Demand more from your noir-ish, wrong-side-of-the-law-but-actually-heroic, fighting-against-our-government comics!

I just read the second trade paperback of Sleeper, "All False Moves," and the first trade of The Losers, "Ante Up." They are almost universally praised on the Comics Blogiverse, and I was intrigued by the first Sleeper trade and Point Blank, so I thought I'd cave. As you can tell by the title of this post, I was a bit disappointed.

It's not that they're bad comics - they're entertaining, they have some decent art, the stories are fine - it's that they are overrated for what they are. What they are, essentially, are Robert Ludlum novels. Now, I enjoy Robert Ludlum novels, but no one ever accused them of being great literature. Why do we think Sleeper and The Losers are great examples of literature (in the comics realm, that is)?

The problem with the books is that they're pretty much exactly the same. The ONLY difference is Sleeper takes place in a world where super-powered individuals exist, and The Losers doesn't. Here's what we have: rogue agents fighting to clear themselves - in Sleeper, it's one guy, in The Losers, it's a group. The circumstances of their rogue status are a little different, but not much. Holden Carver has infiltrated a vast criminal conspiracy that wants to tear down the social structure of the world. The Losers are fighting to tear down the social structure of the military-industrial complex (yes, they're trying to get of the "death list," but to do that, they need to tear down the social structure of the military-industrial complex). There's a femme fatale who is hot and kicks much ass (naturally) - Miss Misery (Sleeper) and Aisha (The Losers). The art looks EXACTLY the same, even though it's two different people (unless "Jock" is Sean Phillips' alias?). Sigh.

What bugs me about them is that they are both pretty good. They're both published by DC, though (Wildstorm for Sleeper, Vertigo for The Losers). Didn't someone at DC say, when Brubaker and Diggle pitched these, "Uh, I hate to tell you guys, but we're not going to publish two titles that are essentially the same, and whoops! we're already freakin' publishing 100 Bullets!" Although, considering the editorial "direction" at DC these days, I guess it's astonishing two decent titles like this got green-lit in the first place. Sleeper is coming to an end, and I don't know how The Losers sells, but might it not be that the audience for these kinds of titles is fractured because there are such similar titles out there?

I'm also sick of the vast government conspiracy thing in comics. What a cliche. In a world where the government openly sells military equipment to Pakistan, we're supposed to believe they're keeping other arms sales a secret? Who's going to make a fuss? In a world where our president can't even get adequate intelligence about Iraq, we're supposed to believe the CIA is really running the country? I don't mind a good "vast, super-secret conspiracy" occasionally, but it's getting ridiculous. I don't like it on television (who does Sidney Bristow work for, anyway? - I don't watch the show) and I don't like it in comics. In our world, the government is mostly incompetent. Why are they so good at what they do in the comic-book world?

(An aside about that DC Countdown book - we can't stop talking about it! The government is concerned about what the superheroes might do to upset the status quo? Am I right about that particular plot line? If Superman was going to make the world better, he would have done it. Hasn't the government figured out that the superheroes are all about preserving the status quo? I know critics in our world know it, but shouldn't the DC Universe government have figured it out?)

Anyway, these two titles are praised for their grittiness, their art, their "real-world" politics, their plot twists, and their strong characters. Isn't that right? Well, the grittiness is fine. The art: I don't know, I've never been a huge fan of Phillips - he's okay, but nothing spectacular. That's just my opinion. In Sleeper, especially, he seems to cram a lot onto a page, shrinking some panels to teeny-tiny little squares, and it makes my old eyes angry! Jock - I'm telling you, it's Sean Phillips! The "real-world" politics: I love how "real-world" politics means multinationals ruling everything. I'm not saying that's not how it is, but there are other angles in politics, gentlemen! I want, just once, for a seemingly left-leaning organization to be the bad guys. Not because I'm a raving conservative - I'm as liberal as Al Franken! But wouldn't it be cool if the DC Universe's version of PETA was really a front for some evil organization? Or the DC Universe ACLU? That would shake things up - The Losers could blow away hippies who are really assassins! The plot twists: please. Is Aisha the bad guy? I don't think so. Holden goes back with TAO? Where the hell else is he going to go? The plot twists aren't bad, and they're somewhat organic to the story, but they're not drop-out-of-your-chair-and-smack-your-head-on-the-coffee-table unbelievable. The strong characters: well, they're really all stereotypes to one degree or another, aren't they? The girl who only likes to feel pain, but not in a vague, realistic kind of way, but in an overt, only-in-comics kind of way. The crazed mass murderer who is really a great guy, just pushed over the edge by the coldness of the world. The ladies man who is really just a pathetic loser when confronted by a strong woman. I could go on, but I won't (although I love Cougar - I wish he never said a word, but the few words he does say are fabulous - he's like Silent Bob!).

Anyway, both these titles could be better. It's a shame that there's probably a specialized market for stuff like this, and DC even oversaturates that. I bought Casey's run on Wildcats, because it was in this vein, but he did something fresh and interesting with the concept. I doubt if I'll be buying any more trades of these two titles. They could have been great, but they're simply retreads.

What I bought - 30 March 2005

I'm going to spoil the ending of DC Identity Countdown to Infinite Earths in Identical Crises because it sucks - it's like spoiling the end of Dude, Where's My Car? Blue Beetle gets shot in the head. By Maxwell Lord. I can't even begin to fathom the suckiness of this comic - Brian does a much better job than I ever could right below this post, so go there. God. It. Sucks.

Tomorrow's the last day to enter my Scurvy Dogs Contest - yes, I'm pimping it again, but if read Scurvy Dogs, you'll understand why. How about some out-of-context humor: "It seems we've saved the Jersey coastline from an incursion by the horrible Jerboa People of Io." Comedy gold!

Despite the suckitude mentioned above, it was a pretty quality week for the old pamphlets. Let's have a look:

Containment #3 by Eric Red and Nick Stakal
$3.99, IDW

Wait for the trade. It's a good book, but far too slow-moving to justify buying each individual issue. The zombie/vampires in space thing isn't the most original story in the world, but the homages are at least nicely done - the claustrophobic feel of the book, copped from Alien, is the best part of the book. The crew is getting whittled down, there's still treachery on board the ship, and the monsters are really fucking shit up. The art is worse this issue than the first two - everything is still murky and sloppy, but the composition of some panels is poor and doesn't really convey what's going on. It would still make a nice trade purchase, but I'm committed to getting the monthlies (for twisted reasons of my own).

GrimJack: Killer Instinct #3 by John Ostrander, Timothy Truman, and Steve Becker
$3.99, IDW

The problem with Containment is that the past two issues have been released on the same day as GrimJack, and old Gaunt blows it out of the water. This is such a fun book, even with all the grime and grit and double-dealing and noir-ish atmosphere of Cynosure. We get more back story about Gaunt and Roscoe (I have not read much GrimJack of old, so I don't know their story well), we get a vampire bar and a huge fight between Jack and Jo Chaney and some big, ugly, lampreys (not real lampreys, but vampire slaves), and ninja mimes. Yes, ninja mimes. In fact, Gaunt's line, "Next thing I knew, I was hip deep in ninja mimes," is one of those glorious lines that you can only get in a comic book. This series is loads of comic goodness, and well worth the hefty price tag.

Ocean #5 by Warren Ellis, Chris Sprouse, and Karl Story
$2.99, DC/Wildstorm

Ocean picks up the pace, since it's ending next issue, and things (holy crap!) start to happen. That's mean, since this is a very good mini-series right in Ellis's wheelhouse. We learn much more about the aliens buried under the Europan ice, and the Doors corporation makes its move (I hadn't tumbled to the fact that Doors is analogous to Microsoft until Ellis makes it clear, so I suck). Nick Fury, I mean Jackson King, I mean Nathan Kane (yeah, that's it) has to go rescue the doctor, and all manner of ass-kicking will commence on the Lido deck next issue, one presumes. Despite its occasional slow pace (I ranted about the first issue, when Ellis takes something like five pages for Kane to BUY COFFEE!), Ocean is a cool, big-idea kind of book with crisp, excellent art by Sprouse. If you're waiting for the trade, you won't be disappointed.

Otherworld #1 by Phil Jimenez and Andy Lanning
$2.99, DC/Vertigo

I've been looking forward to this ever since it was solicited, and it does not disappoint. Jimenez's art is stunning as ever, and despite its busyness and obvious Perez influence, it's still a wonder to behold. Jimenez shifts easily between the magical Otherworld and the "real" world, never missing a beat. The weird, reddish dimension where Sushil flies does get annoying, but it's a brief annoyance and doesn't detract from the story too much. Jimenez the writer continues to improve from his work on Tempest and Wonder Woman, as he gives us several brand new and fully realized characters without ever breaking the stream of the story. From one freakin' panel we get how shallow Angel is, and we also get how desperate Billie is for fame and love from one panel. These are people with real lives and real problems and real dreams, and Jimenez does a great job differentiating between them and giving them personalities with very little exposure. It's not exactly a joyous comic, as there are dark currents under the surface and mean-spirited pettiness on the surface, but at the same time, it promises action and grand adventure on a large scale. It's 12 issues long, and many of you will wait for the trade, but if you want to check out a very good comic, go pick it up.

The Pulse #8 by Brian Michael Bendis and Michael Lark
$2.99, Marvel

So Jessica Jones wakes up from a very long sleep at the beginning of the latest issue of The Pulse. Why was she so sleepy? Probably because she had just read the latest issue of The Pulse! Seriously - those people who think Daredevil moves slowly will be in a coma if they read this. It's all about the temptation of Jessica Jones - join Hydra, Jessica, and we'll provide for your baby! Jessica tells them to shove it up their ass (as if she would ever do anything different) and Clay Quartermain rescues her. This ties in with Bendis's ridiculously over-hyped and ridiculously tardy Secret Wars mini-series, and it's just ... yuck. I miss Alias.

Rex Mundi #13 by Arvid Nelson and EricJ
$2.95, Image

I know Brian doesn't like Rex Mundi, but really, who cares what he thinks? This is a superb comic, one that rewards patience and a willingness to experience it like a novel. Yes, it's slow. The first two trades should be out now, and it's probably best to read them all at once. Yes, it's a little arrogant of Nelson to plan 36 issues of his opus without wondering if it will make it that far. But still - what a book. This is EricJ's last issue, and I get the feeling it was because he was too slow and the book came out too infrequently. We'll see if it will pick up now that they have a new artist. This issue highlights everything I love about the book - the beautiful art, the deepening mystery, references to the Merovingians and the lost son of Dagobert II, political intrigue, the mysterious monster who kills anyone who stands in the way of the Duke of Lorraine, real-life politics mixed with creepy sorcery - a lot happens in this issue. Julien is still cooperating with the Inquisition, and he and a cleric find more clues about the mystery of the Priory of Sion. This issue actually cleaves close to The Da Vinci Code, which is one of the small problems I have with it - Nelson has promised the book will diverge wildly from Brown's novel, and it has occasionally, but this issue pulls it back. It's still excellent. I'm glad to see it, and highly recommend it to anyone (except Brian, of course).

Ultimate Secret #1 by Warren Ellis, Steve McNiven, and Mark Morales
$2.99, Marvel

Yes, I'm a sucker. After the excruciatingly slow pace of Ultimate Nightmare, I promised I wouldn't buy this! Actually, I just promised I'd seriously think about not buying it, but in the end, I picked it up. McNiven's pencils did it for me - they're absolutely beautiful. As for the story ... well, if you want Ellis sci-fi, pick up Ocean. This isn't bad, but it looks like Marvel is going to drag this out over five issue again. I'm actually curious to see, when the Ultimate Galactus trilogy is finished, how many issues they really needed. I may have to break them down - my guess is four issues could have done the whole thing. We'll see. Things fall down go boom! in this issue. Ultimately (get it? - I'm a comedic genius!) it's sound and fury, signifying - well, not nothing, but do we care what it signifies?

DC Countdown to Infinite Crisis Spoilers – Four Angry Bulls

I was all prepared to tell you all how bad DC Countdown to Infinite Crisis was, as both an individual comic book and a philosophical statement.

I was going to tell you about how I thought it was ham-handed because of the lack of subtlety regarding the book’s main topic, “how Blue Beetle is a loser.” I was going to mention that the book references his loserdom literally EIGHTEEN times (and yes, I did count…hehe).

I was going to mock the unoriginality of making Maxwell Lord a villain. I was going to point out that it has been done already, by Gerry Jones during his equally unimaginative run on JLA (I say unimaginative because of the fact that making Maxwell Lord a villain is right up there with making Henry Gyrich a villain. Really? The officious guy…he’s a BAD guy? No way! I’m astonished!).

I was going to mock the unoriginality of centering the story on a second-tier character just to kill them off so as to launch a bigger storyline, which was JUST done in Identity Crisis!

I was then going to go on about how amazed I was by the ability of Dan Didio, Geoff Johns, Greg Rucka and Judd Winick to refer to the book (in Dan Didio’s afterward) as a “throwback to yesterday.”

I was going to express amusement at the idea that this comic was a result of the four of them discussing “what got us hooked on comics in the first place, high-octane action, bigger-than-life adventure, inconceivable villains, and the greatest heroes overcoming impossible odds.” Especially the last bit. I was going to have great fun pointing out how having a superhero get shot in the head was not exactly a great example of the greatest heroes overcoming impossible odds.

I was going to marvel at the consistency the four of them have of reading classic comics and trying to duplicate them, but managing to take out only the stuff that was not why the comics were classics in the first place.

I was going to mark my astonishment at their unflappable ability to completely miss the point.

I was going to compare them to a group of monkeys, and say that, given flashcards with “the point” written on them, monkeys choosing randomly would have a better shot at getting the point than would these four men.

I was going to quote some incredibly on-point lines that Mark Waid wrote, as supplied by my pal Peter, from a foreword to Underworld Unleashed.

Stuff like:

Probably the single strongest creative motive governing comics over the last ten years has been embarrassment.

You know it. You've seen its ruinous effects.

Knuckle-headed well-intended creators, ashamed of corny old characters, have been -- for most of a decade -- dragging half-forgotten heroes and villains kicking and screaming into their own little hardware store of creativity. There, haunted by a guilty fear that these ancient superdoers aren't kewl enough for a generation of videogame-enhanced readers, said knuckle-headed creators graft big guns and armoured suits and homicidal personalities and grotesque deformities onto these poor costumed naifs and thus fool themselves into thinking they're doing them a good turn by bludgeoning all the innocent charm and colourful individuality out of them.

And

I had all the answers. Full of arrogance, I went trawling back through the DC archives for cannon fodder...

...reread the comics of my youth...

...and gradually, like the Grinch who heard the carol of the Whos, my heart grew three sizes that day.

What had gotten into me? Had I been possessed? Crazy Quilt. Atomic Skull. Trickster. Without half thinking about it, I knew I loved these guys every bit as much today as I had when I was eleven.

Mr. Freeze. Psycho Pirate. Killer Moth.

Okay, maybe not Killer Moth. But besides him, none of DC's villains needed the benefit of any ham-handed, arrogant "fixing". Sure, many of them were a little old-fashioned, a little quaint, but they were certainly more clever and inventive than most if not all of my own creations.

And while some of them could stand a good makeover to make them more contemporary, the trick wasn't to make them Grim and Gritty (TM), it wasn't to capriciously change them into something they weren't. The secret was to help them realize a new potential while at the same time keeping true to their origins.

And

All-in-all, with the assistance of Howard (Porter), Brian, and Inkers Dennis Janke, John Nyberg and Dan Green, I got even more out of UNDERWORLD UNLEASHED than I invested in it. Not only did they make it look terrific, but their efforts proved to me once and for all that our characters, from the most noble to the most villainous, are best served with regard, not condescension. Within each of them is a gem of creativity that must be polished and even cherished.

To treat them in any other manner would be the world of the Devil himself.

I was going to point out how Countdown to Infinite Crisis is a perfect example of what Waid is talking about, about letting shame and condescension be the building blocks of the writers who are essentially the stewards of the DC Universe.

Yes, I was going to do all this, but then something happened. My pal Brad said something that really struck me. He told me “You’re not going to write another one of those ‘DC is awful’ pieces that everyone is doing, are you?”

It then occurred to me, this really was a bit of a waste of time, wasn’t it?

Didio, Johns, Rucka, Winick…the four of them. They are so blinded by the fact that they think what they are doing is righteous, that it is a waste to try to demonstrate otherwise.

So I then found this quote from Thomas Jefferson, and I thought it was so applicable here.

In the fevered state of our country, no good can ever result from any attempt to set one of these fiery zealots to rights, either in fact or principle. They are determined as to the facts they will believe, and the opinions on which they will act. Get by them, therefore, as you would by an angry bull; it is not for a man of sense to dispute the road with such an animal.

Dan Didio

Geoff Johns

Greg Rucka

Judd Winick

They are four angry bulls, and it is not for us to dispute the road they travel.

And it’s a real shame, too, for DC Countdown to Infinite Crisis truly is a result of what happens when you get four angry bulls together in one area.

A load of bullshit.

How to fix the X-books

Most comics geeks have a soft spot in their heart for the X-Men. We either read them when were growing up, or we have been introduced to them through back issues, or we started reading them when Grant Morrison took over in 2001 and turned them on their ear. For me, it was 1989 when I started reading Uncanny X-Men, and I now own every issue (in one form or another) between Giant Size X-Men #1 and issue #94 and issue #441, when Chuck Austen finally drove me from the title. For the adjectiveless X-Men, I own all of them except between Morrison leaving the title and Milligan starting. I also own a bunch of X-related titles. I love the concept of the X-Men and usually the execution. The art is usually top-notch, and three of my favorite comic book characters are X-Men: Psylocke, Rogue, and Dazzler.

But they are in desperate need of being fixed nonetheless, because I would say 90% of the X-books today are crap. I read only Milligan's X-Men and Ultimate X-Men (which may not count), but I can tell - most of them suck.

How can Marvel fix them? Well, they're not ever going to admit there's a problem, so they probably won't "fix" them. I see a future littered with not only awful X-books, but declining sales numbers on those X-books, and this once-great franchise will die a lingering death. That would be sad, so I offer my solution, free of charge (see what a nice guy I am?).

First: cancel them ALL, EXCEPT the flagship title, Uncanny X-Men. I don't care if there's quality there; I hear District X is decent, and obviously I think X-Men is worth a look or I wouldn't be buying it. I don't care. Cancel them all. I realize this would deprive Paul O'Brien of his weekly (often hilarious) review of the X-books, but he'll get over it. There are too freakin' many mutant books, and the market doesn't need 'em, and more importantly, the reader doesn't need 'em. Do we really pine each month for Nightcrawler, or Rogue, or Gambit, or Excalibur, or New X-Men, or ... shit, there's a lot of X-books. My point is, is anyone going to throw themselves off a building if they are deprived of those books? (And no mini-series, either.)

Okay. We have one X-book - the classic. Now, we need to hire some talent. What kind of talent should that be? Well, the artist is easy. We need to get someone who can actually sustain the pace of a monthly book. Nothing kills a title faster than rotating art teams. Even Morrison's run, as brilliant as it was, suffered because of the rotating art teams. I don't know who we could get on the book, but it needs to be someone who works relatively quickly. I'm sick of prima donna artists who can't complete 22 pages in a month, especially when occasionally they reprint the same panel several times in a book (yeah, I'm looking at you, Finch). I don't know who would be a good X-artist: they've had a lot of good ones with differing styles, so it's not like they need a certain kind. Just someone who's going to do, what, 11 out of the 12 yearly issues? Is that too much to ask?

(Possible suggestions: Kolins, Hester, Romita Jr., Bagley, Porter - I don't know how fast those guys are, but they seem to be pretty good at keeping up with a schedule, and they are all decent artists.)

Okay, now a writer. I'm more of a writer kind of guy, so I can forgive weak art more than I can forgive shitty writing (although really bad art still drives me from a book). The writer for the X-Men should have a pretty good knowledge of the history of the characters. I know most do, but I'm talking Claremontian knowledge (and no, I don't want Claremont writing the book - seriously, Saurians????) of the characters. Marvel should help him out, too - I read recently that Dazzler was making a comeback, and that's apparently the latest on her. Well, I didn't know that, and I don't know in what book she's making a comeback. Marvel editors should have encyclopedic knowledge about where each character is. They should impart that to the writer.

Marvel should also tie the writer down for five years. That's at least 60 issues. They should also get that writer to tell them at least a vague outline of where the story should go. All comics should be like this, actually, but let's just stick to the X-books for now. I don't want every issue to build toward the story, but it should have a general theme going on. The writer should plan for the future, for crying out loud! Marvel should allow the writer to do his thing within certain parameters. If the writer wants to kill a character, Marvel should at least listen to the proposal instead of just shooting it down. Even if it's Wolverine (yes, I know, I'm not living in the real world, but this is my post, damnit!).

The writer should do a couple of other things. One, comedy. There's a spot for funny stuff in the X-Men. The first appearance of Jubilee was not the greatest issue, but it was charming and somewhat funny. And the X-babes went shopping! For the whole issue! A lot of people have very fond memories of Kitty's fairy tale (I'm not one of them - it's okay, but not fantastic), which was charming and somewhat funny. The X-Men shouldn't always be grim - leave that to Bruce Wayne and Frank Castle. The writer should also not be afraid to have the X-Men sit around and talk for an entire issue. Again, not all the time - but that issue when Logan and Peter go to that bar and get in a fight with Juggernaut (okay, there's a fight, but it's brief) is a good issue. Claremont always used to show the X-Men playing softball - it's a cliche, but always a nice moment. It's okay to have the X-Men sitting around shooting the shit. One of my favorite issues is #296 (I think), which was actually written by Lobdell. Jubilee bonds with Professor X, who is rapidly losing the ability to walk (I can't remember why he can walk in this issue, but it doesn't last). It's a beautiful issue. We need more of that in our X-books. This ties in with the other thing an X-writer should embrace - the soap opera aspect of the book. Some books fit this well - Amazing Spider-Man is a good soap opera book (or used to be), as is, I would think Teen Titans and Legion of Super-Heroes (I don't read them). Uncanny X-Men is another, and we shouldn't deny it!

(I don't know about writers. How about Ostrander? Maybe Ennis is he can rein in the ultra-violence, Robinson, Milligan has potential - I don't know, I'm just spitballing.)

Now, the team. I don't care, as long as it's relatively stable. My perfect team is Psylocke, Rogue, Dazzler (duh - they're my favorite characters!), Storm, Nightcrawler, and Wolverine (yes, he's overused, but he's a good character). Maybe Havok, because he was always neat and they need another guy. But I don't care - use freakin' Cannonball for all I care (but not Gambit - I would kill him quickly). It should be stable! As for all the other merry mutants running around the Marvel Universe - well, that's why we have all these idiotic books, right? Well, since there's only one mutant book now, those characters can easily guest-star, can't they? Why do we have to know what Callisto is doing every single second of the day (she has tentacles now, for God's sake - what the hell?)? Why do we care where Dani Moonstar is? It was nice to see those people show up occasionally, and now, since there's only one X-book, they can show up again occasionally, when the situation calls for it.

As for guest stars, well, the Marvel Universe needs to get back to tying things together. I know it's happening a little bit with Bendis's New Avengers and Excalibur, since Magneto is prominent in that book and Wanda's apparently the greatest villain in history, but we need a little more crossing over (not a lot, but a little). These people do know each other, after all. It would also be nice to see the mutants interact with normal humans a little more - remember them? They used to interact with humans - Stevie Hunter, that Corbeau dude, Tom and Sharon Whatever-their-last-names-are, Moira - and it would be nice to see some of that. Again, not necessarily those characters, but, you know, people (and when was the last time they went to Harry's Hideaway?).

I would also put a moratorium on two things: Magneto and Jean Grey. If Jean's alive at the beginning of this grand scheme (who the hell knows anymore?) then she's alive and she must stay alive throughout the entire run of the writer. Magneto cannot be used. He's overdone. It's annoying. Claremont had a great idea to make him a good guy, and they ruined it. Morrison had him infiltrate the school, and they ruined it. He should be put on the shelf for at least five years. FIVE YEARS, Marvel!

That's what I got. I love the X-Men, and I get sad when I think of what they have become today. I would argue that Claremont's run on the book is one of the greatest accomplishments in comic book history. Morrison's was good, but ultimately, it's not about the X-Men (think about it). Marvel needs to make some changes, and I think Joey Q needs to read this.

Of course, they won't get it really correct until they let me write it.

Three Books That I Read So That You Did Not Have To

Each week, a few books seem to slip by almost unnoticed. I figured I will try to keep you abreast of these less renowned books and whether I would recommend them, and in return, you can tell me about books that I did not have a chance to read this week, and tell me if you would recommend them!

Some spoilers ahead!

Robin #136 is a BIG improvement over last issue, simply by not having art by Damion Scott. I am not, nor have I ever been, a Pop Mhan fan, but after following Scott, Mhan's work looks like Dave Gibbons. In addition, Mhan's work here IS better than I have seen in the past. I guess I have to give a lot of credit to Sandra Hope's inks.

Willingham is trying to create a Rogue's Gallery for Robin, and quick. I must admit, he is actually doing a good job, I believe.

The archer last issue, and the Dark Rider this issue, are both interesting enough villains.

However, while the action sequences are good, I was not a fan of Willingham's dialogue between Batman and Alfred. The way they were discussing Robin just did not ring true. It seemed to me more like what Bill Willingham thinks about Tim Drake, not what Batman thinks about Tim Drake.

Stuff like, "Tim's smart - smarter than me, and maybe even smarter than you. Take my word, Alfred, we'll end up working for HIM someday, once he does a bit more growing up."

Just seemed silly.

So, all in all, I don't think I can recommend this issue, but I see signs of real improvement here.

Batman Gotham Knights #63, though, I cannot say the same.

This run of AJ Lieberman and Al Barrionuevo started off awful, and has not gotten any better.

Hmm...that might not be fair. While I still do not understand why DC gave Barrionuevo an exclusive contract, his work HAS improved to the point where he's a competent artist. Nothing special, but during his first arc, his art was actively HURTING the book, so to go from that to competent is an improvement.

One of the dumbest things about Jeph Loeb's HUSH storyline (and there were plenty of them) was the character Hush, himself. He was a cypher, and a silly one at that.

Well, Lieberman has taken on the task of filling in the blanks on Hush...and he really has not done a very good job.

Hush's appearances (and this book has basically become Batman and Hush) do not help the book at all.

The current storyline, building off events from No Man's Land (because that's what we all need, storylines dependent entirely on works of writers from five years ago), really spotlights Lieberman's lamprey-esque storytelling. First Loeb and Hush and now Rucka and Poison Ivy, Lieberman seems most at home when filling in the blanks on works of other writers.

Too bad it just plain is not interesting.

Not recommended.

Conan #14 makes up for the suckiness of Gotham Knights by rocking pretty hard.

The artwork from two artists, Nord and Mandrake, melds together beautifully. It's hard to even tell who drew what.

The story is the kind of over the top adventure that Conan works extremely well in.

I have been very impressed with how fresh Kurt Busiek has managed to give us these Conan adventures, as Conan, for years, just did not scream "interesting." Each attempt at a Conan series fell flat, so the freshness and vitality that Busiek has given Conan in this series has been remarkable.

Yes, he has been ably aided by the great art by Nord and others, but still, the stories themselves stand out.

This current story may have been streteched an issue too long, but it was still quite fun.

I especially loved the bit where Conan refuses to sacrifice himself, and passes off the burden. A very nice touch of characterization.

Still, while the characterization adds nice touches, the key to the book is the action, and the action is there with plenty to spare.

I would definitely recommend this comic.

Small week this week, so there are very few books I would like to hear about, the only ones I can think of are:

100 Bullets #59

Books of Magick: Life During Wartime #9

30 Days of Night: Bloodsucker Tales #6

So if anyone read those, feel free to fill me in!

"What I Bought" Archive

Here's a quick reference guide for Greg's "What I Bought" pieces. Enjoy!

What I Bought - March 23, 2005: 303 #4, The Ballad of Sleeping Beauty #8, Daredevil #71, The Expatriate #1, JLA: Classified #5, Livewires #2, The Manhattan Guardian #1, The New West #1, Pigtale #2, Trigger #4 and X-Men #168

What I Bought - March 30, 2005: Containment #3, GrimJack: Killer Instinct #3, Ocean #5, Otherworld #1, The Pulse #8, Rex Mundi #13 and Ultimate Secret #1

What I Bought - April 6, 2005: Barbarossa and the Lost Corsairs #1, Detective #805, Great Lakes Avengers #1, The Incredible Hulk #80, The Intimates #6, Sea of Red #1, The Twilight Experiment #3 and Zatanna #1

What I Bought - April 13, 2005: The Atheist #1, Fables #36, Mnemovore #1, Noble Causes #9, Power Pack #1 and Ultimate X-Men #58

What I Bought - April 20, 2005: Atomika #2, Billy the Kid's Old Timey Oddities #1, Beowulf #1, Catwoman: When In Rome #5, Ex Machina #10, The Iron Ghost #1, JLA: Classified #6, Klarion #1, Livewires #3, The Question #6, Small Gods #8, Trigger #5 and X-Men #169

What I Bought - April 27, 2005: Containment #4, Daredevil #72, Easy Way #1, Human Target #21, Jon Sable: Freelance #1, Otherworld #2, Supreme Power #16 and Ultimate Secret #2

What I Bought - May 4, 2005: Batman: Dark Detective #1, Detective Comics #806, Fallen Angel #20, The Gift #11, The Intimates #7, Matador #1, Ronin Hood of the 47 Samurai #1, Sea of Red #2, Shining Knight #2 and The Twilight Experiment #4

What I Bought - May 11, 2005: Desolation Jones #1, Elsinore #1, Fables #37, GrimJack: Killer Instinct #4 and Mnemovore #2

What I Bought - May 18, 2005: Batman: Dark Detective #2, Containment #5, Daredevil #73, Easy Way #2, Ex Machina #11, The Goon #12, JLA: Classified #7, Livewires #4, The Manhattan Guardian #2 and Ultimate X-Men #59

What I Bought - May 25, 2005: Barbarossa & the Lost Corsairs #2, Billy the Kid's Old Timey Oddities #2, Common Foe #1, The Expatriate #2, Girls #1, The Incredible Hulk # 81, The New West #2, Otherworld #3 and X-Men #170

What I Bought - June 2, 2005: Atomika #3, Beowulf #2, Detective #807, The Incredible Hulk #82, The Intimates #8, Matador #2, Noble Causes #10, Seven Soldiers: Zatanna #2, Small Gods #9, Trigger #6, The Twilight Experiment #5 and X-Men Unlimited #9 (NOTE: Starting here, Greg no longer reviewed individual issues of Seven Soldiers titles)

What I Bought - June 8, 2005: Action Philosophers! All-Sex Special, Batman: Dark Detective #3, Easy Way #3, Fables #38, Gravity #1, Holmes #1/Periphery #2, The Pulse #9, The Stardust Kid #1 and X-Men #171

What I Bought - June 15, 2005: Batman: Dark Detective #4, The Black Diamond On Ramp, Captain Gravity and the Power of the Vril #5, Daredevil #74, Ex Machina #12, JLA: Classified #8, Mnemovore #3, Seven Soldiers: Klarion #2, Trigger #7 and Vimanarama #3

What I Bought - June 22, 2005: Astro City: The Dark Age #1, Catwoman #44, Dream Police, The Gift #12, Girls #2, GrimJack: Killer Instinct #5, The Iron Ghost #2, Livewires #5, Noble Causes #11, Otherworld #4, Sea Of Red #3, Supreme Power #17 and Ultimate X-Men #60

What I Bought - June 29, 2005: Billy The Kid's Old Timey Oddities #3, Elsinore #2, JLA: Classified #9, Mr. T #1, Planetary #23, Seven Soldiers: Shining Knight #3, The Surrogates #1 and X-Men #172

What I Bought - July 7, 2005: Batman: Dark Detective #5, Bone Rest #1, The Intimates #9, Matador #3, Catwoman: When In Rome #6, Ocean #6 and The Twilight Experiment #6

What I Bought - July 13, 2005: All-Star Batman & Robin the Boy Wonder #1, Fables #39, Gravity #2, Desolation Jones #2, The Middle Man #1, Mnemovore #4, Seven Soldiers: The Manhattan Guardian #3, Small Gods Special #1 and Ultimate X-Men #61

What I Bought - July 20, 2005: The Atheist #2, Billy the Kid's Old Timey Oddities #4, Captain Gravity and the Power of the Vril #4, Daredevil #75, Defenders #1, Detective #808, Ex Machina #13, Girls #3 and The Goon #13

What I Bought - July 27, 2005: Astro City: The Dark Age #2, Batman: Dark Detective #6, Beowulf #3, Catwoman #45, Gødland #1, GrimJack: Killer Instinct #6, Hero Squared #1, JLA: Classified #10, Silent Dragon #1, Western Tales of Terror #5 and X-Men #173

What I Bought - August 3, 2005: Common Foe #2, The Intimates #10, Matador #4 and Trigger #8

What I Bought - August 10, 2005: Easy Way #4, Elk's Run #3, Fables #40, Gravity #3, Mnemovore #5, Noble Causes #12, Samurai: Heaven and Earth #4, Seven Soldiers: Zatanna #3, The Winter Men #1 and X-Men #174

What I Bought - August 17, 2005: Atomika #4, Bonerest #2, Defenders #2, G.I. Spy #1, Girls #4, Gødland #2, Livewires #6, Rex Libris #1, Seven Soldiers: Klarion #3, Small Gods #10 and Ultimate X-Men #62

What I Bought - August 24, 2005: Daredevil #76, The Iron Ghost #3, Jack Cross #1, The Middle Man #2 and What Were They Thinking?! #1

What I Bought - August 31, 2005: Astro City: The Dark Age Book One #3, Beowulf #4, Catwoman #46, Ex Machina #14, The Expatriate #3, Hero Squared #2, JLA: Classified #11, Seven Soldiers: Shining Knight #4, Silent Dragon #2, Supreme Power #18 and Wha ... Huh?

What I Bought - September 8, 2005: 303 #5, Detective #811, Elsinore #3, Fell #1, The Intimates #11, Noble Causes #13, Of Bitter Souls #1, Rex Mundi #14, Sea of Red #4, Seven Soldiers: The Manhattan Guardian #4 and The Stardust Kid #2

What I Bought - September 14, 2005: Desolation Jones #3, Fables #41, Gravity #4, Matador #5, Of Bitter Souls #2, Ultimate X-Men #63 and The Winter Men #2

What I Bought - September 21, 2005: Dr. Blink, Superhero Shrink #2, Girls #5, Gødland #3, The Goon #14, Seven Soldiers: Mister Miracle #1 and Supreme Power: Hyperion #1

What I Bought - September 28, 2005: Action Philosophers! #1, Action Philosophers! #3, Black Panther #8, Black Widow: The Things They Say About Her #1, Captain Gravity and the Power of the Vril #6, Catwoman #47, Daredevil #77, Defenders #3, The Gift #13, Jack Cross #2, JLA: Classified #12, Silent Dragon #3 and Ultimate Secret #3

What I Bought - October 5, 2005: Batman: Gotham County Line #1, Detective #812, Elk's Run Bumper Edition (issues #1-3), Fell #2 and Supreme Power: Nighthawk #1-2

What I Bought - October 12, 2005: Bonerest #4, Ex Machina #15, Fables #42, Gødland #4, The Goon 25¢ Edition, Gravity #5, The Iron Ghost #4, The Keep #1, The Middleman #3, Of Bitter Souls #3 and Ultimate X-Men #64

What I Bought - October 19, 2005: 303 #6, Astro City: The Dark Age Book One #4, Common Foe #3, The Intimates #12, Seven Soldiers: Klarion #4, She-Hulk #1, Supreme Power: Hyperion #2 and X-Men #176

What I Bought - October 26, 2005: The Book Of Lost Souls #1, Girls #6, Jack Cross #3, Loveless #1, Noble Causes #14, Silent Dragon #4, Small Gods #11, The Stardust Kid #3, Strangers In Paradise #77 and Surrogates #2

What I Bought - November 2, 2005: Black Panther #9, Black Widow: The Things They Say About Her #2, Catwoman #48, Daredevil #78, Defenders #4, JLA: Classified #13, Solo #7, Ultimate Secret #4, Batman: Gotham County Line #2, Beowulf #5, Desolation Jones #4, Detective #813, Jonah Hex #1, Seven Soldiers: Bulleteer #1, Supreme Power: Nighthawk #3 and The Winter Men #3

What I Bought - November 9, 2005: The Book of Lost Souls #2, DMZ #1 and Rex Mundi #15

What I Bought - November 16, 2005: Batman & The Monster Men #1, Fables #43, Hero Squared #3, Local #1, All-Star Superman #1 and X-Men #177

What I Bought - November 23, 2005: Black Widow: The Things They Say About Her ... #3, Catwoman #49, Daredevil #79, Down #1, Ex Machina #16, Girls #7, Gødland #5, Jack Cross #4, Perhapanauts #1, Seven Soldiers: Zatanna #4, Seven Soldiers: Frankenstein #1, She-Hulk #2, Ultimate X-Men #65 and Waterloo Sunset #4

What I Bought - November 30, 2005: The Expatriate #4, Fell #3, JLA: Classified #14, The Keep #2, The Middleman #4, Silent Dragon #5 and X-Men #178

What I Bought - December 7, 2005: Batman & the Monster Men #2, Detective #814, Down #2, Hard Time Vol. 2 #1, Hatter M: The Looking Glass Wars #1, Jonah Hex #2, The Maze Agency #1, Robotika #1, Seven Soldiers: Mister Miracle #2 ,Spider-Man and the Black Cat: The Evil That Men Do #4, Supreme Power: Nighthawk #4, The Surrogates #3 and Team Zero #1

What I Bought - December 15, 2005: Atomika #5, Bad Planet #1, Batman: Gotham County Line #3, DMZ #2, Fables #44, Free Fall #1, Hawaiian Dick: The Last Resort #3, Local #2, Noble Causes #15, Samurai: Heaven and Earth #5, Uncanny X-Men #467, X-Factor #1 and X-Men #179

What I Bought - December 21, 2005: The Book of Lost Souls #3, Elk's Run #4, The Goon #15, Seven Soldiers: Bulleteer #2 and Supreme Power: Hyperion #3

What I Bought - December 29, 2005: 10, Black Widow: The Things They Say About Her ... #4, Catwoman #50, Daredevil #80, Fallen Angel #1, JLA: Classified #15, The Keep #3, The Perhapanauts #2, Rex Libris #2, She-Hulk #3, Silent Dragon #6, Spider-Man And The Black Cat: The Evil That Men Do #5, X-Factor #2 and X-Men #180

What I Bought - January 5, 2006: Batman & the Monster Men #3, Down #3, The Exterminators #1, Gødland #6, Hard Time #2, Jonah Hex #3, Marlene, Seven Soldiers: Frankenstein #2, Supreme Power: Nighthawk #5 and Team Zero #2

What I Bought - January 11, 2006: DMZ #3, Daughters of the Dragon #1, Desolation Jones #5, Fables #45, She-Hulk #4, Small Gods #12, Ultimate Extinction #1 and Ultimate X-Men #66

What I Bought - January 18, 2006: Ex Machina #17, The Iron Ghost #5, The Maze Agency #2, Noble Causes #16, Planetary #24, Rex Mundi #16, Seven Soldiers: Mister Miracle #3, All-Star Superman #2 and X-Statix Presents: Deadgirl #1

What I Bought - January 25, 2006: Atomika #6, Catwoman #51, Daredevil #81, Fallen Angel #2, Gødland #7, Local #3, Nextwave #1, Spider-Man and the Black Cat: The Evil That Men Do #1-6, The Surrogates #4 and X-Men #181

What I Bought - February 1, 2006: Beowulf #6, Hard Time #3, Supreme Power: Nighthawk #6, X-Factor #3, Batman and the Monster Men #4, The Perhapanauts #3, Seven Soldiers: Bulleteer #3 and Team Zero #3

What I Bought - February 8, 2006: Action Philosophers! World Domination Handbook (issue #4), Bomb Queen #1, DMZ #4, Fables #46, Jonah Hex #4, Legends of the Dark Knight #200, The Middleman Vol. 2 #1, Tales Designed To Thrizzle #2, Ultimate X-Men #67, X-Men #182, Black Widow: The Things They Say About Her ... #5 and Ultimate Extinction #2

What I Bought - February 15, 2006: Daredevil #82, Noble Causes #17, Planetary Brigade #1, She-Hulk #5, Supermarket $1, The Keep #4 and X-Statix Presents: Deadgirl #2

What I Bought - February 22, 2006: The American Way #1, Black Widow: The Things They Say About Her ... #6, Catwoman #52, Mouse Guard #1, Supreme Power: Hyperion #4, The Warlord #1 X-Men #183 and Robotika #2

What I Bought - March 1, 2006: Batman: Secrets #1, Detective Comics #817, Elsinore #4, Ex Machina #18, Fallen Angel #3, Gødland #8, Local #4, Nextwave #2, X-Factor #4 and Team Zero #4

Ta da!!

Am I now Larry Young's bitch?

A few weeks ago, there was a bit of a tempest in a tea cup between comics reviewers and comics creators. Guy started it when he gave Demo a bad review. Larry Young got a bit snippy on his site about it. Then I said I didn't get Planet of the Capes. Larry was a little nicer to me, and suggested I check out some people who did get it. I still didn't get it, and wrote so on my own blog. Larry nicely offered to send me, gratis, copies of Proof of Concept and Astronauts in Trouble. And now I've finished them both.

Before I get to them, I want to say I think the comics blogiverse is a cool place, because of the fact that creators show up occasionally and make comments. I like that Gail Simone shows up here sometimes. I like that Warren Ellis and Kurt Busiek make comments on Fanboy Rampage. I like that Peter David and Larry Young and Will Pfeifer have their own blogs (other creators do too, but let's move on). We need to realize a couple of things, however: comics readers are going to be vocal about what they think is good and what they think sucks, and comics creators need to live with that, and comics creators are going to defend their hard work against people they see as ignorant, and comics reviewers need to live with that. I hate when emotion gets into the process. If I don't like something, that doesn't mean I think the person who wrote it should be castrated. It's just a comic book!

So: Proof of Concept and Astronauts in Trouble. Are these comics any good? Should you buy them? Well, I'd say "yes" for the latter, and "maybe" for the former. Let's start with Proof. It's a neat idea for a comic book - Larry Young himself, talking to a movie producer, about several "high-concept" ideas he has. He introduces them but doesn't finish them. It's all about the pitch. The ideas are excellent - in the distant future, vampire hunters go out one last time to kill their enemy; some kids find a wormhole and throw in a video camera; a bunch of army guys (led by Bruce Willis - these are movie pitches, ultimately) go out into the desert to kill zombie dinosaurs; the captain of a space ship gets trapped in time and goes insane; in the future, everyone's a clone of Abraham Lincoln (?); and the rise and fall of an invisible actress. The art, by a variety of people, ranges from very good ("Zombie Dinosaur" by Steven Sanders with Jeff Johns and "For the Time Being" by Jeff Johns) to merely adequate ("The Camera" by Paul Tucker). The problem with the book, obviously, is that none of them are complete stories. That's the point, of course, but it's frustrating. The cool thing about it (and about Larry's whole venture) is that he asks for e-mails telling him what stories you'd want to see as complete graphic novels (by the way, Larry - all of them except "The Bod"). He wants the fans' input, and you get the feeling he'd listen, as opposed to the faceless overlords at DC and Marvel. It's a nice book, but I'm not sure it's worth the money (yes, I know I didn't pay for it, but it's still 13 dollars).

Moving on to Astronauts in Trouble, which is the first place I heard of AiT/Planet Lar, we get a really amazing comic book. The copy I got is a nice hardcover edition with all three mini-series collected, and I recommend this book to anyone who likes comics or sci-fi or good old-fashioned adventure. The three stories showcase a variety of styles, from the high-flying adventure and space operatics of "Live From the Moon" to the spy/superhero tale of "Space: 1959" to the "Clerks"-type bullshitting of "One Shot, One Beer." Young shows himself to be adept at all these disparate styles, and he throws in some fun stuff too - Ismael Hayes, the millionaire wannabe astronaut in the first story, is obviously referring to Young as well when he says he never let anyone stand in the way of what he wants; and the way Jimmy survives the destruction of the moon base in the third story is, well, nasty (but very funny). All the stories are interrelated, but you don't need to read all of them to enjoy one of them. Matt Smith starts on art, and it's okay, but the art really takes off when Charlie Adlard comes on board. There's really a lot going on in these series - the abuse of power; the struggle of free enterprise and governmental interference; the uses of the media; the paranoia about Russian dominance of space - lots of good subtext as well as an intriguing and fast-paced surface story. But damnit, I want to know what happened to Colonel Lloyd MacAdam!

Astronauts in Trouble is a good comic. If you don't believe me, you can arm wrestle Warren Ellis to see if it's any good! But now I wonder if I'm Larry Young's bitch. He sends me free swag and I think it's good - can I dislike something that he publishes now? Despite the feelings he seems to engender in some people, I really admire what he's doing in the comics world, and my hope is that more people will do it. Everything he puts out might not be gold, but it's refreshing to know that the way Marvel and DC do things isn't the only way.

For those keeping track at home, here's what I own by AiT/Planet Lar:
1000 Steps to World Domination (definitely recommended)
Planet of the Capes (blech)
Proof of Concept (good, but not great)
Astronauts in Trouble (excellent)
Scurvy Dogs (brilliant; did I mention I'm giving it away????)

So - am I Larry Young's bitch?

This Comic Is Good - The Originals

Really, Dave Gibbons may be one of the more underappreciated comic creators out there.

Talk to any big name writer out there, and they'll gush over how great he is, not only as an artist, but as a storyteller.

And yet, he is still mainly known just as "The guy who drew Watchmen."

That is a shame, because he is conistently one of the best writers (forget his awesome art) in comics today.

The Originals is about two friends, Lel and Bok, who strive to become a member of the coolest gang out there, The Originals.

Gibbons set out to tell an autobiographical story of his youth, not necessarily his own specific experiences, but rather, the feeling of the time. However, since it is the FEEL that he most wants, not any specific occurances, he just transplanted the whole era into the future. Vespa scooters become Hover scooters, stuff like that.

One of the comments on the book, from Garth Ennis, I believe, makes reference to just how effortless Gibbons makes the comic-creating process look, and it is true.

The panels, the dialogue, it all flows together seamlessly.

As you may know, Gibbons' art is really good, and it is in full display in this comic...and Gibbons freely embraces the black and white medium...especially in the use of black panel separators.

There is no grand story being told here, really, just Lel's rise (and perhaps fall) with the Originals, so if you are looking for an epic, you will be dissapointed.

In addition, I will admit, it is a bit pricey for a comic that weighes in at less than half the size, page-wise, of Watchmen...so perhaps you would be better off waiting until it gets reprinted in a cheaper, paperback version.

But that would require waiting to read it.

I tried to wait (the book first came out in October of 2004), but I just could not...and I do not regret the decision at all.

I Can't Believe It's Brad Curran!

Yes, you may have thought eight was enough...but you were wrong!

Welcome to the blog our latest contributor (and our last, at least until maybe Easter), Brad Curran!!

Brad is a fine writer, and he insisted to me that he read enough comics to be able to contribute, so since we all love him, we had to have him come join us.

So welcome, Brad!

What I bought - 23 March 2005

Yeah, I'm posting again. You wanna make something of it? It's Wednesday, the Holy Grail day of comics!

Since I bored someone with my contention that comics are mainstream, what I bought today is somewhat mainstream, somewhat not. You can agree or disagree (I'm betting on the latter) with my purchases as you will. Bring it on!

303 #4 by Garth Ennis and Jacen Burrows
$3.99, Avatar

Nobody does war comics like Garth Ennis, but here, he changes things up a bit, as last issue saw our Russian sergeant walk away from Afghanistan with not much being resolved. Suddenly, we're in the American Southwest, and there's a sheriff whose wife has recently died. He has to deal with a series of gruesome deaths at the local slaughterhouse, but because the manager is a bigwig in town, nothing ever gets done. What the hell does this have to do with our Russian friend? Well, he shows up halfway through the book with a broken leg, being tended by a Mexican who lost some fingers at the plant. The Russian decides some slaughterhouse employees need ass-whuppings. Mayhem, presumably, will ensue (next issue).

It's a good issue. Not as good as the previous three, but it sets up nicely for the last two issues of the series. 303 is excellent comics storytelling by someone who, when he's on, is brilliant. The usual beautiful art by Burrows applies.

The Ballad of Sleeping Beauty #8 by Gabriel Benson and Mike Hawthorne
$1.99, Beckett

The series ends on a sweet note. It's not "sentimental crap," like some series have been described here recently, but it is sweet. Benson doesn't explain everything as much as I would have liked, but it's a fairy tale, for crying out loud! Beckett is putting out some excellent comics. Both this and Fade From Grace are ending, but I trust everyone is picking up Roninhood of the 47 Samurai at Free Comic Book Day, right?

Daredevil #71 by Brian Michael Bendis and Alex Maleev
$2.99, Marvel

Boy, Daredevil is cool. How can Bendis be so good on this and so, well, weak on New Avengers? He doesn't even overdo the snappy patter like he does in Powers sometimes. His run on Daredevil is a masterpiece. Disagree with me at your peril!

Okay, he's still having some trouble wrapping up his storylines. But he has no problem setting them up. This is the beginning of the tale of what happened for the year between Matt kicking Wilson Fisk's ass and the recent events in the book. It's a group of people sitting around a church basement talking about how their lives were changed by Daredevil as Kingpin. Very nice dialogue between the cast, and the girl who tells the main story is both tough and vulnerable and embarrassed about her "relationship" with Murdock. Bullet shows up, but he's just cannon fodder. Maleev's fight scenes have gotten much better, and the whole "Murdock-as-Jesus" thing that Bendis sort of has going is nicely done. Since it's a Ten Commandments vibe Bendis is doing with this story, maybe not Jesus. Maybe just God. It's good. Pick it up!

The Expatriate #1 by B. Clay Moore and Jason Latour
$2.95, Image

I've been looking forward to this book for a while, and it's finally here. I don't have high hopes for it being on schedule, because, let's face it, when was the last time we saw an issue of Hawaiian Dick? (That might not be Moore's fault, however.) This is a cool issue - dirty and rough art, intriguing story, good noir characters. The CIA is after some guy for an undisclosed reason in some banana republic down south. Local politics, lots of violence, people dying left and right, a breakneck pace, mysterious femme fatale - man, this is cool. We'll see if it keeps up - I really like it. And there's a funny one-page "story" by Steven Griffin (get on that next issue of Hawaiian Dick, Griffin!)

JLA: Classified #5 by Keith Giffen, J. M. DeMatteis, Kevin Maguire, and Joe Rubinstein
$2.99, DC

If you don't laugh at some of this, you have no soul. That's not to say you should love it, but there's a joke in here for almost everyone. The nice thing about this book is not the rather lame story or the constant jokes at Booster Gold's expense (the marriage to the old woman bit is getting old), it's the fact that Giffen and DeMatteis really make us believe these people are comfortable with each other and love each other. The conversation between Ted and Kara is one of the nicer ones we've seen in superhero comics in a while. Billy Batson gets some nice lines, too. I love Bea, and I like the "mother hen" aspect of her personality with regard to Mary Marvel. At the end of the issue, the team finally goes to hell (thanks to Booster), and next issue we'll probably get some action. This issue, however, is just fine. It's a pleasure to read something like this.

Livewires #2 by Adam Warren, Rick Mays, and Jason Martin
$2.99, Marvel

I wasn't sure if I'd like this series, but the first issue was a blast and a half, so I'm on board, since it's only six issues. Warren is just having fun, and it's kind of a nice change. We learn a little more about the robots (it's quite funny how they don't like that word) and Stem Cell finds out some things about her new consciousness that's pretty funny. The story is a little wacky and probably doesn't make much sense if you really look at it (I choose not to), but who cares? I like the fact that this takes place in the Marvel Universe (Nick Fury has a cameo), but doesn't require you to know anything about it. It's straight fun comics.

The Manhattan Guardian #1 by Grant Morrison and Cameron Stewart
$2.99, DC

Although I'm totally committed to Morrison's Seven Soldiers epic, this issue was just kind of okay. I like Jake's job interview, and the idea of a newspaper whose readers are the reporters and which decides to employ its own superhero is neat. The Subway Pirates are ... well, unusual, I suppose, but I don't know if they really work yet. It's nice to see pirates, however - first, Scurvy Dogs, then El Cazador (gone but not forgotten!) now this, soon Sea of Red - it's a pirate renaissance! And why are Jake's wife and friend (it's not his father, is it his father-in-law?) Larry taken by the pirates at the end? This is okay, but not as good as the first couple of Seven Soldiers issues.

The New West #1 by Jimmy Palmiotti and Phil Noto
$4.99 (!), Black Bull Entertainment

As much as I hate padding Gareb Shamus's coffers, this is one beautiful comic book. It's way too much money for a two-issue series, but it does pack quite a bit of story into it, I suppose. Los Angeles is experiencing a loss of power because almost a year ago, Korean terrorists detonated a pulse bomb over the city. Not the rest of the country, apparently, so why the power has been out for eight months is not explained - did every other part of the country say, "Ha! Those Hollywood liberal bastards got what was coming to them!"? Anyway, the mayor has been kidnapped, and disgraced ex-cop Dan Something-or-other, who is disgraced because right before the bomb hit he was in the process of getting the mayor's kidnapped daughter killed, has to deliver the ransom (the kidnappers asked specifically for him). He kills a lot of them with his groovy samurai sword and finds out some interesting things about the rest. He also has some sort of relationship with the mayor's wife and a weird relationship with the mayor's other daughter, who shows up naked in his bed early on (he doesn't sleep with her, because apparently she's underage). It's a decent enough book, but I'm not sure it's worth the money.

Pigtale #2 by Ovi Nedelcu
$2.95, Image

I really want to like Pigtale. It's an independent comic, it's whimsical, it's got a nice touch of drama, and it's set in Portland, OR, which might be the greatest city on earth. I want to like it ... but I don't. I can't get past the wacky art, and the talking pig (and all the other talking animals) and how the wolf looks nothing like a wolf. It's a fun little comic, but not worth the money. I'm giving it one more chance - I don't know when issue #3 is coming out, but I want to see if the story gets any better. It's too slight a story, and the art doesn't overcome that.

Trigger #4 by Jason Hall and John Watkiss
$2.99, DC/Vertigo

This is another title on my watch list - the current story wraps up in issue #6, and I'll see then if I want to keep buying it. It's getting more intriguing with each issue, so it might survive, but we'll see. I like that Carter is starting to piece together his memories and try to find out what turned him into a killer, but I'm still frustrated by the story involving Vidalia the schoolgirl - it gets a little clearer this issue, but not much. Is it wrong for me to be bothered by the fact that Ethicorp's executive vice-president, Lucas Darke, is black? That was just ... stupid, I guess. Watkiss's art is beautiful.

X-Men #168 by Peter Milligan, Salvador Larroca, and Danny Miki
$2.25, Marvel

Three issues into my return to the X-books, and I'm a little happier with what Milligan is doing. The X-Men are still zipping around the globe way too quickly (they go from Jerusalem to Los Angeles to Salem Center in this issue - and what was the point of them in Israel, anyway - I know they had to get another monster there, but it was just a weird aside) and the evil mutant, Boy, seems to take over situations remarkably quickly, but I like the fact that Milligan has a good handle on the characters and also is willing to make things a little creepier than the X-books usually allow. The final panel is chilling, and makes me boldly hope that next issue is like issue #6 of Sandman - "24 Hours." It won't be, but I can hope. It's still not the greatest issue, because as effective as the X-Men are one minute, they're completely helpless the next (WTF?), but it's better than the first issue of the arc, and shows more promise than the last issue. Milligan, unfortunately, can't go full bore into the weirdness that lurks in his mind, but he's skirting the edges.

Yeah, it's a lot of comics. The ones I highly recommend: 303, Daredevil, The Expatriate, JLA: Classified, and Livewires. Good stuff, all.

I would be remiss if I didn't pimp my contest. I'm giving away a copy of Scurvy Dogs. If you haven't read it, you're missing out. Anyway, go here for all the details!

I'm done for a couple of days, I promise!

Comics ARE mainstream

I have some Newcastle Brown Ale in me and Jane's Addiction echoing in my ears and I'm too wired to sleep, so I thought I'd mention something that struck me recently:

Comics are so mainstream, it's not even funny.

I'm re-reading Paul Sammon's excellent book Future Noir: The Making of Blade Runner, and came across a nugget about Ridley Scott and the design of the film. Scott said he was influenced by the work of one Jean Geraud, better known as Moebius. This is in the late 1970s/early 1980s, and arguably the most influential SF film in history took some of its look from, you guessed it, comic books.

Comics geeks often sit around and wonder how to introduce comics to the mainstream. I'm one of them. Well, maybe people aren't going into their local ye olde comics shoppes and picking up a monthly pamphlet, but comics are everywhere. We need to stop worrying and go with the flow. Look! It's Sin City! Look! It's The Fantastic Four! Look! Entertainment Weekly has a huge feature on the making of Sin City! Comics are everywhere. Physicists are writing books about parallel universes. Sound familiar? This article in yesterday's Arizona Republic is all about teens reading graphic novels that they've checked out of libraries. It even mentions Blankets, for crying out loud!

The fact is, whether or not people are reading comics, they are being influenced by a comic book sensibility. The only reason they're not reading them are because they still think of comics as being "for children," and they don't want to make the weekly economic commitment. Other than that, a lot of America likes comics, whether they know it or not.

Yes, but how does this pertain to the idea that comics should be good? Well, we need to get over ourselves. Sure, comics should be good, but once something goes mainstream, you have to contend with the mass audience, those people who made The Pacifier the number one movie in the country. In short, the masses like crap. Colin Cowherd, who has a radio show on ESPN, said a few months ago that you know you're mainstream when the die-hards accuse you of selling out. He was talking about hockey, but he might as well have been talking about comics. Who gives a shit if comics creators are selling out and pandering to the lowest common denominator? It's all subjective anyway, despite what some may think. What matters is that when you mention that Sin City or Ghost World or From Hell is based on a comic book, people don't automatically think, "It must suck then." Let's face it - a lot of popular culture is shit. Sin City itself looks awful. Seriously - have you really looked at the commercials? Blech. But it doesn't matter, because comics have entered the mainstream. We as fans need to get off our high horses and embrace that.

And we can always take satisfaction that we were here first.

And Then There Was Pol

The hits just keep on coming!

Welcome to the blog the latest new contributor, Pól Rua!

Note that we will call him Pól, as we already have two Pauls.

Pól is great.

You will all love him.

And not argue with him, for he is all-knowing and lovable.

Welcome, Pól!!

Who the hell am I?

Hi everybody (say it in your best Nick Riviera voice). I'm Greg Burgas, and Brian nicely invited me to be a contributor to this blog. I'm not as angry as Alex (that's not a dig; I liked his anger) and I'm probably not as smart as Joe Rice, but I know a thing or two about comics, so I'll be saying what I think here.

I started buying comics in 1988, when my best friend (then and now) told me that Batman #426 would be interesting, since they were going to kill off Robin. Mike Mignola's cover pulled me in, and an addiction was born. Now I have long boxes threatening to take over my garage and a patient wife who shakes her head whenever I wax poetically about how cool Dazzler is. Such is the life of a comics geek.

I do some comics-related stuff over at my other blog, Delenda Est Carthago (I'm also a history nerd), but nothing to do with comics-related news or future comics - I just don't have the time to scan the comics web sites when others do it so much better than I do. Every week I'll tell you what comics I bought and if they're any good, and I've been going through my back issues to tell you what comics you should own - next up: The Atlantis Chronicles! (In a few weeks - I have to re-read them.) I also pull some other weird crap out of my head occasionally - just a few days ago I wondered if there are any good murder mysteries in comics. So that's what I'm going to be doing on this blog - no covers of upcoming issues (I'm a Luddite, so all this tech is a little beyond me), no bashing of John Byrne (well, maybe a little), and no slavish fanboy crap (I'm a fanboy, sure, but I have a brain). Just what I like and why - feel free to disagree - this is America (still)!

If you like Marillion and ABBA, we'll get along fine.

New Kids On The Block

Welcome to the blog two new contributors - Greg and Chad!

Greg has a cool personal blog of his own here.

Chad had a blog, but it was just comic stuff that he is going to be posting here now, so why bother linking you to it? Heh.

So give them both a nice welcome!

Most Pretentious Comic Book Moment

pre·ten·tious

adj.

1. Claiming or demanding a position of distinction or merit, especially when unjustified.
2. Making or marked by an extravagant outward show; ostentatious.
   

So I was going through my old issues of Batman, looking for Chase's first appearance, when I came across some issues in the early #500s, and my memory was instantly jogged back to what I think was the most pretentious thing I have ever seen in a comic book...

Doug Moench and Kelly Jones' run on Batman

Doug Moench and Kelly Jones had worked together on some well-received Elseworlds graphic novels when Jones signed on to be the regular artist on Batman (inked by John Beatty), written by Moench.

The moment of pretentiousness occured in their very first issue, where, on the first page, they had a little box where they signified the beginning of their run with "DM-KJ-JB 1".

For the rest of the run, they had that box, because, you know, such a historical team just HAD to be acknowledged (Even worse was later on, when Mark Buckingham became the regular penciler on Shadow of the Bat, and Alan Grant COPIED the bit!! Less pretentious, of course, than being the first one to think of it, but still incredibly dorky)!!

I do not believe that I have ever seen anything else in a comic book that better encapsulates the word "pretentious" than that move by Moench and Jones.

Anyone beg to differ?

Three Comics That I Read So That You Did Not Have To

Each week, a few books seem to slip by almost unnoticed. I figured I will try to keep you abreast of these less renowned books and whether I would recommend them, and in return, you can tell me about books that I did not have a chance to read this week, and tell me if you would recommend them!

Some spoilers ahead!

The Blade of Kumori #4 - I really do not think that I like the idea of Grafiksismik. Grafiksismik is a full service art studio (artists and colorists) that does a lot of work for Devil's Due (plus other studios). They give the credit the studio, not the individual artist. I do not like that. I admire the togetherness of the studio, but I would prefer each individual artist to be credited with the book, for both a "giving credit where credit's due" reason and also a "so we know what to expect from the art" reason.

In any event, "Dub" of Grafiksismik draws this issue, which is written by Ron Marz. The Blade of Kumori is about an assasin named Kumori who is trying to come to terms with her life (and the secrets of her seemingly superpowered abilities). The key to the book is the interaction between Kumori and the American superhero Great White, who she was assigned to kill in #2, but she refused.

Two issues later, he is still in her thoughts, and she in his.

This certainly has the making of an interesting comic book, but I do not think that Marz has put it all together yet. The best issue of the series so far, in my estimation, was #2, which showed Great White trying to connect with Kumori. Marz found a strong character dynamic, and worked it well.

Then he went away from it for most of the next two issues.

In addition, in this issue, there is a hamhanded scene with Great White and one of his associates as she decides to put the moves on him, and we learn that he is still hung up on the Japanese assassin he only briefly met. I understand what Marz is trying to get out of the scene, but it is just so clumsy. We saw some friendly banter between Great White and his compatriot in #2, but nothing more of her until this issue, where suddenly she's strutting in with a tight little red dress to seduce him. For a book that has taken its time with the storyline, sudden rushes like that are just highlighted more.

Finally, Dub's art does not actively hurt the book, but nor does it assist the book much.

Next issue is going to be all Great White and Kumori (he decides to go to Japan and she decides to prove herself by killing him), so h0pefully the book will be on track, but for now, I have to say that this book is not recommended.

Manhunter #8 - I feel bad for enjoying this issue, because a lot of the reason why I enjoyed this issue more than others is because it did not give us much insight into the character of Kate Spencer.

I really dislike the woman behind the Manhunter mask.

I like the idea of having a flawed heroine, but Kate is more annoying to me than flawed. I do not like how, for me, the most sympathetic person in the book is her assistant, who has made a career of working for super villains. This issue, though, was all action, so I did not have to worry about her annoying (to me) personality.

In addition, the real star of Manhunter is Jesus Saiz's art, and this issue is without it, so that is a letdown, but Javier Pina does a good job filling in.

There is a little too much Identity Crisis tie-in for my tastes (why must every book in the DC Universe be tied together?!?!?), but it is thankfully understated (and I understand that the book needs all the readers it can get).

My pal, Loren, will have to help me out here, as he looooves prosecutors, but it seemed a bit odd to me that Kate, in the trial, kept trotting out character witnesses for the VICTIM. I really do not get how the evidence was relevant, but I was never much into prosecutions, so hopefully he can fill me in.

Forgetting everything else, her assitant Dylan is still cool. I really dig him, and Andreyko gives him all the best lines in the book. If only HE could be Manhunter....ah well.

If the above stuff sounds like it is your bag, then you might like it, but I do not think that I can rightfully recommend this issue either.

Catwoman #41 - This is the first part of a fill-in arc before Will Pfeiffer takes over the title (I wonder what THAT will be like). It is written by a name I am unfamiliar with, Matteo Casali, and drawn by Brad Walker and Jimmy Palmiotti (who also inked Manhunter #8, by the by).

The story is fairly straightforward.

The Romanian mob is using human slaves as prostitutes, and also having illegal dog fights. Meanwhile, someone is killing the Romanian prostitutes, and Catwoman is investigating.

That is basically the entire issue's plot totally summed up.

What Casali does well, though, is the details of the plot. The thoroughness of the scenery and the characters is very accomplished. It is something that I think will serve him well if he gets a shot at a gig with a little more freedom (as compared to a quick fill-in arc between writers). Here, he is basically just writing Ed Brubaker's Catwoman, but it is not offensive to any Brubaker fans ,I do not think.

Walker, meanwhile, is really impressing me more and more with his work. This issue had a fullness that I have not yet seen from him. I liked it.

In any event, while there was a lot here to like, and a lot of promise for future good things from both the writer and the artist, I do not think that I could truthfully recommend this issue.

Okay, now on to the books I have not read this week:

Freedom Force #3
Lullaby Wisdom Seeker #1
Digital Webbing Presents #21
Hopeless Savages B-Sides All Flashback SP One Shot
Shaolin Cowboy #2

Street Angel - "Mrs. Potato Head Comics"

However will the title tie in?

As per a request by Adam, today's "You Decide" is Street Angel, specifically the first four issues.

Street Angel is about a young homeless girl named Jesse Sanchez who fights "for the poor, the forgotten, and whenever possible, for food."

The book is written by Brian Marcua and Jim Rugg, with art by Jim Rugg.

The first thing you really notice about Street Angel are the striking covers by Jim Rugg. The main cover for each issue has the design coolness of James Jean, which is heady praise. In addition, on the back cover, he explores various styles for different takes on Street Angel. It is fun stuff.

Street Angel is a really fun, entertaining book.

The key to the fun and entertainment of the book, however, is not totally due to Jesse Sanchez, star of the book.

She is fine, don't get me wrong.

But she is basically a potato.

Potatos are good, nourishing tubers. They give you plenty of vitamins, and they can fill you up nice.

Just like Jesse.

Drawn by Rugg (who does a very nice job with the art on the book), Jesse appear as an actual young teenaged girl. It is good to see someone draw a girl to look like, well, a girl. However, beyond the fact that she is homeless and she is a great fighter for the side of good, Jesse does not have much in the way of a personality (#4 shows that perhaps that is changing).

So she is the potato.

The rest of the book?

Now they're what makes the book Mrs. Potato Head.

Surrounding Jesse is a cast of hilarious characters. Ninjas are used heavily, and they are most amusing. They are treated in the book more as comic foils than anything else. They take over a fire house and cross out "Fire" and write "Ninja" in the name of the building.

But there are more, like the Irish astronaut who learned to speak "Australian," because it was considered to be a friendlier language for aliens.

A time travelling Cortez and the Incan god Inti.

Dr. Pangea.

The Mayor's Daughter.

Bald Eagle (especially Bald Eagle, the legless torso who never falls off his skateboard).

The inside front cover of #1 has Jesse battling a squid. In the inside front covers of every issue following that one, we see Jesse battling the squid...at chess, in a wrestling match, in a cowboy duel, etc.

All of these extra trappings are the equivalent of Mrs. Potato Head's accoutrements.

They are what transforms a good book (which would be a book just about Jesse) into a GREAT book (which is a book about Jesse and everything else).

Before I close, I have to spotlight #4. In the first three issues, we meet a variety of crazy, goofy characters, so in #4, the writers decide to suddenly show us what Jesse goes through living on the streets, and they decide, out of nowhere, to do it without humor. It is an awesome buzz kill.

A very inspired decision.

Now I just have to go get #5....hehe.

Fewer Nerds Than Before

As you may have noticed, Joe Rice is no longer a contributor to the blog.

I know, I know, it sucks.

I agree.

But you, like I, have to respect his decision.

But that is why there were no new entries the last couple of days.

So thanks for a lot of excellent pieces, Joe!

We will (I know I certainly will) miss them.

Totally Random Reviews

I haven't read this week's new releases as of yet, so I just mixed up the advance reviews from last week that I read already and picked out four books that I'll give a totally random review of.

Some spoilers!!!

Angeltown #5 - I dislike this in movies, in fiction, and in comics - when a mystery story only becomes really interesting at the end, when the secrets and killers are revealed. Especially when the story is confusing and all over the place up until the end. That is the problem I found with Angeltown. This was my favorite issue of the series, and I think that is because Gary Phillips knew he had to wrap everything up, so he actually devoted time in the comic to {gasp} advancing the plot!! This was not the case for issues #2-4, where the story basically went nowhere. Suddenly, it's the last issue, and we see lots of movement. I enjoyed it, but I would have enjoyed it a heck of a lot better if it had just been like this the whole series. Great art, as usual, from Shawn Martinbrough.

Spider-Man Unlimited #8 - This issue has two stories, and they work sort of like a "Goofus and Gallant" approach for writing stories in anthologies like this book. The first story, written by Joe Hill (like the labor leader! Joan Baez would be proud), with art from the awesome Seth Fisher, is the sort of wacky story that this book is designed for, the type of story that would not fit into the regular Spider-Man book, and is not really clever enough for anything more than a short story, but fits well for a short story. The story is basically "Jackass in the Marvel Universe." Three guys are doing a TV series where they recreate Spider-Man's feats, and hilarity ensues. Fun story.

The SECOND story, though, is an example of an approach I dislike in these anthologies, in that the writer has this writing device, and tries to formulate a story around said writing device. Like when the whole story exists for a "twist." This story, written by Joshua Ortega, with really nice art by Ryan Sook (drawing in a much different style than usual), is built around a narrative device that is more the star of the story than is the story itself. Then again, while I did not like the approach, it was still a decent story...I just wish Ortega would have spent less time on the "clever" writing device, and more on just writing a good short story.

Marvel Knights 4 #16 - Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa has really developed into one of the best superhero writers Marvel has working for them. In this storyline, Aguirre-Sacasa spins a tale that appeals to both new fans, but also older fans. It appeals to people who hate continuity and it appeals to people who like continuity. The story is a take off on the classic "Fantastic Four travels through time." He admits that this story is not super original, but partially, by admitting this, he avoids the pratfall of "this is just ripping off ____." However, Aguirre-Sacasa manages to still do new stuff with the time travelling, which is impressive.

However, Jim Muniz hurts the book. To go from Steve McNiven to Jim Muniz?

Yikes.

Wolverine #26 - First off, I am irked by the whole "we're no longer going to have John Romita Jr. draw the covers" thing. As to the story...there is not much there, really. Eight pages for the freakin' Gorgon's origin - who I think is a silly villain. However, the whole stabbing himself bit WAS cool. The next bit, with the villains was cool, but the whole "X-Men are too incompetent to keep Northstar from being kidnapped" thing was just way too stupid. And I love how Millar had to toss some cynicial stuff in there, too - "The X-Men make you do a will at 14." Wow...why don't they all just slice their wrists? Life is so terrible.

The deprograming of Wolverine was interesting, and I will admit it...the ending WAS a cool shot.

I'll have some more thoughts later after I read this week's books!

Helping You To Buy Good Things

As always, mucho credit to Erin Schadt.

First up is a Scurvy Dogs TPB, for under 10 bucks, from Amazon (how sad is it that Amazon is cheaper than Ebay for this one?). There's surprisingly very little Scurvy Dogs trades available on Ebay...a lot of OTHER Scurvy Dogs stuff, though, like T-Shirts and stickers. Weird.

Amazon comes through again, with a Street Angel TPB, for under 12 bucks.

Ebay redeems itself by having two options for you to buy the Mother Russia storyline in The Punisher Max. This one is expiring in five days, and begins at 10 bucks. This one is expiring in five days, and begins at 4 bucks. In addition, you can always pre-order the TPB from Amazon for about 10 bucks.

Going towards Mark Waid's first run on Flash, this guy has a lot of small lots of Flash books from Waid's run. In addition, there are five trade collections of parts of Waid's run on Flash.

Born To Run (his first story arc) - available for $6.50 here, $8.49 here and $9.07 here.

Return of Barry Allen - available for $4.50 here and $8.49 here.

Terminal Velocity - The complete set of comics is available at a $5.00 starting bid, ending in a day here, the trade is available for a starting bid of $7.50, ending in a day here, and the trade is available for $8.82 here and $9.99 here.

Dead Heat (crossover with Impules) - available for $5.99 starting bid, ending in 4 days here and for a flat $9.99 here.

Race Against Time - available for $7.50 here and $9.99 here.

If you hurry, Alan Davis' entire run on Excalibur as writer/artist is only going for a buck, with an hour to go here!

Finally, here's a copy of The Punisher - Welcome Back Frank, going for under 18 bucks.

More Ralk: Better Comics

So most comics are real turds and I hate them. That much you know already. But what about the rest? What about the real brilliant things that just explode into your mind and your heart? Now, obviously there's no set formula to making better comics, but if Comics indeed Should Be Better, what are some ways that comics TEND, at least, to be better.

To help me out, I'm going to look at three Great Comics of yesterday and three from today. From the archives, representing Great Comics gone by, we've got Preacher, Lone Wolf and Cub, and Eightball #23. From ongoing stuff that is very Heart-able, let's look at Street Angel, the Goon, and Amazing Joy Buzzards.

Now, why did I pick these comics, Brad Curran might ask (Lex is too busy coddling his Teen Titans comics to care). Well, they are all GREAT comics. They also have completely different creative teams, no repeats there. You'd be hard-pressed, though, to find a more varied selection of six books. Sure, they're all great, but that's pretty much the only thing they have in common. Emphasis on "pretty much."

If they DO have something else in common, is it not fairly safe to assume that said commonality may have SOME sort of tie into what, exactly, makes these books great? That is to say, if all these otherwise-completely-different Great Books share some qualities, perhaps those qualities are inherent in Great Books period. What qualities, then, do they share? Well, from where I sit (about an inch in front of Alex's cardboard model of a keep), they share:

1. Creator-passion content
2. Elasticity
3. Emotion

1. Creator-passion content

Some books, most books, anybody could make. Whether the book is superhero, autobio, horror, whatever, about 99% of the time it's a generic lump that, even when well-crafted, bares no authorial touch aside from the occasional tic or habit in form. But these six great comics (and, of course, I'm betting others) differ from that prototype. Could anyone other than Garth Ennis have written Preacher? I love Grant Morrison more than is healthy, but that book could never have come from him. The Goon sans Eric Powell would be like a John Lennon album without John Lennon. These are books that are FILLED with the idiosyncrasies and passions of the creators (textual and artistic). Smith and Hipp's loves, as closely as they seem to match up with my own, make Amazing Joy Buzzards the delight it is. When creators stuff their work with things they love outside of their work, it goes from job to passion. The work is elevated to higher artistic grounds. The creators love the work more, that love translates to the page, and into the reader. Street culture, blaxploitation, ninjas, homelessness, and teenage strife flow together under Jim Rugg and Brian Maruca to make a comic so goddam fun you can't help yourself. When a work goes from a job to a passion, it goes from Good to Great.

2. Elasticity

But despite what your mamma may have told you, just love and passion aren't enough to destroy you. The second thing these six great comics have in common is elasticity. They're elastic in form and in content. Lone Wolf and Cub can be used to tell harrowing dramatic tales, all-out Samarai action, or even paternal love stories. It can be fast-paced, or slow, or switch at will between the two. The Goon can crack tard jokes on one page, thrill you with a punch-'em-up on the next, and then dedicate an issue to actual sentiment. Eightball #23 is elasticity of form personified (er, comic-ified?) with its multiple genres and styles contained within a single binding. All these comics are stretchable to different moods, different styles, different stories, and different interpretations. Look at most of the comics out there. They sustain a single mood or style [be it "excitement," sarcasm, bittersweetness (hello, Astro City)] and a single type of story. Good as they may be, they are Not Great.

3. Emotion

The last one's probably the most nebulous, but it is one personally important to this here critic. Let me explain via Quentin Tarantino's Kill Bill movies. The first one was a romping, quoting, "DJ directed" film taken from some of my favorite films and genres. It left me totally flat and disappointed. Quotes without content, tributes without sacrifice. The second came along, and surprised the hell out of me with actual emotional content. There were characters you could actually care about and feel for, not just cheer for. Cheering is all well and good, but if you want to be Great . . .you need emotion. Even the apparent slightest of these books, Amazing Joy Buzzards is infused with some sort of emotion (in this case, most often unbridled, well, joy). Street Angel has a loneliness and a hope rarely seen in modern works. And fuck you if you can read Lone Wolf or Preacher and not give a damn about the characters, because you're an asshole! Granted, this rule is the least "hard and fast" of three rather un-"hard and fast" rules to begin with, but I believe I've made my point.

Using these three commonalities of six Great (but wildly differing) comics, its interesting to look at other great comics and see if they fit. So far, to me, they seem to. Whether you're looking at Seven Soldiers, Invincible, Sleeper, Lee/Kirby FF, or Sin City you keep running into Creator-passion Content, Elasticity, and Emotion. If you're one of those fools out there actually trying to write these damn things, keep these three items in mind. I can't promise you a home run, but at least you'll be swinging your bat in the right direction.

* Note - I find it interesting, re-reading Cunard's Idea post, that it rather goes well with this. His Ideaspace junk has merit, as we're pulling from similar areas. Which is probably just fancy pseudo-mystical bullshit for "Great minds think alike, and fools seldom differ.