5/02/12

Well, I dropped two more Fractions, IRON MAN and DEFENDERS. Just spending too much and the $4 Marvel singles have to go first. Was particularly digging the latter but it really hurt to bail out on Fraction/Larocca, especially on AVENGERS week, I’ve been hanging with those guys on this run since Wednesday after Favreau/Downey Jr. first showed us how viable a shared cinematic Marvel continuity could be. Alas. Can’t afford 18 or however many 20-page $4 singles. I wish Tony continued sobriety and will eagerly raid quarter-bins at Half Price Books in the months to come to check up on him. But I did buy . . .

BEST OF WEEK: ACTION COMICS #9—Terrific fun here as out of left field we blast over to Earth-23, first glimpsed on the opening pages of FINAL CRISIS #7, once again demonstrating that Morrison-continuity trumps corporate reboot policy, and tune in to the exploits of one President of the United States Calvin Ellis as he teams with his non-racist but nonetheless hateful arch-nemesis Lex Luthor to battle a brand-name permutation of Superman from another dimension thought into existence by that plane of reality’s Clark Kent, Lois Lane, and Jimmy Olsen in a thinly veiled indictment of corporate treatment of creators. I don’t think I really have to say anything else. Gene Ha’s art looks terrific, as usual. Also, Cully Hammer blows it up on the back-up. This was a very entertaining slab of alternate continuity and great fun to have drop in on us in the monthly title.




ANIMAL MAN #9—It’s still looking bleak for the Bakers as Steve Pugh takes over full-time duties. Glad we get to keep Foreman for covers and Kindzierski on colors, which really helps with the transition. You know what, though, they’ve been driving in the direction of Alec Holland for like half of this series, now. Hit the gas! A deft segueway into . . . 

SWAMP THING #9—Paquette throws down a hell of a gauntlet for the first few pages before Rudy takes over and carries the torch very well. That ending definitely seemed too pat before the reveal at the end. No idea what these guys are going to do for an encore after this inevitably shuts down in #11 or #12, though. Sometimes following yourself can be the toughest act of all.

THE BOYS #65—I really wasn’t sure to expect after all of that climactic madness last month, but I guess this is about right. Butcher with the bazooka on Page Four is as iconic an image as anything this series has produced. Russ Braun’s characters’ facial expressions are some of the best acting in the business. So, we’re powered down, here. However, it is only the first part of a climactic eight-issue arc of one of Ennis’s very strongest efforts. Probably going to get pretty ugly before too long. I’m sure someone’s thought of “Ennis puts the ‘graphic’ in ‘graphic novel’” before me? 

DAREDEVIL #12—Huh, yeah, this is good, love Samnee and especially Javier Rodriguez on colors, but this is the first issue that feels almost like filler. It’s not, quite, Waid’s too good for that, but very much comes across as a quick little flashback he banged out in between regularly plotted arcs when told that he would need to be producing 16 scripts for this first twelve months of DD. One out last week and another due in two. It is one of the best books Marvel puts out, and is still only $3, but this over-shipping thing is really starting to stick in my craw.

 X-FACTOR #235—See, here, with this one, too. I feel like I’m coming home with it more weeks than not. And another one’s out in two weeks. Same deal, not quite ready to walk, Kirk is blowing it up on art, PAD is as deft and long-term as ever, and I’ve been on-board since the first issue back, that second #1, but Marvel is making it easier and easier to walk away from books I’ve been happy to pick up for years. Just, you know, every four or five weeks instead of every two like clockwork.

AVENGERS VS X-MEN #3—You can tell that JRJr is slamming this one out, not taking the most time in the world with it, but there’s nothing wrong with that, it is big dumb fun. Of course you throw Wolverine out of a Quinjet, if you’re Steve Rogers, that’s the only move that makes sense in this crazy world. This issue actually felt a little skinny on content, which, I guess I shouldn’t be surprised, but the first two seemed to pack more of a wallop. It will be neat when we finally make it to the issues scripted by Hickman and Fraction. I will continue to give this one a big thumbs-up while laughing at the chumps plunking down an additional $4 on the off-weeks for two 10-page fight scenes, also while simultaneously expressing confusion and dismay at all the kids pointing and laughing when I pick this one up off the rack.