The Incredible Hulk #104; The Dark Tower # 2; Crossing Midnight #4

The Incredible Hulk: Planet Hulk # 104
Greg Pak-Carlo Pagulayan

Thought I'd check back in on this book, now that we are nearing the next big marvel event(does the fun never stop?) World War Hulk, and see how the big mean and green is doing. Well it looks like I missed a lot of smashing because now Hulk is emperor of the planet he's landed on, and generally being a good guy, living a good life...all of this is of course setup for yet another batch of stupid puny humans to come and mess things up for the Hulk.

As I said before Planet Hulk got overly repetitious, this is a quality book. You do enjoy following the hulk. It is a lively cast of characters that Pak's created. But as they say, it's time to get the show on the road. Once we knew the Hulk was going to return to earth, everything else started to become just filler before the main course. So while I appreciate Planet Hulk, it did drag on over long, and I am glad to see it an issue away from it's end.

Probably if you are wanting a jumping on point pre-world war hulk, this is the issue to get. It recaps everything, and is really the beginning of the next great batch of hulk smashings.

The Dark Tower: The Gunslinger Reborn # 2

Peter David-Jae Lee

The art on this book is still beautiful, and for that alone you want to turn the pages. But geez. Overwrought much. As I've said, I haven't read the Stephen King books on which this was based, but the dialouge and narration are just sooooo excessive. Almost to the point of parity.

I would love if this book were more pared down, and the art was left to tell the bulk of the story. This issue is more expository, and a lot less actually happens in this issue. I think that's going to become something of a lingering problem with this book, the pace. There were more than a few times I was caught looking to see how many more pages I had left in the book. It just yammers on and on.

I guess you're getting your moneys worth, because the production values on this are still through the roof. I'm still not reading the essays at the back of the book by Robin Furth, because I'm lame like that. But really...a good time was not had by all in the reading of this book.

I think it will make an excellent trade, and it probably makes an excellent set of novels, but as a monthly, I have to say I'm not all that excited to see the next issue.

Crossing Midnight # 4
Mike Carey-Jim Fern

In contrast to The Dark Tower, Mike Carey's Crossing Midnight shows that you can tell a very measured tale, and still make it work as a monthly. Without fail, no matter how I might feel in the middle of the book, by the end, I am always wanting to immeditely read the next book.

I don't fully understand the mythology behind the book yet, and I get confused about who is who when they are referred to by name, so I don't have all the names straight, but I really am enjoying the story. In particular the newly appeared kind of rebel sewing god that appeared in this issue. Very cool.

This still feels like a book that is moving towards something spectacular, and I still fully reccomend giving it a shot. I don't know how it will read as a trade, but it is a great monthly.

Captain America # 25; The New Avengers # 28; The Mighty Avengers # 1

Captain America # 25
Ed Brubaker-Steve Epting

So by now you've heard all the hub-bub. We've had all the debates as far as why, and whether Marvel should have done it. So put that aside, and just focus on the actual book, if you can get your hands on it. Because this book is astounding storytelling. Which, really...what else would we expect, it's Brubaker damnit.

Wonderful art. Wonderful omniscient storytelling. That Captain America dies is important, but compared to the story on the whole, this book stands on its own, and makes you want to keep reading. This could have been the death of some C-level hero, and it still would have been really good.

Steve Epting's art shifts wonderfully through time, and holds the story in a gravely reality.

You should buy this book, with the knowledge that once you do, you're stuck on the Captain America book until Brubaker leaves. A must buy, and not for stupid collectible reasons. This really is issue eight of Civil War.






The New Avengers
Brian Michael Bendis-Leinil Yu

Heck. Maybe I AM a Bendis fan? I think I'm now reading just about every book he's writing right now. New Avengers was a book that I read for like ten or forteen issues, never really liked it that much, but really wanted to, and now post-civil war, with Bendis also writing The Mighty Avengers(see below) I thought it was a good time to get back on the book. Plus I really like the team, even if it doesn't make a ton of sense. I like Spider-man, I like Iron Fist, Luke Cage, Dr. Strange, Echo, Ronin, Spider-woman, not so much Wolverine these days, but it's a good group. Very disgruntled, very magic and ninja-y.

So how was the book? It was good. The banter is still excessive, and Bendis misses more than he hits, but there are some good lines here and there. The overall direction and tone of the book is interesting though, and I love the look of the book. It's very gritty. Some of the facial expressions are a little weird during the discussions, and seem counter-intitiutive to what is being said, but other than that it's a fantastic looking little book.

This book isn't going to change your life or anything. But it's good enough entertainment. I really enjoyed reading it, despite it's flaws. And hey, maybe I am starting to "cotton" to Bendis writing. Or the more likely thing, he writes just about ever Marvel book of note....

The Mighty Avengers
Brian Michael Bendis-Frank Cho

Now for the other Avengers book. In case you are wondering what the diffrence is, the Mighty Avengers are tools of the government, and the New Avengers are kind of an outlaw vigilante group.

Anywho. Mighty Avengers is a chuck back to more hokey comics, where heroes battled monsters, and talked in thought bubbles. And while I thought at one point I was nostalgiac for the thought bubble, after reading Mighty Avengers, I am squarely against it. There are parts of this book that are just completely grating to me. The dialouge is extremely annoying. Like...compare Tony and Ms. Marvel picking a team against Brad Meltzer's Justice League picking a team--it's day and night.

It doesn't help that there's not a single character I like in this book either. Very irritating book. That basically spoils all the good will that New Avengers was building for me. I like the Frank Cho art okay. It's not reaaaallly my cup of tea though. But it's solid.

I will probably stick with this book for a little bit, just to see the two Avengers teams go at it from diffrent vantage points. But really...if you're wanting an Avengers book, pick New Avengers, please.

Brave and the Bold # 1; Action Comics # 846; Strange Girl # 14

The Brave and the Bold # 1
Mark Waid-George Perez

I was really excited about reading this book. The premise of it is a classic team up book, where each month we get to see two of our favorite DC heroes, in this months case Batman and Green Lantern(Hal Jordan version), join forces to help solve, what looks to be an ongoing problem. It's written by Mark Waid, who I thought I was beginning to like, and drawn by the legendary George Perez.

But I have say, even though I plan to keep up with the book because I really like the concept, this book was really pretty disapointing. To me sometimes Mark Waid's writing, in particular, his dialouge can start to come off very wooden, like I had that problem with his Flash run earlier in his career. I thought after reading Legion of Super-heroes that he had spiced things back up, but it's still very flat dialouge. Which...I mean...is certainly a part of the premise to this book, it's supposed to throw back to that sort of era, I understand that, but it doesn't really mean that in 2007 I really enjoy reading it, on top of given how often Waid ends up with dialouge like this, it seems kind of like a crutch.

No problems really with Perez' art. In fact I like the look of the book a lot.

It's just I was expecting to have my socks knocked off with this book, and was just completely underwhelmed. If you are a big DC fan like me, you'll probably be interested in checking this book regardless. But honestly, there are a ton of books out there that actually get it right. Especially on DC.

Action Comics #846
Geoff Johns-Richard Donner-Adam Kubert

Holy crap! I've been hearing great things about the Johns-Donner run on Action Comics. So me being me, I decided to check it out in the last issue before the group goes on hiatus. And wow what a show. I'm not a superman fan, but there are so many great books out about him right now, and this is definitely one of them. I love love love Kubert's art. The story gives Superman a great foe in General Zod. And in general does the one thing that I've always complained most superman stories don't, which is play on his humanity and put him up against impossible odds.

Even though this is a long way into a story arc, I was able to catch this on the run, and didn't have a ton of problems following what was going on in the book. Geoff Johns has seriously upped his game the last two years. He's always been a good writer, but now he's starting to string together GREAT writing.

He gives his characters pathos, without falling into the trap of a lot of post-Dark Knight/Watchmen writers, and making the characters psychotics. The shades of humanity he puts into his characters embues them with vulnerability yes, but they still have a certain goodness about them. The characters Johns writes are at their core good people, who do amazingly heroic things, but they are never perfect people. Even his General Zod is pretty sympathetic. He's mis-guided and evil, but I could understand his anger and resentment.

And one can't overlook Ricahrd Donner's contribution. This is the man who gave us the Superman movies that didn't suck, and apparently the studios should have left him to his druthers to do the whole franchise, because he's got what they'd call a real barn burner of a story cooking here.

The final page of this book will keep me excited for the continuation of the story whenever it comes. Already one of my favorite splashes of the new year.

Strange Girl # 14
Rick Remender-Nick Stakal

How should I explain this book....hmmm....it's kind of like in Buffy when the apocalypse starts to happen, but it's narrowly averted, except here, it's not averted, and so our main character goes on a mindbending trip through hell.

Rick Remender is definitely one of my favorite writers right now. I love the choices he makes in his stories, and I love the way his characterse think and speak. There's a lot of humor in it, but it's also very serious. I guess since I brought it up, he's sort of Whedon-ish in that respect, but I actually am not a big Whedon fan. I think Remender has a lot more range, particularly in comics, and this and Fear Agent are two of my most look-forward-to books each month.

I definitely have a soft spot for heavy religious iconography, and occult bends to stories, and Strange Girl really fits that bill. And does it without falling into a ton of mopey goth type cliches.

The art, I'm not quite as sold on. It's very versatile I give it that. But imagine this book with like a JH Williams working on it. It would really jump to the next level. I definitely think the ideas for the art are great, and I like how hard Remender seems to be pushing his artist. But if there's a week point to this book it's the art.

But yeah, I definitely recommend Remender to anyone. He's good stuff.

Seven Soldiers of Victory; Civil War; Local # 8

Seven Soldiers of Victory
Grant Morrison-Various Artists

Grant Morrison's Seven Soldiers of Victory is point blank, a tour-de-force, in every sense that word can mean. The premise off the series is seven heroes strung out through time, who never meet, are part of a team, unbeknownst to themselves, fighting to save the world against an aged fairy race called the Sheeda, who have come to harvest mankind.

The series is built on these seven mini-series, which though best read in the order they are collected in the trades in, can be read seperately as their own adventures, as their own self-contained origin stories.

The series starts at issue 0 and then has the seven mini-series, which are kind of origin tales, finally concluding with issue 1 of The Seven Soldiers of Victory. The structure alone of the story is worth the price of admission. To say nothing of Morrison's meditations on writing, magic, the devolution of society, history and time.

It would not be a stretch to compare Morrison's contemporary work to that of Robert Anton Wilson, Phillip K. Dick, and Alan Moore. The man is on top of his game, and the artists in this series respond to his call. Each series has it's own distinctive look and flavor. Just as an exercise in characterization the series is worthwhile.

I really do hope that DC collects the entire run in one huge absolute edition, because this work is that important. However, it would not be somewhat appropriate if they don't, because the series itself kind of operates through the seems of the DC universe. And I definitely think once you have read this, it changes the DC world for you. It's a definite companion piece to Infinite Crisis, and I highly reccomend it. But make sure you are in it for the long haul. This is a story that once it gets going is impossible to let go, but it's also an easy story to dismiss based on the early issues. Stick with it, because the payoff is worth it.

Civil War
Mark Millar-Steve McNiven

Well it's over now. The blueprint for the new Marvel World has been put forth. And now it's time to look back and see what what we've ended up with. Is Civil War perfect? For what it is supposed to be, in terms of setting new ground rules for the Marvel world it definitely accomplished it's task. Where a lot of the problems come in, are from expectations of this event to be like an Crisis on Infinite Earths, which it certainly is nowhere near that epic. And then on top of that, there is the predictable niggling over piddly details of whether you buy certain characters being one way or the other.

For me the character issue was never a huge one. Sure there are a few moments where you wonder if say, Reed Richards, would really be that devious. But I was able to suspend my disbelief as a reader, in large part thanks to the art of Steve McNiven, who I believe has set a new high water mark for the tighted ones. The emotion that he is able to convey in characters faces, and postures--you could read this book without Millar's words, and enjoy it as much, or more.

Millar's writing has been equally strong for the most part. There have been several brilliant exchanges through the book, in particular the one between the Punisher, Spider-man, and Captain America, that I will remember for awhile. Is this book as strong as Millar's Ultimates? No. But it's also only 7 issues long. And for being that cramped, I think Millar does a good enough job.

Where this book is important I believe, is in marking out the new direction for Marvel and the 616 universe. This work is nothing if not a manifesto for the new Marvel era. Hopefully we can expect more of these timely political books now that the Marvel world has been brought a little farther into the real world it's always said it's a part of. In many ways Civil War can servce as a refocusing point for the universe, and allow for a better exploitation of the advantages that the Marvel 616 has over say the DC universe. I think in that respect, whether it's everything you wanted or not, it is an extremely important book, and anyone wanting an entry point into Marvel Comics for the next year should pick up the core book(which reminds me, I've heard a lot of people complain about all of the extra books that you supposedly have to pick up--having finished Civil War, I really do think all that you need to know is contained within the pages of those 7 issues. If you are reading it, and want to know more about a specific character related event, you can definitely go pick up their book(as I did with Amazing Spider-man a few times) but it is hardly essential that you do this, and I can't really stress that enough. YOU ONLY NEED TO READ THE 7 MILLAR ISSUES).

And I know we aren't supposed to do this, but since both companies have been so event laden...here is my ranking of events between the two companies from the last two years:
1. 52
2. Civil War
3. Identity Crisis
4. Countdown to Infite Crisis
5. House of Stupid M
6. Infinite Crisis

Up next we have another DC countdown to something or other, and from Marvel World War Hulk.

Local # 8
Brian Wood-Ryan Kelly

Kind of a nice book to review as a change of pace from the superhero books up above. Local is this indie book that each issue takes place in a diffrent place of the country, and kind of is about the smaller things in life, which are usually the things that matter most.

This issue takes place in Wicker Park, Chicago, and takes place mostly between a diner and two apartments. It's about a waitress named Megan(who I gather most of the series is about) as she is kind of in that mid-20's crisis point of deciding what she wants to do with the love in her life. If she wants to stay with a nowhere guy who makes her happy, or go with a rich guy who can buy her things and give her a future, but who she doesn't really like.

It's really a wonderful piece of character writing, and it's a testament to the creative team that the story feels as quiet yet important as it does. Reading this book you really do hear the wind whipping leaves through the air, and all the diner sounds and congestion. You really do get into Megan's headspace for the duration of the book, and can understand where she's at as a person. It's definitely a wonderful book, and I look forward to catching the whole run in trade once it's collected. Supposedly the series basically follows Megan from 18-32, which is completely fascinating to me.

As an aside, in my creative writing class in college, the idea was thrown around that men could not write women characters believeably. This is another book that counteracts that arguement, as Brian Wood and Ryan Kelly do a wonderful job telling Megan's story. A lot of good writing can happen when your characters are treated as humans, not sex objects.