Curiouser and Curioser

http://www.imposemagazine.com/mag/?p=1349
So here's what's going on right now. Right now, I'm writing comic book reviews for Impose magazine, which you can get to by following that link. However they kind of trickle out one at a time. But they are pretty much the top books of any given week. So I've been thinking about what I want to do with this blog to differentiate it, assuming I have any readers left right now.

I'm thinking of just doing extra reviews and posting them here. So you could therotically read me reviewing 6 or 7 books per week. Or I might just give a surface summary of the books that came out during the week and sort of point fingers at what interests me.

Which might also be good.

I don't know. We'll see.

Legion of Monsters Satana # 1;Red Sonja: She Devil With A Sword # 23;Green Lantern: Sinestro Corps Special # 1

First off, apologies for missing last week. I was moving and didn't have internet access until like Friday. So anywho. Without further ado.

Legion of Monsters Satana# 1
Robin Furth(Satana)-Kalman Andrasofszky(Satana); Jonathan Hickman(Living Mummy)

I primarily decided to read this one because of Jonathan Hickman's name being attached. But the book is basically something of an anthology of stories involving some of Marvel's more obscure Hellbent Characters. In this case Satana, and the Living Mummy.

Robin Furth's Satana story leads off. It's basically the whole devil's deal but told from the Devil's perspective. Trips to hell. Souls sent and retrieved. This story certainly isn't made more remarkable by how much of a sex kitten Satana looks. But even Furth is aware of that and makes a joke to that end. It is pretty much standard fare that is and has been done a lot better in things like Hellblazer and Strange Girl. But it's certainly not not enjoyable. If this is actually an extended series, it might end up being kind of good once the cast of characters in it are expanded, and Satana is fleshed out more. Right now she is more of a stereotype.

The Art for the Satana story is about what you'd expect to see reading say...Heroes for Hire. It's like the story in that it's solid but not wholly remarkable. At least to my art ignorant eyes. But there are certainly worse books.

As far as Hickman's section. Wow. Yeah. A-mazing. I was interested to see how his style which worked so perfectly with Nightly News would work with kind of a silly Marvel story. And it worked amazingly well. We are given a lot of interesting bits of information related to the story and Egyptian history and it's all given across eyebleedingly cool pages that seemingly can barely contain their contents. Hickman's work just kind of spills in all directions across the pages and in many ways succeeds far better than a simple panel structure would have worked.

Essentially his living mummy story is the same story as Satana, but his artistic vision takes it up to the level of must see. I'm definitely interested to see where Hickman goes next. I would like to see more sort of landscapes like on the last page of this book.

Red Sonja: She Devil With A Sword # 23
Michael Avon Oeming-Homs

Red Sonja is a book that I've heard a lot about, like Conan, that I just never gave a try. Until now. And I have to say, if I had been up on where the story was, and understood who all the characters were, it probably would have been really good to me. As it stands though, it was a pretty action packed adventure, with lots of scantily clad sex bunny poses by Red Sonja(who is inexplicably swimming in a metal bikini, which also doubles I think as armor...maybe?).

The art is pretty good, covering both the profane and the sublime. The book almost plays as a study in contrasts. Whether it's beautiful Sonja against ugly sea monsters of completely horrible concoction. Or the Wizard towards the end who brings darkness as well as light. The interplay in the tone of the art is definitely emotionally affecting.

Oeming also writes Omega Flight, and again here he shows himself to be a very capable writer, even if all I'm really able to appreciate is the direction and dialouge of the script that relates to just this issue. It's very hard sometimes to nail the kind of "by the gods" kind of talk that this book sometimes would entail, but Oeming does it quite well. It doesn't take you away from the reality of the book, but actually succeeds in bringing you farther into this world.

I don't know how much I would recommend this book on it's own, but I'm certainly interested to pick up a collection of this run and see how it goes. Anyone that has read my reviews in the past knows I'm definitely a fan of super heroine stories.

Green Lantern: Sinestro Corps Special # 1
Geoff Johns-Ethan Van Sciver

Straight out I have to say I have never liked any of the Green Lantern characters. I think they are all boring stiff cardboard cutouts of better archetypes. I'm not a Hal Jordan fan. Not a Kyle Rayner fan. Not a John Stewart fan. And so on and so forth. That said, you know a huge "but" is coming after all that build up. BUT I enjoyed the crap out of this book.

Geoff Johns is one of the best and brightest of those working in the field right now. He was good about five years ago too. But he's turned a corner with his work to where he is getting into really rarefied air with his work. I don't know if there is a comic book writer right now who makes me care more about his characters no matter who they are than Geoff Johns. The man is a powerhouse and if you're not reading most everything he is writing I'm not entirely sure why you're even bothering to follow comics at all.

Sinestro Corps is kind of a distillation of all the things Johns is brilliant at. He takes a character that to my eye is one of the least threatening and most ridiculous looking in all of DC Comics, which is saying a lot. And a concept that is kind of silly in and of itself, the whole Sinestro Corps, and the yellow impurity, and makes this into an amazing meditation on evil. Watching Sinestro torture Kyle Rainer and teach him fear has to be one of the best sequences in all of comics this year.

What Johns accomplishes in this one issue in setting up the Sinestro Corps as a major threat to the DC world is astounding and just goes to show, all of this crisis kerbabble that DC is doing is unneeded. The old formula of getting together some screwed over baddies, and planning a major assault on the status quo--it's all we've ever needed. Johns makes the Sinestro Corp far more feared than Monitors or Anti-Monitors have ever been on their own(in fact there is an appearance by the Anti-monitor in this book, but oh well).

By the time you get to the final reveal of this book, you are ready for things to go down. The Sinestro Corps are this year's Black Adam.

And then after all of that you get a Dave Gibbons backup story about Sinestro's tutelage of Hal Jordan, which is also tremendous, and I look forward to seeing more of those.

You would be hard pressed to find a book more jam packed with goodness than this one this year. Definitely a must read.

New Avengers #31; Worl War Hulk # 1; The Sub-Mariner # 1

New Avengers # 31
Brian Michael Bendis-Leinil Yu

Okay, it's been a week so I'm sure it's okay to complain about this now. I usually don't do spoilers, but the whole point of this issue is what happens at the end of it. Which is SKRULLS. IT'S ALL SKRULLS TONTO. Who is a skrull? Are you a skrull? Is she a skrull? Maybe I'm a skrull? How can we know?

I initially felt really angry about this but did eventually settle down once Bendis came out and assured everyone that this wouldn't retcon Civil War or any of the other major events of the past year.

Pretty much if you want to have any foothold in the marvel world these days, you have to be reading Bendis' Avengers books. Because that's where everything is happening. Sure X-men are all off in their own world, so you could just stay there with them. But if you want to have any notion or clue as to what is going on in the 616, you have to read Avengers. Fortunately neither book is offensively bad. And of the two, my favorite poison is New Avengers.

But yeah. You pretty much know where this story is heading. So if you're into a whole doppleganger, body snatcher type tale which has been done before many times--then get on the bus and buckle up. I KNOW I WILL....sigh.

World War Hulk # 1
Greg Pak-John Romita Jr.

This was for me the real event of last week in Marvel. After waiting for about a year to see someone lay the smack down on Tony Starks, Hulk is here to satiate all your smashing desires. He roars. He smashes. He crashes. He makes Tony Stark look like a fool. It really is quite lovely.

And it looks fantastic. JRJR really knows how to draw action. And that's great for a book that hits the ground running at a hundred miles per hour. In one issue we get not one but two Illuminati smack downs by the Hulk--now that's what I call a satisfying chunk of comic!

Make now mistake though, Greg Pak does do the small things necessary to keep this story interesting and keep you caring about the Hulks plight. He does an excellent job of summarizing Planet Hulk for people who want to just jump right in.

This is pretty much this years Marvel big Event, so you need to be reading at least the core book here. Lots of must reads over at Marvel right now. Though it can be kind of exhausting to have event after event. It certainly is exciting though.

That said, this is the perfect book to cleanse the palate post-Civil War. If you're tired of registration/anti-registration. And don't want to think about Skrulls right now, then this is the book.

Sub-Mariner # 1
Matt Cherniss Peter Johnson-Phil Briones

I'm not sure why, but while I think Aquaman is a total putz, I kind of dig Namor. And Marvel has been kind of hinting at a larger Namor narrative down the line. So this book seems like it will end up being important. The set up is basically that all is not well in the house of Namor. Atlantis is in ruin, sleeper cells are attacking the USA with or without Namor's okay. Things are bad okay. Bad.

And now Namor has had enough. On the brink of all out war with the US, he goes to take matters into his own hands and get to the bottom of things.

What this book really does a good job of capturing is Namor's anger, pride, and defiance--and since we are reading the book from his perspective it's very compelling. Once again it's another Marvel book where Tony Stark is basically the duplicitous villain. So if you want to see another hero defy Tony, look no further.

The art pretty much comes across as standard fair. It's what every book looks like right now in comics. So nothing to complain about or rave about there. Though if you want to bring Aquaman back into the equation, I like the art of his book a lot better.

But yeah. Undersea intrigue. You know you want it. Namor is going to kick some butt soon. Not a must read or anything, but if you bought it, I don't think you'd be disappointed with your purchase. Solid story, with some potential. See how it goes.

Black Summer # 0, Uncanny X-men # 487, Omega Flight # 3

Black Summer # 0
Warren Ellis-Jose Van Ryp

Well if Civil War wasn't direct enough for you, you now have what could shape into a new Warren Ellis opus in Black Summer. Black Summer begins with one of our main heroes John Horus brutally murdering the entire white house with his bare hands then holding a press conference afterwards to announce new elections.

John Horus who is a part of something called the Guns, which is I guess something akin to maybe the Justice League of America in terms of being like America's super team, has decided that it would be right hypocritical of himself to stand by while the current administration commits grave injustice after grave injustice with complete impunity. And so he takes action. And now we have the setup for what looks to be a completely brilliant book.

This book looks to be a meditation on just how strong the so called American ideals really are. If after being given a chance to remake our government over completely fairly, will we turn it all into a police state, devolve into Civil War, or I don't know...actually elect a government that somewhat upholds the ideas and notions the country was supposedly founded upon.

The book is less political in the terms of Liberal and Conservative, and more ideological in terms of it's about the marketplace of ideas. So I think regardless of your political leanings there is food for thought here. You figure Bush's approval raiting is crawling around in the upper 20's or so, and there really can't be that many people for whom his brutal murder in a work of fiction is that upsetting. But we'll see.

The art by Jose Van Ryp is very good, and highly detailed. I enjoyed the look of the book as much as the ideas presented in it.

This is definitely one of those books where Warren Ellis appears to be writing unchained, so it's a very easy recommendation. As with any great Ellis project my only criticism is more like a concern, I worry about him finishing this before he gets bored. He's notorious for starting fast and furious then letting his books fizzle while he goes onto his next big thing. Focus Warren focus. Please. This could be a huge book. Could be Ellis' Preacher if he lets it be.

Uncanny X-men # 487
Ed Brubaker-Salvador Larocca

Everyone has their dislikes. Things that no matter how well done, how well prepared, you just plain won't like it just because of it's basic premise. For me some of my dislikes are broccoli, Ron Howard movies, and X-men in space stories. So here you have this great team of Brubaker and Larocca, who are just fantastic--Brubaker may be the top story teller AT marvel right now, and Larocca makes very pretty pictures--and they decide they are going to tell a huge year long space opera starring the freaking X-men.

I mean don't get me wrong, I love comic book space operas. I loved Annihilation. But I've always in my head considered the X-men a disorganized earth bound team, that when they get into space, it just gets really silly. So I was really sad that I basically could not enjoy or read Uncanny for the longest time. Until now. Because the Uncanny X-men ARE BACK ON EARTH!!! Wooo! Yeah! Party time! Time to really put the rubber to the road and get going with these stories.

The art is of course amazing and fantastic. Storm makes an appearence and is....amazing and fantastic(which brings up another point, Spider-man in space bad, Fantastic Four in space Great!). The story is kind of a setup for the next big X-event involving the Marauders, which we'll see how that goes.

But yeah. X-men are back on earth. It's the start of a whole new arc. Now is the time to jump aboard this book. So get going!

Omega Flight # 3
Michael Avon Oeming-Scott Kolins

All I will say about this book is HURRY IT UP. Jesus Christ. It's issue 3 of 5, and apparently that's pretty much going to be the whole series--and we are STILL setting up the team. Even my English majoring ass can figure out that means we're over half way through the entire story, and we still don't have the team set up.

I know someone else who made this mistake and screwed up what could have been a good story. His name is Neil Gaiman, and the book was The Eternals. This is a book, that anyone at Marvel who is actually reading it's content needs to extent by another five issues. Because we're still going to have to be doing setup in issue four. At this rate, all I can say is issue 5 better be one heck of a conclusion.

I mean. It's a good book, okay. But there are a TON of superhero team books coming out of Marvel right now, and when you know this one is only going to be here for a short time, and it really hasn't even begun to start--you wonder why you're wasting your time.

Get with it guys! Time is running out. I loved this book. Please don't let it be another Eternals.

The Boys # 7, Silver Surfer: Requiem # 1, Silent War # 5

The Boys # 7
Garth Ennis-Darick Robertson

The Boys are BACK! After a long hiatus, after proving to dangerous for DC to carry, the Boys are back on Dynamite. Issue seven is the start of a new arc, so it's not too late to jump in. Plus I believe the trade collecting the entire DC run of six issues is out there also to buy, so there's really no excuse not to be in on the ground floor here.

What in god's name is The Boys? It's a book about a group of good for nothing arse-kickers, who blackmail and beat up a bunch of good for nothing pervert superheroes. At least that's what we've got so far. But here we are in issue seven, and we're still really setting the cast and setting. Given that Ennis has said this is going to be a long project like the Preacher series, the setup of this series is building to something epic. But it appears patience is what is needed right now.

This issue gives us further development of Hughie, who is pretty much the focus of the book to this point. As well as shading a little bit towards bigger things with the Frenchmen and the Female. All of this is given around more spewed Ennis venom towards the superhero genre, it's fans, and it's creators. I'm not nearly smart enough to know what all the references mean, but either way, this book is chock full of them. It's a very biting and angry book to this point, and I think what a lot of people including myself are waiting for now, is the other shoe to drop, and Ennis to start putting in some of his romanticism that has won so many of our hearts over the years. I have faith that it's coming. Just looking logically at the plot threads he's laying out, it would appear almost certain it's coming. This is just taking a long time to really get there. Lots of subtle buildup in a book that is very loud on the surface.

I'm just saying, you need to be reading this now, even though I'm not giving it the most stirring recommendation, because I'm almost certain this is going to end up in a book that you are going to want to buy all the trades of, and you don't want to wait until you're like five trades behind. We're talking simple economics here. Spread out the burden of this book on your wallet. It will be worth it.

Silver Surfer: Requiem # 1
J. Michael Straczynski-Esad Ribic

Okay. So this book actually made me cry reading it. Twice. And whether I am bitter at JMS about Spider-man or not, I pretty much have to review a comic that moves me to tears. Especially since I don't actually like any of the characters involved.

No this book isn't perfect. JMS is overly wordy in a lot of it. His language overly flowery to the point of embarrassment in more than a few places. But I guess if you chuck enough pretty words over the just beautiful paintings of Esad Ribic, you're bound to knock one out of the park. And that's what happens here. There is a scene here with The Silver Surfer and Sue Storm of the Fantastic Four, that almost had me bawling it was so sad. The way JMS chose to have it related with the painting, but narration by Johnny Storm, who like a child doesn't get the weight of what he's actually describing, is just completely beautiful.

The other part that made me tear up was to do with the way JMS described the Surfer's outlook to his impending situation. Which again, succeeded because of it's child-like innocence in dealing with a very heavy subject.

This book doesn't take place in continuity, so it's not imperative to read to get some portion of a major event. But it is a beautiful reminder of the power of the medium, even when it involves silver guys on surfboards who can travel through space and shoot things with beams that come out of their hands. Or does it sound silly when I say it that way? Either way. Good read. Worth it if nothing else for Ribic's paintings.

Silent War # 5
David Hine-Frazier Irving

Yeah so I am in on this really late. Issue five of six. I sort of wish I had kept up with it. Though I'm not a huge fan of the Inhumans. But the premise is basically that the Inhumans, who are this race of people who live on the other side of the moon, are really made at the american government for stealing this sacred thing of theirs which gives them their powers. So they declare war against the US. But it's nothing as overt as Civil War really. And yada yada, fruition, explosions, fun times.

The story itself is alright. I came in so late, there wasn't a ton of hope that I'd be really engaged into that aspect of it. But Frazier Irving...WOW. I've never seen a book that looks like this. It's really amazing and remarkable. The cover doesn't do the art inside any justice. It's just some of the coolest stuff you'll see. That's the reason to pick up this book. Probably I'll even get it in trade. This is definitely an artist to keep track of and buy books of solely because he's working on them.

X-Men #199, Countdown #49, Shadowpact #13

X-men # 199
Mike Carey-Chris Bachalo

Still the best X-book going for my money. The art is STILL fantastic. And the last arc just ended, so you should be picking this up at 200. This is by far the most interesting X-team out there. I think Astonishing's Team is kind of the headliner X-men, which aren't so much put together because they're a good team, but because they are the top marketable team. Uncanny is Charles Xavier-led team, and we all know he's no fun. So that leaves us the Dirty Dozen-esque Adjective less(appropriately) X-men.

In this issue we get almost a JSA type level of team work by this group that at the same time seems to be barely holding together. The way that the team splinters off when Rogue isn't around is a fantastic move by Mike Carey.

We also get more development of the Rogue/Mystique/Iceman triangle, as well as getting to see Iceman do some really amazing stuff with his powers.

All of this of course drawn in the near seizure-inducing art of Chris Bachalo. The way that Carey narratively builds to these almost orgasmic climaxes of art is truly something to behold, when he lets Bachalo go nuts on a page, it's one of my favorite things in any monthly.

Read this x-book!

DC Countdown # 49
Various

The plot thickens this week in DC Countdown. We get to see our good friend Jimmy Olsen do some peculiar stretching in a fight with Croc. The monitors argue about what is to be done. We get something of a hit list, and those Rogues in Flash's book are up to something. All of this building up to a lovely climax involving our good friend Mary Marvel, and a significant villain from 52.

Yes, Countdown is off in full swing. And I have to say, so far it's looking like it may just top 52 in terms of payoff week in and week out. Sure there are parts that are more interesting than others, but we're getting a lot into that crazy metatextual multi-verse talk again, so this is a book you really want to be reading to illuminate the rest of the DC Universe, and not get completely lost sometime next year.

The art is also quite good for a weekly. All in all, I'm definitely signed up for this weekly format of comics, it's very television-like.

It's only 3 issues in, so get on now!

Shadowpact # 13
Bill Willingham-Scott Hampton

sSo last week I reviewed Fables, this is another book by Bill Willingham, this one set in the DCU about the group of heroes who helped beat the Spectre on Days of Vengeance there awhile back. This book is for anyone who enjoys magical adventures, demon slaying, and really good writing.

This is an excellent issue to start with too, because I for one, have been lax in reading Shadowpact, but this issue kind of sets the stage for a lot of big things that are about to happen, that don't really rely on a lot of things that have already happened.

The narrative voice that Willingham chooses to employ for this book, in my opinion, hits near the one you see in The Dark Tower, but much more tolerable. Plus Willingham seems to have a gift for almost effortless characterizations.

The art of the book is suitably dark and foreboding.

I think if you are at all a fan of the magical part of the DC Universe, which I am, then this is defintiely the book to read. It also is a fantastic read just for fans of Bill Willingham. If you are reading Fables, you really should read this as well. I don't know what it's sales numbers are like, but this is definitely one of the better books set in the DCU being put out. Hopefully people take notice before it gets canceled, because I think this is a book that many will read in trades and be very impressed with, and wish they had been on board earlier.

All-star Batman and Robin The Boy Wonder # 5; Ultimates # 13; Fables # 61

All-star Batman and Robin the Boy Wonder # 5
Frank Miller-Jim Lee

People with a sense of humor and a keen sense of the absurd need be the only ones who apply. Fact being, this is not Dark Knight Returns. This isn't some super-serious thing that will be made into a movie, change lives, and find a cure for cancer. This to the untrained eye is the worst thing Frank Miller has ever done. It's offensive. It lacks fully-developed characterizations. It's at times embarrassingly written. And in some ways it may cause you to think less or diffrently of some of Miller's other work.

However. And it's a big however. This is my new freaking bible. This is the most hilarious and great thing on the shelves from last week. From the opening page quote from Wonder Woman "Out of my way, sperm bank" to yet another incarnation of "I'm the goddamn Batman", this book is full of silly somehow charming quotes that you will be dying to use amongst your nerdy friends.

There is an extent to where this book is some kind of parody. It is basically taking the basic foundations of these pristine mythological DC characters and taking them to such an extreme so as to pervert them fully. Which IS fascinating, because it's always been a charge against DC that they are too stiff with their characters, and hold them up too often as museum pieces. But Miller brings no such respect to the characters here. Intentional or not, this is derisive mocking work, and should only be ready with a readiness to laugh.

If you remember back, Charles Bukowski once wrote a book called Pulp which was his stab at a "bad" book. We'll see how the whole book turns out in the end, but I'm leaning to thinking ASBARBW is Miller's Pulp.

Ultimates # 13
Mark Millar-Bryan Hitch

The stunning final issue of Millar and Hitch's Ultimates can best be described as a comic Ragnorak. If only Civil War had been allowed to hit these heights. The final battle in Ultimates has been going on for what....5 issues? That's like...100+ pages. And Millar and Hitch throw everything in but the kitchen sink. This issue we get monsters, gods, massive explosions--if this were a movie, this issue alone would suffice as the final battle for most movies. That this is the final act of several issues of this quality only further underlines the fact that when this does finally come out in trade, you need to own it.

The Ultimates when all is said and done, may be the best thing Marvel has ever done. It will be interesting to see how it holds up over time, because the politics could end up dated in terms of the names and faces, but I would guess that in the end those are just place holders, and this can be viewed as a cautionary anti-establishment tale, with lots of great intrigue, drama, and moments that should prove iconic for ages.

Bryan Hitch is really the star of this show. Millar writes a great book to be sure, but Hitch is insane. He's a mad man. Like, I'm shocked that my eyes didn't explode out of my head. The way that the book builds to it's excesses and then always pays off is orgasmic.

If they ever talk about the age that Marvel finally took comics back from DC, this will be THE book they point to. This is wholly a marvel book, and it measures up to anything that DC has put out in it's decorated history.

Yeah. I'm a fan.

Fables # 61
Bill Willingham-Mark Buckinham

It's kind of weird that I don't have a fables review up every month. I mean, whenever people have asked me the last few years about comics I recommend, I usually tally Fables in that ledger. But the fact of the matter is that I have been following it in the trades, and have fallen behind there. So I was a bit reticent to jump in and spoil things for me.

This month however I bit the bullet. And I'm glad I did. I was surprised that I could basically jump right into this issue and not really be all that lost. I think I'm like...18 issues back in the trades or something. But yeah. Fables is one of the best possible books you could ever pick up in a monthly.

This is a book for that kind of Sandman crowd, that likes the adult fairy tale bend. The series really has it all. It can be funny, charming, intriguing, tear jerking--it really touches on every kind of emotion, and honestly, I hope Willingham never stops. He was born to do this book, and there are infinite stories he can tell in this world with this concept. I really don't see how anyone could NOT like Fables. It's probably the safest book on the shelves for me to reccomend anyone regardless of race, gender, age. Though obviously, it's vertigo, and even though it involves fairy tale characters, it probably isn't for like...really little kids. But I would have definitely dug this when I was 12 or 13.

Anyways. Yeah. I'm officially going on record to say that I am a huge Fables fan, and it's taken too long for me to tell the readers of this blog that. So now go your honest day's duty, and support the book.