Joe Rice Media Review 1/19/04

I'm on a posting spree! It's crazy! Can you take it? You probably cannot.

Overall, a pretty great week, with a couple of notable exceptions. Let's jump into the fun. Plastic Man was a fun, funny cartoon romp with two "endings" I didn't expect. It walked through the tropes of cat and mouse cartoons, did them well, and added to them a bit. The art is beautiful, and though it's a quick read, it's a pretty densely quick one. Great.

I really, really like Invincible. I know I've said it before, but it's true. It's what straight-up superhero books could and should be. It's not blowing the genre apart, but it doesn't have to. It's doing the genre, it's doing the material with love, and, more importantly, with skill. Kirkman forwards multiple plots without making any of them seem Claremonted. I care about the characters, and I have fun reading it. It's a great experience to read this book every issue. Great.

So Milligan's taking over X-men. And, on the cover, at least, Larocca tones down the silly boobosity that made his work so repulsive to me in the past. So how did this turn out, you ask. Is it "Enigma" Milligan? "X-Force" Milligan? Or, most frighteningly, "Marvel Crossover Book for a Buck" Milligan? Well, one issue's a bit early to tell, but it doesn't seem to be the last of those three. It's also not the first, and probably not the second. Milligan hits some good notes here and has started an interesting plot. I'll give this an arc before I judge it too harshly. Good.

Does anyone write alternate reality superhero stuff like Alan Moore? Even when he's only plotting, Terra Obscura is incredibly strong stuff. Sure, it's informed by silver age DC stuff, but, like the issue of Superman/Batman before the cowboy wankfest, it's nerd pleasing and not nerd pandering . . .the extra knowledge is an added bonus, not a requirement for story understanding. The art's nice, the plot is tricky but rewarding, and I almost wish this weren't a mini (but at least it'll have a satisfying conclusion). Great.

Mignola, Mignola, come back to us. I need Mignola art. I thirst for it like Claremont thirsts for punishment from a strong woman. But there's nothing wrong with some choice Guy Davis art. And at least Mignola is coplotting or whatever. Arcudi's doing fine with this, too. I know some folks have said that Roger's characterization in BPRD: The Dead is a bit off, but it's an enjoyable "off" so I'm not too concerned. This issue threw a lot at the reader and most of it is REALLY interesting. As in, I can't wait for the next issue. That's a good sign. Great.

I think I just don't like The Authority. Sure, Brubaker's vision is stronger than most any I've read, but I just can't find anything to LIKE here. The characters are all dickpits, from "hero" to "villain." I can't see many satisfying reveals for who the "hooded mastermind" is. Perhaps Brubaker is better suited to more personal stuff, even in comic universes. I know I'd take Gotham Central or Sleeper or Cap A any day over this. I just don't see why I should be reading it. Not good.

Ultra took a turn for the much darker, but did so with dignity and without gratuity. The death is painful, the violence is shocking in the right way, and the suspense is real. But, as always, the real attractions are the relationships between the characters. Liv and Pearl clearly feel uncomfortable being angry with each other, and Jen's embarassment is palpable. The art's pretty, the jokes are spot on (when used) and even the arsonist gets a nice little twist on some archetypes. This is a very strong book and not, as one blogger put it, icky treatment of women. Look no further than DC for that. Great.

The last issue of Bullseye: Greatest Hits is just like the others: way better than it had any right to be. Sure, the AMAZING Dillon art is a plus. But the story works, too. I remember reading fanboys bitch about Daniel Way's other work, how he got continuity wrong. Well, here at Comics Should Be Good, Continuity Can Suck My Dick. Bullseye's in control the whole time, we find out his secret plan, and the truth behind all the "truths" he's revealed in the series. I'd not call this great, despite the art, but it's definitely Very Good.

I was all set to drop Nightcrawler. I've no inherent love for the character, nor for Robertson's art. But I do like Aguirre-Sacasa's 4, so I tried it out. We get the first half of a spooky two-parter. It's nice to have a writer at least know a bit about New York when writing about it. The details are on. Logan's quite funny throughout. Storm's more interesting than Claremont could ever dream of making her. Best of all, the story moves. Things happen. There's plenty of talk, but it's not there just to impress sorry readers. Good.

So I guess Mighty Man ran as a back-up in Savage Dragon? It probably was a fun back-up. Put together like this . . .um . . .yeah, it's pretty disjointed, jerky, and not altogether interesting. Not good.

So did Wanted redeem the filth and detritus it wallowed in for the other issues in the finale? No. It's more of the same, with one of the nastiest, most petulant "angsty 14 year old who watched a few Twilight Zones" endings I've ever seen. What would you expect from a comic that thought "Shithead" was clever? Absolute garbage with more starhumping artwork. Get over it, Millar. Hollywood's not coming to your door.

But, hey, any week with Invincible, Plastic Man, Terra Obscura, and BPRD is a good week for comic fans.