This Comic Is Good - Sam & Twitch:Udaku
I think I will now alternate my "This Comic Is Good" with current comics and older trades.
Adam Strange was my first current comic, now I will mention a trade. I will try to think of ones that are not super famous (No "Hey guys, you should check out this 'Dark Knight Returns,' it is pretty good").
Today, I come to recommend to you Sam & Twitch:Udaku.
I recently reread this trade for the first time since the stories were originally released in 1999, and it really feels like watching an episode of, say Cheers, from the first couple of seasons.
This is Brian Michael Bendis before he became all bloated like Cheers did in the last few seasons (heh...bloated during the Kirstie Alley years...how appropriate).
All the typical Bendis elements are present here, so if you really hate his dialogue, then yeah, you won't like this comic.
But if you don't mind his dialogue, then you are in for a treat, because Bendis really put his whole ass into this project, which is funny, as it is a SPAWN SPIN-OFF, for crissakes! The book is packed to the brim with content, and it's pretty good content. No 5 minute read here (USM...hint hint).
The story begins with a massacre where the cops find 5 thumbs...which all came from the same body!! So this is not a straight crime comic, there is definitely some freaky stuff going on, but not so much that you're gonna see a lot of Spawn interaction.
In fact, Spawn's one appearance in the series is a highlight of the series.
Angel Medina's art...well, I'm not a fan...he is way too over the top. But he doesn't really hurt the story. He doesn't HELP the story...but he pretty much lets Bendis do his thing. The series got a whole lot better when Toglason and Maleev started drawing it, but this storyline was still quite good.
As usual, please let me know if you think I should lay off the crack for recommending a Spawn book, or chime in if you've read this TPB and wish to concur.
Adam Strange was my first current comic, now I will mention a trade. I will try to think of ones that are not super famous (No "Hey guys, you should check out this 'Dark Knight Returns,' it is pretty good").
Today, I come to recommend to you Sam & Twitch:Udaku.
I recently reread this trade for the first time since the stories were originally released in 1999, and it really feels like watching an episode of, say Cheers, from the first couple of seasons.
This is Brian Michael Bendis before he became all bloated like Cheers did in the last few seasons (heh...bloated during the Kirstie Alley years...how appropriate).
All the typical Bendis elements are present here, so if you really hate his dialogue, then yeah, you won't like this comic.
But if you don't mind his dialogue, then you are in for a treat, because Bendis really put his whole ass into this project, which is funny, as it is a SPAWN SPIN-OFF, for crissakes! The book is packed to the brim with content, and it's pretty good content. No 5 minute read here (USM...hint hint).
The story begins with a massacre where the cops find 5 thumbs...which all came from the same body!! So this is not a straight crime comic, there is definitely some freaky stuff going on, but not so much that you're gonna see a lot of Spawn interaction.
In fact, Spawn's one appearance in the series is a highlight of the series.
Angel Medina's art...well, I'm not a fan...he is way too over the top. But he doesn't really hurt the story. He doesn't HELP the story...but he pretty much lets Bendis do his thing. The series got a whole lot better when Toglason and Maleev started drawing it, but this storyline was still quite good.
As usual, please let me know if you think I should lay off the crack for recommending a Spawn book, or chime in if you've read this TPB and wish to concur.
posted by Brian Cronin at 12/14/2004 07:42:00 PM
3 Comments:
Brian, you got it right in a few different ways. Yes, "Sam & Twitch" was really good comics. And, yep, it was before Bendis was BENDIS, from the period when he still had to prove himself. That's my favorite BMB period.
Especially as the bigger he gets, the less I find myself enjoying his stuff. New Avengers #1 was pretty ok. It's got me intrigued, especially regarding the Sentry, but that's about the only one of the 700 books he's writing that I have even a modicum of interest in.
He needs to scale back his operations and really focus on each story. He does have the chops, especially for crime comics. I never really liked Jinx, but Torso is one of my favorites. Dense storytelling, good character work, good pacing.
The other thing you got right was your use of the phrase "he put his whole ass into it." That's good writing.
This blog thing might work out after all.
Yes, Grant, that is the weirdest part about it...it's a freakin' SPAWN SPIN-OFF!!!
And yet it is GOOD!
Buy it, read it, enjoy it.
I got this series when it came out initially and have to say I really liked it. It was a lot of fun to read and I made sure I took them all into bendis to get signed when he visited.
One thing I will disagree with though is the art. normally I don't like this sort of exaggerated artwork, but it really worked for me here, I really liked it. It added to the cartoonish urban appeal of the whole thing.
I certainly wouldn't mind seeing Bendis and Medina teaming up for something else further down the line.
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