The Joe Rice Media Review

Have you missed me? Do you even bother looking at who posted each entry or have we become some bizarre collective being, like a nerd Voltron? If you're wondering, I am the left arm.

Anyway, back from my holiday trip back to the old country (Kentucky). I'm currently staying at my fiancee's apartment without much to do while she's at work. Unfortunately, she's got this little laptop that I kind of hate. I'm sure it's not too fond of me, either, always making it check email and look at comic blogs. Being the laptop of two girls it probably prefers baking sites or shoe store sites. SATIRE ISN'T FUNNY AT NINE IN THE MORNING.

I'll dispense with the pleasantries and get right to the reviewation. The first comic I read this week was definitely one of the best. This website has sung the praises of Adam Strange before, so there's not too much new to add. The Omega Men have never been more than Who's Who entries to me, but Diggle did a good job of making them come alive. The mysterious evil force has my attention. I'm very bad at predicting things, so you can rest assured it's not my guess: The Anti-Monitor. This Comic Is Good.

I felt a little dirty buying Superman/Batman. The past two issues were really fun, though. This issue went back more to what I expect from this book. Yeah, it was fun to see Kamandi and, um, I guess it was fun to see the DC western characters for brief panels. But there was that idiotic narration again. The art was pretty but I lost interest with this issue. I might hang on because the cliffhanger was slightly better than the rest of this. I said the first two issues of this arc were Nerd Pleasing, not Nerd Pandering. Nerdy Knowledge added to the story but wasn't necessary. Pretty sure it was necessary here. This comic was Not Good.

On the other hand, this could have been my first issue of Invincible and I'd have still gotten it. I probably would have been motivated to go back and get the others in trade form, but I'd have still understood the story. Kirkman does the straight-up superhero story like it was a lost art. One-issue stories that build stories and mythologies to form a greater tapestry while still being satisfying on their own terms. Shit, it's what made superhero comics fun and a great percentage of writers these days don't get the basics. If you love superheroes and you're not reading Invincible, get off your short bus and stop drinking Yoohoo; it's time to join the rest of us. This Comic Is Good.

Kirkman Double Feature Pt II! The Walking Dead is good comics. Again, each issue has enough story that I don't feel my money was wasted. But it also has a compelling enough world, set of characters, and story that I want to continue purchasing the book. This being more of Kirkman's own stuff, he's free to do whatever the hell he wants at any point in time, merchendizers be damned. (Walking Dead action figures?) This is a Good Comic.

Ed Brubaker is very good. I think most people understand that. It's not surprising or news or anything. His Tom Strong arc was solid storytelling that even made me doubt my comic nerd knowledge of how things would end. The false ending was a nice touch. This Comic is Good.

What's that? Brubaker had something else out this week? Oh, I bet it was good, too. What was it? What If Aunt May Had Died Instead of Uncle Ben? Stop your lies! I do not understand this! Brubaker has only written things that I think are either good or great or awesome! He could not have written this! It is freaking terrible! From the humdrum art, to the incredibly incestuous continuity premise, to the comic geek framing device . . .this was a really, really awful comic. I don't understand. What happened? Was this forced upon Brubaker? Did they say "Make this awful"? (If you're wondering what the answer to the title's question is, it's "Things are pretty much the same except slightly worse for a while.)

So, while I'm on the subject, the What If books . . .I got most of them. I got the one I just mentioned for Brubaker. I got the two Bendis ones for Lark and Gaydos. I got the X-Men one to make fun of, I'll be honest. And I got the FF one because it was Kesel and Smith. Holy shit. Lark and Gaydos could not make up for the awfulness of the Bendis writing. The Avengers one was just some more Jessica Jones stuff, almost like fanfic. "SEE! SCARLET WITCH WAS CRAZY! AND JESSICA IS AWESOME AND WOULD MARRY CAP!" Blorg. The Daredevil one was unreadable but pretty. And the device of Bendis sitting in a diner telling these stories was stupid. Claremont's X-Thing wasn't as bad, but it was very Claremont. FASTBALL SPECIAL! PROF. X PLAYING BASKETBALL! WAY TOO MANY WORDS! You are not paid by the word anymore, Chris. Stop it. Kesel's FF story was the only one that anyone could enjoy. Kesel always comes through in these fifth week events. Why doesn't he ever write anything else? Lord knows he'd have a funner FF than Mark Waid's has been. Other than Kesel's, these comics were very bad.

Did I just type "Mark Waid"? OH MY GOSH! I DID! What a perfect segue! I thought I'd try out his new Legion of Super Heroes book. Some of the ideas are interesting, and though he's been in a slump, I've liked Waid's work in the past. I have to be honest, I'm picky when it comes to the Legion. I loved it growing up. And just when I was coming into understanding mature storytelling and not just "WILDFIRE AND TIMBER WOLF RULE!" along came Tom, Mary, and Kieth's "5 Year Gap" Legion, or, as I call it, "A Pinnacle of Monthly Superhero Work." It was brilliant, it was daring, it was funny, it was moving, it had emotional realism and fantastic stories. Ever since then I've shrugged off the Legion stories. Some of them were OK, but none of them came close to Giffen brilliance. Well . . .neither does this. It's got some strong points . . .it's fresh, it's recompressed, and it's fairly fearless so far. But it's got some weak points. Kitson's art is still boring. I feel no reason to give a shit. Middle Aged men do not make the best writers of teenage behavior . . .too many layers of observation, memory, and subjectivity. I'm sure the Legion fans will keep this afloat for a while, like they do every other incarnation. It's better than some stuff . . .but the Legion story has been told for me. Giffen and the Bierbaums told it. This comic, though not awful, isn't quite Good enough.

So, after a storyline that threw a lot of fanboys into a tizzy, JMS is back to more usual stuff in Amazing Spider-man. As you probably know, I don't get the uproar, especially among fans that seem to not be the crazy continuity types. Sometimes nice girls sleep with nasty guys. That's not a condemnation of them. It happens. I've slept with some folks that I definitely regret, and I know most everyone has. But I'm not talking about the previous storyline, compelling as I found it. We're talking about the new one. We get some more good classroom stuff with Peter (sue me, the teacher likes the teaching stuff). Some flashbacks to the new kid who was so geeky it took the attention of Peter for a little while. And now he's an adult trying to make a supersuit for the military. This was fine work, but nothing to shout home about. I trust JMS (on this title), though, even if I still don't like Deodato's work on this title. This is a good comic.

Do I just love characters with red shirts and yellow lightning bolts? Hmmm. Perhaps that would explain one of the reasons I liked Warlock so much. (But I don't give a shit about any Flash!) I guess it was just the solid art, excellent story, neat characters, and . . .ah, hell. It's already cancelled. Thanks Marvel. Mini-series my ass. Get Pak and Adlard more work. This comic was good while it lasted.