means more Supergirl loveage(maybe I should do a Supergirl blog?))
But yeah. This is a really good book. I don't think my Supergirl fangirl-ish is clouding my judgement. The Legion is on the whole a very angsty-snarky group. So those on the lookout for some good old fashioned comic melodrama should apply here(well, not here literally).
X-men 192
Mike Carey-Chris Bachald
I know there are a boot of X-titles out there, and the thought of starting any one in particular can seem daunting, adding into that is the proclivity for the title to have huge scale events seemingly yearly, that radically change the landscape to the point where jumping in suddenly can result in some level of nausea. Frankly while I like the X-men, I find in general that I'm not a fan of most of the writing or storylines, and find it very hard to follow what is going on where.
So it was with trepedation I picked up X-men # 192. I know Joss Whedon's Astonishing X-Men gets all the pub, and yes, I'm only reading the trades on it so it may have gotten a ton better--but on the whole I feel like I'm reading Buffy the Vampire Slayer in X-men clothes. Whedon like Bendis, in my opinion really only writes one kind of dialouge, and once you get the gimmick, it can sometimes grate. So I'm reading Astonishing but only because I feel I'm obligated to. So maybe my disapointment with that book was coloring my judgement of the X-books. And then the reason I didn't pick up Brubaker's book is because it's some Shi'ar Alien type story, and that's the aspect of the X-men I hate the most. And honestly I kind of hate Charles Xavier.
My favorite X-Men of all-time, in order are: Rogue, Emma Frost, and Wolverine. And some days I like Nightcrawler. So what we have with this X-book is an X-men run by Rogue. She has assembled a really cool team(oh, sometimes I also like Cable, like here in X-men).
So anywho. The current arc is some sort of thing where this one group is all "we're better than mutants and humans, and we want to take over the planet", and then the X-men are all like "nuh-uh". And then they start fighting. So yeah. Re-inventing the X-wheel, this book ain't.
HOWEVER, the art is really cool and the writing is pretty fun, in large part due to the characters that Mike Carey chose. Rogue putting first Cyclops and then Mystique in their place was very cool. At the end of the day X-men is always going to be about the petty personal dramas. So in that respect it probably isn't fair to talk about the action of the story. But that's pretty much all that's in this issue, since I'm reading issue 5 of a 6 issue arc. I guess my reccomendation would be, when this is in trade, and you want a nice light read, there are probably worse X-books you could choose.
52
I figured I should say something about 52. I only started reading it at week 21, so all the ongoing threads are new to me in it, but I was like "what the hey, I want another DC book to read". It's pretty much impossible to review it, and so this may be the first and last time you hear me say anything about it. Judging it like any other book would be entirely unfair to the task the creators are taking.
I've heard they are not going to collect it in a big trade--which I think is a waste.
Meh. What I've read I've enjoyed. Given the talent that is writing it, that's not suprising.
Not much to say on it, honestly.
Happy voting day!
Mark Waid-Barry Kitson
Just when you thought I wasn't going to ramble on and on about Supergirl some more, I read this excellent title. I've never really jumped in on The Legion before, just because I had no real idea of where or what--just pretty much a whole glut of cluelessness. Well I am taking the plunge because in addition to plenty of Supergirl madness, it's also just a damn neat team/concept. I don't know everyone on the team yet, or what is going on exctly, because I'm mid-stream, but the dyanamics of the character interactions is very X-mensy. Or what we all love about the X-men.
It's odd because I usually find Mark Waid really dry. But the characters and dialouge of this book just crackle across the page. I don't know who the characters are, but reading this, I want to know them. And I just found out that the trade collecting the brunt of the Supergirl appearence is out in trade paperback, so I'm getting that toot sweet(means more Supergirl loveage(maybe I should do a Supergirl blog?))
But yeah. This is a really good book. I don't think my Supergirl fangirl-ish is clouding my judgement. The Legion is on the whole a very angsty-snarky group. So those on the lookout for some good old fashioned comic melodrama should apply here(well, not here literally).
X-men 192
Mike Carey-Chris Bachald
I know there are a boot of X-titles out there, and the thought of starting any one in particular can seem daunting, adding into that is the proclivity for the title to have huge scale events seemingly yearly, that radically change the landscape to the point where jumping in suddenly can result in some level of nausea. Frankly while I like the X-men, I find in general that I'm not a fan of most of the writing or storylines, and find it very hard to follow what is going on where.
So it was with trepedation I picked up X-men # 192. I know Joss Whedon's Astonishing X-Men gets all the pub, and yes, I'm only reading the trades on it so it may have gotten a ton better--but on the whole I feel like I'm reading Buffy the Vampire Slayer in X-men clothes. Whedon like Bendis, in my opinion really only writes one kind of dialouge, and once you get the gimmick, it can sometimes grate. So I'm reading Astonishing but only because I feel I'm obligated to. So maybe my disapointment with that book was coloring my judgement of the X-books. And then the reason I didn't pick up Brubaker's book is because it's some Shi'ar Alien type story, and that's the aspect of the X-men I hate the most. And honestly I kind of hate Charles Xavier.
My favorite X-Men of all-time, in order are: Rogue, Emma Frost, and Wolverine. And some days I like Nightcrawler. So what we have with this X-book is an X-men run by Rogue. She has assembled a really cool team(oh, sometimes I also like Cable, like here in X-men).
So anywho. The current arc is some sort of thing where this one group is all "we're better than mutants and humans, and we want to take over the planet", and then the X-men are all like "nuh-uh". And then they start fighting. So yeah. Re-inventing the X-wheel, this book ain't.
HOWEVER, the art is really cool and the writing is pretty fun, in large part due to the characters that Mike Carey chose. Rogue putting first Cyclops and then Mystique in their place was very cool. At the end of the day X-men is always going to be about the petty personal dramas. So in that respect it probably isn't fair to talk about the action of the story. But that's pretty much all that's in this issue, since I'm reading issue 5 of a 6 issue arc. I guess my reccomendation would be, when this is in trade, and you want a nice light read, there are probably worse X-books you could choose.
52
I figured I should say something about 52. I only started reading it at week 21, so all the ongoing threads are new to me in it, but I was like "what the hey, I want another DC book to read". It's pretty much impossible to review it, and so this may be the first and last time you hear me say anything about it. Judging it like any other book would be entirely unfair to the task the creators are taking.
I've heard they are not going to collect it in a big trade--which I think is a waste.
Meh. What I've read I've enjoyed. Given the talent that is writing it, that's not suprising.
Not much to say on it, honestly.
Happy voting day!
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