To say that my updates of all of my blogs have become erratic of late is an understatement. That's grad school for you. I'm making an effort, now that it's summer.
This week
Age of Ultron #7 - I think it was somewhere on Facebook I was decrying Bendis's later Avengers stories. I thought he was running out of ideas. And I think there was something to that, and it's probably a good thing he left. But "Age of Ultron" is a nice return to form. It's very dark, which I think is something that the Avengers have lacked over their history. And perhaps that was the problem with his run, that it was always quite dark. I'm enjoying "Age." It's epic, it's disturbing, it's surprising. I know, as an experienced comic reader, that this crossover will have no real lasting effects, but it has a lasting effect on the reader. It's part of my thinking that superhero stories are much closer to mythology than to fiction. Think about Odysseus, going off to fight the war at Troy, the most epic war ever fought, and then in his next adventure, we have the Odyssey. A completely separate adventure, one that makes reference to previous adventures, but stands by itself just fine. Anyway, topic for another time perhaps.
Avengers #11 - (And all the ones before, really) I know I've said it before, and will again, but Jonathan Hickman is writing some of the best superhero comics right now. With his Avengers series (the main one and "New Avengers"), he's giving the team the sort of treatment that really pushes them into JLA territory. This links a bit with what I was just saying about mythology. The Justice League are mythic. They always have been. The Avengers have always had that Marvel U realism attached, which keeps them from achieving mythic status, even characters like Thor or Hercules. But Hickman's putting the team into adventures that truly force the characters past humanity and into achetyp-ity (?). It's a bold move, and a good move, though I worry as to how the team will be handled after this. How do you go from (spoiler alert!) interacting with entities designed to save universes, or collapses of multiverses, back to dealing with the Masters of Evil? Hopefully Hickman will be around for a while so we won't have to answer these questions quite yet.
Dial H #12 - remember how much you loved Morrison's "Doom Patrol?" Remember how fucked up and weird it was, how if made you feel as if there was something you weren't grasping just around the corner, and that when you did finally grasp it, it would make you wish you hadn't found out at all? Maybe just me, then. But Mieville's "Dial H" is very much like that. Yes, it's a New 52 DCU title, but it's in a creepy and weird little corner of the DCU (which is in Toronto, apparently) that would make Superman shudder a bit. Once more, spoiler, but we've got power-thieves and telephonic hell-dimensions, and a very unlikely couple, and now a team. A team? Of dialers? I am burning with curiosity as to where this story is going, but it's very definitely going somewhere. I urge you to get on board.
Showing posts with label Weekly Best. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Weekly Best. Show all posts
May 19, 2013
Nov 29, 2012
This Week's Picks (Nov. 28)
Lots picked up this week. I have to give Brian Bendis some credit. He is finishing off his monumental run on Avengers and New Avengers with some excellent stories. I would hesitate to say they're the best Avengers stories he's done, but they are heavy with what Bendis does best: amazing characterization. Every character in those books has a distinct, and stable, personality. He writes dialogue like no one else (I think I may have said that somewhere already.)
His Avengers #34 came out recently and finished things off. Haven't got New Avengers yet, but it's on the list.
Issue #7 of Jonathan Hickman and Nick Pitarra's "Manhattan Projects" also came out recently. I cannot recommend this series highly enough. Bizarre science fiction tale starring all of the greatest scientific minds of the mid-20th century. If you aren't reading Hickman, you should be by now. His run on "Fantastic Four" and "F.F." that has just concluded was genius. He's taking on the Avengers now that Bendis has moved on, and I, for one, could not be more excited.
Grant Morrison's Batman epic continued this week with "Batman Inc. v.2" #5. Weaving all the way back to his early story of Damian as the cursed Batman of future Gotham, and all sorts of story threads start to weave back together. I get the suspicion that we're seeing the endgame of Morrison's Batman, and I'm looking forward to re-reading the whole epic thing. I'm glad to see that he, for all intents and purposes, ignored the New 52 (which I quite like, don't get me wrong), and just got on with the story he's been telling for the past few years. If I have learned one thing about Morrison, it's that he's not for everyone. But these comics are amazing.
Finally, I picked up the first issue of "My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic." My son's a fan of the show (a Brony), and recently got my wife and I watching it. It's quite clever and funny. And the time travel episode in season 2 is really excellent. Anyway, I went to get this comic, and the young lady behind the counter looked at me and said "Is this for your daughter?" I said "No, that copy's for me, and the other one's for my son." She looked at me again and said, "Lot's of people have been using the daughter excuse today." I laughed, but I think it's a bit sad that you would have to hide liking something. I don't care what a comic is about, where it's set, who it's ostensible target audience is, as long as it's a good comic. (That said, I haven't been able to read it yet, because it contains, according to my son, spoilers about season 2, which we haven't finished yet. I'll let you know.)
That's all for this week. Oh, except for "Batman" #13, the first part of Death of the Family, which my friend Braydon picked up and gave to me, and which I finally read. It's quite good, and Snyder's Joker is chilling.
Because I need another comic to add to the list...
His Avengers #34 came out recently and finished things off. Haven't got New Avengers yet, but it's on the list.
Issue #7 of Jonathan Hickman and Nick Pitarra's "Manhattan Projects" also came out recently. I cannot recommend this series highly enough. Bizarre science fiction tale starring all of the greatest scientific minds of the mid-20th century. If you aren't reading Hickman, you should be by now. His run on "Fantastic Four" and "F.F." that has just concluded was genius. He's taking on the Avengers now that Bendis has moved on, and I, for one, could not be more excited.
Grant Morrison's Batman epic continued this week with "Batman Inc. v.2" #5. Weaving all the way back to his early story of Damian as the cursed Batman of future Gotham, and all sorts of story threads start to weave back together. I get the suspicion that we're seeing the endgame of Morrison's Batman, and I'm looking forward to re-reading the whole epic thing. I'm glad to see that he, for all intents and purposes, ignored the New 52 (which I quite like, don't get me wrong), and just got on with the story he's been telling for the past few years. If I have learned one thing about Morrison, it's that he's not for everyone. But these comics are amazing.
Finally, I picked up the first issue of "My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic." My son's a fan of the show (a Brony), and recently got my wife and I watching it. It's quite clever and funny. And the time travel episode in season 2 is really excellent. Anyway, I went to get this comic, and the young lady behind the counter looked at me and said "Is this for your daughter?" I said "No, that copy's for me, and the other one's for my son." She looked at me again and said, "Lot's of people have been using the daughter excuse today." I laughed, but I think it's a bit sad that you would have to hide liking something. I don't care what a comic is about, where it's set, who it's ostensible target audience is, as long as it's a good comic. (That said, I haven't been able to read it yet, because it contains, according to my son, spoilers about season 2, which we haven't finished yet. I'll let you know.)
That's all for this week. Oh, except for "Batman" #13, the first part of Death of the Family, which my friend Braydon picked up and gave to me, and which I finally read. It's quite good, and Snyder's Joker is chilling.
Because I need another comic to add to the list...
Apr 22, 2009
This Week's Picks
The New Avengers #52 - Okay, bar none, this is the best title Marvel is publishing right now. Bendis' magical grasp of dialogue is put to great use in this title. The team is great, the fugitive angle they've been playing for the last year and a bit is still working, and the stories are top notch. If you aren't reading New Avengers, go grab the "Breakout" trade and get started. This is the title that's defining what's happening in the Marvel Universe.
Batman: Battle for the Cowl - Arkham Asylum #1 - In my new quest to give the Bat-titles a try I'm starting off with the specials surrounding the search for a new Batman. This one was the creepiest, but it was a nice little stroll down memory lane. Maybe it's time to read Morrison and McKean's "Arkham Asylum" again. That book is a trip. As for this special, the new (are they new?) villains are neat. I'm excited to see where the Bat-universe is going, especially with Morrison and Quitely doing their thing in the coming months.
Skrull Kill Krew #1 - Throwback to one of the few bits of Grant Morrison's ouvre that I would label "mediocre." I probably won't pick up the second issue of this one. But with a name like "Skrull Kill Krew," I had to pick up at least the first one.
Fall of Cthulhu: Nemesis #1 - I will not be able to read this comic until I've tracked down 3 of the 20-some odd issues that preceded it. Thoroughly annoying.
The Strange Adventures of H.P. Lovecraft - When I last read a comic story about Lovecraft, it was the Necronauts. This one is somewhat different, and the story (of a young HPL haunted by dreams that seem to come true) hasn't quite grabbed me yet. However, Tony Salmons can draw a stunningly beautiful 20's flapper.
Pride & Prejudice #1 - I was so hopeful for this one. The cover by Sonny Liew is great. The source material is classic. Unfortunately, the contents don't measure up. Sure, it's a faithful adaptation, but the interior art reminds me of Grimm Fairy Tales from Zenescape. All the women are beautiful, but it's like they're wax dummies set in poses. There's no life to the art. Add to that the stilted language of the 19th century, and it spells failure. Shame.
Detective Comics #853 - Whenever Neil Gaiman ventures back into comics, it's a big deal. That said, I wasn't a big fan of "1602," and I never even looked at "The Eternals" (though I really should). So, when it was revealed that he was writing a 2-parter after the death of Batman, I had to pick it up. I just had to. It's Gaiman. And in this, I was not disappointed. I had a pretty good look at the first part here. The second part eschews the form of the Canterbury Tales, but tells a brilliant story about Batman and his death. If Gaiman came back to comics and wrote stories like this all the time, we'd have another Sandman on our hands. It's a shame he's left comics behind. We miss him.
That's it this week. One other item I have to point out is The Freedom Collective #1. I haven't read it yet, but I grabbed it last week. The premise is "What if Jack Kirby and Stan Lee were living in the Cold War-era U.S.S.R. when they decided to create The Avengers?" Inspired. I looked into Communist comics when I was researching Batman vs. Mighty Wing, but it turns out that comics were strictly forbidden under party rule. Which makes Freedom Collective that much more interesting.
Batman: Battle for the Cowl - Arkham Asylum #1 - In my new quest to give the Bat-titles a try I'm starting off with the specials surrounding the search for a new Batman. This one was the creepiest, but it was a nice little stroll down memory lane. Maybe it's time to read Morrison and McKean's "Arkham Asylum" again. That book is a trip. As for this special, the new (are they new?) villains are neat. I'm excited to see where the Bat-universe is going, especially with Morrison and Quitely doing their thing in the coming months.
Skrull Kill Krew #1 - Throwback to one of the few bits of Grant Morrison's ouvre that I would label "mediocre." I probably won't pick up the second issue of this one. But with a name like "Skrull Kill Krew," I had to pick up at least the first one.
Fall of Cthulhu: Nemesis #1 - I will not be able to read this comic until I've tracked down 3 of the 20-some odd issues that preceded it. Thoroughly annoying.
The Strange Adventures of H.P. Lovecraft - When I last read a comic story about Lovecraft, it was the Necronauts. This one is somewhat different, and the story (of a young HPL haunted by dreams that seem to come true) hasn't quite grabbed me yet. However, Tony Salmons can draw a stunningly beautiful 20's flapper.
Pride & Prejudice #1 - I was so hopeful for this one. The cover by Sonny Liew is great. The source material is classic. Unfortunately, the contents don't measure up. Sure, it's a faithful adaptation, but the interior art reminds me of Grimm Fairy Tales from Zenescape. All the women are beautiful, but it's like they're wax dummies set in poses. There's no life to the art. Add to that the stilted language of the 19th century, and it spells failure. Shame.
Detective Comics #853 - Whenever Neil Gaiman ventures back into comics, it's a big deal. That said, I wasn't a big fan of "1602," and I never even looked at "The Eternals" (though I really should). So, when it was revealed that he was writing a 2-parter after the death of Batman, I had to pick it up. I just had to. It's Gaiman. And in this, I was not disappointed. I had a pretty good look at the first part here. The second part eschews the form of the Canterbury Tales, but tells a brilliant story about Batman and his death. If Gaiman came back to comics and wrote stories like this all the time, we'd have another Sandman on our hands. It's a shame he's left comics behind. We miss him.
That's it this week. One other item I have to point out is The Freedom Collective #1. I haven't read it yet, but I grabbed it last week. The premise is "What if Jack Kirby and Stan Lee were living in the Cold War-era U.S.S.R. when they decided to create The Avengers?" Inspired. I looked into Communist comics when I was researching Batman vs. Mighty Wing, but it turns out that comics were strictly forbidden under party rule. Which makes Freedom Collective that much more interesting.
Mar 31, 2008
Best Comic I've Read This Week (Mar.30 - Apr.5, 2008)
I was going to wait until Frank Quitely's 12 issues of this title were done before I wrote about it. I also wanted to get my thoughts on "Flex Mentallo" down first, since this title is so much the spiritual successor to that series, but I just had to talk about this one.
All-Star Superman #10
I defy anyone to explain to me why they're not reading a Superman comic written by Grant Morrison that is completely outside the bounds of any continuity whatsoever. This is a stunning piece of work. They are stories that I think will be looked upon as a defining work, much like Byrne's "Man of Steel" in the mid-Eighties, or "The Death of Superman" in the Nineties. With Morrison's "Final Crisis" fast approaching in May, I'm really hoping that he brings the same sense of grandeur to the epic crossover that he has to Superman.
Issue 10 has a cover date of May 2008, meaning it's on store shelves as I type. The first six issues of "All-Star Superman" have been released in hardcover, from DC Comics.
I defy anyone to explain to me why they're not reading a Superman comic written by Grant Morrison that is completely outside the bounds of any continuity whatsoever. This is a stunning piece of work. They are stories that I think will be looked upon as a defining work, much like Byrne's "Man of Steel" in the mid-Eighties, or "The Death of Superman" in the Nineties. With Morrison's "Final Crisis" fast approaching in May, I'm really hoping that he brings the same sense of grandeur to the epic crossover that he has to Superman.
Issue 10 has a cover date of May 2008, meaning it's on store shelves as I type. The first six issues of "All-Star Superman" have been released in hardcover, from DC Comics.
Mar 24, 2008
Best Comic I've Read This Week (Mar.16 - 22)
Sorry. Couple of days late.
I've recently started trying to fill in Joe Casey's run on "Adventures of Superman" from about 6 years ago. He writes an excellent Superman. In doing so, however, I grabbed a couple of issues of the various other titles being published about that time, specifically the "Return to Krypton 2" storyline that ran in four parts through the titles. The first part is this week's best comic.
The story is well done, though you really need the other four parts to enjoy it fully. This particular issue stood out to me, though, because of two panels. I'm not giving anything away to say that Jor-El, Superman's Dad, winds up on Earth. He's exposed to our yellow Sun, and begins to experience what it's like to be Superman. In amazement, he asks "Is this what it's like, son? To live without fear? Without pain?" Superman responds with a small smile that speaks volumes, a testament to artists Pascual Ferry and Cam Smith. That page (page 6) was one of the most pure Superman moments I've read. All that remains is to say that the issue was written by Geoff Johns, and published by DC Comics in September of 2002. Worth hunting for.
I've recently started trying to fill in Joe Casey's run on "Adventures of Superman" from about 6 years ago. He writes an excellent Superman. In doing so, however, I grabbed a couple of issues of the various other titles being published about that time, specifically the "Return to Krypton 2" storyline that ran in four parts through the titles. The first part is this week's best comic.
The story is well done, though you really need the other four parts to enjoy it fully. This particular issue stood out to me, though, because of two panels. I'm not giving anything away to say that Jor-El, Superman's Dad, winds up on Earth. He's exposed to our yellow Sun, and begins to experience what it's like to be Superman. In amazement, he asks "Is this what it's like, son? To live without fear? Without pain?" Superman responds with a small smile that speaks volumes, a testament to artists Pascual Ferry and Cam Smith. That page (page 6) was one of the most pure Superman moments I've read. All that remains is to say that the issue was written by Geoff Johns, and published by DC Comics in September of 2002. Worth hunting for.
Mar 15, 2008
Best Comic I've Read This Week (Mar.9 - 15, 2008)
I'll try to keep it weekly. Not necessarily something released this week, but something I read this week.
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