5/15/13

AGE OF ULTRON #8 — Having escaped the past after irrevocably changing it with a single slash, we have also bid farewell to the Pacheco/Villarrubia retro art style that was so swell, but Brandon Peterson and Paul Mounts carry the torch for the entire issue to tremendous effect. I’m glad Tony didn’t turn out to be the Big Bad, that would have been a bit too obvious. All of the Le Fey stuff at the end does seem to just come out of nowhere, but I guess what the hell. When you’ve got the idea for Asgardian Doombots, you throw that in wherever you can. Still not really sure where this is going to land. And the further along we go, find it so weird they’ve already been going on about Angela.

FF #007 — Now, the story of The Wizard quoting the Bluth family motto in the first panel of the first page just in time for Season Four of ARRESTED DEVELOPMENT to return from the grave, all in a desperate bid to brainwash himself a family from an odd assortment of individuals. Also, it’s good fun to get a MEANWHILE --! caption there on the bottom of Page Eight. This one went right by, lots of action, beautifully rendered by the Allreds, as ever. Nice crossover touch having Bentley send Blastarr to The End of All Things, there.

FATALE #14 — We don’t get the Josephine Thompson submachine-gun attack glory that this cover implies but of course Brubaker/Phillips/Breitweiser don’t fail to deliver another rock-solid installment of this Eisners favorite, something that starts out feeling like a second part to Jo’s secret origin but that, while entertaining on its own merit, contributes not as much to the overall mythology as I thought it might during the opening pages. It doesn’t matter. The Eisner judges are right, these people can basically do no wrong. I also enjoyed Brubaker’s brief televisual recap on the editorial page, I only watch GAME OF THRONES there but really dug on his pithy summation and of course have been meaning to pick up the other three for varying lengths of time now. Looking forward to finally catching up with poor old Nicolas next month. And how about another Jess Nevins essay? They spoil us.

CONAN THE BARBARIAN #16 — Conan and Bêlit trip balls resulting in some magnificent pages telling the tale, courtesy of usual suspects Brian Wood and Dave Stewart, but man, this Davide Gianfelice fellow, as much as I’ve enjoyed the myriad of artistic talent that has already graced this run, this guy has got to be the best since Cloonan. Or at least his style feels like the most perfect fit to what I want to see. Just beautiful work. I would have liked a more balanced take on this, Conan’s horrible visions juxtaposed against whatever Bêlit was seeing at the time but maybe it’ll be her turn next month. Sixteen issues in and going strong. Not the Conan diehards want or are familiar with, but one well worth getting to know.

FABLES #129 — No no no no no no no, that’s not how it happened at all. No no no. Didn’t realize I cared so much.

WONDER WOMAN #20 — What is up with those first three pages? Something about doing breakdowns first maybe but I was shocked to turn the first page and find out that these were Cliff Chiang pages. Too much hustle, my man! In other news, I haven’t kept a running tally, but this one might have a record number of instances of clever Azzarello wordplay. That last panel on Page Fourteen, Diana slamming Moon down across the street is the real and true business. Old Cassandra there looks like she’s rocking some of the Maxine Manchester design from back in the Moore WILDC.A.T.S run. I’m still digging on this but am a bit disappointed we haven’t seen more from Orion or any more Kirby action seeing as how we’re coming up on an entire year since that initial seismic BOOM.

BATWOMAN #20 — Oh well hell, is Williams just done on art? I’m suddenly doing the math that this is I think the third fill-in in a row and it’s certainly probably time to start logging in SANDMAN pages. So it goes! Trevor McCarthy continues to fill the master’s shoes as ably as one might. And the writing is still impeccable, I love the Clayface question in the second panel, good call, Kate! And wow, what a new status quo for the book. I can’t imagine it’s going to go our ensemble’s way in the slightest, but it will be entertaining to watch them try.

(oh, and almost forgot, here's the obligatory dig that the MORNING GLORIES #26 made less sense with the pages printed in the intended order than it did when the first printing came out. As you were, Misters Spencer & Eisma!)

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BEST OF WEEK, too close to call, everything was average to good but nothing particularly freaked me out and stood head and shoulders above the rest. Almost gave Fraction the nod just for the AD reference alone, but felt like the extra-textuality maybe makes it a cheat for the top spot? I don't know, I don't make the rules, I just devour the Lone Stars and new comic books on a weekly and somewhat alarming basis. See you next week, Wednesday night faithful!