2/12/14

BEST OF WEEK: NGUYEN/FRIDOLFS DOUBLE-SHOT PART I: BATMAN #28 — Wow, from the past to the future. In a successful bid to seemingly never fulfill my wish of telling stories about Batman set in the present, Snyder enlists writing partner James Tynion IV and LIL’ GOTHAM cohorts Dustin Nguyen and Derek Fridolfs on art to throw down really just a tremendous glimpse into the near-future world of BATMAN: ETERNAL. They really channel Mignola here, his bold economy of lines that are never over-rendered but always exactly what you need. I was already optimistic about ETERNAL's debut but am now wildly excited about it. I won’t go into any of the reveals but I will say that the smile Selina throws Bruce over her left shoulder is both incredible cartooning and a note-perfect character beat. I am surprised that more people aren’t freaking out about the last page, as well. The quality of this issue bodes well for the future of Gotham. Our enjoyment of it, at least, if not the fate of its heroes.

BEST OF WEEK: NGUYEN/FRIDOLFS DOUBLE-SHOT PART II: BATMAN: LIL’ GOTHAM #11— But then what’s so tremendous about this week is that we also get the penultimate installment of this Nguyen/Fridolfs masterpiece, which is never better than when thrown into stark contrast with their work over on the main-continuity property. The first page ends with one of those meta- lines that so often fall flat and too self-aware/winking-at-the-audience but that lands here with heartbreaking finality. And since father and son are off to visit the Al-Ghuls, of course it isn’t long before they’re walking through the desert and we are in the presence of the “hairy-chested love-god” of the O’Neil/Adams era. I could honestly call out something from just about every other panel as noteworthy in its own right. The single exchange of dinner conversation between Batman and R’as Al-Ghul, for example. This book is paced and executed to perfection on every level. And then in the second story, a bunch of Batmen from parallel universes team up to fight Clock King. I am going to miss this book so much.

KICK-ASS 3 #6 — I had to get the terrific McCaig cover riffing on The Saturday Evening Post. We open with an extended Hit-Girl flashback that provides a few more pages of Big Daddy, which of course must now and forever be read in the voice of Nicolas Cage. It’s pretty apparent that Millar is hearing it, as well, the tone is a bit different from the first volume. It looks like it’s going to end very badly for Dave, but I have to say, I’m a lot less worried about Mindy, even with old McLovin’ holding a gun to her head for the cliffhanger.

FATALE #20—Brubaker opens with some Nietzche and when all is said and done, this might be the most impressive installment of this series thus far. The suicide montage is pretty rough going. We certainly seem to be heading into the home-stretch here. It will be interesting to see if we stay in the present from here on in or if Brubaker’s got one last flashback up his sleeve to give everything greater weight and import. Am finding it hard to believe that I’ve already read twenty of these, feels like it just started coming out.

STAR WARS #14—Opening with a dream about Obi-Wan is a masterstroke. Very effective work. The elite squad of Stormtroopers trying to run a mutiny on Vader was hilarious. This was a really solid little two-shot arc here illustrating how horrible and terrifying it is to run support for the most famous Dark Lord of the Sith. Hard to believe it was a fill-in before we seriously get back to it next month.

ASTRO CITY #9 — The Winged Victory-with-a-side-order-of-Samaritan-&-New Confessor arc soars through its penultimate installment with our heroine taking advice from a member of the Council of Nike while her boyfriend wrecks the Bat-Crypt. Consistently entertaining storytelling by masters of the craft who always favor substance over flash.

ALL-NEW X-MEN #023 — Am I the only one who had no idea Gladiator’s first name was Kallark until all of these shenanigans got underway? I do like how Bendis gets Kitty back on point in her second scene this issue with her calling herself out for not seeing this coming. You are right to do so, Professor K, but we forgive you. Hilarious beat with Groot starting to freak out Teen Bobby. And Kitty referencing the end of Whedon/Cassaday’s ASTONISHING, a solid bit of continuity from Brother Bendis. And what an incredible last page, there. The art team of Immonen/von Grawbadger/Gracia continues to consistently throw down some of the most beautiful pages on the rack today.

AVENGERS #026—Hickman loves his A.I.M. action, which takes an interesting turn this issue as the new generation of adaptoids becomes self-aware pretty much right away. The invasion-of-infinite-parallel-universes action from the sister book further encroaches in upon this title. Once again, I got so engaged in the action as it was unfolding that even though there were multiple _____ DAYS/HOURS AGO captions, I was still shocked when the adaptoid went all MAN OF STEEL on the other Hank Pym’s neck. Hickman’s run on these titles remains compelling in the short-term singles format and downright riveting when taken as a whole.