THE RED WING #1—Hickman and a crew of folks he appears to have materialized from out of nowhere show up with a tale that’s interesting and engaging from the get-go. I dug the opening scene that hits the chronal wall and cuts to four pages of white, even more striking than Brubaker/Phillips/Staples pulling some of the same pacing malarkey over on CRIMINAL. My only marginal complaint is that this first issue’s so heavy on the coolness of time-travel fighter pilots, it’s a little light on character development. But, you know, with this much crazy bursting forth, I don’t actually need that much, and have faith that Hickman will deliver. He does have a thing for the time-traveling fathers in absentia, though, doesn’t he?
FF #6—Mm, well, one cool thing about this coming out bi-weekly is that we can just take the whole issue to hang out with the Inhumans and not miss our regular cast too badly. Tocchini provides solid pages, though they didn’t move me quite as heavily as the past couple issues of Kitson. This one didn’t blow me away as much as the rest of the series has been doing, but served as an interesting quasi-retcon for Black Bolt that I’m sure will yield pretty serious business in the months to come.
THE NEW AVENGERS #14—Bendis and crew continue to hammer out the tie-in goodness. Believable almost-exit from Pete dialogued to perfection, as usual. Mockingbird whupping ass up on some giant Nazi robots, Luke Cage subbing in for Pete on a Fastball Special, the Merry Marvel Magnificence we’ve all come to expect, or at least hope for, hey.
JOURNEY INTO MYSTERY #625—These folks continue to tear it up. Gorgeous colors on this tale that makes us continue to root for Boy Loki, little shit though he be. This has already got to be one of the most underrated books Marvel puts out, serious quality.
CAPTAIN AMERICA #1—Weeeeell, I guess there’s a movie coming out, so never mind the organic character-driven motion that Brubaker’s been pumping out month after month for six years and change. Change should probably be in quotes. Baaaaah! So, corporate/editorial mandate kvetching aside, this is actually, of course, still a really wonderful issue, and certainly what you want to put in the hands of all the kids and adults streaming into the store after watching Chris Evans hurl his red, white & blue hunk of vibranium about. McNiven knocks it down, as ever, staged a really cool kind of homage to Steranko on that page where the action kicks in and Steve starts running and all of a sudden it looks like a STRANGE TALES cover with Nick, Dum-Dum, and Sharon in the background (and, okay, talking the Cap movie and Nick Fury, HOW could they miss the chance to have Samuel L. back in WWII kicking ass with the Howling Commandos? It Does Not Make Sense. They already paid him, what $20 million for nine movies, what is there a stipulation in the contract that says he can only appear in two minutes of half of them? Infinity Formula, son!). But yeah, this is a really solid new #1 that actually feels tonally just about exactly like the last Brubaker #1, minus the jaw-dropping Holy Shit murdering the Red Skull on the last page moment.
THE UNWRITTEN #27—Another solid entry in the canon. I’m digging the Tinker and curious to see how this riff on Golden Age creation plays out against the main narrative.
BATMAN: THE DARK KNIGHT #3—Wow. It’s been over six months since #1 of this came out. Seems pretty wild that Finch got this thing greenlit, well, much more so that he’s going to survive September, even with bringing Milligan on. I mean, of all the titles, I’ll be stunned if this and JL make it to six issues. Moreso this. But how’s the issue? Mm, it still takes maybe five minutes to read, there’s a ton of great hyper-detailed quasi-Jim Lee linework, and there’s another dramatic character reveal burning up the last two pages, though I’m not sure who it is. Not terrible, but nowhere near the crushing experiences I’m receiving in Gotham from other sources.
GREEN LANTERN#67—Wow, can’t believe that this ending didn’t get spoiled. A pretty surprising shakeup to the status quo. I’m, yeah, really interested to see where Johns is going to take this next. Mahnke is still a hoss.
AMERICAN VAMPIRE: SURVIVAL OF THE FITTEST #2—Murphy/Stewart are really just stunning. Vampire Nazis and why not, of course! Snyder gives us another installment demonstrating that he’s a storyteller of the highest caliber. Quite the rookie season this fella’s had.
DETECTIVE COMICS #879—Francavilla colors, too?!? This guy is an animal. Yeah, Snyder just pretty much wants this book to be about Jim Gordon and then offers definitive proof on a monthly basis as to why that’s a wonderful idea. And of course, the fuse gets lit at the end of this one, Gordon’s next move is going to be interesting to behold. Just one more issue until the relaunch, right? And Jock is back. Should be a hell of a thing.
FLASHPOINT: FRANKENSTEIN AND THE CREATURES OF THE UNKNOWN #2—Lemire and friends continue to dish out the creature commando goodness. Not setting the medium on fire but tremendous fun. This is the only tie-in of the event I’m buying besides BATMAN, and that’s looking like the call here with just a little bit left to go down the stretch.
****
BEST OF WEEK: X-MEN: SCHISM #1—I barreled away from the horrah that was the post-Claremont ‘90s X-Men franchise as fast as anybody else, dipped my toe back in the water with Joe Mad for a minute, but it wasn’t until they brought Morrison over for NEW X-MEN that I came back in as a monthly reader. Then, right after he was out, Whedon & Cassaday started their run, which was certainly no less wonderful in my eyes for the fact that it appeared to have been created specifically to squeeze all of my nostalgia glands dry on a bi- or tri-monthly basis. By the time that beast finally tapered off, we had Fraction about ready to go on UNCANNY and Ellis picking up the slack on ASTONISHING, and then Gillen subbing in lately for Fraction and really just creaming everybody in a very few issues. Enter Jason Aaron. I haven’t hit any of his Marvel work because they’ve charged $4 for every single single he’s ever put out, and for whatever reason, I drew the line with him and Remender (much to my entertainment detriment, I’m sure). But I’m a huge fan of SCALPED and couldn’t resist checking this out to see what he’d do when he got the keys to the entire damn mansion. And, friends, it is a thing of beauty. Pitch-perfect character beats raining down like a hailstorm. I don’t think I’ve read better interaction between Scott and Logan ever. We even get a benday-dot flashback to a panel from the early 100s. Aaron doesn’t just nail it to the wall, he drags Pierce’s big old wooden X from UNCANNY #251 out of the Australian outback and crucifies that shit. And brings back Kid Omega. And introduces a new Black King of the Hellfire Club who is actually menacing and compelling. I’ve been digging on the franchise more and more in the past few years, and it looks like it’s in better hands than ever, here on the cusp of the next big wave. A stunning first issue.
Friday, July 15, 2011
Thursday, July 7, 2011
7/06/11
FEAR ITSELF #4—All right, yeah, the rollercoaster just rocketlaunched off the tracks. I’m somehow so damaged by the endless cycle of death/resurrection of late (read: the aughts, L O S T, particularly the terrible and offsetting cliffhangers in 5.10 and 5.14, comic books in general, the Jean Grey/Elektra Rule, the Uncle Ben/Bucky Barnes Rule, see etc.) that I didn’t even flinch at the end of last issue when Sin RIPPED BUCKY’S HEART OUT and arm off, was just like, They’ll put him back together, it’s not like Brubaker’s-Resurrected-After-65-Years-Winter-Soldier-Completely-Counterintuitive-Success-Character was just out like THAT. Except, then, now, they’re like Yeah. Bucky’s dead. For real this time, y’all. And then I’m like O SHIT! For REALZ! They DID IT?!?!? Like, that last page of Gulag I just read a couple weeks ago was Brubaker’s last present-day word on the subject/narrative/character? (And, wait a minute, doesn’t Bru convert the original #ing to a CAP/BUCKY flashback strip next month? It’s all making too much sense…) But then, no, my reaction to Bucky Really Being Dead!!!! which, again, in sequential terms, actually took place an entire four Wednesdays ago, was now without warning all blown up into stark raving shock and freaking out. And then the actual issue really cranked that state of being up beyond what anyone would consider appropriate. This was just like with FINAL CRISIS, when it didn’t make almost any kind of sense and I didn’t begin to adore it until the fourth issue, when the slow burn kindled up to every panel being suddenly a perfectly explosive self-contained beat unto itself, implying scenes upon scenes of grandeur in between every panel, each and all of the gutters crackling with much more than ever made it onto the page. All ready to scratch my eyes out for the last three issues, now now now, but then, am no longer a teenage girl. Though, you shoulda seen.
UNCANNY X-MEN #540—Third issue in four weeks and the narrative momentum makes Gillen that much tougher to handle in silence while reading. My man is killing it. And what a long strange trip it’s been with Land. I’ve grown to, if not accept him, feel comforted by his constance of presence, the dead angles. Other than that page with Illyana getting colored in a two-dimensional plane, I was kind of feeling it. Particularly the Peter and Kitty stuff. As evah.
THE BOYS #56—The simple trick of organically cycling us all the way back around to the original premise at its most basic, Butcher and Hughie walking around talking shit and being cool all the time, charts this one on opening night as one of the series-best issues in recent memory, way up there all-time, even. I mean, really, a couple of these pages right here, if I could own any original art of the seventy+ issue run, I think they’re in this one. The first appearance of Doctor Peculiar and the one when Butcher’s cunt sense tingles.
HOUSE OF MYSTERY #39—Wow, and then all parties here at the tip top of their game, anyone who was monthly on SANDMAN is going to get dynamited at the fun that Goldie gets to have. Does m’heart good to see a medium/young Vertigo title like this just killing it, every month and all the time. And then, hah, Sturges delivers a wallop of a segueway to my own personal Wednesday night set list on the last page, there. Relaunch!
FLASHPOINT #3—All right, I am also suddenly and officially digging upon this big event, too. The gig is apparently for real, Barry Allen Flash and Thomas Wayne Batman and, still and why not, Vic Stone Cyborg will be our Trinity this time out, and you know what, that frame has some heft to it. Interested in where this goes. Though doesn’t FLASH #8 probably hold the key or some all-important clue? That seemed so important a few months back. And Diana and Arthur still off-panel, about to end the world with their war. It is so and so cool that FEAR ITSELF and this continue to be released the same night, handling Kubert & co here, opposite Immonen/Martin/all the lovelies, really too many jawdropping pages to take, not even counting that they’re both front and center main-as-mainstream-gets corporate big events.
ADVENTURE COMICS #528—Levitz brings the Academy situation to a crescendo and Borges Borges Borges continues to not look like an asshole while following up Jiminez, which, who could hope for more? Quite intrigued to see what sort of a curtain call Levitz has on tap for, I guess, the next three issues.
****
BEST OF WEEK: SUPERBOY #9—And then, yes, I do believe Lemire/Gallo/Grant&friend remain smashing on all cylinders, am more engaged with this particular serial than the other two summer blockbusters which both just got really really good. The call and response of Simon editing Psionic Lad’s name before the revelation there, such nimble narrative work. I guess it’s all got to be over next month, and I certainly don’t see any reason why it shouldn’t be, other than I wanted this to keep going on and on. Editorial would have created suffocating advance hype, but done far better by the content, just to call this ALL-STAR SUPERBOY from the top. The Conner Kent Zenith.
(though BESTOFWEEK might really and true revert back to FEAR ITSELF here, just any time. SUPERBOY, at the moment, benefits from the sequence)
UNCANNY X-MEN #540—Third issue in four weeks and the narrative momentum makes Gillen that much tougher to handle in silence while reading. My man is killing it. And what a long strange trip it’s been with Land. I’ve grown to, if not accept him, feel comforted by his constance of presence, the dead angles. Other than that page with Illyana getting colored in a two-dimensional plane, I was kind of feeling it. Particularly the Peter and Kitty stuff. As evah.
THE BOYS #56—The simple trick of organically cycling us all the way back around to the original premise at its most basic, Butcher and Hughie walking around talking shit and being cool all the time, charts this one on opening night as one of the series-best issues in recent memory, way up there all-time, even. I mean, really, a couple of these pages right here, if I could own any original art of the seventy+ issue run, I think they’re in this one. The first appearance of Doctor Peculiar and the one when Butcher’s cunt sense tingles.
HOUSE OF MYSTERY #39—Wow, and then all parties here at the tip top of their game, anyone who was monthly on SANDMAN is going to get dynamited at the fun that Goldie gets to have. Does m’heart good to see a medium/young Vertigo title like this just killing it, every month and all the time. And then, hah, Sturges delivers a wallop of a segueway to my own personal Wednesday night set list on the last page, there. Relaunch!
FLASHPOINT #3—All right, I am also suddenly and officially digging upon this big event, too. The gig is apparently for real, Barry Allen Flash and Thomas Wayne Batman and, still and why not, Vic Stone Cyborg will be our Trinity this time out, and you know what, that frame has some heft to it. Interested in where this goes. Though doesn’t FLASH #8 probably hold the key or some all-important clue? That seemed so important a few months back. And Diana and Arthur still off-panel, about to end the world with their war. It is so and so cool that FEAR ITSELF and this continue to be released the same night, handling Kubert & co here, opposite Immonen/Martin/all the lovelies, really too many jawdropping pages to take, not even counting that they’re both front and center main-as-mainstream-gets corporate big events.
ADVENTURE COMICS #528—Levitz brings the Academy situation to a crescendo and Borges Borges Borges continues to not look like an asshole while following up Jiminez, which, who could hope for more? Quite intrigued to see what sort of a curtain call Levitz has on tap for, I guess, the next three issues.
****
BEST OF WEEK: SUPERBOY #9—And then, yes, I do believe Lemire/Gallo/Grant&friend remain smashing on all cylinders, am more engaged with this particular serial than the other two summer blockbusters which both just got really really good. The call and response of Simon editing Psionic Lad’s name before the revelation there, such nimble narrative work. I guess it’s all got to be over next month, and I certainly don’t see any reason why it shouldn’t be, other than I wanted this to keep going on and on. Editorial would have created suffocating advance hype, but done far better by the content, just to call this ALL-STAR SUPERBOY from the top. The Conner Kent Zenith.(though BESTOFWEEK might really and true revert back to FEAR ITSELF here, just any time. SUPERBOY, at the moment, benefits from the sequence)
Saturday, July 2, 2011
6/29/11
FF #5—Man, Kitson and Mounts’s work is glorious. Beautiful pages. Kudos to editorial for making sure the second arc maintains the first’s A-level quality. I enjoyed seeing Alex Power get creative with a rowdy mob of moloids. Nice scene between Ben and Alicia, though that last line was just a bit too on-the-nose for my taste. I loved the page of Reed and Alex, very cool mentor-mentee relationship fully actualized in, what, really only two panels? Deft. My only gripe is that I wish they would never ever spoil a last page reveal with the cover, even one done in silhouette. Even if CBR already did it a couple of weeks ago. I get how marketing’s important, luring lapsed readers (or what’s the newDCspeak? Readers-to-be) in with the promise of something momentous, but it’s a shame when it’s done at the expense of surprising the folks who always show up, month in, month out. I should probably stop bitching and just quit checking CBR, hey.
UNCANNY X-MEN #539—Just a hell of an issue. Ibraim Roberson absolutely burns up this done-in-one starring Logan and Hope, a beautiful character study that sees Wolverine burned to a crisp and makes you slap your forehead at the obvious reason that he’s been kind of a dick to her all this time instead of just letting her fall into the role of Teenage Girl Sidekick #8, whatever number he’s up to. That dialogue at the end is pitch-perfect. Loving loving Gillen on this, don’t even mind that we’re suddenly bi-weekly at $4 a pop. Quality mutant merriment.
ROCKETEER ADVENTURES #2—Another solid outing, though not quite as devastating as the first issue. Waid delivers a tonally perfect script that maybe winks at the reader once or twice too often in its eight pages. Cooke nails it, I particularly love the recap page and the cliffhanger. Add Rocketeer serials to the long list of something this guy could knock out of the park for as long as he wanted to. The Geof Darrow double-splash is breathtaking and has the requisite 295 bullet casings spilling out all over the place. And then Lowell Francis and Gene Ha, who I want to say also put out a FLASHPOINT: SUPERMAN issue today, did a perfectly serviceable job on the last story, though, yeah, Busiek & Kaluta from last month are still the team to beat, thus far. Oh, and tremendous work from Dave Stewart, throughout.
SUPER DINOSAUR #2 & 3—Mm, I like the idea of this, but the execution in serial form is not making me feel solid for the long haul. Twenty pages, no ads, all ages, brand new characters and story. All right, I’m in. Jason Howard’s art looks great, at least one wonderful double-splash per issue, and Kirkman’s still rocking his ear for dialogue, but the thing is . . . I don’t really like Derek Dynamo. I’m not rooting for him at all, more getting excited when the ice breaks and he starts falling. Then, he fires a Bat-grappler and says “Bottomless pit? NO PROBLEM!” and I just want to smack his smarmy little face. The same goes with the Kingstons, the inventor family who just moved in. “Did somebody say cold weather gear? Well, it just so happens…” I swear that exact beat has happened in every single issue, now. I don’t know. This book is already so convinced of its own super-awesomeness, it’s kind of having a hard time bringing me along for the ride, even though I’ve already bought my ticket.
AMERICAN VAMPIRE #16—The Ghost War ramps up for the home stretch and it looks like it’s going to be, as ever, a bloodbath. All respect to everyone nominated, but Albuquerque not pulling a Best Penciller Eisner nomination this year is patently ridiculous. Cracking this book open every month, I always get the sensation that he’s spoiling us. It just should not look this good, month after month. And the slow burn on the relationship between Sweet and Pearl remains the most compelling aspect of the book for me, nudged forward ever so slightly by the former’s reaction to Henry talking about sleeping next to her. Really looking forward to what I imagine will be the conclusion next month, it’s going to hit pretty hard from Page One.
DETECTIVE COMICS #878—Snyder and Jock bring their second arc to a close and it’s pretty much perfect, tight and right and everything that you could want from a Batman OR a Dick Grayson story and, while they’re at it, they go ahead and perform that alchemical magic of words+pictures right out there where you can see it, like a magician who explains the trick while he’s doing it, but then hits that last sleight of hand at the end to still make everybody gasp. That last page of Dick jumping, locking in with the preceding panel, and the first page of this issue, and all the way back to the first time he met Sonia two months back, the content of the text, the anatomic symphony of just Jock . . . really, really an amazing thing. To say nothing of those final two pages. I wish Jock could alternate arcs or done-in-ones with Capullo here, post-relaunch, if he’s going to need a pinchhitter. The bar is so high at this point, they’re really going to have to stop serving absinthe.
****
BEST OF WEEK: BATMAN INCORPORATED #7—I was really interested to see how Morrison was going to follow up last issue, which is easily my favorite single released here in the first half of the year. It turns out the answer was to take it to the rez. This done-in-one focuses on Man of Bats, the doctor turned vigilante who’s returned to his Native American roots in order to do good on a grassroots level. There is so much to like about this issue, really memorable beats and lines on pretty much every single page. Rather than go through and list each one, I’ll say that right at this moment my favorite two things about this comic are the way that Morrison leads us along with this guy, teasing our expectations to think that maybe he really is just a lunatic straight out of the Frank Miller Academy, but then the trap springs and we’re all of a sudden heartsick and all Is This The End For Man of Bats? with maybe only a page or two left before it’s all over and our hearts up in our throats. The fact that we already care so much speaks to the hyperdense character work Morrison is able to lay down in just a few pages, a master class in creating reader empathy. Another kernel of perfection is Bruce’s entrance, his opening line. It totally has the effect on the reader that it does on Little Raven, while also being perfect characterization. He’s always just out of sight, watching. Knows all. We were already enjoying the hell out of simply The Man of Bats & Little Raven Power Hour and then Bruce Wayne walks out of the dark and now even the shadows are crackling with excitement.
And that Chris Burnham. What a force. My favorite new artist, DC really made a find with this guy. Really really hope that he’s on board for the duration, no more fill-ins, just 13 more glorious issues of Morrison & Burnham, all the Dynamic Duo we need for 2012. Man, I am going to be just a caricature when that last issue of LEVIATHAN comes out.
UNCANNY X-MEN #539—Just a hell of an issue. Ibraim Roberson absolutely burns up this done-in-one starring Logan and Hope, a beautiful character study that sees Wolverine burned to a crisp and makes you slap your forehead at the obvious reason that he’s been kind of a dick to her all this time instead of just letting her fall into the role of Teenage Girl Sidekick #8, whatever number he’s up to. That dialogue at the end is pitch-perfect. Loving loving Gillen on this, don’t even mind that we’re suddenly bi-weekly at $4 a pop. Quality mutant merriment.
ROCKETEER ADVENTURES #2—Another solid outing, though not quite as devastating as the first issue. Waid delivers a tonally perfect script that maybe winks at the reader once or twice too often in its eight pages. Cooke nails it, I particularly love the recap page and the cliffhanger. Add Rocketeer serials to the long list of something this guy could knock out of the park for as long as he wanted to. The Geof Darrow double-splash is breathtaking and has the requisite 295 bullet casings spilling out all over the place. And then Lowell Francis and Gene Ha, who I want to say also put out a FLASHPOINT: SUPERMAN issue today, did a perfectly serviceable job on the last story, though, yeah, Busiek & Kaluta from last month are still the team to beat, thus far. Oh, and tremendous work from Dave Stewart, throughout.
SUPER DINOSAUR #2 & 3—Mm, I like the idea of this, but the execution in serial form is not making me feel solid for the long haul. Twenty pages, no ads, all ages, brand new characters and story. All right, I’m in. Jason Howard’s art looks great, at least one wonderful double-splash per issue, and Kirkman’s still rocking his ear for dialogue, but the thing is . . . I don’t really like Derek Dynamo. I’m not rooting for him at all, more getting excited when the ice breaks and he starts falling. Then, he fires a Bat-grappler and says “Bottomless pit? NO PROBLEM!” and I just want to smack his smarmy little face. The same goes with the Kingstons, the inventor family who just moved in. “Did somebody say cold weather gear? Well, it just so happens…” I swear that exact beat has happened in every single issue, now. I don’t know. This book is already so convinced of its own super-awesomeness, it’s kind of having a hard time bringing me along for the ride, even though I’ve already bought my ticket.
AMERICAN VAMPIRE #16—The Ghost War ramps up for the home stretch and it looks like it’s going to be, as ever, a bloodbath. All respect to everyone nominated, but Albuquerque not pulling a Best Penciller Eisner nomination this year is patently ridiculous. Cracking this book open every month, I always get the sensation that he’s spoiling us. It just should not look this good, month after month. And the slow burn on the relationship between Sweet and Pearl remains the most compelling aspect of the book for me, nudged forward ever so slightly by the former’s reaction to Henry talking about sleeping next to her. Really looking forward to what I imagine will be the conclusion next month, it’s going to hit pretty hard from Page One.
DETECTIVE COMICS #878—Snyder and Jock bring their second arc to a close and it’s pretty much perfect, tight and right and everything that you could want from a Batman OR a Dick Grayson story and, while they’re at it, they go ahead and perform that alchemical magic of words+pictures right out there where you can see it, like a magician who explains the trick while he’s doing it, but then hits that last sleight of hand at the end to still make everybody gasp. That last page of Dick jumping, locking in with the preceding panel, and the first page of this issue, and all the way back to the first time he met Sonia two months back, the content of the text, the anatomic symphony of just Jock . . . really, really an amazing thing. To say nothing of those final two pages. I wish Jock could alternate arcs or done-in-ones with Capullo here, post-relaunch, if he’s going to need a pinchhitter. The bar is so high at this point, they’re really going to have to stop serving absinthe.
****
BEST OF WEEK: BATMAN INCORPORATED #7—I was really interested to see how Morrison was going to follow up last issue, which is easily my favorite single released here in the first half of the year. It turns out the answer was to take it to the rez. This done-in-one focuses on Man of Bats, the doctor turned vigilante who’s returned to his Native American roots in order to do good on a grassroots level. There is so much to like about this issue, really memorable beats and lines on pretty much every single page. Rather than go through and list each one, I’ll say that right at this moment my favorite two things about this comic are the way that Morrison leads us along with this guy, teasing our expectations to think that maybe he really is just a lunatic straight out of the Frank Miller Academy, but then the trap springs and we’re all of a sudden heartsick and all Is This The End For Man of Bats? with maybe only a page or two left before it’s all over and our hearts up in our throats. The fact that we already care so much speaks to the hyperdense character work Morrison is able to lay down in just a few pages, a master class in creating reader empathy. Another kernel of perfection is Bruce’s entrance, his opening line. It totally has the effect on the reader that it does on Little Raven, while also being perfect characterization. He’s always just out of sight, watching. Knows all. We were already enjoying the hell out of simply The Man of Bats & Little Raven Power Hour and then Bruce Wayne walks out of the dark and now even the shadows are crackling with excitement.And that Chris Burnham. What a force. My favorite new artist, DC really made a find with this guy. Really really hope that he’s on board for the duration, no more fill-ins, just 13 more glorious issues of Morrison & Burnham, all the Dynamic Duo we need for 2012. Man, I am going to be just a caricature when that last issue of LEVIATHAN comes out.
Monday, June 27, 2011
6/22/11
THE MIGHTY THOR #3—We live in a beautiful world in which we get monthly doses of Laura Martin coloring both THOR and FEAR ITSELF. Poor Fraction. These pages are gorgeous, Copiel and Morales delivering A-list work. I kind of thought the entire issue was going to be slugfest gotime with just Thor and the Surfer throwing down, but of course it’s better to get more. The bit with Loki and Sif played perfectly, Volstagg versus Broxton, Oklahoma was as hilarious as it ought to have been, and just the page of Galactus and the Surfer sitting on the moon justifies the four bucks all by its lonesome. Really an incredible run brewing, here.
CAPTAIN AMERICA #619—Brubaker and company bring this three-in-one “Gulag” arc to a thunderous conclusion that, as usual, does as much to launch us into the next arc as it does to resolve what’s come before. I’ve really been digging the multiple art teams drawing a few pages each from a particular character’s POV. Nice validation for the extra buck. But, man! Brubaker’s suddenly schisming himself into two books. Not cool! Marvel keeps figuring out tricky ways to get my money out of my wallet in four dollar increments. The new title makes that scene from FEAR ITSELF #3 seem not quite so dire, though.
JOHN BYRNE’S NEXT MEN #7—I suddenly understand this perfectly and it’s BYRNE, he who dropped the FF run that’s arguably still second only to Stan & Jack (though Hick and man are words it’s probably not too soon to start stringing together during this conversation), relaunched The Man of Steel when I was nine, and is the twin heartbeat to arguably the greatest supersoap-opera run in all of comics, and what this man has done is dance back and pick up one of my favoritest dangling cliffhangers from 15+ years ago and turn Volume Two into, suddenly, one of my favorite time-travel stories that I’ve read in a long time. Thrilling. To be continued.
FABLES #106—Baaaaaaaaaaaawwwwwww! Well, this will be a HUGE difference between Wednesday regulars and tradewaiters, because I was totally unprepared four weeks later for the opening scene to just roll out with the pedal all the way down on the floor and then just THAT WAS THE ARC. I mean, climax in the first six pages and then only clean-up after that, on to the next thing. Master storytellers. Like clockwork, even.
BATMAN: GATES OF GOTHAM #2—Snyder and company are doing some cool things with dynasty and legacy here, validating Loeb’s Elliot family in a way that some folks might argue is undeserved but works for me just fine. This is a nuanced tale that juxtaposes the story of the brothers who built the bridges to Gotham for the major families with the shenanigans erupting in the present with all sidekicks on deck and Dick still in the cowl, for a little longer, anyway. So many good books in the Batman staple, lately.
****
BEST OF WEEK: SUPERMAN #712—Man, I can’t believe they were just sitting on this. Because editorial was afraid that there was some potentially sketchy content re: Muslims in the story Chris Roberson originally wrote for this issue, DC shelved it and dusted off this gem that Busiek wrote during his run five years ago, drawn by Rick Leonardi. This is a Krypto solo issue dealing with his reaction to Superboy dying during INFINITE CRISIS. Well, the fact that Conner has already been resurrected does nothing to diminish the emotional power of the simple tale of a dog who misses his boy. Just some heartbreaking moments in here, folks. If you can make it all the way through without misting up just a little, I swear they’ll get you on that last page. Very very well done.
CAPTAIN AMERICA #619—Brubaker and company bring this three-in-one “Gulag” arc to a thunderous conclusion that, as usual, does as much to launch us into the next arc as it does to resolve what’s come before. I’ve really been digging the multiple art teams drawing a few pages each from a particular character’s POV. Nice validation for the extra buck. But, man! Brubaker’s suddenly schisming himself into two books. Not cool! Marvel keeps figuring out tricky ways to get my money out of my wallet in four dollar increments. The new title makes that scene from FEAR ITSELF #3 seem not quite so dire, though.
JOHN BYRNE’S NEXT MEN #7—I suddenly understand this perfectly and it’s BYRNE, he who dropped the FF run that’s arguably still second only to Stan & Jack (though Hick and man are words it’s probably not too soon to start stringing together during this conversation), relaunched The Man of Steel when I was nine, and is the twin heartbeat to arguably the greatest supersoap-opera run in all of comics, and what this man has done is dance back and pick up one of my favoritest dangling cliffhangers from 15+ years ago and turn Volume Two into, suddenly, one of my favorite time-travel stories that I’ve read in a long time. Thrilling. To be continued.
FABLES #106—Baaaaaaaaaaaawwwwwww! Well, this will be a HUGE difference between Wednesday regulars and tradewaiters, because I was totally unprepared four weeks later for the opening scene to just roll out with the pedal all the way down on the floor and then just THAT WAS THE ARC. I mean, climax in the first six pages and then only clean-up after that, on to the next thing. Master storytellers. Like clockwork, even.
BATMAN: GATES OF GOTHAM #2—Snyder and company are doing some cool things with dynasty and legacy here, validating Loeb’s Elliot family in a way that some folks might argue is undeserved but works for me just fine. This is a nuanced tale that juxtaposes the story of the brothers who built the bridges to Gotham for the major families with the shenanigans erupting in the present with all sidekicks on deck and Dick still in the cowl, for a little longer, anyway. So many good books in the Batman staple, lately.
****
BEST OF WEEK: SUPERMAN #712—Man, I can’t believe they were just sitting on this. Because editorial was afraid that there was some potentially sketchy content re: Muslims in the story Chris Roberson originally wrote for this issue, DC shelved it and dusted off this gem that Busiek wrote during his run five years ago, drawn by Rick Leonardi. This is a Krypto solo issue dealing with his reaction to Superboy dying during INFINITE CRISIS. Well, the fact that Conner has already been resurrected does nothing to diminish the emotional power of the simple tale of a dog who misses his boy. Just some heartbreaking moments in here, folks. If you can make it all the way through without misting up just a little, I swear they’ll get you on that last page. Very very well done.
6/15/11
AVENGERS #14—Bendis’s mighty talking heads return to tell us how it all went down in their tonally pitch-perfect voices. My favorite panel was Logan’s take as to what makes you an Avenger. If Wolverine makes a declarative statement while pointing at you and holding a beer can with the same hand, it’s doubleplus gospel. And okay, I suddenly almost care about the Red Hulk, as silly as the concept sounded to me when I heard about Loeb’s run. JRjr draws the hell out of the Red Hulk/Worthy Thing smashup. Of course. And man, the tower just goes down, kind of makes you wonder what they’ve got planned to up the stakes for the back end, here.
THE INVINCIBLE IRON MAN #505—Yeah, it is getting pretty biblical around these parts. Beautiful pages from Larroca and D’Armata, as usual. That last shot of him flying off is something else.
UNCANNY X-MEN #538—Fantastic conclusion to Gillen’s first solo arc. I love love love the work that he and the Dodsons have been doing. I’m sure that nostalgia for the halcyon days of the characters/franchise is playing a large part here, but if you can make me feel 23 years younger by the judicious application of corporate characters, then I say, Good on you. It’s interesting how it all comes around, Whedon seemed to start Buffy out as a Kitty Pryde analogue, then got the chance to script dialogue for the original a few years later. Now, this last scene by Gillen channels the Whedon tone to perfection. This is as much as I’ve enjoyed this flagship title in monthly form since I first stumbled into the last three years of Claremont’s run. I hope they never cancel it.
GENERATION HOPE #8—More Gillen goodness. Espin’s art is a little bit looser and cartoony than I prefer, but I can maybe rationalize it by glancing at some old Blevins NEW MUTANTS pages. Gillen seems to be building something here, having a good idea about where he’s taking these characters, and I’m interested to see what’s next.
X-FACTOR #221—As good as this series always is, David always trumps everything that follows with the bit of silly on the recap page, this one pumping me up more than usual, as I am also making my way through Watterson’s three-volume collection of CALVIN & HOBBES. I heard Leonard Kirk got assigned to this, fantastic news.
LEGION OF SUPER-HEROES #14—Only one DC book? That’s got to be some kind of record for me. This was cool enough, didn’t crush me, but solid. But what’s the deal with the two Mon-Els on the last page? I missed something.
****
BEST OF WEEK: KIRBY: GENESIS #1—This more than delivers on the promise of the zero issue as we fast forward a few years to our protagonist’s college years, at which point all the Kirby madness immediately starts erupting down from the sky, because where else? The pace is still batshit insane, with characters and origins dropping in left and right, but I don’t want my distilled Kirby any other way. I could use a little more Ross art in these pages, but I like what this Jack Herbert guy’s doing. Particularly since, you know, they could have tried to get Tom Scioli to do just a straight Kirby style, but he’s already doing GODLAND and the most Kirby thing to do is to not hire an artist to replicate Kirby’s style, but rather get someone who does their own thing. This one’s a lot of fun with the promise of much much more to come.
THE INVINCIBLE IRON MAN #505—Yeah, it is getting pretty biblical around these parts. Beautiful pages from Larroca and D’Armata, as usual. That last shot of him flying off is something else.
UNCANNY X-MEN #538—Fantastic conclusion to Gillen’s first solo arc. I love love love the work that he and the Dodsons have been doing. I’m sure that nostalgia for the halcyon days of the characters/franchise is playing a large part here, but if you can make me feel 23 years younger by the judicious application of corporate characters, then I say, Good on you. It’s interesting how it all comes around, Whedon seemed to start Buffy out as a Kitty Pryde analogue, then got the chance to script dialogue for the original a few years later. Now, this last scene by Gillen channels the Whedon tone to perfection. This is as much as I’ve enjoyed this flagship title in monthly form since I first stumbled into the last three years of Claremont’s run. I hope they never cancel it.
GENERATION HOPE #8—More Gillen goodness. Espin’s art is a little bit looser and cartoony than I prefer, but I can maybe rationalize it by glancing at some old Blevins NEW MUTANTS pages. Gillen seems to be building something here, having a good idea about where he’s taking these characters, and I’m interested to see what’s next.
X-FACTOR #221—As good as this series always is, David always trumps everything that follows with the bit of silly on the recap page, this one pumping me up more than usual, as I am also making my way through Watterson’s three-volume collection of CALVIN & HOBBES. I heard Leonard Kirk got assigned to this, fantastic news.
LEGION OF SUPER-HEROES #14—Only one DC book? That’s got to be some kind of record for me. This was cool enough, didn’t crush me, but solid. But what’s the deal with the two Mon-Els on the last page? I missed something.
****
BEST OF WEEK: KIRBY: GENESIS #1—This more than delivers on the promise of the zero issue as we fast forward a few years to our protagonist’s college years, at which point all the Kirby madness immediately starts erupting down from the sky, because where else? The pace is still batshit insane, with characters and origins dropping in left and right, but I don’t want my distilled Kirby any other way. I could use a little more Ross art in these pages, but I like what this Jack Herbert guy’s doing. Particularly since, you know, they could have tried to get Tom Scioli to do just a straight Kirby style, but he’s already doing GODLAND and the most Kirby thing to do is to not hire an artist to replicate Kirby’s style, but rather get someone who does their own thing. This one’s a lot of fun with the promise of much much more to come.
Thursday, June 9, 2011
6/08/11
NEW AVENGERS #13—Bendis and his split art team bring this second arc to a close. As incongruous as Chaykin and Deodato’s styles are, they both suit the story’s they’re telling, so while the transitions are at times a bit bumpy, the end result is satisfying. Deodato continues to knock it out, though his style is without doubt a better fit over on SECRET AVENGERS with all those shadows just screaming clandestine. Bendis again takes a single panel to stake his claim as absolute conduit to the voice of Peter Parker, that “That’s copyrighted” line, just a thing of perfection amidst all the shuffling. It continues to be enjoyable watching Luke Cage run his own team, but I’d sure like those oral histories to come back and make me feel better about that extra dollar I’m paying every month for the pleasure.
FRANKENSTEIN and the CREATURES OF THE UNKNOWN #1—Anyone grousing that this is nothing more than a monster book set in an alternate timeline that won’t even “matter” in three months has never read SUPERBOY or THE ESSEX COUNTY TRILOGY. Aren’t the best stories generally self-contained? Ibraim Roberson and Pete Pantazis turn in some lush work with a definite European feel that augments the material. Lemire gets a lot done in this issue, we meet the team, get them set up, put down, and back up with a new mission to accomplish, leaving us just the last splash to meet our heroic antagonist. While not being anywhere near as insane as Morrison’s take a few years back, and no foul, there, this is good clean monster fun that I have no problem recommending, even though it’s a bit light on characterization.
MORNING GLORIES #10—Now, I quite liked this one. Of course, a closing conversation like that, I’m a sucker for that trick, every time. This one’s been lagging a little bit in the –centric done-in-ones, curious given Spencer’s apparently fanatical devotion to L O S T, but we’re picking up a little speed here as we come around the turn. I’m positive this is all going to make much more sense in a marathon gulp.
THE UNWRITTEN #26—In which our heroes succeed and a nun who is not a nun creeps the hell out of everybody. I like how this was just a two-part get-in/get-out kind of thing. No reason to drag things out. I assume DC’s massive relaunch is leaving Vertigo proper alone, at least, I very much hope this is the case. It would be a shame to lose this one because of corporate. It continues to be indispensable for those of us who will forever fall under the charm of stories about stories and how they reflect the ones who read with their eyes and hearts open as wide they can manage.
JOURNEY INTO MYSTERY #624—Yeah, man, Gillen continues just to tear this one apart. I’ve always been in his corner and rooting for him on his ascent ever since reading the cover of PHONOGRAM vol. 2 #1, but he is simply firing on all cylinders here. Freaking me out with it, I mean. I don’t think Loki was this compelling under Simonson. Which I’m thinking means No More Calls, we have a winner. The art remains breathtaking. A quality Marvel comic for you right here, folks, surely the best random FEAR ITSELF tie-in on the rack (at least, unless and until Bendis just goes apeshit next month on AVENGERS, which is certainly within the realm).
****
BEST OF WEEK: AMERICAN VAMPIRE: SURVIVAL OF THE FITTEST #1—I was going to wait for the trade on this, but it was in my Pull and a light week, so I figured what the hell. And so so glad, because I had no idea Dave Stewart was coloring this until I cracked it open tonight. That’s Dave Stewart. Coloring Sean Murphy. JOE THE BARBARIAN, y’all! It’s mainly set-up as we meet Jim Book’s little girl, all grown up and continuing Daddy’s work, but Snyder is so deft with the beats and these guys instill every panel with so much electric that it still comes out on top this week, Stewart granting the final momentum necessary to surge past Lemire and his monstrous upstarts.
FRANKENSTEIN and the CREATURES OF THE UNKNOWN #1—Anyone grousing that this is nothing more than a monster book set in an alternate timeline that won’t even “matter” in three months has never read SUPERBOY or THE ESSEX COUNTY TRILOGY. Aren’t the best stories generally self-contained? Ibraim Roberson and Pete Pantazis turn in some lush work with a definite European feel that augments the material. Lemire gets a lot done in this issue, we meet the team, get them set up, put down, and back up with a new mission to accomplish, leaving us just the last splash to meet our heroic antagonist. While not being anywhere near as insane as Morrison’s take a few years back, and no foul, there, this is good clean monster fun that I have no problem recommending, even though it’s a bit light on characterization.
MORNING GLORIES #10—Now, I quite liked this one. Of course, a closing conversation like that, I’m a sucker for that trick, every time. This one’s been lagging a little bit in the –centric done-in-ones, curious given Spencer’s apparently fanatical devotion to L O S T, but we’re picking up a little speed here as we come around the turn. I’m positive this is all going to make much more sense in a marathon gulp.
THE UNWRITTEN #26—In which our heroes succeed and a nun who is not a nun creeps the hell out of everybody. I like how this was just a two-part get-in/get-out kind of thing. No reason to drag things out. I assume DC’s massive relaunch is leaving Vertigo proper alone, at least, I very much hope this is the case. It would be a shame to lose this one because of corporate. It continues to be indispensable for those of us who will forever fall under the charm of stories about stories and how they reflect the ones who read with their eyes and hearts open as wide they can manage.
JOURNEY INTO MYSTERY #624—Yeah, man, Gillen continues just to tear this one apart. I’ve always been in his corner and rooting for him on his ascent ever since reading the cover of PHONOGRAM vol. 2 #1, but he is simply firing on all cylinders here. Freaking me out with it, I mean. I don’t think Loki was this compelling under Simonson. Which I’m thinking means No More Calls, we have a winner. The art remains breathtaking. A quality Marvel comic for you right here, folks, surely the best random FEAR ITSELF tie-in on the rack (at least, unless and until Bendis just goes apeshit next month on AVENGERS, which is certainly within the realm).
****
BEST OF WEEK: AMERICAN VAMPIRE: SURVIVAL OF THE FITTEST #1—I was going to wait for the trade on this, but it was in my Pull and a light week, so I figured what the hell. And so so glad, because I had no idea Dave Stewart was coloring this until I cracked it open tonight. That’s Dave Stewart. Coloring Sean Murphy. JOE THE BARBARIAN, y’all! It’s mainly set-up as we meet Jim Book’s little girl, all grown up and continuing Daddy’s work, but Snyder is so deft with the beats and these guys instill every panel with so much electric that it still comes out on top this week, Stewart granting the final momentum necessary to surge past Lemire and his monstrous upstarts.
6/01/11
It’s Big Event Week! We get the first round of Flashpoint tie-ins, as well as the latest core issues of that event and FEAR ITSELF. More importantly, Hickman/Weaver’s S.H.I.E.L.D returns! All the Lone Star in the world is not enough*. Let’s get right to it.
FEAR ITSELF #3—Everyone really operating at a super-optimized level, we are all of us students of Ellis, disciples even, but no mainstream working professionals more so than Fraction and Gillen, the WEF alumni, they’ve of course got their own unique voices, epitomized in CASANOVA and PHONOGRAM, naturally, but it’s interesting to consider how Ellisian, coined here pretty much as a synonym for “streamlined” or “anti-bullshit,” their voice is in the Marvel Universe proper. What I’m trying to say is Fraction seems to be making the same choices that Ellis would be making, given this gig. Which I’m very much all right with. This issue possibly fails to live up to the glorious perfection of its title, but that’s only because the title is so, so good. Just the recap page of pin-ups got me all gassed up, surely a good sign. It was a great ride, too bad about that fella at the end, there. If they’re going to charge $4 for every issue of this and only provide 22 pages, there really needs to be some backmatter.
FLASHPOINT #2—Man, when it comes time for the Big Event, that Johns does not bring the sunshine. “IT WAS REVENGE IN REVERSE” is a great Silver-Age line. This issue as a whole, though, a little bit thin. Kubert remains a hoss, but there’s not quite enough advancement of the main narrative here, especially given that we’re now 40% of the way home. Not bad, but I was expecting a little bit more, by now. Something of real consequence, that would ring forward down through the years of continuity and matter, forever and for all time! Is that too much to expect from DC this summer?
FLASHPOINT: BATMAN, KNIGHT OF VENGEANCE #1—Oh, never really even anticipated or respected how good it would feel to get a direct dose from this team, rolled through the hun’dedB in trades, but here last week and now again, such a fresh blast, Patricia & Clem, all the gang, this one’s already encroaching upon my Batman All-Time 25. Ten times better than those six issues in between Hush and Judd fucking Winick (as great as Dustin Nguyen is). It turns out Batman could be much more of a dick.
Whew! But those events were quite the thrill ride. What else is going on this week, you ask? Read on, Sequential Acolyte!
THE BOYS #55—Ennis puts this talky arc to bed with a serious bombshell in the Hughie/Annie dept. before a last scene that somewhat left me in the dust. Is Mother’s Milk the unseen individual? Is there significance that there are periods on the penultimate page, M.M., and then nothing on the final page, MM? I kind of feel like Ennis lost me a bit, and I wasn’t even blind yet.
WEIRD WORLDS #6—Huh. Two of the three stories are To Be Continued. That’s kind of a garbage thing to do to folks who sign on to a six-issue anthology starring Lobo and two brand new characters. I mean, it’s not like Garbageman and Tanga had to meet their final fates (hmm, well . .), but a bit more closure would be nice before kicking it out to the next title, MY GREATEST ADVENTURE (a title I can get behind, starring those two characters, not so much). Ordway really blew me away on that Lobo serial, I’m about ready for 200+ pages of whatever he’s in the mood to draw, dude is peaking.
SUPERBOY #8—Oh, hello love, here you are. After two months in the mire, one of my very favorite monthlies returns, chock full of Lemire/Gallo/Grant goodness. I guess all we’re going to wind up with is this last arc, and that will lead us back to the back-up story that was in ACTION many moons back. This is just, yeah, everything’s back in its right place. If Morrison’s BATMAN run in fact weathers The Shift, then this will by far be the greatest casualty of the new regime.
HOUSE OF MYSTERY #38—This one’s just my ideal velocity of madness. Sturges makes up a crazy enough short to utilize Lapham to his greatest deranged potential, and yeah, no one saw that last page coming.
ADVENTURE COMICS #527—Just when I’m on the verge of bailing, Levitz cuts off a slice here that just does a little bit more for me. Guess we’ll hang on through the summertime.
****
BEST OF WEEK: S.H.I.E.L.D. vol. 2 #1—Now, that’s what I call backmatter. This thing continues to be a triumph on every level. The best output from Marvel in years and years. Worth of being spoken of in the same breath as Simonson Thor or Byrne FF or Miller Daredevil. Glory, trapped in panels. Every page, a thrill.
*actually, as it turns out, a considerably smaller fraction of all the Lone Star in the world was more than enough to keep this edition from being fully completed (read, mainly expurgated of intoxicated madness) for an entire week. We here at Wednesday Night Mass apologize for this lapse and pledge to do better by you, our hypothetical and largely imaginary readers
FEAR ITSELF #3—Everyone really operating at a super-optimized level, we are all of us students of Ellis, disciples even, but no mainstream working professionals more so than Fraction and Gillen, the WEF alumni, they’ve of course got their own unique voices, epitomized in CASANOVA and PHONOGRAM, naturally, but it’s interesting to consider how Ellisian, coined here pretty much as a synonym for “streamlined” or “anti-bullshit,” their voice is in the Marvel Universe proper. What I’m trying to say is Fraction seems to be making the same choices that Ellis would be making, given this gig. Which I’m very much all right with. This issue possibly fails to live up to the glorious perfection of its title, but that’s only because the title is so, so good. Just the recap page of pin-ups got me all gassed up, surely a good sign. It was a great ride, too bad about that fella at the end, there. If they’re going to charge $4 for every issue of this and only provide 22 pages, there really needs to be some backmatter.
FLASHPOINT #2—Man, when it comes time for the Big Event, that Johns does not bring the sunshine. “IT WAS REVENGE IN REVERSE” is a great Silver-Age line. This issue as a whole, though, a little bit thin. Kubert remains a hoss, but there’s not quite enough advancement of the main narrative here, especially given that we’re now 40% of the way home. Not bad, but I was expecting a little bit more, by now. Something of real consequence, that would ring forward down through the years of continuity and matter, forever and for all time! Is that too much to expect from DC this summer?
FLASHPOINT: BATMAN, KNIGHT OF VENGEANCE #1—Oh, never really even anticipated or respected how good it would feel to get a direct dose from this team, rolled through the hun’dedB in trades, but here last week and now again, such a fresh blast, Patricia & Clem, all the gang, this one’s already encroaching upon my Batman All-Time 25. Ten times better than those six issues in between Hush and Judd fucking Winick (as great as Dustin Nguyen is). It turns out Batman could be much more of a dick.
Whew! But those events were quite the thrill ride. What else is going on this week, you ask? Read on, Sequential Acolyte!
THE BOYS #55—Ennis puts this talky arc to bed with a serious bombshell in the Hughie/Annie dept. before a last scene that somewhat left me in the dust. Is Mother’s Milk the unseen individual? Is there significance that there are periods on the penultimate page, M.M., and then nothing on the final page, MM? I kind of feel like Ennis lost me a bit, and I wasn’t even blind yet.
WEIRD WORLDS #6—Huh. Two of the three stories are To Be Continued. That’s kind of a garbage thing to do to folks who sign on to a six-issue anthology starring Lobo and two brand new characters. I mean, it’s not like Garbageman and Tanga had to meet their final fates (hmm, well . .), but a bit more closure would be nice before kicking it out to the next title, MY GREATEST ADVENTURE (a title I can get behind, starring those two characters, not so much). Ordway really blew me away on that Lobo serial, I’m about ready for 200+ pages of whatever he’s in the mood to draw, dude is peaking.
SUPERBOY #8—Oh, hello love, here you are. After two months in the mire, one of my very favorite monthlies returns, chock full of Lemire/Gallo/Grant goodness. I guess all we’re going to wind up with is this last arc, and that will lead us back to the back-up story that was in ACTION many moons back. This is just, yeah, everything’s back in its right place. If Morrison’s BATMAN run in fact weathers The Shift, then this will by far be the greatest casualty of the new regime.
HOUSE OF MYSTERY #38—This one’s just my ideal velocity of madness. Sturges makes up a crazy enough short to utilize Lapham to his greatest deranged potential, and yeah, no one saw that last page coming.
ADVENTURE COMICS #527—Just when I’m on the verge of bailing, Levitz cuts off a slice here that just does a little bit more for me. Guess we’ll hang on through the summertime.
****
BEST OF WEEK: S.H.I.E.L.D. vol. 2 #1—Now, that’s what I call backmatter. This thing continues to be a triumph on every level. The best output from Marvel in years and years. Worth of being spoken of in the same breath as Simonson Thor or Byrne FF or Miller Daredevil. Glory, trapped in panels. Every page, a thrill.
*actually, as it turns out, a considerably smaller fraction of all the Lone Star in the world was more than enough to keep this edition from being fully completed (read, mainly expurgated of intoxicated madness) for an entire week. We here at Wednesday Night Mass apologize for this lapse and pledge to do better by you, our hypothetical and largely imaginary readers
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