As of 5pm on Friday 9/23 (last Friday, that is), the Hibbs v Marvel Class Action Settlement is a done deal, with the last chance for any appeal closing. I was given expectations to see the credits in the next week or so, but we'll see what actually happens as things move through the system.

So, hooray!

This week's shipment is... wow, kinda large. Kinda really really REALLY large.

2000 AD #1453
2000 AD #1454
ABC A TO Z TOM STRONG AND JACK B QUICK
ACTION PHILOSOPHERS #1 2ND PRINTING
ACTION PHILOSOPHERS SELF HELPFOR UGLY LOOSERS
ADVENTURES OF SUPERMAN #644
AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #524
ANGEL THE CURSE #4
ARANA HEART OF THE SPIDER #9
AUTHORITY THE MAGNIFICIENT KEVIN #2
BATMAN #645
BATMAN JOURNEY INTO KNIGHT #2
BETTY & VERONICA DIGEST #160
BIG QUESTIONS #7
BLACK WIDOW 2 #1
BPRD THE BLACK FLAME #2
BRIAN PULIDOS UNHOLY #3
CABLE DEADPOOL #20
CAPTAIN GRAVITY AND POWER OF THE VRIL #6
CARTOON NETWORK BLOCK PARTY #13
CATWOMAN #47
DAREDEVIL #77
DEFENDERS #3
DOOM PATROL #16
DRAGONLANCE CHRONICLES KURTH CVR A #2
DRAX THE DESTROYER #1
FANTASTIC FOUR #531
FLASH #226
GIANT SIZE X-MEN #4
HELIOS IN WITH THE NEW #1 (OF8)
HULK DESTRUCTION #3
INDIGO VERTIGO ONE SHOT
INVINCIBLE #26
JACK CROSS #2
JLA #119
JLA CLASSIFIED #12
JUGHEADS DOUBLE DIGEST #116
KNIGHTS OF THE DINNER TABLE #107
LEGION OF SUPER HEROES #10
LOSERS #28
METAL GEAR SOLID SONS OF LIBERTY #0
NEIL GAIMANS NEVERWHERE #4
NEW AVENGERS #11
NEW WARRIORS #4
NEW X-MEN #18
NIGHT MARY #2
NIGHTCRAWLER #10
NYX #7
OFFICIAL HANDBOOK MARVEL UNIVERSE ALTERNATE UNIVERSES 2005
OMAC PROJECT #6
OTHERWORLD #7
PENG ONE SHOT
PLASTIC MAN #18
POLLY & THE PIRATES #1
PS238 #13
PVP #19
RED SONJA #2
REVELATIONS #2
SENTRY #1
SHADOWPLAY #1
SHAUN OF THE DEAD #3
SILENT DRAGON #3
SIMPSONS COMICS #110
SPAWN #149
SPIDER-MAN HOUSE OF M #4
STAR WARS EMPIRE #35
STAR WARS X-WING ROGUE LEADER #1
STRANGEHAVEN #18
STUFF OF DREAMS #3
SUPER CRAZY TNT BLAST #1
SUPERMAN BATMAN #22
SYNCOPATED COMICS VOL 2
TALES OF TEENAGE MUTANT NINJATURTLES #15
TAROT WITCH OF THE BLACK ROSE #34
TEEN TITANS GO #23
THE GIFT #13
TOMB RAIDER GREATEST TREASUREOF ALL ONE SHOT
ULTIMATE IRON MAN #4
ULTIMATE SECRET #3
ULTIMATE SPIDER-MAN #83
VIGILANTE #1
WOLVERINE #33
X-MEN KITTY PRYDE SHADOW & FLAME #4
YOUNG AVENGERS #7




Books / Mags / Stuff
ADVENTURES OF WONDERBABY FROMA TO Z HC
ANANSI BOYS HC
ANANSI BOYS UNABRIDGED CD
BACK ISSUE #12
BAREFOOT GEN VOL 3 TP NEW PTG
BAREFOOT GEN VOL 4 TP NEW PTG
BIGFOOT TP
BLOODY MARY TP
BOOK OF NOISY OUTLAWS UNFRIENDLY BLOBS AND SOME OTHER THINGS
CBLDF SPX 2005 ANTHOLOGY
FACELESS TERRY SHARP STORY GN
FORGOTTEN REALMS DARK ELF TRILOGY VOL 1 HOMELAND TP
FORTEAN TIMES OCT 05 #201
GHOST HUNT VOL 1 GN
HELLSING VOL 7 TP
I LUV HALLOWEEN VOL 1 GN
JUSTICE LEAGUE ALEX ROSS SER 2 MASTER CASE ASST (NET)
LADY SNOWBLOOD VOL 1 TP
LAST HERO STANDING TP
LONG HOT SUMMER GN
MAX CANNON RED MEAT GOLD TP
MYSTERIES OF THE RED MOON VOL2 ATTACK OF THE CIRCUS GN
NEGIMA VOL 7 GN
ONE HUNDRED DEMONS TP
PREVIEWS VOL XV #10 (NET)
PULP ART HC
R CRUMBS KAFKA GN NEW PTG
RUNAWAYS VOL 4 TRUE BELIEVERSDIGEST TP
SCARLET HORN GN
SHOWCASE PRESENTS GREEN LANTERN VOL 1 TP
SHOWCASE PRESENTS SUPERMAN VOL 1 TP
SUGAR SUGAR RUNE VOL 1 GN
SUPERMAN BIRTHRIGHT TP
THUNDER AGENTS COMPANION SC
TOM STRONG BOOK FIVE HC
TOMARTS ACTION FIGURE DIGEST #138
WIZARD COMICS MAGAZINE INFINITE CRISIS CVR #169
WOLVERINE ENEMY OF THE STATE VOL 1 TP

What looks good to you?

-B Click Here to Read More...

Donnie Sticksel had what I thought was a good idea -- since Jeff is still away, and I'm trying to get caught up from vacation (oh, isn't it ironic....), we should still start a thread to let YOU say what you thought of this week's comics.

So, let's try that -- the comments section is open, have at thee!

-B Click Here to Read More...

Jeff is married (it was lovely!!!!), and is off on Honeymoon

I'm back from my vacation in Hawaii (it was lovely!!!), and am now trying to get desperately caught up (that's the problems with vacation, isn't it?) -- when Jeff gets back, we might have some pics of that up

So, no chance for reviews until next week, sorry -- but hopefully then we'll have some clever news and stuff.

Here is what is shipping this week:

ASHES #2 (OF 13)
BATGIRL #68
BATMAN GOTHAM KNIGHTS #69
BATMAN JEKYLL AND HYDE #6 (OF6)
BETTY #150
BIRDS OF PREY #86
BLACK PANTHER #8
BOOKS OF MAGICK LIFE DURING WARTIME #14
CAPTAIN AMERICA #10
CONAN #20
DAREDEVIL FATHER #3 (OF 5)
DAY OF VENGEANCE #6 (OF 6)
DEAD MEN TELL NO TALES #1 (OF4)
DJUSTINE TALES OF THE TWISTEDWEST #2 (A)
DONALD DUCK AND FRIENDS #332
DOROTHY #4
EXILES #70
GEORGE ROMEROS LAND OF THE DEAD #1 (OF 5)
GI JOE SNAKE-EYES DECLASSIFIED #2 (OF 6)
GIRLS #5
GOD THE DYSLEXIC DOG #4
GODLAND #3
GOON #14
GREEN LANTERN CORPS RECHARGE #1 (OF 6)
HEAD #12 (A)
HELLBLAZER #212
HUMAN RACE #7 (OF 7)
HUNTER KILLER #4
JANES WORLD #21
JON SABLE FREELANCE BLOODLINE #4 (OF 6)
JSA CLASSIFIED #3
JUGHEAD AND FRIENDS DIGEST #5
LADY DEATH ABANDON ALL HOPE WRAPAROUND CVR #2 (OF 4)
LENORE #12
LIVING WITH ZOMBIES #4
LUCIFER #66
MACHINE TEEN #5 (OF 5)
MANHUNTER #14
MARVEL 1602 NEW WORLD #3 (OF 5)
MARVEL ADVENTURES FANTASTIC FOUR #4
MARVEL MILESTONES GHOST RIDERBLACK WIDOW & ICEMAN
MEDIEVAL LADY DEATH BELLADONNA RYP CVR #1
MICKEY MOUSE AND FRIENDS #281
NEW AVENGERS #10
NODWICK #29
OZ WONDERLAND CHRONICLES #0
PALS N GALS DOUBLE DIGEST #97
POWERPUFF GIRLS #66
PS238 #12
ROBERT JORDANS NEW SPRING #2
ROBIN #142
ROCKETO #2
RUNAWAYS #8
SEVEN SOLDIERS MISTER MIRACLE #1 (OF 4)
SHADOWHAWK #5
SHOJO BEAT OCT 05 VOL 1 #4
SONIC X #1 (OF 4)
STRANGERS IN PARADISE #76
STRAY BULLETS #39
SUPERGIRL #2
SUPREME POWER HYPERION #1 (OF5)
TEEN TITANS OUTSIDERS SECRET FILES 2005
TEMPORARY A DIRT NAP #4
TOP TEN BEYOND THE FARTHEST PRECINCT #2 (OF 5)
ULTIMATE FANTASTIC FOUR #23
ULTIMATE FANTASTIC FOUR ANNUAL #1
ULTIMATES 2 #8
WOLVERINE #32
WRAITHBORN #1 (OF 6)

Books / Mags / Stuff
ACME NOVELTY LIBRARY HC
ANIMATION MAGAZINE OCT 2005 #153
ART OF LUIS ROYO 2006 WALL CALENDAR
BATMAN WAR GAMES ACT THREE TP
BLACK FOREST VOL 2 CASTLE OF SHADOWS GN
BPRD THE DEAD TP
COMICS BUYERS GUIDE DEC 2005 #1611
DUNGEON THE EARLY YEARS VOL 1THE NIGHT SHIRT GN
ESSENTIAL GHOST RIDER VOL 1 TP
EXILES VOL 11 TIME BREAKERS TP
GACHA GACHA VOL 1 GN
HEAVY METAL NOVEMBER 2005
HELLBOY COMIC 18-IN AF
HEROES AND VILLAINS WILLIAM MESSNER LOEB BENEFIT SKETCHBOOK
HULK VISIONARIES PETER DAVID VOL 2 TP
IDENTITY CRISIS HC BOOKMARKETVERSION
IDENTITY CRISIS HC DIRECT MARKET VERSION
KAMANDI ARCHIVES VOL 1 HC
KUNG FU SEX FIGHTER VOL 2 GN (A)
LO FI OCT 2005 VOL 2 #1
LOOKIT VOL 1 A CHEESE RELATEDMISHAP GN
MACBETH GN
MARVEL MASTERWORKS CAPTAIN MARVEL VOL 1 NEW ED HC
NODWICK CHRONICLES VOL 1 & 2 COLL ED HAULING ASSETS TP
PS238 VOL 2 TO THE CAFETERIA FOR JUSTICE TP
RUROUNI KENSHIN VOL 19 TP
SAMURAI EXECUTIONER VOL 5 TP 10 FINGERS 1 LIFE
SILENCERS BLACK KISS TP
SLEEPER VOL 4 THE LONG WAY HOME TP
STRANGEHAVEN VOL 3 CONSPIRACIES TP
TALES OF SUPERNATURAL LAW TP
TREE OF LOVE HC
TRIGUN ANIME MANGA WOLFWOOD VOL 2 TP
ULTIMATE SPIDER-MAN VOL 6 HC
WONDER WOMAN VOL 3 BEAUTY ANDTHE BEASTS TP
ZOMBIEWORLD WINTERS DREGS & OTHER STORIES TP


What looks good to you?

-B Click Here to Read More...

Here's what's shipping this wednesday.... more next week from me

100 BULLETS #64
2000 AD #1451
2000 AD #1452
ACTION COMICS #831
ALL STAR BATMAN AND ROBIN THEBOY WONDER #2
ANGRY YOUTH COMIX #9
ANT #2
ARCHIE #560
ARCHIE DOUBLE DIGEST #164
BATMAN LEGENDS OF THE DARK KNIGHT #195
BATMAN STRIKES #13
BLADE OF THE IMMORTAL #105
BMW FILMS THE HIRE #3 (OF 6)
BONE REST #3
BREACH #9
DAREDEVIL VS PUNISHER #4 (OF 6)
DARKNESS #23
DESOLATION JONES #3
FABLES #41
FANTASTIC FOUR PRESENTS FRANKLIN RICHARDS SON OF A GENIUS
FERRO CITY #2
FIRESTORM #17
GRAVITY #4 (OF 5)
GREEN ARROW #54
HAWKMAN #44
HOT MOMS #6 (A)
HUNGER #4
JLA #118
JSA #77
JUDGE DREDD MEGAZINE #235
MAJESTIC #9
MARVEL KNIGHTS 4 #22
MARVEL KNIGHTS SPIDER-MAN #18
MARVEL NEMESIS IMPERFECTS #5 (OF 6)
MATADOR #5 (OF 6)
MEGA MORPHS #3 (OF 4)
MNEMOVORE #6 (OF 6)
MUTOPIA X #3 (OF 5)
NEW THUNDERBOLTS #12
NIGHTWING #112
OF BITTER SOULS #2
PULSE #11
RANN THANAGAR WAR #5 (OF 6)
SCOOBY DOO #100
SOULFIRE DYING OF THE LIGHT #2
SPIDER-MAN UNLIMITED #11
SPUNKY KNIGHT XXX #3 (A)
STAR WARS EMPIRE #34
SUPER MANGA BLAST #55
THOR BLOOD OATH #1 (OF 6)
TOXIN #6 (OF 6)
ULTIMATE X-MEN #63
WEAPON X DAYS OF FUTURE NOW #3 (OF 5)
WILDCATS NEMESIS #1 (OF 9)
WINTER MEN #2 (OF 8)
X-MEN #175
ZORRO #4


Books / Mags / Stuff
ABSOLUTE BATMAN HUSH OVERSIZED HC
CINEFEX #103 OCT 2005
COMIC CREATORS ON FANTASTIC FOUR SC
ELECTRIC GIRL VOL 3 TP
FULL MOON FEVER GN
GIANT ROBOT #38
HELLBLAZER BLACK FLOWERS TP
PUNISHER MAX VOL 1 HC
ROBIN BATGIRL FRESH BLOOD TP
RONIN HOOD OF THE 47 SAMURAI GN
SALAMANDER DREAM GN
SFX #134
SIN CITY PLAYING CARDS
STAR TREK COMICS CLASSICS VOL1 TO BOLDLY GO TP
TORI AMOS 2006 WALL CALENDAR
TOYFARE HOT BABES TOY CVR #99
WOLVERINE CLASSIC VOL 2 TP
WORLD WAR 3 ILLUSTRATED #36
YOU AINT NO DANCER VOL 1 GN


What looks good to you?

-B Click Here to Read More...

A tri-purpose post. One, to announce this will definitely be my last post until I get back from the honeymoon, and two, to test the theory that people getting married in a week should not review comic books on the Internet. Although I feel perfectly relaxed, comfortable and cheery, I’m having trouble remembering my own name, much less what happened to Scorpion in Amazing Fantasy #12. Either it’s early Alzheimer’s or I am freaking the fuck out on a level at which I’m only vaguely aware. It’s cool.

Oh, and three is, I got to hang out at the shop on Friday with Fanboy Rampage’s Graeme McMillan who is cool and funny and gives very good wedding advice. (So does Geoff Johns, as long as I’m namedropping.) I’m tempted to say I want to be Graeme when I grow up but since I’m already older than he is, I should admit I've missed my chance. “Grim” was a very welcome addition to the regular crew of crazy bastards, and I’m really glad he stopped by to chat. Thanks, dude!

AMAZING FANTASY #12: Uh…so, like…stuff happened? I’d missed the last couple of issues of this but still kinda enjoyed it. And the back-up story had nice art and a guest appearance from Werewolf By Night, which is enough to make an old-school Marvel geek like me happy. Let’s say OK, despite my shocked realization that Leonard Kirk is apparently drawing one out of every four comic books on the stands.

AUTHORITY THE MAGNIFICIENT KEVIN #1: I’d skipped the last couple of these (in fact, not sure I ever got past the first issue of the first mini) but thought this particular issue was funny, in a very, very cheap way. Also, since I’m an old school Marvel geek, I thought Ennis’ (more than likely unintentional) updating of Gerber’s “dwarf…with a gun!” shtick to a demonic whirlwind that shouts “I…Am…A…Vagina!” while hurtling coma-inducing cream pies was pretty darn keen. Almost makes up for having to read about The Authority. OK.

BAKERS #1: The price point stings, but it’s self-published, whattya going to do? The character design and body language are top-notch, the gags can be a little threadbare, and it’ll be a delight to read in a format where the price point doesn’t make me quiver. If $3.00 for you is the equivalent of a dime, you’ll find this Good. The rest of us reading three wordless black and white panels per page will probably be more Eh-ish about the whole thing.

BLOOD OF THE DEMON #7: I thought it was pretty cool that Etrigan was in a prison formed by cross sections of Jason Blood’s face. And then when he busted out? Dude. Apart from that and some vivid drawn and quartering, nothing made any lasting impression on me whatsoever. Eh.

CABLE DEADPOOL #19: I guess it’s an attempt to show why these two characters should still be sharing a book by casting some light on their respective pasts. And it works, I think, along with a nice little narrative mix-‘em-up at the end. My problem is that the art is just—I dunno—too cute? Too flat? I mean, Christ knows, Cable and Deadpool don’t deserve the Alex Ross treatment but this seemed so coloring booky. OK.

EXILES #69: I’m kinda sick of House of M tie-ins, frankly. For a company-wide crossover, I’d say the quality has been pretty good (as in this issue here) but I just…don’t…care. Eh.

FELL #1: I thought this was really Very Good. The reduced page count means neither Ellis nor Templesmith can fart around, and they don’t: the storytelling is brisk, fresh and open. The story reminds me of a bit of the Frank Ironwine one-shot Ellis did for his Apparat, but I liked the approach there and I like it here. And it’s under two bucks! Worth getting your grubbies on.

GHOST RIDER #1: I don’t know if the artist can do motion yet, but man, has he got an eye for light! Some of those panels were just gorgeously lit. But his people can look a bit stiff, and Ennis spends enough time making fun of the original premise that the whole enterprise seems on shaky ground. Still has a chance to transcend its limitations so I’m going with OK, but I admit to being a little worried.

HOUSE OF M #6: Yakkita-yakkita-yakkita…Just shut up and hit something already! Also, I hate books where someone comes up with a half-assed plan (“Let’s find Xavier!”) and it just happens to be the correct plan on which everything hinges. Why not find the Cosmic Cube, for example, or the Infinity Gauntlet? Eh.

MARVEL TEAM-UP #12: I thought this was big lousy pile of padding, but maybe that’s because I missed the last few issues. Or maybe because Scott Kolins didn’t draw the issue. Or maybe because it was a big lousy pile of padding where one of the more pointless villain origins in recent history was dragged out to an entire issue. Ow. Awful.

OUTSIDERS #28: Normally, I’m a sucker for these issues where characters get all introspective and deal with their grief, etc., but hasn’t this book already had five or six issues like that already? And it’s only on issue #28! Eh.

SEVEN SOLDIERS GUARDIAN #4: Unsurprisingly, I loved this. Oh man, that Newsboy Army crew was just great (I haven’t gone on to double-check, but I assume those kids are all littered through the other minis. Like, does Kid Scarface grow up to become the gangster in Shining Knight?) and even though it ends on an even more dramatic cliffhanger than Shining Knight, I feel like I got more than my money’s worth out of this mini. Very Good stuff.

SHAZAM SUPERMAN FIRST THUNDER #1: Looks mighty pretty, but why am I paying so much for it? Just for the pretty? Cuz I don’t think it’s $3.50 worth of pretty. OK.

SUPERMAN #221: I more-or-less liked the interpretation of Bizarro here, and the character stuff worked okay. But I was still wondering what the hell was going on with that cover until I got to the last page. Is this another storyline running through all the Super-titles? I hope not. OK.

SUPREME POWER NIGHTHAWK #1: I’m not sure I want to see spin-offs from Supreme Power—it just seems like a great way to dilute the power of the product—but Steve Dillon art, so… I also liked how Way’s script toys with our expectations by introducing a hardened police commissioner talking to Nighthawk in one scene and then introduces a creepy-seeming clown in the next. Considering I was kinda opposed to the project overall, I’m surprised I found this OK.

SWAMP THING #19: The art was alternately creepy and charming, and the reference to the original Swamp Thing story worked nicely, particularly since the digest came out on the same day. I don’t see why I should care—I don’t think they should have relaunched this book without a stronger follow-up to Diggle’s first arc—but it might make peek in next issue to see if things are getting better. Eh.

ULTIMATE SPIDER-MAN #82: Back when the whole Ultimate Universe was announced way back when, this is just what I was afraid it would become: stories where the only resonance revolves around the introduction or reappearance of this or that Ultimate character. I give Bendis credit for restraining himself for so long (God bless selective memory. It’s like every trace of Ultimate Marvel Team-Up has been completely wiped from my mind…) but after Ultimate Black Cat tried to hump Ultimate Spider-Man, and before Ultimate Kingpin hired Ultimate Elektra to wipe everyone one out-—in short, right around the time I had to read more than one page about Ultimate Moon Knight—it became clear to me that’s what this has become. Pity. Eh.

PICK OF THE WEEK: Shit, either Guardian #4 or Fell #1. Morrison’s canny updating of Kirbyesque energy is nearer and dearer to my heart, honestly, but Fell #1 is impressively strong work from Ellis and Templesmith, plus it’s a rather daring format that deserves to succeed. Get ‘em both.

PICK OF THE WEAK: It was busy enough at the store and my brain hurt enough that I decided I wasn’t going to read any books I didn’t think I’d like. But Marvel Team-Up #12’s was a really shocking waste of time. Glad I hadn’t pre-ordered it, otherwise I would have been pissed.

TRADE OF THE WEEK: Oooo, a lot of good stuff. I’m a sucker for Englehart’s Avengers run so I got that Serpent Crown trade. I actually was surprised what a good deal the Swamp Thing Digest was (232 pages of color comics for $9.99? That’s really quite good.) I’m shocked Vol. 13 of Iron Wok Jan is here so soon. But what really caught me off-guard was Following Cerebus #5: Dave Sim picks up the phone and calls a bunch of cartoonist pals about the role of an editor so you’ve got short interviews with Paul Pope, Chester Brown, Neil Gaiman and Craig Thompson (all in one issue!) which, while far from groundbreaking, are still funny, chatty and revealing. If it had only managed to hype Fell #1, this would have accomplished everything Ellis launched The Engine for. Pick it up if you get a chance.

NEXT WEEK: Who knows? But I won’t be around for it, is the point. Thanks again to everyone who took the time to wish me well or throw a compliment my way. I’ll see you again in October!

Labels: Jeff

Click Here to Read More...

Aghhhhh…so…much…to…do…

AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #523: Reminded me of those ol’ Tales of Suspense stories that Stan and crew used to crank out, twelve pagers (ten pagers?) that managed to barely get the hero from one cliffhanger to the next—Marie Severin should’ve drawn this, really. But what’s (kinda) charming in ten pages for twelve cents becomes (more than a little) annoying at twenty-two pages for $2.50, a feeling only amplified by that cover of Toy Biz’s next big action figure, Second Trimester Spider-Man. Eh.

ASTONISHING X-MEN #12: Okay, okay! So it wasn’t as good as the previous arc; so it barely made a lick of sense with established continuity; so the idea that Xavier would enslave a newly sentient life form because he couldn’t come up with another way to throw enormous beer kegs and flaming spitwads at his team is more than a little absurd. As long as Cassaday is drawing Professor X with those feathered-out eyebrows, I don’t care. Eh compared to the rest of the run, but Good compared to any other x-book on the market, I think. Let’s hope the quality ramps back up a bit during the hiatus.

ASTRO CITY THE DARK AGE #3: I guess an important part of criticism is understanding what the work is trying to do, and criticizing it on its own terms. And in that regard, this is a Very Good Astro City story—it works as both a melodrama of two conflicted brothers set against the backdrop of a superhero-riddled ‘70s, and a vivid simulacrum of superhero books in the ‘70s. But it’s good enough to make me wish it did more, particularly after recently finishing Jonathan Lethem’s Fortress of Solitude. Lethem’s book is also about brothers (of a sort) against the vivid backdrop of ‘70s New York and uses superhero flavored magical realism for some of its resonance, and I felt something approximating that here, where the recounted stories of the superheroes (a ghostly hero afflicted by a vengeance spirit, the First Family conquering a magical demon but torn apart by governmental restrictions) reflect on the conflict between the brothers. But whereas Lethem painstakingly crafts complex main characters, the two brothers here are cut straight from melodrama’s cloth, a bit more nuanced than Ditko’s Hawk & Dove, maybe, but not by much. And that’s all well and good if that’s what you want—as a piece of nostalgia capable of recreating, and maybe even trumping, your original experience of reading a superhero comic, it’s, as I said, Very Good. But it’s good enough to make me want more, and frustrated that I’m unlikely to get it.

BATMAN GOTHAM KNIGHTS #68: Huh? I haven’t been following this title very closely so I couldn’t really make heads or tails out of what happened this issue. If I’m right, at least part of it shows Hush discovering a shape-changing MacGuffin that may have been used to undo the whole “Hush is Bruce Wayne’s boyhood friend” revelation or maybe the “Hush is not Bruce Wayne’s boyhood friend” revelation, or maybe the recent “Alfred iced that guy” storyline, or even maybe the whole “Batman is a big ol’ asshat” storyline that’s been going on for several years now. And maybe the MacGuffin also is the bad guy from Brubaker’s first Catwoman arc as well… But really, the only thing I took from this book is a very strong desire for McDonald’s to make and market a product called the McGuffin—something with cheese on it, definitely, and maybe sausage. Why hasn’t this happened already? The book, to the extent that I could follow it? Eh. The idea of an egg and cheese McGuffin? Good or Very Good, depending.

CAPTAIN AMERICA #9: God bless Paul O’Brien, by the way. I thought changing things up over at The X-Axis was a very smart way to address reviewing superhero books in our for-the-trade era. Because more and more, books like this make your average "this is what you paid for, this is what you get" review very difficult. As part of a larger storyline, Brubaker and team are painstakingly moving all the pieces into place, maximizing the tension and laying the groundwork for future dramatic reversals and advancement. As an issue on its own that I paid almost $3.00 for, it feels a trifle draggy—the carefully woven time structure almost conceals a copious amount of chatting, and a superficially similar set-up in structure to previous issues. It's Good work, for sure, but it's also the closest I've come to deciding to wait for a trade on a book that I like. Tough call.

EX MACHINA #14: I very much like the "A Story/B Story" approach being taken here, but Vaughan's still got kinks to work out—the A story with Mitchell and the hostage situation had a lot of drama but felt contrived, the resonance of the B story with the old friends and the comic book guy felt forced because it didn't have enough room to develop. Like Cap, a Good issue but there's still the feeling something's missing.

FLASH #225: Geoff Johns' final issue of The Flash shows all the strengths of his run on the title—an affection for the characters, an eye for structure, a willingness to up the ante, emotionally and visually—and two of its most frequent weaknesses: overambition, and artist Howard Porter. This regular-sized issue has a battle between two Flashes, two Reverse-Flashes, the Rogues and the resolution of two subplots. Maybe a savvier artist might be up for the job, but Porter's art looks like he couldn't be bothered: the Flashes don't really run as much as bound, and everyone seems hunched into skimpy underdeveloped panels. The storytelling is okay as far as how the eye follows the page and like I said, maybe nobody could pull off as much frenzied free-for-all as the script calls for. But check out that splash page where the Barry Allen Flash looks like a cookie jar with delusions of grandeur. Bleah. A high OK because it really does tear along and Johns' strengths are formidable, but I almost wish they'd double-sized it and done the "gallery of Flash's greatest artists" trick.

FRESHMEN #2: If you want to read D.P. 7 by somebody who hasn't mastered the verbal-visual blend of comics, this is for you. For what's essentially a comedy superhero book, there's a boggling amount of exposition (yes, I know that's part of the talking beaver's shtick) and I'm just not engaged with the characters particularly. So, pretty much an Eh through and through.

GREEN LANTERN #4: Oh, Comics Code Authority, whatever has become of you? You're right there on the cover, and yet we've got an impressively gruesome (and gratuitous) final page. Van Sciver's art kicks the book out of its doldrums all right, but the book went from boring to icky without addressing any of the title's larger troubles. For all the "look at how awesome Hal is!" scenes, he's kind of like the superhero equivalent of Fonzie—he just stands around looking cool until somebody comes to him with a problem. (Hey, maybe he can jump over Tiger Shark next issue!) OK because it wasn't dull, but it's still not frying my burger.

JLA CLASSIFIED #11: Liked it more than last issue, although it's very oddly paced—a part of Paradise Island blows up on page 1, and by page 22, Wonder Woman's hasn't done anything other than fly around, while the people shown tumbling about in the conflagration have conveniently disappeared. The Batman panel was nice, and the Superman scenes were very well-done, but I can't tell whether this is dragging because Ellis is inexperienced with superheroes, or because he wants to savvily fill out the story arc—it's either OK or Eh depending on how cynically you want to approach it.

NEW AVENGERS #9: I liked this because I'm a real sucker for playful metacommentary and Bendis pushed it more than I expected. (Emma Frost asking why the Kirby origin panels looked the way they did, did a number on me in a good way.) And McNiven's art was very cool in some spots—I loved how different the scene with Mastermind seemed. I still don't really care about The Sentry, but I thought this was the first Good issue of the title. Go figure.

POWERS #12: Read a little fast and loose, mainly because they took the time to set up the story-within-story format to justify two different styles and then Bendis had to bail on his end of the art. But they keep tightening the screws on the characters, bit by bit, and it's a lot of fun. For all the extra content at only a dollar extra, I'd consider this is a Very Good value (even though the celebrity guest star letters column felt cruel and plodding rather than actually funny).

SEVEN SOLDIERS SHINING KNIGHT #4: Gorgeous looking, but I thought it was, at best, a big ol' freakin' mess, like Morrison took his outline for a six issue mini and haphazardly jammed it into four. It also was more than sufficiently creepy, but it had nothing uplifting as counterpoint—like watching the ugly stretches of the movie Excalibur over and over. I shouldn't give it Awful because the art was really, really nice, but I didn't like the mini much at all and I'm trying to be consistent.

SUPREME POWER #18: I would have liked a little more surprise to this—for one thing, it's kind of a standard comic book trope that once people find out a superhero is an "other," they shy in fear, but would you really? I mean, if I was in New Orleans, say, and stuck and dehydrated and starving and surrounded by dead bodies and human waste, would I really flip out if I was rescued by a guy who was an alien from outer space? Or would I suddenly become much more forgiving of cattle mutilating maybe even pro-abduction and anal probing? That, and JMS' stately pace made me feel like I'd read the entire comic before I was even two pages in, and I guess that bumps it down to a high OK.

WHA HUH: There's some really funny stuff here, and if it had come out in that same fifth week, it would have felt hilariously slapdash. But, legal issues aside, after a seven month delay it read as if nobody but Jim Mahfood gave a crap about crafting it. And as much as I like Mahfood and feel he should be given lots of money, variety on the part of the artists would have mitigated that feeling. Eh at best.

YOUNG AVENGERS #6: Time travel stuff made no sense, but I really enjoyed the characters and their interplay. I didn't think this would turn out to be one my favorite Marvel books but at this point, it is. Hope the second arc is as strong as the first. Very Good.

PICK OF THE WEEK: In fact, let's make Young Avengers #6 my pick of the week although keep in mind there's a shitload of books I didn't read. Good ol' Usagi Yojimbo might have blown it out of the water and I wouldn't know.

PICK OF THE WEAK: Seven Soldiers Shining Knight #4 because I expect more from Morrison and it's a darn shame to have so much good art used for such a clusterfuck of a story.

TRADE PICK OF THE WEEK: Maybe it's because of the impending nuptials, or because I'm a big ol' girl generally, but I loved Minoru Toyoda's Love Roma Vol. 1. Although Del Rey's opening notes on honorifics was pretty basic, it helped position Toyoda's story exactly right—this is a romantic comedy that gets its laughs from the guy’s obliviousness to social conventions. It’s got a more open, looser feel than some of the other manga I’ve read, but mainly I just like how goddam sweet it is. Charming as hell. If you’re looking for the other end of the spectrum, check out the new printing of Clowes’ Like A Velvet Glove Cast In Iron TPB which was supposed to be out this week (I didn’t see a copy at the shop but it may well have sold out by Friday). Although Clowes has gone on to really develop his chops since, Velvet Glove should still have enough nightmarish kick to knock you through a couple of doors. Good stuff.

Labels: Jeff

Click Here to Read More...

IMPORTANT NOTE: because of the holiday, all shipments are 24 hours late -- New Comics Day, nationwide, will be on THURSDAY 9/8, *not* Wednesday this week! Don't go into your local Comics Shop thinking things are going to be in, they will shake thier head in dismay at you!

Pretty good lookign week, this week -- I think I am most excited by FELL #1....


A G SUPER EROTIC ANTHOLOGY #19 (A)
ADVENTURES OF BIO BOY #1
AMAZING FANTASY #12
AQUAMAN #34
ARANA HEART OF THE SPIDER #8
AUTHORITY THE MAGNIFICIENT KEVIN #1 (OF 5)
BAKERS #1
BLOOD OF THE DEMON #7
CABLE DEADPOOL #19
CITY OF HEROES #5
CITY OF TOMORROW #6 (OF 6)
DETECTIVE COMICS #811
DRACULA VS KING ARTHUR #2 (OF4)
EL ARSENAL #2 (OF 3)
EXILES #69
FANTASTIC FOUR HOUSE OF M #3 (OF 3)
FELL #1
GARTH ENNIS 303 WRAPAROUND CVR #5 (OF 6)
GHOST RIDER #1 (OF 6)
GOTHAM CENTRAL #35
HOUSE OF M #6 (OF 8)
INCREDIBLE HULK #86
INTIMATES #11
IRON MAN HOUSE OF M #3 (OF 3)
JUGHEAD #168
JUSTICE LEAGUE UNLIMITED #13
LOONEY TUNES #130
MAD MAGAZINE #458
MARVEL ADVENTURES SPIDER-MAN #7
MARVEL TEAM-UP #12
NOBLE CAUSES #13
ORORO BEFORE THE STORM #4 (OF4)
OUTSIDERS #28
PUNISHER #25
PVP #18
REX MUNDI #14
RISING STARS VOICES OF THE DEAD #4 (OF 6)
RUNES OF RAGNAN #1
SEA OF RED #4
SERENITY MIDDLETON CVR #3 (OF3)
SERENITY PHILLIPS CVR #3 (OF 3)
SERENITY YU CVR #3 (OF 3)
SEVEN SOLDIERS GUARDIAN #4 (OF 4)
SHAZAM SUPERMAN FIRST THUNDER #1 (OF 4)
SHOCKING GUN TALES #1
SHUCK THE SULFURSTAR #2
SIMPSONS SUPER SPECTACULAR #1
SMOKE AND MIRRORS #1
SON OF VULCAN #4 (OF 6)
SONIC THE HEDGEHOG #153
SOULFIRE #5
SPIDER-GIRL #90
STARDUST KID #2 (OF 4)
SUPERMAN #221
SUPREME POWER NIGHTHAWK #1 (OF 5)
SWAMP THING #19
TALES FROM RIVERDALE DIGEST #5
ULTIMATE SPIDER-MAN #82
UNCANNY X-MEN #464
VAISTRON #1
VAMPIRELLA REVELATIONS #0
VILLAINS UNITED #5 (OF 6)
WITCHBLADE #89
X-MEN COLOSSUS BLOODLINE #1 (OF 5)
Y THE LAST MAN #37


Books / Mags / Stuff
ALTER EGO #52
AVENGERS SERPENT CROWN TP
BAD IDEAS COLL TP
CHRONICLES OF CONAN VOL 8 TOWER OF BLOOD & OTHER STORIES TP
CINEFANTASTIQUE SEPT OCT 05 VOL 37 #6 / #7
COVENANT VOL 1 GN
COYOTE VOL 1 TP
EX MACHINA VOL 2 TAG TP
FOLLOWING CEREBUS #5
GRENDEL RED WHITE & BLACK TP
ILLUSTRATION MAGAZINE #14
IRON WOK JAN GN #13
JLA VOL 17 SYNDICATE RULES TP
KATSUYA TERADA THE MONKEY KING VOL 1 TP
LAST TEMPTATION 2ND ED HC
LEES TOY REVIEW SEP 2005 #155
MARS IDW TP
MOPED ARMY VOL 1 GN
NORTH COUNTRY GN
POCKET ESSENTIAL ROBERT CRUMBNEW PRTG
R CRUMBS JAZZ GREATS T/C BOX
SECRET OF THE SWAMP THING TP
SGT ROCKS COMBAT TALES VOL 1 TP
THRILLS & CHILLS GN
WORLDS GREATEST SUPER HEROES OVERSIZED SLIPCASE HC (reprints the Alex Ross oversized DC specials)


What looks good to you?

-B Click Here to Read More...