Three 6/15 Books That I Read So That You Did Not Have To
Same as always...I tell you about three comics that I did not hear a lot about this week, and then I ask you all to fill me in on comics that I did not read this week.
Spoilers ahead!!
Marvel Knights 4 #19 - I have said a few times that I think that Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa is one of the best superhero writers working for Marvel today, and this issue shows me nothing to think I am wrong.
In this issue, he manages to give us an interesting look at the Inhumans (although the area he chose is one of the easiest areas to explore - Alpha Primates, as, well, they basically are slaves), where an Alpha Primate and the daughter (a fact I was not sure of until the very end...the whole issue, I was thinking, "Hmm...an Inhuman/Alpha Primate romance AND they are gay!") of Inhuman royalty run away to the Baxter Building.
Once there, Sue Richards gives them shelter, and faces off against the father of the Inhuman - and the cool thing is, you can totally understand the situation from both sides.
It is one of those rare "Good guy" battles where it is NOT a misunderstanding - it is just both "Good guys" take different, fully supported, positions on the issue.
And the end is a really nice twist on the Inhumans, as I BELIEVE that Aguirre-Sacasa is introducing the first mutant Inhuman (unless there has been one before that I do not know about).
Nifty stuff.
Very nice art by Valentine De Landro. I am pleased to see a new artist on this title.
Recommended!
Death Jr. #2 - This issue was a bit of a letdown from #1, if only because the same sense of whimsical humor was a bit lacking in this issue, which stressed advancing the plot more.
And that was another area of problems - to advance the plot forward, writer Gary Whitta makes the main character, Death Jr., act in a way that just did not seem to ring true to me.
Yes, DJ is used to viewing death in a much different way than most people, but while I am totally behind the concept of DJ killing plants to help a friend out, I am not as much behind the idea of DJ killing kids so his friends can get on to the bus quicker.
Or killing the principal.
Or any number of the deaths he causes in this issue.
It just did not ring true to me.
What DID ring true was Ted Naifeh's art. It continues to be outstanding, capturing the weirdness of the characters while still managing to be dynamic, and, when necessary, spooky.
The plot set up for #3 is interesting - DJ and the ghost of his best friend (who he killed in this issue) must set right all the wrong DJ did in this issue.
Should be fun.
While, on the whole, I would not recommend this issue, I still think that, once it is all said and done, this mini-series will read quite well...but, for now...
Not Recommended!
Year One Batman Ra's Al Ghul #1 - I have to give Devin Grayson a lot of credit. The deck was stacked up against her, but she almost managed to pull it off.
Grayson was given the unenviable task of writing a Ra's Al Ghul story to tie in with the movie while sticking to current DC continuity, where Ra's is dead (which is sooo silly to me...when Rucka's new Ra's cannot even be featured in crossovers which are partially controlled by HIM, don't you think it is time to admit - "Hey, yeah, maybe the whole "New female Ra's Al Ghul" wasn't the greatest idea in the world."?).
She almost manages to pull it off, but it is just too much to ask a writer to achieve.
Paul Gulacy does a very nice job on the art in a BIG leap in coolness from his art on Catwoman.
The basic gist of the story is that due to something Ra's did, the people of Gotham CANNOT die - so Batman is basically up against an army of the undead (Meanwhile, we learn of Ra's' past through a "If you have received this letter, I am dead" letter, which is a good technique by Grayson, I thought).
The whole "Ra's writing to Batman from beyond the grave" is innovative, but eventually, after awhile, it is just too fragile of a foundation to rest a narration, and the story suffers by it.
But the basic concept is interesting and the art is good, so I was impressed.
But since the story just wasn't strong enough, I would have to say...
Not Recommended!
Now on to the books that I did not read, so I was hoping you might have read them and could tell me what I missed out on -
Oddly Normal #3
Knights of the Dinner Table #103
Bigfoot #4
NYC Mech Beta Love #2
Conan and the Jewels of Gwahlur #3
Thanks!
Spoilers ahead!!
Marvel Knights 4 #19 - I have said a few times that I think that Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa is one of the best superhero writers working for Marvel today, and this issue shows me nothing to think I am wrong.
In this issue, he manages to give us an interesting look at the Inhumans (although the area he chose is one of the easiest areas to explore - Alpha Primates, as, well, they basically are slaves), where an Alpha Primate and the daughter (a fact I was not sure of until the very end...the whole issue, I was thinking, "Hmm...an Inhuman/Alpha Primate romance AND they are gay!") of Inhuman royalty run away to the Baxter Building.
Once there, Sue Richards gives them shelter, and faces off against the father of the Inhuman - and the cool thing is, you can totally understand the situation from both sides.
It is one of those rare "Good guy" battles where it is NOT a misunderstanding - it is just both "Good guys" take different, fully supported, positions on the issue.
And the end is a really nice twist on the Inhumans, as I BELIEVE that Aguirre-Sacasa is introducing the first mutant Inhuman (unless there has been one before that I do not know about).
Nifty stuff.
Very nice art by Valentine De Landro. I am pleased to see a new artist on this title.
Recommended!
Death Jr. #2 - This issue was a bit of a letdown from #1, if only because the same sense of whimsical humor was a bit lacking in this issue, which stressed advancing the plot more.
And that was another area of problems - to advance the plot forward, writer Gary Whitta makes the main character, Death Jr., act in a way that just did not seem to ring true to me.
Yes, DJ is used to viewing death in a much different way than most people, but while I am totally behind the concept of DJ killing plants to help a friend out, I am not as much behind the idea of DJ killing kids so his friends can get on to the bus quicker.
Or killing the principal.
Or any number of the deaths he causes in this issue.
It just did not ring true to me.
What DID ring true was Ted Naifeh's art. It continues to be outstanding, capturing the weirdness of the characters while still managing to be dynamic, and, when necessary, spooky.
The plot set up for #3 is interesting - DJ and the ghost of his best friend (who he killed in this issue) must set right all the wrong DJ did in this issue.
Should be fun.
While, on the whole, I would not recommend this issue, I still think that, once it is all said and done, this mini-series will read quite well...but, for now...
Not Recommended!
Year One Batman Ra's Al Ghul #1 - I have to give Devin Grayson a lot of credit. The deck was stacked up against her, but she almost managed to pull it off.
Grayson was given the unenviable task of writing a Ra's Al Ghul story to tie in with the movie while sticking to current DC continuity, where Ra's is dead (which is sooo silly to me...when Rucka's new Ra's cannot even be featured in crossovers which are partially controlled by HIM, don't you think it is time to admit - "Hey, yeah, maybe the whole "New female Ra's Al Ghul" wasn't the greatest idea in the world."?).
She almost manages to pull it off, but it is just too much to ask a writer to achieve.
Paul Gulacy does a very nice job on the art in a BIG leap in coolness from his art on Catwoman.
The basic gist of the story is that due to something Ra's did, the people of Gotham CANNOT die - so Batman is basically up against an army of the undead (Meanwhile, we learn of Ra's' past through a "If you have received this letter, I am dead" letter, which is a good technique by Grayson, I thought).
The whole "Ra's writing to Batman from beyond the grave" is innovative, but eventually, after awhile, it is just too fragile of a foundation to rest a narration, and the story suffers by it.
But the basic concept is interesting and the art is good, so I was impressed.
But since the story just wasn't strong enough, I would have to say...
Not Recommended!
Now on to the books that I did not read, so I was hoping you might have read them and could tell me what I missed out on -
Oddly Normal #3
Knights of the Dinner Table #103
Bigfoot #4
NYC Mech Beta Love #2
Conan and the Jewels of Gwahlur #3
Thanks!
posted by Brian Cronin at 6/22/2005 05:30:00 AM
1 Comments:
I thought Death, Jr. #2 had a very [coincidental?] Revenge of the Sith vibe to it. Same way Anakin gave in to the dark side and sliced up the younglings, DJ fulfilled his own destiny, tainted by the influence of Moloch.
NYC Mech: Beta Love #2 was REALLY good. As I say at the link, it's the kind of "comic book comes along that connects with you on a subliminal level, tickling parts of your brain in ways that defy critical analysis and simply leaves you gushing like a mindless fanboy." Loved it!
Conan and the Jewels of Gwahlur #3 was as bleh as the first two issues. Russell's take on Conan is way too expository and he just doesn't look like Conan. Disappointing, especially when compared to the main series.
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