Off the Cuff: Tell me already Blizzard!
I can’t take it.
I just can’t take it anymore. I need to know what Blizzard is up to. Of course I only have to wait a few more days and it will all be over. But those few days seem like an eternity right now!
Blizzard has a tradition of building up suspense and speculation prior to a major announcement. Last year they did it with Star Craft 2.
But this year seems particularly rough. I have been looking forward to a new Diablo for a very long time. I thought I might get my fix with the much anticipated Hellgate: London. But since that game seems to be a flop, I am stuck playing Diablo 2 several times a week.
In the end if the game announced isn’t Diablo 3 I’ll be disappointed. But I also know that Blizzard only seems to make good games, so I trust that this trend will continue. As much as I want to see Diablo 3, I want to see it done the right way. Better for it to take another decade and be done well, then come out this weekend and be a disappointment.
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June 25, 2008
On The Shelf This Week - 07.25.08
HIGHLIGHTS OF THE WEEK
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AVENGERS FAIRY TALES #3 (OF 4), $2.99, 32 Pages, Marvel Comics
Written by C. B. Cebulski, Art by Takeshi Miyazawa and Craig Yeung, Cover by Claire Wedling
It really bears mentioning again - Claire Wendling does some awesome covers. Not quite a pin-up, very germane to the story, and simply gorgeous. I’d love to see her handle a Marvel Illustrated adaptation of some fantasy-genred story. It could be quite beautiful.
This issue puts Cassie Lang in the role of Alice as she journeys into Wonderland. That really says all you need to know. This is a fun series, and this has the makings of another good issue.
GREEN LANTERN #32, $2.99, 32 Pages, DC Comics
Written by Geoff Johns ; Art by Ivan Reis and Oclair Albert
When it was first announced that Green Lantern would be taking a step back to reexamine the origin of Hal Jordan, one couldn’t help but be skeptical. The Green Lantern titles have been the absolute best DC had to offer, thanks to an exciting, original story, and an origin retelling was far from original. Added to that, they never seem to turn out that well. Thus far, this one has bucked that trend.
Of course, back when Hal Jordan was first introduced as the Green Lantern, “origins” were short - extremely short - a character would suddenly find himself a full-blown superhero within a couple pages. These days the stories are a little more mature, and this retelling reflects that. Johns deserves some praise here - while fleshing out Hal’s origin, he has managed to remain true to several decades of Green Lantern history, and has planted some seeds about Blackest Night that are sure to factor into the upcoming event. This retelling no longer seems like a dodgy idea.
While slower-paced than what we have become used to from the Green Lantern books, it is still a great read, planting a lot of seeds about what is to come.
JSA CLASSIFIED #39, $2.99, 32 Pages, DC Comics
Written by Mike W. Barr; Art by Shawn Martinbrough; Cover by Doug Mahnke
OK, for real this time - final issue.
It would be redundant to lament this title’s passing once again - I mean, it was a great book that pretty well launched Infinite Crisis, and helped to add some depth to the Justice Society for a new generation of readers, but it seems like the market just doesn’t exist for titles like this one any longer. Sad really - it wasn’t the best title month in and month out, but it was consistently good, and far better than the terrible “blockbuster” books that survive on hype and marketability alone. Not sure if it is at all possible to reverse this trend - no reason not to keep trying though. So for the final time, goodbye to JSA Classified. You will be missed.
RUNAWAYS #30, $2.99, 32 Pages, Marvel Comics
Written by Joss Whedon, Art by Michael Ryan, Rick Ketcham, and Christina Strain
Another end of an era for the Runaways - and just about the start of a new one. Runaways seems to have bucked the trend of new Marvel “teams” that are popular for a short time, then fade away into memory. The departure of series creators Vaughan could have been the beginning of the end for this concept, but Marvel did the one thing that was sure to guarantee the survival of Runaways - putting someone with the name recognition of Joss Whedon on this book guaranteed it wouldn’t leave anytime soon. Now with Whedon’s short run at an end (really, the biggest problem this title has faced is the delays in recent months), and someone with the skill of Terry Moore taking over, you can bet this title’s strong run will continue.
Hopefully Moore will put an end to the slow shipping schedule this title has had - removing really the only drawback this title has these days.
SECRET INVASION RUNAWAYS YOUNG AVENGERS #1 (OF 3), $2.99, 32 Pages, Marvel Comics
Written by Christopher Yost, Art by Takeshi Miyazawa, Craig Yeung, and Christina Strain
Often times, when major summer crossover events happen, almost every title becomes involved in some way, even if it seems that the main character’s involvement is only distantly related to whatever the ongoing story is. In this case, though, there is a much more direct reason for this mini - both teams just happen to have a Skrull on their rosters, so this mini makes a lot of sense.
The Civil War crossover between the two teams was decent, though it was a little bit of a let-down overall. The topical nature of this event should help overcome the weaknesses that the last crossover had. A definite must have if you are closely following Secret Invasion.
SUPERMAN #677, $2.99, 32 Pages, DC Comics
Written by James Robinson; Art by Renato Guedes and José Wilson Magalháes; Cover by Alex Ross; Variant Cover by Renato Guedes
After a one issue fill-in story, the new ongoing writer James Robinson comes aboard for his first story arc. Robinson doesn’t have a lot of credits to his name, but what few he has are outstanding (Starman being the most notable). Robinson will also be writing the upcoming Justice League title, which looks to focus on the backlash of the Martian Manhunter’s murder. Robinson has been on hiatus for a couple months, but it looks like he is being thrust right back into the heart of the DCU.
He has some giant shoes to fill - but based on his resume, Superman shouldn’t suffer much of a quality dip under the new regime.
TEEN TITANS #60, $2.99, 32 Pages, DC Comics
Written by Sean McKeever; Art by Eddy Barrows and Ruy Jose; Cover by Barrows and Julio Ferreira
This issue is the final part of the Terror Titans arc. In many ways, it seems almost logical to say that this is the final part of McKeever’s first arc on the title, since it was only with this story that he really came into his own. A couple editorially-mandated stories did drag down McKeever’s initial start, but this arc has been running on all cylinders - from the team interactions, their individual personalities and struggles, the hint of humor and the antagonist himself - for too long, Teen Titans felt like the “mini Justice League” - McKeever has really restored a Titans tone to this title.
It is the last issue of an arc, one with will likely feature a lot of action, so it isn’t a bad choice for someone looking to jump aboard this book. Teen Titans has quite suddenly come into its own, and is looking like it is going to have a nice long, strong run.
ULTIMATE SPIDER-MAN #123, $2.99, 32 Pages, Marvel Comics
Written by Brian Michael Bendis, Art by Stuart Immonen, Wade Von Growbadger, and Justin Ponsor
A new Ultimate Spider-Man arc is always worth mentioning. Of note is the fact that this arc incorporates elements from the Ultimate Spider-Man video game (which makes some sense, as Bendis co-wrote the script for that game and it has been mostly considered cannon since it was released) - which might help resolve some of the continuity problems the game itself had. Knowing the story from the game, it is safe to assume that this will be an action-packed arc, and a safe one to try out for the first time. If you aren’t reading this book yet (I can’t understand why you wouldn’t be), you should give it a shot - especially if the 3 times a month shipping schedule is putting you off Amazing Spider-man. This really is the best Spider-Man book on the market today, and a good buy if you want a consistent monthly dose of the Wall Crawler.
SPOTLIGHT PICK OF THE WEEK
MADAME XANADU #1, $2.99, 32 Pages, DC Comics/Vertigo
Written by Matt Wagner; Art and cover by Amy Reeder Hadley; Variant cover by Wagner
Last month, Vertigo gave us the start of House of Mystery - this month it is giving us another title with a lot of promise, Madame Xanadu. Vertigo has always been a good place for DC Magicians to spread their wings a little bit, without the confines of continuity. It worked well for John Constantine- perhaps Madame Xanadu will experience similar success.
Of course, helming this new title is Matt Wagner - of Grendel fame, most recently working on Trinity. He has the chops for an arcane tale like this one - it is a far-cry from the tone we are seeing on Trinity, but it is closer to his usual genre. Well worth a look - this could be another long-running Vertigo hit. Also an excellent buy for fans of the late Shadowpact series - while she wasn’t a member of the team, she did cross paths with that team in Day of Vengeance and Countdown.
DARK HORSE
STAR WARS DARK TIMES #12 VECTOR PART 6 $2.99 Now: $2.59
DC COMICS
FINAL CRISIS #2 (OF 7) $3.99 Now: $3.49
GREEN LANTERN #32 $2.99 Now: $2.79
JSA CLASSIFIED #39 $2.99 Now: $2.79
MADAME XANADU #1 $2.99 Now: $2.69
PROGRAMME #12 (OF 12) $2.99 Now: $2.59
SECRET HISTORY THE AUTHORITY HAWKSMOOR #4 (OF 6) $2.99 Now: $2.59
SUPERMAN #677 $2.99 Now: $2.69
TEEN TITANS #60 $2.99 Now: $2.59
TRINITY #4 $2.99 Now: $2.79
DEVIL’S DUE
WORLDS OF DUNGEONS & DRAGONS #2 $5.50 Now: $4.99
IMAGE COMICS
PILOT SEASON ALIBI #1 $3.99 Now: $3.49
MARVEL COMICS
ANGEL REVELATIONS #2 (OF 5) $3.99 Now: $3.49
AVENGERS FAIRY TALES #3 (OF 4) $2.99 Now: $2.59
BLACK PANTHER #37 $2.99 Now: $2.69
DAREDEVIL #108 $2.99 Now: $2.69
HOUSE OF M TP AVENGERS $13.99 Now: $10.99
HULK #4 $2.99 Now: $2.69
MARVEL ATLAS TP $14.99 Now: $11.99
NEW WARRIORS #13 $2.99 Now: $2.59
RUNAWAYS #30 $2.99 Now: $2.69
SECRET INVASION RUNAWAYS YOUNG AVENGERS #1 (OF 3) $2.99 Now: $2.69
SHE-HULK #30 $2.99 Now: $2.59
ULTIMATE SPIDER-MAN #123 $2.99 Now: $2.69
ULTIMATES 3 #4 (OF 5) $2.99 Now: $2.69
UNCANNY X-MEN #499 $2.99 Now: $2.69
WOLVERINE FIRST CLASS #4 $2.99 Now: $2.69
WOLVERINE ORIGINS #26 $2.99 Now: $2.59
X-MEN FIRST CLASS VOL 2 #13 $2.99 Now: $2.69
X-MEN LEGACY #213 $2.99 Now: $2.69
YOUNG AVENGERS PRESENTS #6 (OF 6) $2.99 Now: $2.79
NOTE: Opinions here may not reflect those of X-World Comics LLC or its staff and are solely the opinions of the writer.
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June 12, 2008
Off the Cuff: Iron Man
I did it. Something I was convinced I would never do. I finally went and saw Iron Man.
After several years worth of columns saying how horrible I thought this movie would be, it turned out to be one of the best comic book films I’ve ever seen.
Apparently admitting you’re wrong isn’t quite as hard as I thought it would be.
Before I get to the stuff I liked, let me talk about the one thing I didn’t – the pacing. There was something about the movie that made me keep looking at my watch. What’s strange is I can’t pinpoint what. It’s not like the movie wasted a lot scenes like the Transformers movie. And it’s not like there wasn’t a lot of action to keep my attention. The only thing I can figure is that since I knew the origins of Iron Man, I just wanted to get to the giant suit of armor!
Outside of this one object though, I really enjoyed Iron Man.
I thought Robert Downey Jr carried the movie. Now lets be honest – that’s not a sentence I ever expected to type. He was truly the perfect cast as Tony Stark: impulsive, playboy, technological genius, and a bit obsessive compulsive. He really did a great job.
As most fans of Iron Man will tell you, one of the secret joys of the character is “the montage” of technology. There’s something that appeals to fans in that sequence. It’s the same thing that makes us want to go and upgrade our own computers. And the movie perfectly captures this.
Think about it, the A-team had an entire TV series built around the montage. As did MacGyver and The Pretender. The montage is such an important part of this “culture” that Team America and South Park even wrote a song about it.
So what’s not to like about a movie where you get at least three extended montage sequences?!
I probably won’t watch Iron Man in theaters again for a second time (who can afford that with $10 tickets?) But I will watch it again in the future. Iron Man is one of the classics, and I look forward to a sequel.
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June 11, 2008
On The Shelf This Week - 06.11.08
HIGHLIGHTS OF THE WEEK
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ACTION COMICS #866, $2.99, 32 Pages, DC Comics
Written by Geoff Johns; Art and cover by Gary Frank and Jon Sibal
Gary Frank’s hiatus wasn’t exactly a long one, but for those who couldn’t bear an issue and a half without him, he is back! This issue starts a brand new five-part arc involving Brainiac. Johns has been doing a pretty solid job on this title (which should surprise no one), and the timing seems right for a good Brainiac story. This one doesn’t look as if it will be crossing over into Final Crisis anytime soon, which is fabulous news - though it is supposed to be leading up to a Superman Event this year. Based on recent events, this is cause for some concern - though as long as they handle this one the same way they did the Sinestro Corps War, it should be good.
ETERNALS #1, $2.99, 32 Pages, Marvel Comics
Written by Charles Knauf and Daniel Knauf, Art and Cover by Daniel Acuna
Marvel has been touting this series for some time, it seems like almost the moment the Gaiman Eternals mini came to an end a little over a year ago. Maybe not that long, but the Eternals have certainly had something of a presence. Marvel is definitely making a move to cement the Eternals back into the Marvel Universe - this series is an ongoing, and will pick up right where the Gaiman series left off, and should continue on in a similar fashion to that which we have thus far seen in various guest appearances - the Eternals attempting to awaken other Eternals (much like we saw in Incredible Hercules), and worrying about the Horde. The Knauf’s have developed a really good reputation at Marvel - this should be a good series to try out.
FEAR AGENT #21 HATCHET JOB (PT 5 OF 5), $2.99, 32 Pages, Dark Horse
Written by Rick Remender, Art by Jerome Opena and Michelle Madsen
Oiy - this title is still late! In this case, the culprit is clear - the art is the reason for the delays. Sometimes you hear the excuse “good art is worth waiting for,” but when you hear tales of artists who spend their time playing WoW or doing something else not “work-related” instead of finishing an issue, you have to wonder.
Fear Agent is great. It is still great, despite the delays. And to Rick Remender and Dark Horse’s credit, despite the art hiccups they have managed to keep this title somewhat regular. Sure, it doesn’t come out on time, but a couple weeks after the original solicit, this title usually comes out (this issue is a little later than usual), and therefore it comes out almost monthly. Remender has also been totally willing to change-up the art team in order to put the book out on time - especially risky considering many readers get upset when the artist changes, and when someone like Tony Moore is involved, the fan attachment goes double.
Overall, Fear Agent is fighting the chronic tardiness, visibly and openly, and that makes up for a lot. Telling the readers the truth about the cause of chronic delays is a great step in the right direction, and actually being upfront about the solutions you are trying goes even further. Now if they actually come through… that is the test. Even despite the delays, Fear Agent is very much a title worth reading. Still the best Sci-fi book on the stands today.
GOTHAM UNDERGROUND #9 (OF 9), $2.99, 32 Pages, DC Comics
Written by Frank Tieri; Art by J. Calafiore and Jack Purcell; Cover by Calafiore
This series was the very definition of a sleeper - a fantastic read, but it got very little attention. A shame too - there are so few great stories any longer that don’t directly tie into some major event, this one deserved to have a much bigger profile than it did. Gotham City has such a rich tapestry of characters, it is great when you read a story that can really bring all of those threads together. If you were one of the many who missed out on this one, it is going to make a fantastic trade purchase.
HULK RAGING THUNDER, $3.99, 48 Pages, Marvel Comics
Written by Jeff Parker, Art by Mitch Breitweiser and William Baumann
This one seems less a Hulk issue than a Thundra one-shot, though with The Incredible Hulk so close to being released in theaters, it makes sense that even if he appears only briefly in this issue that it would bear his name in the title, if only for merchandising. This issue looks like it is going to follow the usual “Giant-Size” format, with an original story (Hulk vs. Thundra, it would seem), along with a reprint of an old Thundra story (not sure which one, but one would presume it will be one of the early Thing stories). This will be a fun, action-packed issue, and while it might not be the best warm-up for the Hulk movie, it should still be a solid read.
MAGDALENA DAREDEVIL (ONE SHOT), $3.99, Image Comics
By Phil Hester and Andy Parks
A little late (wasn’t this one due in February?), but that is kind of par for the course with Image Comics. You really have to say that when it comes to these Top Cow/Marvel Crossovers, they have been doing a fantastic job of late. Everyone knows to expect the usual bland, status quo crossover when two characters from different publishers get together, but when Marvel and Top Cow cross-promote, at least lately, anything can happen (remember the Wolverine/Witchblade crossover?). And they usually do a good job pairing the characters as well - The Magdalena and Daredevil are a good fit, matching power-level and faith, it is easy to see how they could find common cause. As crossovers go, this is probably a good bet.
SALVATION RUN #7 (OF 7), $2.99, 32 Pages, DC Comics
Written by Matthew Sturges; Variant Cover by Neal Adams; Art and Cover by Sean Chen and Walden Wong
Missed potential pretty well sums up the general feeling about this series. It wasn’t terrible, though there always seemed to be a little something missing here. Though - with one issue left, maybe something will change with #7. There did seem to be an overall story hiccup with the transition to Final Crisis for a lot of books, perhaps this is just an example of that. In this final issue, you can bet that the events will have been reoriented towards Final Crisis a bit better, and those strange, dull plot threads may have a little more meaning.
SPOTLIGHT PICK OF THE WEEK
SKY-DOLL #2, $5.99, 64 Pages, Marvel Comics
By Alessandro Barbucci and Barbara Canepa
Sky-Doll is, of course, the first of Marvel’s imports of the French Soliel Comics line. The first issue came out last month, and from that it is easy to see why the series achieved international acclaim. The series is racy - it is adult-oriented, and involves sentient “dolls” who serve as personal slaves. Despite the risqué themes, in many ways the comic seems like it would be at home under a Disney imprint. The art is fantastic and alive, and the characters seem like something right out of any classic Disney feature. Granted, the content is too adult-oriented, but in every way it is an excellent example of the blend between art and story.
The price might seem steep - but to keep in mind that this is a 64 Page full color book - so while it is twice the price of a regular comic, it is also twice the size. Just like 2 issues in one. I highly recommend this series.
DARK HORSE
FEAR AGENT #21 HATCHET JOB (PT 5 OF 5) $2.99 Now: $2.59
DC COMICS
ACTION COMICS #866 $2.99 Now: $2.69
CHUCK #1 (OF 6) $2.99 Now: $2.79
GOTHAM UNDERGROUND #9 (OF 9) $2.99 Now: $2.59
LEGION OF SUPER HEROES IN THE 31ST CENTURY #15 $2.25 Now: $1.99
SALVATION RUN #7 (OF 7) $2.99 Now: $2.69
SIMON DARK #9 $2.99 Now: $2.69
WONDER WOMAN #21 $2.99 Now: $2.69
IMAGE COMICS
CHARLATAN BALL #1 $2.99 Now: $2.69
MAGDALENA DAREDEVIL (ONE SHOT) $3.99 Now: $3.59
PILOT SEASON LADY PENDRAGON #1 $3.99 Now: $2.59
MARVEL COMICS
AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #562 $2.99 Now: $2.69
CIVIL WAR CHRONICLES #12 $4.99 Now: $4.49
DARK TOWER LONG ROAD HOME #2 (OF 5) 2ND PTG VAR $3.99 Now: $3.49
ETERNALS #1 $2.99 Now: $2.69
HULK RAGING THUNDER $3.99 Now: $3.49
INVINCIBLE IRON MAN #1 2ND PTG LARROCA VAR $2.99 Now: $2.79
INVINCIBLE IRON MAN #1 2ND PTG MEINERDING VAR $2.99 Now: $2.79
MARVEL ADVENTURES HULK #12 $2.99 Now: $2.59
SECRET INVASION #1 3RD PTG YU VAR $3.99 Now: $3.49
SKY-DOLL #2 $5.99 Now: $4.99
SPIDER-MAN MAGAZINE #1 $6.99 Now: $5.99
SPIDER-MAN WITH GREAT POWER #4 (OF 5) $3.99 Now: $3.49
MARVEL MOVIE CROSSOVERS
Much hay was made of the post-credit Iron Man appearance of Samuel L. Jackson as Nick Fury, as well as a brief Shield sighting. Well, it seems that they aren’t done teasing an Avengers movie. In the Incredible Hulk, Robert Downey Jr. appears as Tony Stark for a decent-sized cameo (this clip is even being used to promote the film - no doubt as a result of Iron Man’s box office success), and there is even a rumor that Captain America will make an appearance of some sort, as well as the movie itself setting up the super-soldier serum plot for a Captain America movie.
Are we reading too much into all this? Maybe, but why ruin the fun?
NOTE: Opinions here may not reflect those of X-World Comics LLC or its staff and are solely the opinions of the writer.
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June 4, 2008
On The Shelf In August 2008
DARK HORSE COMICS
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Page 33 - The Helm #2 (of 4), $3.50, Dark Horse
Written by Jim Hardison, Art by Bart Sears and Randy Elliot
This title was mentioned last month, but the concept was fun enough that it seemed to be worth mentioning again. The Helm, of course, is the story of the worst kind of geek stereotype (overweight, unemployed, living in his parents’ basement), who gains incredible powers by donning a mystic Helm. Of course, the Helm realizes that he isn’t the best choice to be The Chosen One, and has decided to try and correct its initial mistake. Has the potential to be some really funny stuff - well worth checking out.
DC COMICS
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Page 65 - Final Crisis: Legion of Three Worlds #1 (of 5), $3.99, 40 Pages
Written by Geoff Johns, Art by George Perez and Scott Koblish
Both of the major summer events are kind of let-downs this year. Despite this, both publishers are going to go Crossover Crazy - but all is not lost. Just because the main event itself isn’t all that spectacular, doesn’t mean there aren’t good stories to be had. This one is potentially one of them - pitting the Legion of Superheroes (all three versions?) against Superboy Prime. Some definite potential for a great story there, especially with the creative team. Geoff Johns has been behind some of the best stories DC has put out in recent memory, and George Perez - well, he is George Perez. You can rest assured that the art is in good hands.
Page 67 - Final Crisis: Superman Beyond #1 (of 2), $4350, 40 Pages
Written by Grant Morrison, Art by Doug Mahnke and Christian Alamy
This two-parter is something that most Superman fans should probably pick up (as well as fans of the multi-verse). This story should follow Superman as he combats a menace that threatens existence itself - and he needs the help of alternate Supermen from throughout the 52 Earths. You can imagine that some of the major alternate Supermen will make appearances here - likely Kingdom Come and Red Son, and no doubt several more. Good news for fans of Big Blue’s other-Earth counterparts.
Page 71 - Hawkman Special #1, $3.50, 32 Pages
Written by Jim Starlin, Art by Starlin and Al Milgrom
Ah, seeing this special makes one wish that DC had done a little better job with Hawkgirl. A mere 16 issues - that run had the potential of so much more, but was saddled by an unfortunate styles clash. Chaykin was just not the man for that book. Ah well. This one shot spins out of the Rann/Thanagar Holy War…. maybe. It looks like that might be some name-dropping, but either way, we are getting a Hawkman solo story. Probably a teaser for a return of a Hawkman ongoing. Time will tell.
Page 78 - Catwoman #82, $2.99, 32 Pages
Written by Will Pfeifer, Art by David Lopez and Alvaro Lopez
Final Issue. FINAL ISSUE! Seriously… things like this make me question how the comic world works. There are so few titles that are consistently good, and almost always it seems like those are the titles that the fewest people read. Is it the fans? In part - for some strange reason, comic readers are willing to take some abuse and buy the worst titles starring marquee heroes in droves, while neglecting much better lesser-tier titles. But that phenomenon is impossible to understand, so it isn’t worth trying.
Catwoman has been on a stellar run - since Brubaker’s epic run - and only faltered a bit when the baby was introduced as part of the One Year Later mess. But even then, it was quite readable end entertaining. This title will be missed a great deal.
Page 81 - All Star Superman #12, $2.99, 32 Pages
Written by Grant Morrison, Art by Frank Quitely and Jaime Grant
This series needed two things - more and more often. In stark contrast to All Star Batman and Robin, this title has been one of the best Superman stories in recent memory, only it came out so infrequently that it was really hard to remain excited about it. You take what you can get, of course, but still - it would have been nice to see this title monthly.
This issue is the final one of the series - Frank Quitely is moving on after this issue. Morrison isn’t totally done with the concept yet though, and is planning a few specials with guest artists, which should be passable.
Still - being the last issue of the regular run, you can expect that they will go out with something of a bang. Not that any more is needed - this series remains outstanding on its own merits, and an average issue (for them) would do just fine. This title will be missed.
Page 85 - The Brave and the Bold #16, $2.99, 32 Pages
Written by Mark Waid, Art by Scott Kolins
This issue gets mention for the cover alone - Catwoman covering Superman’s face with kisses - and he with this bewildered look… definitely the makings of a good team-up. This title has been off and on throughout its run, but this issue looks to be nice and simple. Anytime this book can avoid massive team-ups that involve half the DCU, all the better. Should be fun.
Page 114 - Air #1, $2.99, 32 Pages
Written by G. Willow Wilson, Art by M.K. Perker
Books like this one - they are really tough to gauge. On the surface, it seems like a pretty good idea. Anyone who has travelled lately knows how frustrating things are - air travel has become the very worst conflux of political correctness and security, and it often feels like we are going through all sorts of trouble for no tangible result. So why not tell the story of a clandestine vigilante group that aims to patrol the friendly skies? Could be interesting and relavant.
Of course, we have been burned before - where an eager idealistic writer will take a subject with some relevance and instead of telling a great story, feed us a bunch of political proselytizing. Let’s hope that isn’t the case here - it is possible to tell this story without having to hear how evil one half or the other of this country is.
Page 121 - House of Mystery #4, $2.99, 32 Pages
Written by Matt Sturges and Bill Willingham, Art by Luca Rossi and Michael Allred
Did you pick up a copy of House of Mystery #1 this past month? If not - you need to correct that mistake soon - you have no idea what you are missing. Sometimes you can tell from the start when a new Vertigo title has the chops to make a long, acclaimed run. House of Mystery is one such title. There are so many facets to this book - so many different ways it was great in one single issue - it demonstrated both rare quality and potential… this is going to be a must-read title for sometime to come. The sooner you pick it up, the better.
IMAGE COMICS
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Page 142 - Guerillas #1 (of 9), $3.99, 56 Pages
By Brahm Revel
Sometimes I mention a comic because the art is good, or the story has been great, or because some notable creator is coming aboard or leaving… but this one get s nod just for plain bizzareness. The setting is the Vietnam War, and in an effort to turn the tide, the US government decides to deploy a secret weapon. Monkey soldiers. No idea what to expect here - obviously there is some humor here, but what direction Revel will take this is yet unknown. Gonna have to read to see. Could be a real obscure, off-the-wall title.
Page 147 - Image Monster Pile-up #1, $1.99, 24 Pages
Written by Todd Dezago, Alex Grecian, Phil Hester, and Robert Kirkman, Art by Jason Howard, Andy Kuhn, Riley Rossmo, and Craig Rousseau
This one shot will feature a quartet of original stories feturing Image’s “monsters:” Firebreather, Wolf-Man, the Perhapanauts, and Proof. This isn’t the beginning of a team-up series, but rather a way to get familiar with each of these characters, and see if you might be interested in their respective ongoing titles. Existing fans of these characters should check this issue out as well, as each of the stories will be all new and original. Not exactly a quarter teaser issue, but still an inexpensive way to sample these titles.
MARVEL COMICS
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Page M12 - Venom: Dark Origin #1 (of 5), $2.99, 32 Pages
Written by Zeb Wells, Art by Angel Medina
Lot’s of attention is going to be focused on the symbiotes this month, as Spider-Man will see another new one, and comes to blow with Venom once again. This mini is going to take another look at the origin of Venom and Eddie Brock… a well worn story, but potentially one worth revisiting. The creative team is a good one - Zeb Wells is a solid choice to write, and Angel Medina … well, an established Spawn artist should do well with Venom. A good monthly choice.
Page M14 - Amazing Spider-Man Family #1, $4.99, 104 Pages
Written by Marc DeMatteis and Tom Defalco, Art by Alex Cai and Ron Frenz
A new start for Spider-Man Family - this might be a blessing for people who just can’t follow Amazing Spider-Man 3 times a month (though the cost is about the same as two issues, but better than three if you are on a budget). This issue is going to give us a few stories, including one that might be of note to Spider-Girl fans - a story about life in the Parker family before Mayday got her powers. There should be something in this issue you will like - it is worth checking out.
Page M16 - Spider-Man Loves Mary Jane #1 (of 5), $2.99, 32 Pages
Written by Terry Moore, Art by Craig Rousseau
Man, is it about time this book came out, or what? Kind of a shame that they are only outing it out as a mini, though if it does well, you can bet it will return. Terry Moore, of course, is the man behind the outstanding Strangers in Paradise series, and was probably the absolute best choice to take over this title from Sean McKeever.
This title was always traditionally aimed at a Younger, female reader, but it has consistently remained one of the best written titles in Marvel’s line-up. A slightly different twist on the normal superhero genre - but if you are ok with that, you will enjoy this book. Can’t wait to see where Moore takes this story.
Page M31 - Invincible Iron Man #4, $2.99, Marvel Comics
Written by Matt Fraction, Art by Salvador Larroca
The first issue of this series is in the can - not so bad, really. Of course, few really doubted that Matt Fraction would do a good job with this title, but when you are dealing with Iron Man - a character that remains a bit banged up from his treatment in Civil War, while at the same time under the very watchful eye of Marvel’s Editors (thanks to the movie), anything could happen. Fraction got off to a good start in issue one - the “disposable Iron Man armor” (or rather, the fear of) is an interesting angle, and I am curious to see where he takes this. Issue #4 is still in the middle of the opening arc, but if you still haven’t tried this title out, the sooner the better. It has the potential for long-term quality.
Page M57 - Runaways #1, $2.99, 32 Pages
Written by Terry Moore, Art by Humberto Ramos
If it is possible, this one could be even better than Spider-Man Loves Mary Jane.
Terry Moore has a real feel for female protagonists, which made him an ideal choice to take on Mary Jane. Runaways seems a natural fit too - it isn’t exactly the kind of story he is known for telling, but it seems to be something he could easily transition to. Humberto Ramos is an excellent choice for the art. His work does tend to divide readers (into the usual “love it” and “hate it” camps), but his style has always lent itself well to younger characters. Particularly in this day when most artists strive to sexualize their characters, Ramos’s style is uniquely suited to keeping kids as kids - and not trying to make teenage girls pin-up models.
So while Mary Jane is anticipated because Terry Moore is the perfect choice to write it - Runaways is even moreso because it has all the elements of a fantastic run. Add it to your list.
Page M69 - X-Men Origins: Jean Grey, $3.99, 40 Pages
Written by Sean McKeever, Art by Mike Mayhew
Isn’t Sean McKeever exclusive to DC? Ah - it would seem that he wrote this way back in August of 2006, before his contract was signed. While that explains that - it is kind of curious that they sat on it for this long. Ah well - it does look to be worth the wait - I am always up for a good representation of the Original X-Men (maybe it is just the costumes… I have always been a sucker for that old dorky get-up), and McKeever should be able to manage a good one. Great for fans of Jean Grey to boot … maybe she will be back soon?
Page M74- Punisher #60, $2.99, 40 Pages
Written by Garth Ennis, Art by Goran Parlov
Wow - talking about slipping by under my radar - Garth Ennis’s last issue of Punisher? That is a pretty major shift - outside a short hiatus when this title was being published under the Marvel Knights imprint, Garth Ennis has been the creative force behind the Punisher through three volumes, starting back in 2000. Over eight long years, Ennis returned Frank Castle to his roots, restoring to greatness a character that was once thought to be too broken to bother saving. He has done such a great job with Frank that it is going to be tough to accept anyone else writing him.
I’ll certainly never forget - “We had a team-up. You were great!” Ah the memories.
You won’t have to wait long for the new creative team though - issue #61 also comes out this month under the pen of crime novelist Gregg Hurwitz. I don’t envy the impossible act he has to follow. Best of luck to him.
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Page 196 - Echo Volume 1: Silver Rain, $15.95, 112 Pages, Abstract Studios
By Terry Moore
Terry Moore’s latest self-publishing effort is now a couple months old, and some of you still might not have given it a shot. While Moore’s style is very-much present, it is still hard to say whether this series will be as endearing as Strangers in Paradise in the long-term. It has more of a sci-fi bent, but Julie is still a sympathetic character, and could stand the test of time as well as Katchoo and Francine have. If you missed the series launch, this is a good way to catch up - a trade collecting the first five issues, as well as some sketches and design notes. If you still haven’t read Echo, this is a good place to start.
Page 319 - Doctor Who: The Forgotten #1, $3.99, 32 Pages, IDW
Written by Tony Lee, Art by Pia Guerra and Nick Roche
This might be a good comic to get for Doctor Who fans, especially those who aren’t too familiar with the franchise’s history prior to the relaunch. The story revolves around The Doctor, who has lost his memories. Martha must help him regain the memories of each of his previous incarnations, starting with the very first. One of the problems that has plagued the Doctor Who series thus-far is sub-par art… Pia Guerra is definitely a step in the right direction, who is recently best known for her work on Y The Last Man. A good way to get a history of the good Doctor.
Craig’s Top Five of the Month
5 - Amazing Spider-Man Family #1, $4.99, 104 Pages, Marvel Comics - A non mostly-weekly Spider-Man title is a good thing.
4 - Catwoman #82, $2.99, 32 Pages, DC Comics - This title will be missed.
3 - Punisher #60, $2.99, 40 Pages, Marvel Comics - Garth Ennis’s final issue - a real blow for the Punisher as a character.
2 - Spider-Man Loves Mary Jane #1 (of 5), $2.99, 32 Pages, Marvel Comics - Finally - Moore’s run begins.
1- Runaways #1, $2.99, 32 Pages, Marvel Comics - Finally, Moore’s run begins!
NOTE: Opinions here may not reflect those of X-World Comics LLC or its staff and are solely the opinions of the writer.
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