Three 7/27 Books That I Read So That You Did Not Have To
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!
Daredevil/Punisher: Means and Ends #2
I really am enjoying this David Lapham series.
We have seen everything in this series before (mainly from Frank Miller), but that should not (I do not think) detract from the level of quality comic book storytelling Lapham is giving us here.
Or should it?
What do you folks think?
Is it enough to tell a well-written comic book story with nice art, or do you want some novelty in the work as well?
In any event, Lapham's story here is very straightforward, but gripping.
The Punisher is making a move against Hammerhead, and the streets are being turned into ambushes of the Punisher.
There is a great scene early on with an ambush at a subway stop. Lapham frames the scene very well.
Meanwhile, Daredevil is approached by Hammerhead about making a deal to STOP the Punisher, as Daredevil is about saving people, so he should want to save the mobsters, right?
The Jackal is in the background of the whole thing, given suitable scenes to show off. Lapham has chosen the rather bizarre, but I think SO bizarre that it WORKS, idea of dressing the Jackal in a red coat with white trim so that he really looks like the Grinch. It is so weird, but SOO weird that it is cool.
By the by, the very idea of using the Jackal (as he was the guy who hired the Punisher in the Punisher's first appearance) is a great idea that really should have been done before (and not counting the Clone Saga...I don't know WHAT was up with the Punisher in that storyline).
One of the coolest scenes I have seen in a comic in awhile happens in this issue, as Jackal is talking with Hammerhead about how safe they are, as no one knows that the Jackal is around, and then you see a noise, as someone is shooting at the bulletproof glass right in front of the Jackal.
Very cool.
The Daredevil/Punisher scenes at the end were suitably cliffhanger-y.
Recommended!
Jughead #167
I keep on saying that Dan Parent is one of the more underrated artists in the business, but since I talk about Parent, have I now made him NOT underrated, as I keep rating him high? And have I, in the meanwhile, made Rex Lindsey, artist of Jughead, underrated, because I DON'T talk about him?
Interesting.
In either case, this issue, by writer Craig Boldman and Rex Lindsey, was just good comic-booking.
That is a new word.
Feel free to use it.
Comic-booking.
The first story has a beautifully executed tale of Archie and Reggie using Jughead's limbo skills to win them a date with a sexy rock star, but in return, they need to win a hula dancing contest for HIM to get a free dinner. So THEY enlist the help of Betty and Veronica to help them win the hula contest so that Jughead gets his dinner, and they get a date with a sexy rock star.
Well, you can imagine how that will turn out!
However, Boldman goes through the paces with ease, and makes it seem so realistic and believable.
And the punchline to the story is quite good, I thought.
The next story is a prototypical Jughead story. He is too cheap to spend more than one quarter on pinball, so instead, he just plays all day long!
I love that.
That is such a simple, but highly effective, idea.
Meanwhile, his pinball winnings are drawing a lot of noteriety to himself AND the malt shoppe, until, of course, SOMEthing has to happen to bring it to a halt.
Funny story.
The last story is a silly story about a inflatable swim toy Jughead has, and all the damage it causes. It is fun, but slight.
The overall package, thought?
Recommended!
Catwoman #45
This was not a particularly good issue, but Will Pfeiffer strikes again, making a name (in my book) as one of the most inventive "setup" guys that I can think of.
Pfeiffer first got this reputation from me in his Aquaman series, where he came up with the brilliant (although not exactly used that well by the next writer) idea of giving Aquaman his own city to patrol, like Batman has Gotham.
Sub Diego was an inspired idea.
Well, at the end of this issue, he places Catwoman in a very interesting predicament. One that seems like it can have enough stories to last a year or two in the book.
DC should use Pfeiffer like this.
Drop him off on a title, have him give the book a setup, and then send him off.
I just wish that the setup did not mean a whole issue of HUSH to do so.
Yuck, I really do not like Hush.
Pete Woods' art is really, really good in this comic.
Is it colored from pencils or is he inking his own work?
It looks like the former, but I can't tell for sure.
In any event, Hush's presence is enough that, while later issues seem to be interesting, this one I will 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:
Ticks: Days of Drama #1
Eclipse and Vega: The Beds That We Make #3
Casefiles: Sam and Twitch #18
Thanks!
Spoilers ahead!
Daredevil/Punisher: Means and Ends #2
I really am enjoying this David Lapham series.
We have seen everything in this series before (mainly from Frank Miller), but that should not (I do not think) detract from the level of quality comic book storytelling Lapham is giving us here.
Or should it?
What do you folks think?
Is it enough to tell a well-written comic book story with nice art, or do you want some novelty in the work as well?
In any event, Lapham's story here is very straightforward, but gripping.
The Punisher is making a move against Hammerhead, and the streets are being turned into ambushes of the Punisher.
There is a great scene early on with an ambush at a subway stop. Lapham frames the scene very well.
Meanwhile, Daredevil is approached by Hammerhead about making a deal to STOP the Punisher, as Daredevil is about saving people, so he should want to save the mobsters, right?
The Jackal is in the background of the whole thing, given suitable scenes to show off. Lapham has chosen the rather bizarre, but I think SO bizarre that it WORKS, idea of dressing the Jackal in a red coat with white trim so that he really looks like the Grinch. It is so weird, but SOO weird that it is cool.
By the by, the very idea of using the Jackal (as he was the guy who hired the Punisher in the Punisher's first appearance) is a great idea that really should have been done before (and not counting the Clone Saga...I don't know WHAT was up with the Punisher in that storyline).
One of the coolest scenes I have seen in a comic in awhile happens in this issue, as Jackal is talking with Hammerhead about how safe they are, as no one knows that the Jackal is around, and then you see a noise, as someone is shooting at the bulletproof glass right in front of the Jackal.
Very cool.
The Daredevil/Punisher scenes at the end were suitably cliffhanger-y.
Recommended!
Jughead #167
I keep on saying that Dan Parent is one of the more underrated artists in the business, but since I talk about Parent, have I now made him NOT underrated, as I keep rating him high? And have I, in the meanwhile, made Rex Lindsey, artist of Jughead, underrated, because I DON'T talk about him?
Interesting.
In either case, this issue, by writer Craig Boldman and Rex Lindsey, was just good comic-booking.
That is a new word.
Feel free to use it.
Comic-booking.
The first story has a beautifully executed tale of Archie and Reggie using Jughead's limbo skills to win them a date with a sexy rock star, but in return, they need to win a hula dancing contest for HIM to get a free dinner. So THEY enlist the help of Betty and Veronica to help them win the hula contest so that Jughead gets his dinner, and they get a date with a sexy rock star.
Well, you can imagine how that will turn out!
However, Boldman goes through the paces with ease, and makes it seem so realistic and believable.
And the punchline to the story is quite good, I thought.
The next story is a prototypical Jughead story. He is too cheap to spend more than one quarter on pinball, so instead, he just plays all day long!
I love that.
That is such a simple, but highly effective, idea.
Meanwhile, his pinball winnings are drawing a lot of noteriety to himself AND the malt shoppe, until, of course, SOMEthing has to happen to bring it to a halt.
Funny story.
The last story is a silly story about a inflatable swim toy Jughead has, and all the damage it causes. It is fun, but slight.
The overall package, thought?
Recommended!
Catwoman #45
This was not a particularly good issue, but Will Pfeiffer strikes again, making a name (in my book) as one of the most inventive "setup" guys that I can think of.
Pfeiffer first got this reputation from me in his Aquaman series, where he came up with the brilliant (although not exactly used that well by the next writer) idea of giving Aquaman his own city to patrol, like Batman has Gotham.
Sub Diego was an inspired idea.
Well, at the end of this issue, he places Catwoman in a very interesting predicament. One that seems like it can have enough stories to last a year or two in the book.
DC should use Pfeiffer like this.
Drop him off on a title, have him give the book a setup, and then send him off.
I just wish that the setup did not mean a whole issue of HUSH to do so.
Yuck, I really do not like Hush.
Pete Woods' art is really, really good in this comic.
Is it colored from pencils or is he inking his own work?
It looks like the former, but I can't tell for sure.
In any event, Hush's presence is enough that, while later issues seem to be interesting, this one I will 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:
Ticks: Days of Drama #1
Eclipse and Vega: The Beds That We Make #3
Casefiles: Sam and Twitch #18
Thanks!
posted by Brian Cronin at 8/02/2005 05:47:00 AM
3 Comments:
- I prefer "comicsmithing."
- Sub Diego? Inspired? ...you feeling alright?
Tick: Days of Drama...well, it's not as good as the original series (what is?), but it's better than some of the stuff that has come out since. If you like the Tick comics, you'll like this one.
What's wrong with Sub Diego?!
I hate you, Bill!!!
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