Take a look at the cover of Krachmacher #1, by Jim Campbell (today's You Decide).
That's a weeeeird cover, eh?
But you know what, Krachmacher is a weird book, so it works.
Krachmacher #1 is an anthology of stories by Campbell.
The first one continues right from the cover (the cover is essentially the first page of the story), and it depicts a college girl and her three guy friends as well as another college girl who is too incredibly perfect.
Marianne (the protagonist) cannot seem to do anything right, while Elke (the other girl) seems to do EVERYthing right.
Campbell, especially with his art, captures the nervous energy of someone who is invited along with a group of people but is never absolutely sure they WANT her along.
After all, if she thinks she pales to Elke, what do OTHERS think?
Why do they want to hang out with her? She's not funny, she's not interesting, she's not beautiful...why do they want to hang out with her?
All of that gangly goodness is achieved to perfection with Campbell's art (heck, just look at that cover! Look at the guarded way she bites into her sandwich....what great stuff).
In addition, when Marianne gets nervous, she tells stories...stories that sound absolutely way too bizarre to be true (including being forced by her parents to scrounge up her own dinner as child by whatever is around their boat), but Campbell makes a point not to tell us that they are NOT true. It is almost like Marianne CHOOSES to tell these outlandish stories because she thinks they ALREADY think she is a freak, so she hopes to at least give them a good reason to think she is one!
However, by the end of the issue, as the group all find themselves trapped at a beach, we learn that there IS something out there...and maybe Marianne's stories are NOT that unbelievable.
Definitely makes you interested in the next issue.
The second story is a goofy story about an old man fighting against a robot trying to take over the world.
The final story is a creepily funny story about a dude who wears a wolf hat and hangs out with a piece of meat that "talks" to him.
Think about the Son of Sam as a comedic character (sans killing, of course....so far).
Some trippy stories here, but also entertianing ones. Well worth a purchase, I think.
Kingdom of the Wicked - Don't Judge This Book By Its Cover
Look at that cover...
That is not a good cover.
I mean, it is a fine drawing of what it IS, but what it does NOT do is give you a good idea as to what the comic is ABOUT.
Kingdom of the Wicked (today's You Decide) is a story about a super-successful children's author who gets transported to the fantasy world he created when he was a child.
The only thing is that a lot has changed since he last visited this world of his imagination when he was seven, and the fairy tale world he created is now besieged by a long, bloody war.
That's what the cover depicts - the teddy bear-like creatures in the trenches. So the cover scene DOES occur in the book, but the story is more about a man coming to grips with guilt over what he let happen to his childhood fantasies, or rather, what another man decided to do to his fantasies.
Ian Edgington was lucky to work with D'Israeli on this project, as everything Edgington can think of, D'Israeli is more than capable of depicting. Specifically, D'Israeli has to make teddy bears fighting World War I look believable, and he DOES.
This is a fine story, even if the villain of the piece is more than a little too creepy.
In addition, the story really reads like the beginning of an ongoing series that just ended abruptly, rather than a cohesive piece.
The whole thing ends on the protagonist's THIRD trip to the fantasy world. That struck me as quite short. Especially because the villain supposedly could have ended it at any time, and we are told he is dragging this out because it is more fun. Okay...if that's so, then why end it so quickly?
On top of that, the protagonist doesn't really DO much to save the day.
However, those are minor quibbles with what was an enjoyable look at what would happen if make-believe creatures had to go to war. Quite similar, in fact, to Fables' similar storyline (the war part, not the other stuff). The characterizations of the creatures was great, as well. Also, the stories of how the villain corrupted the town was pretty sick stuff, so that was good. Always nice to have a good villain.
So I would definitely recommend picking this book up, just look past the cover!!!
"Somebody kicked my dog Mavis and I'm gonna find out just who the hell it was. I'm all messed up on cough syrup right now, so just like never mind."
So ... what's up? I was sick all weekend, and somewhat heavily medicated, and I think my evil alter ego must have gotten out of the cage I keep him in deep in my brain. I call him Chilperic. Bad Chilperic! I hope he didn't do anything to piss anyone off ... but if he did, as a peace offering I'll send a pie to anyone who can identify the above quote!*
Here's what found its way into my subscription box this week:
This is a beautiful book (the two-page "fight" is particularly spectacular) and it's nice to see an Ellis protagonist who's NOT Samuel L. Jackson, but is anyone else worried about Ellis like I'm worried about both him and Morrison? Are they both just trapped in this little "I write like this because of who I am" thing? With someone like Moore, you honestly never know what kind of story you're going to get, and it's usually excellent. I want to see Ellis do a romance. Or a western (not a techno-western, an actual western western). I want to see Morrison do a detective story. I mean, everything we've come to expect from Ellis is here - the tough-as-nails good guy who smokes and drinks a lot, the tough, tattooed female sidekick, the ultra-violence, the weird experiments ... I like the book, and recommend it, but is anyone else wishing these two spread their freakin' wings a little more? I suppose I should be happy that what they like doing isn't crap, but they have too much talent to keep doing this.
Elsinore #1 by Kenneth Lillie-Paetz and Brian Denham .$75, Alias
The first batch of Alias book FINALLY came out, all for three-quarters of a dollar (nostalgia time for me, as when I started collecting, that's how much pamphlets cost). This was the only one I picked up, because the art on the others looked too cartoonish, and this looked nice and it has a historical bent to it, which always attracts me. The art is kind of like Tony Harris or Eric J, which is a plus. There's a mystery that begins in the plague year of 1665 in London, when mean doctors did some weird thing to one of their own (he volunteered). In the present, a psychiatric hospital holds some strange patients, including one who can conjure solid objects from his own blood and another who attracts lemurs. Yeah, that's right - he's right there on the cover! The staff recruits a new doctor, but they're really continuing whatever work the doctors from 400 years ago were doing. Cue scary music! It's a nice little book, and I will get the next issue to see what happens, but who knows how long it will last, given Alias's well-publicized production problems. Still, it's always good to see another publisher, and this is a nice book.
Fables #37 by Bill Willingham, Mark Buckingham, and Steve Leialoha $2.50, DC/Vertigo
God, what a gorgeous James Jean cover. I mean really, it's almost unfair to Buckingham, even though the interior art is nice as usual. More fun and games with Boy Blue in Fable-Land, as he defeats a dragon and three knights who serve Baba Yaga, which Blue has a bit of a problem with. A low-level functionary figures out that there's someone in the land who's coming straight for the Adversary, and everything hums nicely along. Come on, it's Fables! Every issue is a treat. It's one of the best books out there right now! Just read it!
Worth every penny. Ninja Mimes, for God's sake!!!! Not only that, but the "origin" of Munden's Bar, lots of character insight into Gaunt and Jo Chaney, the mystery deepens, Simone is totally evil, and there's more fighting. But you're not reading anymore, are you? Once you read "Ninja Mimes" you ran out to the comics shoppe to get your copy. Ninja Mimes, people!
Mnemovore #2 by Hans Rodioff, Ray Fawkes, and Mike Huddleston $2.99, DC/Vertigo
This is one of those series that I hope pays off really well, because I'm liking the set-up. It's just creepy and mysterious enough but with enough hints as to what's happening, and that last page ... ewww. We learn a little more about the creature, from a source introduced in this issue. It's a really neat idea, and I'm looking forward to how it ties in with Kaley and Scott and the thing that's apparently feeding on them. Spooky stuff. Like I said, I hope the pay-off justifies the build-up.
Well, that was quick. It's nice to have a week in which I don't have to take out another mortgage on the house. Have a swell day!
* The management of "Comics Should Be Good" in no way endorses giving out pie. In fact, it is highly likely that the pie does not actually exist. You have been warned.
Well, MarkAndrew suggested the topic, and I did basically bring it up, so let's play the game.
Marvel yesterday released a "Best of the Fantastic Four" collection.
It contained the following stories: Fantastic Four #1, #39 - #40, #51, #100, #116, #176, #236 and #267; Fantastic Four (Vol. 3) #56 and #60; Marvel Fanfare #15; Marvel Two-In-One #50; and Marvel Knights 4 #4.
So that is fourteen issues worth.
So if YOU had to choose fourteen issues of Fantastic Four for your "Best of the Fantastic Four," which fourteen would you choose?
Since I would, to be honest, probably just pick all Lee/Kirby issues, and I would just be called a Silver Age-loving fuddy duddy, I am changing the rules to state that no more than HALF (in other words, seven) of the issues can be by Lee/Kirby.
Here are my picks:
Astonishingly enough, when I look at the Fantastic Four, I find myself choosing seven issues...in a ROW!!
Fanastic Four #45-51 - Except for perhaps the early Amazing Spider-Mans, I cannot recall a more amazing stretch of issues as these seven.
#45-47 introduce the Inhumans with an awesome story with amazing art.
#48-50 up the ante with the introduction of the Silver Surfer and Galactus (or, as Peter David joked, Frankie Avalon and God), and then...
#51 rocks us from a whole other angle, as we see the effect that heroism can have upon even the most foul-hearted of people.
#236 the first Byrne doom story. Definitely classic stuff.
Annual #17 where Byrne used the Skrull cow plot. Funny stuff.
#258 the famous Doom "interlude."
#267 when Sue loses the baby.
#350 and 352 the Walt Simonson FF/Doom fight, including one of the trippiest Fantastic Four comics ever - #352, the "time travel" issue, where Doom and Reed battle throughout time AND the comic (so that the fight travels from, like, page 2, panel 4 to page 7, panel 3 to page 3, panel 1. Stuff like that. Very trippy.
This is a report about what I think about the comics of this week, based upon Diamond's Shipping This Week list, as reprinted below, with my (sometimes quite snarky, so be forewarned) comments.
Certain sections of the Current Report on the 5/4 Comic Book Week contain forward-looking statements that are based on my expectations, estimates, projections and assumptions. Words such as “expect,” “anticipate,” “plan,” “believe,” “estimate” and variations of these words and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements, which include but are not limited to projections of books being good, writing performance, character flaws, artistic coolness and continued title stability.
Forward-looking statements are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Prognasticators Reform Act of 1995, as amended. These statements are not guarantees of future performance and involve certain risks and uncertainties, which are difficult to predict. Therefore, actual future results and trends may differ materially from what is forecast in forward-looking statements due to a variety of factors, including, without limitation:
A book being better than I thought it would be;
A different creative team on a book;
A different type of story than I thought it was;
Differences in anticipated and actual performance by the writer and/or artist
All forward-looking statements speak only as of the date of this report or, in the case of any document incorporated by reference, the date of that document.All subsequent written and oral forward-looking statements attributable to me are qualified by the cautionary statements in this section..
Shipping This Week: May 11, 2005
DARK HORSE
JAN050088 BERSERK VOL 7 TP (MR) $13.95 MAR050056 BLADE OF THE IMMORTAL #101 (MR) $2.99 JAN050093 COASTER SET BETTIE PAGE (STAR13136) $12.99 MAR050042 CONAN & THE JEWELS OF GWAHLUR #2 (OF 3) $2.99
#1 was pretty boring, and I reluctantly predict that #2 will follow the same path.
OCT040020 DON BLUTH VOL 1 ART OF ANIMATION DRAWING TP $14.95 DEC040039 LAST TRAIN TO DEADSVILLE CAL MCDONALD MYSTERY TP (MR) $14.95
This was a very fun comic book. Well worth picking up. It has one of the most romantic scenes during the middle of a monster battle, well, ever.
MAR050017 MAN WITH THE SCREAMING BRAIN #1 (OF 4) $2.99
I estimate that this will have nice art, but a not so impressive story. I really hope that I am wrong.
FEB050084 MARK BEYER STATIONERY SET $4.99 DEC040065 SKY CAPTAIN ATOMIZER ORNAMENT $14.99 DEC040064 SKY CAPTAIN FLYING WING ORNAMENT $14.99
I am sure retailers all over are quite pleased of the release in May of Sky Captain ornaments. Where are my Sky Captain cardboard cutouts, though?!?!?
DEC040058 STAR WARS EMPIRE VOL 4 HEART OF THE REBELLION TP $17.95 JAN050214 STAR WARS EMPIRE VOL 4 HEART OF THE REBELLION TP $17.95 FEB050199 STAR WARS EMPIRE VOL 4 HEART OF THE REBELLION TP (DEC040058) $17.95
I am glad that this has three solicitations. I wonder which one has the highest orders.
JAN050050 STAR WARS TALES #23 $5.99
So, what do you Star Wars Tales readers think of the revamp on this title? I honestly haven't noticed a difference, really.
JAN050051 STAR WARS TALES PHOTO CVR #23 $5.99
Although, I thank the LORD that I have an option of two covers!! I usually make the obvious choice, and buy both.
FEB050059 TRIGUN MAXIMUM VOL 5 BREAK OUT TP $9.95 JAN050062 USAGI YOJIMBO #83 $2.99
DC COMICS
MAR050382 ACTION COMICS #827 $2.50
I still dislike the cover, but I predict that the interiors will be cool looking.
FEB050265 ADAM STRANGE #8 (OF 8) $2.99
Here's the $64,000 question...when Diggle sat down to write this series, did he know all along that he had to end his series with a setup of the Rann/Thanagar War?
MAR050393 AQUAMAN #30 $2.50
You know what kinda freaks me out? How Gleason has been drawing Aquagirl recently. Am I crazy, or does she look different?
I AM pleased that she has become so popular. Pfeifer did a wonderful job creating her.
MAR050355 BATMAN BEGINS BATARANG PROP REPLICA $150.00
Here's a question - if you design a batarang replica to retail for $150.00 (as we all dream of doing), do you make it so that it looks great or that it actually WORKS?
If you spend $150 on a Batarang, I think it should work.
What say you all?
MAR050356 BATMAN BEGINS BATMAN IN FLIGHT STATUE $195.00
I cannot wait until DC caves in and starts charging that extra five bucks.
I want to see how many people would actually be put off by the price increase.
MAR050366 BATMAN LEGENDS OF THE DARK KNIGHT #191 $2.50
I predict that this will be an enjoyable conclusion to a fun story by J. Torres.
MAR050430 BATMAN STRIKES #9 $2.25
I think this comic is awfully lame (I do not blame the creative team, though, they are working with a poor concept). With that being said, DC is doing a wonderful job with the whole Jonni DC and the letters pages and the drawings from kids printed in the back. Cool stuff.
MAR050396 BREACH #5 $2.50
Martin is such a good artist. I wish he was drawing a better book.
MAR050463 DESOLATION JONES #1 (MR) $2.99
I predict that this will be one of those "story-packed" Ellis comics, not the "1/2 of a comic per issue!" comics that Ellis is doing with Iron Man and the Ultimate books. And JH Williams on art? Waaaay cool. I think there is a VERY good chance that this will be the best book of the week.
MAR050477 FABLES #37 (MR) $2.50
I really, really dig this comic book. I predict that this issue will not let me down.
MAR050376 GOTHAM CENTRAL #31 $2.50
I think that we have reached a weird time with homages. For instance, a writer on, say, a comic about police officers, can have a scene that is lifted almost directly from an Oscar-winning film starring Jodie Foster, and if anyone complains, the writer could say, "Duh! It's an homage to that Oscar-winning film starring Jodie Foster!"
Everyone reading Green Arrow and still enjoying it, PLEASE reply. I want to know what you like about it. Thank you.
JAN050302 GREEN LANTERN REBIRTH #6 (OF 6) $2.99
And lo, there came an ending!
Now bring on the coolness of the new series, Johns! I know you have it in you!
MAR050480 HELLBLAZER RED SEPULCHRE TP (MR) $12.99
This reprints Mike Carey's first storyline on Hellblazer. I liked it.
MAR050411 JSA #73 $2.50
Remember that issue of JSA that took place literally between panels in Identity Crisis #6? The autoposy issue? Where the conclusion wasn't even IN the issue of JSA? The issue that reminded everyone of all that was terrible about the "Secret Wars II/Legends/Infinity War" style of comic storytelling?
Well, this issue ties into Day of Vengeance.
I estimate a repeat.
MAR050455 JUDGE ANDERSON VOL 1 ANDERSON PSI DIVISION TP $14.99
I am a fool. Explain to me why I should be excited about this?
I really liked Hester and Park's work on the previous issue. The story is a bit more iffy, but I still have enough faith in Grayson to see where she is going with this storyline.
FEB050299 OUTSIDERS #23 $2.50
Has it really taken THIS long for a Real World inspired superhero comic by Winick? So who was the lucky person who defied the odds (which I think were 5-4 in favor of "Six issues") to take five years in the "How long before Judd Winick writes a Real World inspired superhero comic" pool?
MAR050489 PREACHER VOL 1 GONE TO TEXAS TP NEW EDITION (MR) $14.99 MAR050490 PREACHER VOL 2 UNTIL THE END OF THE WORLD TP NEW EDITION (MR $14.99
Good to have these in print.
MAR050421 RANN THANAGAR WAR #1 (OF 6) $2.50
Sadly, I do not even think my comic dreamboat Dave Gibbons can save this mess. WAAAAY too much story to fit into one comic book. This is something that needs to build up, not be "HERE! LET'S FIT YEARS OF POLITICS INTO A COUPLE OF PAGES OF EXPOSITION!"
I admit, though, that I can't wait to see Gibbons write Vril Dox.
MAR050441 SCOOBY DOO #96 $2.25
Worth a look see just to support two great comic talents, Joe Staton and John Rozum.
MAR050454 SINISTER DEXTER VOL 3 SLAY PER VIEW TP (MR) $19.99 MAR050390 SUPERMAN THE WRATH OF GOG TP $14.99
Now, this irks me. I was NOT a fan of Chuck Austen's Action Comics, but how do you take a guy off a book and then give his run a quick trade collection?!!?
Seems like a major case of left hand not knowing what the right hand is doing.
MAR050427 WONDER WOMAN #216 $2.25
This seems like a quick turnaround.
IMAGE
NOV041524 BATTLE HYMN #2 (OF 5) $2.95
I liked #1 well enough to be very interested in how this goes.
MAR051733 CITY OF HEROES KEOWN CVR #1 $2.99 MAR051732 CITY OF HEROES MIGLIARI CVR #1 $2.99 MAR051734 CITY OF HEROES PEREZ CVR #1 $2.99
Who is Migliairi?!!? Keown, Perez...and Migliari?!?
This should be a fun comic book.
DEC041573 DARKNESS #20 $2.99
Wait...has Lapham been laying out the entire run so far? How did I miss THAT?!? Or is it just this issue?
FEB051588 FREEDOM FORCE #4 (OF 6) $2.95 OCT041518 JACK STAFF #8 $3.50
I predict that this will rule.
SEP041538 KANE VOL 4 39TH TP $16.95 FEB051574 NIGHT CLUB #1 (OF 4) $2.95
Mikes Baron and Norton! I anticipate this being very good.
FEB051598 PVP #17 $2.95 JAN051638 RAYMOND FEISTS WOOD BOY #1 (OF 2) $2.95
If you are a fan of a novel, and if you had a choice between a poor comic adaptation or NO comic adaptation...which would you choose?
JAN051660 WANTED HC (MR) $29.99
Off the top of my head, I cannot recall a bigger dropped ball in recent comic history. This was an interesting concept that Millar really did not go anywhere with. I really enjoyed the art, though.
FEB051639 WITCHBLADE #85 $2.99
I estimate that Choi will have three awkward drawings from every good one. Which is NOT a bad ratio for a newcomer, I think.
MAR051725 WITCHBLADE NEW DIMENSION GOLD FOIL EXC #75 $12.00
MARVEL
FEB051889 ARANA HEART OF THE SPIDER #4 $2.99
I anticipate some very entertaining scenes with Arana and Spider-Man, and some not so entertaining scenes with the rest of Arana's cast.
And some weird scenes where she uses those ugly powers of hers.
I think Arana and Guy Gardner: Warrior have GOT to team-up!!
JAN051856 ASTONISHING X-MEN #10 $2.99
I am not a big fan of this comic, but I think it is a bit unfair to hold Whedon over the coals for seemingly redoing the Cerebro storyline. I mean, AI coming to life was not an original idea when Kelly and Seagle did it EITHER!!
MAR051960 AVENGERS KANG TIME AND TIME AGAIN TP $19.99
I think this trade is a good idea. I really like the Stern/Buscema storyline reprinted in here.
MAR051943 BEST OF THE FANTASTIC FOUR VOL 1 HC $29.99
Best of the Fantastic Four? WOW. That's a tough task.
They went with Fantastic Four #1, #39 - #40, #51, #100, #116, #176, #236 and #267; Fantastic Four (Vol. 3) #56 and #60; Marvel Fanfare #15; Marvel Two-In-One #50; and Marvel Knights 4 #4.
That is not at all what I would have chosen, but I must say that it does not make me want to plunge sharp objects into my brain either.
One glaring omission, though, is that they left out Simonson completely. He was really good on FF.
FEB051899 CAPTAIN AMERICA & THE FALCON #14 $2.99
I predict that much of this issue will not make all that much sense.
MAR051897 DISTRICT X #13 $2.99
I anticipate a marked improvement with this issue over the last storyline. Especially as it appears we are done with Izzy for now.
MAR051963 ESSENTIAL FANTASTIC FOUR VOL 1 TP NEW PRINTING $16.99
Good idea!
MAR051934 EXCALIBUR #13 $2.99
So soon? This should be fun, if only to see Claremont bust his butt trying to explain Disassembled...hehe.
FEB051903 FANTASTIC FOUR #526 $2.99
Kesel wasted a good idea on this storyline. This was strictly fill-in area, and Kesel went and used a very cool idea that really could have used some exploring (people having their dreams switched).
The idea of someone else knowing your innermost thoughts?
The ideas are innumberable.
But because of the length of the story and the very nature of the story (i.e. fill-in), we are bound to be left with little in the way of exploriation of those ideas.
MAR051929 GAMBIT #10 $2.99
This book got a LOT better towards the end. I estimate that that will continue with this issue.
MAR051917 MARVEL ADVENTURES SPIDER-MAN #3 $2.50 MAR051952 MARVEL KNIGHTS SPIDER-MAN VOL 3 THE LAST STAND TP $9.99 MAR051872 MARVEL NEMESIS IMPERFECTS #1 (OF 6) $2.99
Poor Greg Pak. Marvel gives him these really difficult assignments. "Make Phoenix make sense."
"Make a comic that involves aliens infecting four popular, but barely connected, Marvel characters for the purpose of making them fight."
MAR051903 MARVEL TEAM-UP #8 $2.99
I anticipate the best issue of the series.
MAR051884 MARY JANE HOMECOMING #3 (OF 4) $2.99
I predict that this will be a heartfelt, character rich, humor-filled comic book.
MAR051939 PUNISHER #21 (MR) $2.99
I anticipate a return to the interesting plot of #19.
MAR051938 PUNISHER CELL ONE SHOT (MR) $4.99 MAR051957 PUNISHER MAX VOL 3 MOTHER RUSSIA TP $14.99
Pick this up! It was really cool!
MAR051916 TALES OF THE THING #3 (OF 3) $2.50 MAR051876 ULTIMATE SPIDER-MAN #77 $2.25
I would predict that nothing much will happen in this issue, but then I would be accused of just photostating my thoughts about the previous issue.
MAR051936 X-MEN THE END HEROES AND MARTYRS #3 (OF 6) $2.99
I anticipate no less than 10 references to comics Claremont wrote five or more years ago (and I'm talking specific references here!).
WIZARD
MAR052448 TOYFARE BATMAN TABLOID CVR #95 $4.99
Wait...only ONE cover?!?!? This is a mockery of a sham! This is not Iran, we have freedom of choice in America! The freedom to choose whether to have a Lego cover or an action figure cover!
We cannot stand for this!!
MAR052459 WOLVERINE #20 WIZARD WORLD TEXAS SKETCH CVR SGN PI
Wouldn't it be funny if there really was a 10th Muse, and this actually was a photograph of her?
MAR052961 A G SUPER EROTIC ANTHOLOGY 2005 SUMMER TEASER (A) $1.00
I want to see the person who wasn't SURE that s/he wanted to buy an erotic comic book, until s/he say this teaser.
JAN052374 AMERICAS GREATEST COMICS #11 $6.95 MAR052573 AP HOW TO DRAW MANGA NEXT GENERATION #5 $4.95 MAR052709 AQUARIAN AGE JUVENILE ORION GN #5 $9.99 FEB052568 BETTY & VERONICA DOUBLE DIGEST #133 $3.59 FEB052612 BRIAN PULIDOS LADY DEATH ABANDON ALL HOPE #1/2 LEATHER CVR $24.99
If this comic does well, I think you will soon see Pulido just put various household products onto the covers of Lady Death until people finally catch on.
Like Lady Death #1: Shoelace Cover or Lady Death #5 : Dryer Lint Cover.
FEB053140 CHEEKY ANGEL VOL 6 GN $9.95 MAR052677 CHEMISTRY ONE SHOT $2.95
I like what I have seen of Steve Peters work, so I anticipate that this comic will be pretty good.
FEB052958 CHICKASAW ADVENTURES #3 (OF 4) $2.99 FEB052911 COMPLETE JON SABLE FREELANCE VOL 1 S&N HC $50.00 MAR052898 CRYSTAL BALLROOM HC (O/A) $19.95
Could someone please tell me what this HC is about?
JAN052846 DARKSTALKERS #1 WONDER CON EXCLUSIVE REG ED $9.99 JAN052847 DARKSTALKERS #1 WONDER CON EXCLUSIVE SIGNED ED $19.99 FEB052480 DEAL WITH THE DEVIL #1 (OF 4) (NOTE PRICE) $0.75 MAR052899 DEATH & CANDY #4 (RES) (MR) $4.95 FEB052920 DESPERADOES BANNERS OF GOLD #5 (OF 5) $3.99
Wow, Claremont getting 10 bucks more than Milligan! Impressive!
NOV042610 DIGITAL WEBBING PRESENTS #22 $3.50 JAN052655 DIGITAL WEBBING PRESENTS #23 $3.50
Of the two, I expect #22 to be the better book.
FEB053186 DOLLS VOL 3 GN $9.99 JAN052936 ECLIPSE AND VEGA THE BEDS WE MAKE #2 $2.95
Hey, how come I don't have a copy of #1, Saul?!?!?
FEB052482 ELSINORE #1 (OF 9) (NOTE PRICE) $0.75 FEB052848 ERIKA TELEKINETIKA #3 (A) $3.95 MAR052908 EROS GN 51 BOFFY THE VAMPIRE LAYER (A) $14.95
Wow. That's just sad. Not that there is a porn parody of Buffy. But that the person who came up with it just said, "Yeah, I know it's been done, but I just don't care." Show some more respect for your craft, even if your craft is writing porn parodies!
JAN052871 KOLCHAK THE NIGHT STALKER EVE OF TERROR GN $5.95 MAR052911 LAMBADA BOOK 3-5 COLL PACK (O/A) (A) $15.00 FEB052493 LEGACY MANGA DIGEST TP $9.99 FEB052856 LIVING WITH ZOMBIES #2 (MR) $2.50
Is there any humor in this comic? Or is it straightforward horror stuff?
FEB052546 MANGAZINE VOL 3 #65 $9.99 MAR052914 MARK BEACHUM GN PACK (O/A) (A) $18.00
And they'll KEEP offering it again until someone finally shows some Mark Beachum some love!!
JAN052467 MIKE HOFFMANS CHILLER THEATRE CON SKETCHBOOK $14.95 MAR053321 NOTHING LEFT TO LOSE TP $6.99 FEB053110 ODDLY NORMAL #2 (OF 4) $2.95
Otis Frampton is quite good. I expect this to be very fun!
FEB052491 PAKKINS LAND VOL 2 #1 $2.99 FEB052559 PAN GEA ONE SHOT (MR) $2.95 FEB052679 PANTHEON 2 PACK $5.00 FEB053111 RANDOM ENCOUNTER #2 (OF 4) $2.95
Sadly, the title describes the story a bit.
FEB053193 RED RIVER VOL 6 GN $9.95 JAN052917 SHANDA THE PANDA #43 (MR) $4.99 FEB053113 SHONEN JUMP VOL 3 JUNE 2005 #6 $4.99 FEB052490 SOULCATCHER GN $4.99 FEB052576 SOULFIRE COLLECTED ED #1 $6.99
It is sad when a comic makes me nostalgic for their Superman/Batman run.
DEC042383 STARKWEATHER #4 $2.95 MAR052486 TACTICS MANGA VOL 2 TP $9.99 FEB052966 TALES OF TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES #10 $3.25 FEB052710 TSUBASA VOL 5 GN $10.95 FEB052573 VERONICA #161 $2.19
Like many Archie creators, Dan Parent is extremely underrated. Very talented artist and writer. If I remember correctly, he has worked on this title since #1 (not continuously, but still)!
That is all!
Feel free to share your thoughts, or just stop by later to see if I am right about anything...hehe.
Three 5/4 Comics That I Read So That You Did Not Have To
Same as always...I tell you about three comics that I did not hear a lot about this week, and then I ask you all to fill me in on comics that I did not read this week.
Spoilers ahead!!
Justice League Unlimited #9 - This book was quite fun. However, the ending was pretty telegraphed, and struck me as one of those "the writer clearly thinks this is a really cool idea, while it really isn't THAT cool" ideas.
The plot is the Justice League goes back in time to help Merlin and the knights of Camelot fight against Morgaine Le Fey.
This series really captures the sheer coolness of the IDEA of Justice League Unlimited.
There is a two-page spread very early on with the members who are on this particular mission, flying in the air all as one group....VERY impressive.
It is funny to see Shining Knight in TWO comics in the same week! When is the last time THAT happened?!?!
He came off very cool.
Carlos Barbieri does a nice job of drawing the characters cartoon style.
Adam Beechen's biggest problem with the script, in my opinion, was that he had Vixen show up (whose power is to adapt to the abilities of any nearby animal) and constantly pound on the theme of "what can I do in medieval England?!!?"
So that when the "twist" finally comes, it is a bit anti-climatic, but cool.
So would I recommend this to everyone? I dunno...it is pretty darn close, but ultimately, I think that this may be a BIT too "kiddish" for some.
Not recommended!
Superman #216 - In this issue, Superman and Captain Marvel fight, and the Eclipso diamond ends up in just the right place for the Day of Vengeance mini-series to begin...which started LAST WEEK!!
Ah well, timing isn't everything.
In any event, that plot description was basically the entire plot for the book, as it was just all Superman (possessed by Eclipso) and Captain Marvel fighting.
Two things, though, stuck out in my mind as particularly silly. One nit-picky, and the other a bit less so (in my opinion, at least).
1. Shazam shows up to save Captain Marvel from Eclipso. But he couldn't do ANYthing for Blue Beetle? What a jerk. And Countdown was written by Judd Winick, who wrote this comic.
2. As any fairly longtime DC reader would know, this storyline's plot (Eclipso uses Lois Lane to possess Superman, then Captain Marvel fights the possessed Superman) is EXACTLY the same as the 1992 Superman Annuals, which were part of the big Eclipso summer crossover. The funny thing about it is, though, that they do NOT make ANY mention of that in the comic, but they DO credit, in a caption box at the beginning, the fact that they use the "Lightning" move that Mark Waid did in Kingdom Come with Superman and Captain Marvel.
Isn't that amazing? They cite THAT, but they make no mention that the entire STORY is exactly the same as a story 13 years ago!!
So silly.
Not recommended!!
Power Pack #2 - I predicted that this issue would be low on action, and I was correct!
To be honest, it is beginning to kinda irritate me.
Like I have said in the past, characterization is the most difficult thing to get down right in a comic book. It is very difficult to achieve interesting and realistic characterizations of characters, so it is to be applauded when someone gets it down right.
Marc Sumerak gets it down right.
However, in a superhero comic, action IS important! You cannot pretend that it does not matter, and the action in this comic is non-existent.
The issue details the eldest Power Pack member, Alex, and his girl problems. Cute stuff, interesting interactions, nice art by Gurihiru, but NO ACTION AT ALL!!!
The SECOND issue of a mini-series is NOT the best time for a "change of pace" issue.
So yeah, I was disappointed with that.
Fun Franklin Richards backup once again, with great art by Chris Eliopoulos.
The cool thing about my problem with Power Pack is that it is sooo easily solved. Adding action is EASY, characterization is HARD.
Sumerak has the former, now let us just see the latter please!
Not recommended (but there is definite hope here!!)!
On to the books I did not read that I would like you all to fill me in on:
A steamin' heap of trade paperbacks, at the end of which you will all call me a soulless monster!
Yes, I bought some trade paperbacks. And yes, I'm going to tell you about them. And yes, you will call me a soulless monster. I can handle it!
Batman: Year One by Miller and Mazzucchelli
You should already have these issue in some form or another, but the new edition is beautiful. The printing quality is excellent, there are several pages of extras from Mazzucchelli about the design of the book, and the colors are brilliantly redone. It's a really nice-looking book.
I won't go into the story too much except to say there are a few things I have issues with. I never liked Selina as a prostitute, and I haven't kept up with the Catwoman regular series, but I think that's been retconned out of here. It just doesn't work for me. I also don't like Gordon's "affair," because it's such a cliche. I don't care if you make Gordon "more human," but if you take Essen out of the story, he's still a conflicted cop who usually does the right thing but also makes mistakes. It didn't add anything to the story. I'm curious, though - have we ever found out what happened to his wife and son? Can anyone help me out?
This is a very nice re-examination of the Batman mythos, and, as I said, the package is gorgeous. For 20 dollars, it's a good value, even if you already own the story in another form.
Ultra: Seven Days by the Luna Brothers
Ultra is a nice book, and it's 18 dollars for a huge chunk of story, so there's that (I don't like harping on prices, but in today's economy, it must be done!). I have some of the same issues Tom the Dog has with it - namely, it's okay to show extremely gory violence, but God forbid a nipple gets in there. That's the way it is in the U.S., however, so I'm not going to go into it too much. Ultra is good, solid storytelling with good, solid art - a nice superhero book. It also has a little but of commentary on Hispanic culture, something that is nice to see.
The biggest problem I had with the book, and it's not something that will stop me from recommending it, is the parody aspects of it. The idea of turning superheroes into people who work for an agency and are sent out for specific duties is truly brilliant. However, the Luna Brothers weaken the story by turning them into something like supermodels. The reason I didn't like it is because our actual society is such a parody itself that simply substituting superheroes for models and actors doesn't really tell us anything new. Yes, it's clever to have a superhero awards show like the Academy Awards, and to have each cover of the individual comic books parody a magazine cover in "our" world, but it doesn't expose anything about our world because we already know this stuff and how stupid it is. What Ultra goes through when her one-night stand is revealed in the tabloids is no different than what dozens of celebrities go through every day. It's a clever idea, but ultimately it goes nowhere.
Still, this is a good book. The interpersonal relationships between Ultra, Aphrodite, and Cowgirl are what makes the book work. The characterization is nicely done. These people, you feel, are real, which is all you can hope for when you read a work of fiction.
Couscous Express by Brian Wood and Brett Weldele
Larry Young sent this to me as part of Chris Brown's musical extravaganza, and I appreciate Larry getting his product out there in such unusual ways. This is an old book (2001), and it's interesting, but I'm torn about how I feel.
On the one hand, it's a fun, crazy, action-packed ride. It never slows down to allow you to catch your breath, which isn't a bad thing, necessarily. Olive is a delivery girl for her parents, who run a Middle Eastern restaurant called Couscous Express. One day some evil Turks show up and threaten her family, for reasons I will leave for you to discover. Olive enlists the help of her boyfriend, Moustafa, who is a courier for various underworld elements, and they fight the Turks. Simple, no?
Well, yes and no. There's a lot going on between the frames. Olive is a typical spoiled teenager who seemingly hates her parents, but comes to realize how important they are to her. She grows up a little by the end of the book, and it's an interesting arc to her character. The bad guys are also interesting, even though they don't get a lot of screen time. Wood manages to give them life with just a little dialogue. That's tough to do.
I had just a couple of problems with the book, and they're connected. First, Olive is 16 and Moustafa is 22. They have sex. In the U.S., that's statutory rape. Now, Olive points out that her parents like Moustafa, but I don't care - it's rape. I'm sure, as well, that in the culture from which Olive's parents come, an older guy usually hooks up with a much younger girl, but I don't care - this is the U.S., and it's rape. I don't mean to belabor the point, but I teach at a school where many girls are getting pregnant by their much older boyfriends, who then ditch them. Wood doesn't even address this, which is the other problem I have with the book - the lack of cultural differences between Olive and her parents. It would have been nice to see a little more on the culture of her parents, who come from a different place, and Olive, who was presumably born here. As it stands, this is just a book about teen rebellion, and it could have been more than that. There are hints of it, but not enough.
This is a fun book, and I'm glad I read it, but I can wish for a little more, can't I?
The Irregulars by Steven Elliot-Altman, Michael Reaves, and "Bong" Dazo
I got my hopes up for this book, which I suppose is a mistake. You should never get your hopes up for anything! It's a nice book, and the art is absolutely spectacular. The details are wonderful, the large cast is well-defined, and Dazo switched between 19th-century London and a horrible alternative world easily and fluidly. The story is kind of dull, though, which is unfortunate. Professor Moriarty wants to bring hell to earth, and only the Baker Street Irregulars can stop him! There's plenty of action, nice character interaction, and a simplistic mystery, and if that's what you want, that's fine. However, when I buy something that has to do with Sherlock Holmes, I'd like a better mystery! In this, Dr. Watson is thrown in jail because a witness saw him butcher a man in the park, but it's clear very quickly not only that he didn't do it, but who the real killer is and how he framed Watson. I have spoken on mysteries in comics before, and this was another one that indicates comics writers simply aren't taking advantage of the medium as well as they could to write real gripping mysteries. As with the rest of these trades, it's a nice read, but there are flaws. The art's really nice, though.
Owly by Andy Runton
I bought Owly because I was told I must, and because it has been universally acclaimed. Well, let me tell you, gentle reader - it sucks.
Okay, I'll quantify that a bit. It sucks for anyone over the age of, maybe, eight. And that might even be too old for this book. Why, when something is "all-ages," what it really means is that no one who's even remotely near puberty will enjoy it? I'm sorry - I just hated this. I have read "children's" literature in the past - most recently Philip Pullman's "His Dark Materials" trilogy, so I'm not being a snob, but this just sucks. The stories are ridiculously simplistic - Owly saves a worm! Owly and Worm befriend hummingbirds! - and the art is awful (I claimed I could draw it, but I doubt if I could - some of the panels, sure, but then again, I suck at drawing, and if I can even draw one of these panels, that means the art sucks). The sentiments expressed are fine - be friends with everyone and life will be good - but those sentiments have been expressed in better form in hundreds of other places, so who cares? I always have a problem with animals acting against their nature - Owly would eat the damned worm, for crying out loud! - but I'll let it go. I will share this with my daughter when she's a bit older, but that's it. There's no reason for you to buy this unless you know small children, because it will bore anyone else to tears. Go read the Winnie-the-Pooh books for a more subtle take on what it means to be a friend. Those are true classics. Owly, on the other hand, sucks.
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