Wednesday, February 28, 2007

Ghost Rider: Trail of Tears # 1; Spider-Man Reign # 3; Wormwood Gentlemen Corpse # 5



Ghostrider: Trail of Tears # 1
Garth Ennis-Clayton Crain

Let's see...war, the west, vengence, what makes a hero--all by Garth Ennis, like you're not going to check this book out. For a book subtitled trail of tears, it really hits the mark of what you'd hope for. For a book about a flaming skull spirit of vengence, the cultural and political analysis is suprising and worth the dime.

The dialouge sometimes seems to be a tad overwrought for what it's going for, but the content of what the book is about makes you extremely forgiving.

Ghost Rider Trail of Tears starts off in the tail end of the american civil war, and examines race relations, who really profits from war, and a whole mess of issues which almost set you up perfectly for the haunting image on the final page of the book.

To say this book is in Ennis' wheelhouse would be a massive understatement. But it definitely has potential. For all the talk of The Boys being the new preacher, Ghost Rider seems to more closely hit those themes and I would definitely reccomend it to any fan of Preacher or Ennis.

The artwork is fantastic. It bounces between sepia colored paintings of horrific detail, to more impressionistic nightmares.

I was apprehensive about reading a Ghost Rider book, because I'm not really a fan of the character, but you really don't need to be to enjoy this book.

Definitely a worthwhile read.

Spider-man Reign
Kaare Andrews-Jose Villarrubia

This book is really starting to piss me off. It could be so good, and it just continues to be so overwrought, so derrivitive, so geriatric that three issues in I really wonder how the conclusion is going to redeem all the time I've already put into this book hoping it would get traction.

As it stands, this book one issue away from it's conclusion is still really not worth reading. If you always wanted to see an aged Peter Parker mope his way around with a bunch of other old men, then this is the book for you. I mean, it's like nobody in this book is middle aged. It's all little kids saving the day, and old men.

The art is pretty nice, but it is the same every issue. It's been raining(of course it would be raining) all book long. Maybe it's playing on seasonal depression everywhere by just having a complete air of gloom, but I would kill for something NOT drab.

The dialouge is crap. I actually find myself skipping much of it halfway through because it's so pretensious. The first person narrative is even worse.

Instead of reading this, read Dark Knight Returns, and past a picture of spider-man over all the images of batman in that book. Trust me, it will be a lot more fun.

Wormwood Gentlemen Corpse
Ben Templesmith

Now here is a book that's a real hoot. This issue is almost entirely self-contained, so far as I could understand, and it centers around going to watch drunken leprachauns fight in an arena. If you're at all a fan of deadpan but over the top zombie humor this book is for you. Just a really fun read, and a joy to let your eyes move over.

Did I mention drunken leprachauns fighting it out with busted beer bottles? Because surely I did. Coming off the dismal gloom of Spider-man Reign, this was a lovely book to come to. The sense of humor is spot on. Very dark humor.

The central character of a worm that inhabits decayed bodies is extremely charming and this is a book I will definitely be looking to pick up from here on out. I fully reccomend it to all of my friends.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Come on, you know Alpha Flight rules. They are Canadiens (well some of them are). Who doesn't like Canadiens? Unfortunately my comic book shop was sold out of Omega Flight which made me upset (because I couldn't get it) but happy (because Flight deserves a shot).

Oh and in your Brave & The Bold review, you forgot to mention how Supergirl basically tells Hal Jordan how badly she wants to make super love to him. And she's 16. And he's like 30-something. That's fine. Girls are attracted to older guys. But Jordan actually has to think about it. Which means we could see Dateline To Catch A Predator: Green Lantern.

And I'm the first person commenting on your reviews.

Mercurialblonde said...

Actually you aren't the first person to comment on my reviews, just that particular cluster of them.

People are reading, I assure you!

I'm trying to block out all the bad things about Supergirl. DC's characterization of her has been awful. And in some cases, like the one you mentioned, out and out criminal.

She's got the S on her chest, yet Paris Hilton is a better role model for young women than Supergirl. Why can't Supergirl be as good as Birds of Prey or Manhunter or even Wonder Woman?

Which brings up the question, why is Wonder Woman such a crap book now? I'm not even excited about reading it anymore.