Friday I picked up comics from both shops, resulting in slightly less than thirty issues. I think I'll list them all here and perhaps I'll be motivated enough to talk about all of them once they're read, but I tend to stretch my reading out rather comfortably throughout the week, so Emo Boy and X-Men get mixed in with Dostoevsky and Pushkin time.
Astonishing X-Men #21
Before I started reading Astonishing, I had never heard of Joss Whedon, two and a half years later, I will pretty much buy anything he's doing that isn't for television. I have to say that his past two arcs, this one certainly included, have been stunning works of mystery/adventure that have really stopped me from getting tired of the same characters that I've been reading for over a decade. Even is he may have killed Scott. I really like his entire Scott/Emma relationship, and I really just generally enjoy his fantastical sense of adventure that he brings to the story, taking everyone to Breakworld was a great idea. Now that they're there, I'd be really happy to see Peter destroy the planet and have Kitty continue to be a bad ass. In a lot of ways I feel like this issue was just a transition piece, showing the groups split up, putting Scott and Emma's relationship to the test and setting things up for the final three issues before Giant Size hits around the end of the year. I'll be really sad to see the title end.
City of Others #2
The second issue was better than the first, I like that they're establishing a classic horror type story. And vampires vs zombies = FTW for real. And I'm a total Steve Niles slut on top of all of it.
Chronicles of Wormwood #3
I think this is my favorite Ennis title right now. If you haven't read it, run, fast. There's been all this talk about The Boys being the next Preacher, but CoN is better and more important. The summation of the main story is that the Anti-Christ, son of Satan is a television producer, living on Earth, refusing to do this father's bidding and start the apocalypse. He happens to be friends with Jesus Christ, who happens to also refuse to do his father's bidding. And there's a smart as talking bunny, nuns with big tits fucking the pope in the ass with dildos and that sort of thing too. It's a very good take on religion and what it means to people, and how the message of it gets completely lost on it's followers and people don't stop to think to judge themselves before they judge everyone else. Dildo is not a word according to Firefox.
Countdown #51
I didn't read 52, but I will. Until then, I think a lot of these characters will remain to be strangers to me. I really have only started to become interested in DC in the past year or so, since Crisis happened, but I feel that this new interest is paying off, mostly I'm watching Countdown to see if it will interact with Amazons Attack, which was bad as hell. The previews for Countdown are ominous, which I love, almost as much as that creepy fucking Joker ad.
D'Airain Adventure #2
Well, as an Ashley Wood whore, I love this book. As a Zombies V. Robots whore, I love this book. As an anthologized horror fan, I love this book and as a comic book fan, I want to marry this book. The idea of having three to four ongoing stories, seemingly having nothing to do with each other, all continuing in a bad ass fat, deluxe cover comic book is a great idea. Letting one of the more important current artists of our time go balls ass crazy and express himself is a great idea. God, I fucking love D'Airain.
Damned #5
Since this is an Oni Press title, I'm guessing not a lot of people have read it, but they should. The characterization is kind of weak, but it is only a five issue mini-series, but I think it did well because it's out in TPB already and at the end of this issue, they advertise for the next Damned limited series. I hope this continues for a while, perhaps leading to an ongoing series. I love the concept of demons coming to this plane and getting involved in organized crime, which is the main background of the entire series. I was also really happy with their version of limbo in this book.
Gen13 #8
I really had my doubts about this one when it started, but it's such a fucking strong title. Between this and Tranquility, I've been wanting to check out Gail Simone's other books,
primarily Birds of Prey. She's a very strong writer who knows exactly how to use her characters to give the die hard core audience what they want. In the case of Gen13, it's running from authority(and in this issue, as a cool turn of events, The Authority), unity under stress and believing in a common good. I couldn't say enough about this title.
Grifter/Midnighter #3
Eh. It's a mini packed with explosions. I pretty much got this because I went full in on World Storm. It's not really nessecary reading, but it's got some fun stuff happening and it's the only place you're going to see Grifter since Wildcats lamed out so fast.
Grimm Fairy Tales #0
As teaser issues go, it was good. It set the story up to go back to a fucked up Wonderland. They had Alice in a catatonic state after a suicide attempt and it seems they will bring her daughter into it. I've never read one of the Grimm Fairy Tales books before, but I think I might start, this seems to have just the right amount of unnessecary sexual overtones, violence and horror elements to it. I think it's goin to be a fun ride.
I Feel Sick #'s 1 and 2
I don't know why I've never read this, but it was so fucking funny! I love Johnen Vasquez, so it was perfect. I wish he did more comics work.
Incredible Hulk #106
Man. I am so fucking excited about this summer. Hulk is going to fuck the Earth up royally and it's going to be a blast to see it all happen. I'd love to see Reed Richards get the shit kicked out of him after all these years. I have pretty much been following this from the beginning, so I've got the story and totally side with the Hulk. They blasted him into space, they betrayed and abandoned him and then they destroyed his new home, his queen and his child. The puny humans are dicks. I really like how both this and WWH: Prologue try to balance this idea of there being on black or white, admitting that the Hulk was totally dangerous, but he was also a person who was deceived. I like when you can take sides on stories like this, it's not that boring Superman Vs. Evil dudes equation, it involves actual thinking and will probably make great use of emotive, intelligent, character-driven story telling. Pak is on to some interesting things.
Loners #2
The only reason I bought this was because I heard that it had a tie-in with Runaways, one of my favorite current Marvel books, and it had a tie to Generation X, my favorite Marvel ongoing series of all time. It's pretty much superhero rehab, but at the end they show Pennance from GenX, so I'm on board for the whole series, it was like a marvelous flashback.
Marvel Zombies: Dead Days
I will continue to buy Marvel Zombies stories, but I don't know why. I mean, last week I was reading Kirkman's Walking Dead Book 5 and actually felt I might cry(I didn't.), I felt sick to my stomach, sad for days, I felt so incredibly distraught over these characters. Then, while reading Kirkman's Marvel Zombies, I felt nothing but, "is this done yet?" The covers, which always seem to be parodies of famous Marvel covers, are really the best part of the series. The story is bad, the art is awful and the zombies are not zombie-like at all in my opinion. Sadness consumes my geek soul.
Midnighter #7
This whole book's story is told backwards, but I didn't know that until about page ten, because I'm a fucking retard. Other than that, it wasn't really of much substance. While reading it I figured it wasn't Ennis anymore, it was too lighthearted. But I knew I liked it, so when I finished the story(or began the story, if you like), I flipped the book back over to see that it was written by Runaways writer Brian K. Vaughn, so I am kind of excited about how things will go, even if this was a filler issue of explosions of smart ass one liners. And a fun gay kiss at the end/beginning.
New X-Men #38
New X is probably the consistently best X title. It's story is really fucking astoundingly good, the characters are strong and there aren't too many lame one-liners. And the art team is actually good. Illyana Rasputin is being hunted by a demon and they trap the new X-men to try to get to her, but everyone knows she's dead, except the demon. Good. Except that I think they killed David and I swear if they don't find a way to bring him back, I'll be really fucking depressed.
Runaways #26
Whedon's run is shaping up nicely. I'm not sure where he's going with this, but bringing the team to NY isn't something I like very much, but it could be interesting. I liked them being in L.A. because was so utterly non-Marvel, but seeing Molly punch the Punisher in the stomach and almost making him puke was pretty good.
Shazam and the Monster Society of Evil #3
It's okay, kind of cute. I never read Bone, and I probably won't, after reading Jeff Smith be just way too adorable in this hellaciously overpriced mini.
Star Wars: Dark Times #3
If this came out more often than every random few months, I might feel more strongly about it. The main characters aren't very likable, in fact, there's kind of stupid and annoying. I'm pretty much holding in for an occasional Vader panel and with the very strong hope that the Empire is going to swoop in and lay down some evil any minute. It can't be called the dark times just because of old back in black.
Steven King's The Dark Tower: The Gunslinger Born #4
I hope they never stop making these. Ever. god, it's so good.
Transformers: Official Movie Prequel #4
That's the end of the prequels. It's definitely the worst issue, because it's just like "now watch the movie!", but I guess it gives me an idea of what's been going on on Earth for the past ten decades before watching the movie. But that damned movie doesn't come out for two months. What shit!
Unique #2
I'm liking this series a lot. It's too bad it's only a three issue mini. It's basically the story of multiple universes, where the actions in one universe affect the other universe. 99% of people have a representative in both realities, but the tiny amount that don't are called Uniques, and with practice, they can switch back and forth between realities. This guy gets set up for embezzlement in one, but when he goes to the other universe he discovers the guy who set him up, his boss, is trying to gain ultimate power in both universes and he has to knock out the uniques in order to insure he won't be stopped. And it's good. Really good art.
Walking Dead #37
I have never been so affected or so addicted to a comic book before. It's starting to feel a lot like Lost, my other fictional love. Survivors of a catastrophic event left to fend for themselves with no help other than each other, meanwhile a group of awful people try to fuck with them and drive some of them totally crazy. Walking Dead is so fucking good, I need to check out Battle Pope and Invincible.
Welcome to Tranquility #6
In my book, Gail Simone rocks. I really love this series, it's probably my second favorite WS title other than Gen13 volume 93282928292921921829. It's really good, the characters are sometimes lovely and it turned out I really liked an evil old man who wanted to destroy the world. Whoops. This issue wrapped up the first arc of the story, capturing the killer that was freaking out the whole town and giving the gang of super powered teens a chance to shine. It's really good writing, detailed characterization, very likeable art and good, smart plotting. The idea of a retirement community for super-powered people is great in itself, but turning it into a murder mystery for six issues was genius. Now the real mystery is going to what what happens now that the killer is gone. Things surely can't remain peaceful, that wouldn't be very DC.
Wetworks #8
Well, my comic shop guy told me this is the first World Storm title to be cancelled, which makes perfect sense to me. I was consdiering dropping one of the WS titles because my buying is kind of out of control right now and I know summer is just going to get worse. I initially planned to drop Wetworks at #12, but I think it will end before that. The idea of a vampire war is great, as is a vampire/werewolf/super guys team to enforce laws to super powered folks, but it just doesn't seem to work in this book. But the art's not bad.
World War Hulk: Prologue
WWH + Peter David = YES. Most of the main story felt like a summary of what had happened up to Incredible Hulk #106, but I guess that's the real point of a prologue. But if you missed the last year of Hulk comics, you missed out on some fantastic characterization and a ton of hulk smashing/shit blows up kind of fun.
I already read and bagged some and now I can't remember what I've already forgotten. Well, it's fairly complete.
null
Astonishing X-Men #21
Before I started reading Astonishing, I had never heard of Joss Whedon, two and a half years later, I will pretty much buy anything he's doing that isn't for television. I have to say that his past two arcs, this one certainly included, have been stunning works of mystery/adventure that have really stopped me from getting tired of the same characters that I've been reading for over a decade. Even is he may have killed Scott. I really like his entire Scott/Emma relationship, and I really just generally enjoy his fantastical sense of adventure that he brings to the story, taking everyone to Breakworld was a great idea. Now that they're there, I'd be really happy to see Peter destroy the planet and have Kitty continue to be a bad ass. In a lot of ways I feel like this issue was just a transition piece, showing the groups split up, putting Scott and Emma's relationship to the test and setting things up for the final three issues before Giant Size hits around the end of the year. I'll be really sad to see the title end.
City of Others #2
The second issue was better than the first, I like that they're establishing a classic horror type story. And vampires vs zombies = FTW for real. And I'm a total Steve Niles slut on top of all of it.
Chronicles of Wormwood #3
I think this is my favorite Ennis title right now. If you haven't read it, run, fast. There's been all this talk about The Boys being the next Preacher, but CoN is better and more important. The summation of the main story is that the Anti-Christ, son of Satan is a television producer, living on Earth, refusing to do this father's bidding and start the apocalypse. He happens to be friends with Jesus Christ, who happens to also refuse to do his father's bidding. And there's a smart as talking bunny, nuns with big tits fucking the pope in the ass with dildos and that sort of thing too. It's a very good take on religion and what it means to people, and how the message of it gets completely lost on it's followers and people don't stop to think to judge themselves before they judge everyone else. Dildo is not a word according to Firefox.
Countdown #51
I didn't read 52, but I will. Until then, I think a lot of these characters will remain to be strangers to me. I really have only started to become interested in DC in the past year or so, since Crisis happened, but I feel that this new interest is paying off, mostly I'm watching Countdown to see if it will interact with Amazons Attack, which was bad as hell. The previews for Countdown are ominous, which I love, almost as much as that creepy fucking Joker ad.
D'Airain Adventure #2
Well, as an Ashley Wood whore, I love this book. As a Zombies V. Robots whore, I love this book. As an anthologized horror fan, I love this book and as a comic book fan, I want to marry this book. The idea of having three to four ongoing stories, seemingly having nothing to do with each other, all continuing in a bad ass fat, deluxe cover comic book is a great idea. Letting one of the more important current artists of our time go balls ass crazy and express himself is a great idea. God, I fucking love D'Airain.
Damned #5
Since this is an Oni Press title, I'm guessing not a lot of people have read it, but they should. The characterization is kind of weak, but it is only a five issue mini-series, but I think it did well because it's out in TPB already and at the end of this issue, they advertise for the next Damned limited series. I hope this continues for a while, perhaps leading to an ongoing series. I love the concept of demons coming to this plane and getting involved in organized crime, which is the main background of the entire series. I was also really happy with their version of limbo in this book.
Gen13 #8
I really had my doubts about this one when it started, but it's such a fucking strong title. Between this and Tranquility, I've been wanting to check out Gail Simone's other books,
primarily Birds of Prey. She's a very strong writer who knows exactly how to use her characters to give the die hard core audience what they want. In the case of Gen13, it's running from authority(and in this issue, as a cool turn of events, The Authority), unity under stress and believing in a common good. I couldn't say enough about this title.
Grifter/Midnighter #3
Eh. It's a mini packed with explosions. I pretty much got this because I went full in on World Storm. It's not really nessecary reading, but it's got some fun stuff happening and it's the only place you're going to see Grifter since Wildcats lamed out so fast.
Grimm Fairy Tales #0
As teaser issues go, it was good. It set the story up to go back to a fucked up Wonderland. They had Alice in a catatonic state after a suicide attempt and it seems they will bring her daughter into it. I've never read one of the Grimm Fairy Tales books before, but I think I might start, this seems to have just the right amount of unnessecary sexual overtones, violence and horror elements to it. I think it's goin to be a fun ride.
I Feel Sick #'s 1 and 2
I don't know why I've never read this, but it was so fucking funny! I love Johnen Vasquez, so it was perfect. I wish he did more comics work.
Incredible Hulk #106
Man. I am so fucking excited about this summer. Hulk is going to fuck the Earth up royally and it's going to be a blast to see it all happen. I'd love to see Reed Richards get the shit kicked out of him after all these years. I have pretty much been following this from the beginning, so I've got the story and totally side with the Hulk. They blasted him into space, they betrayed and abandoned him and then they destroyed his new home, his queen and his child. The puny humans are dicks. I really like how both this and WWH: Prologue try to balance this idea of there being on black or white, admitting that the Hulk was totally dangerous, but he was also a person who was deceived. I like when you can take sides on stories like this, it's not that boring Superman Vs. Evil dudes equation, it involves actual thinking and will probably make great use of emotive, intelligent, character-driven story telling. Pak is on to some interesting things.
Loners #2
The only reason I bought this was because I heard that it had a tie-in with Runaways, one of my favorite current Marvel books, and it had a tie to Generation X, my favorite Marvel ongoing series of all time. It's pretty much superhero rehab, but at the end they show Pennance from GenX, so I'm on board for the whole series, it was like a marvelous flashback.
Marvel Zombies: Dead Days
I will continue to buy Marvel Zombies stories, but I don't know why. I mean, last week I was reading Kirkman's Walking Dead Book 5 and actually felt I might cry(I didn't.), I felt sick to my stomach, sad for days, I felt so incredibly distraught over these characters. Then, while reading Kirkman's Marvel Zombies, I felt nothing but, "is this done yet?" The covers, which always seem to be parodies of famous Marvel covers, are really the best part of the series. The story is bad, the art is awful and the zombies are not zombie-like at all in my opinion. Sadness consumes my geek soul.
Midnighter #7
This whole book's story is told backwards, but I didn't know that until about page ten, because I'm a fucking retard. Other than that, it wasn't really of much substance. While reading it I figured it wasn't Ennis anymore, it was too lighthearted. But I knew I liked it, so when I finished the story(or began the story, if you like), I flipped the book back over to see that it was written by Runaways writer Brian K. Vaughn, so I am kind of excited about how things will go, even if this was a filler issue of explosions of smart ass one liners. And a fun gay kiss at the end/beginning.
New X-Men #38
New X is probably the consistently best X title. It's story is really fucking astoundingly good, the characters are strong and there aren't too many lame one-liners. And the art team is actually good. Illyana Rasputin is being hunted by a demon and they trap the new X-men to try to get to her, but everyone knows she's dead, except the demon. Good. Except that I think they killed David and I swear if they don't find a way to bring him back, I'll be really fucking depressed.
Runaways #26
Whedon's run is shaping up nicely. I'm not sure where he's going with this, but bringing the team to NY isn't something I like very much, but it could be interesting. I liked them being in L.A. because was so utterly non-Marvel, but seeing Molly punch the Punisher in the stomach and almost making him puke was pretty good.
Shazam and the Monster Society of Evil #3
It's okay, kind of cute. I never read Bone, and I probably won't, after reading Jeff Smith be just way too adorable in this hellaciously overpriced mini.
Star Wars: Dark Times #3
If this came out more often than every random few months, I might feel more strongly about it. The main characters aren't very likable, in fact, there's kind of stupid and annoying. I'm pretty much holding in for an occasional Vader panel and with the very strong hope that the Empire is going to swoop in and lay down some evil any minute. It can't be called the dark times just because of old back in black.
Steven King's The Dark Tower: The Gunslinger Born #4
I hope they never stop making these. Ever. god, it's so good.
Transformers: Official Movie Prequel #4
That's the end of the prequels. It's definitely the worst issue, because it's just like "now watch the movie!", but I guess it gives me an idea of what's been going on on Earth for the past ten decades before watching the movie. But that damned movie doesn't come out for two months. What shit!
Unique #2
I'm liking this series a lot. It's too bad it's only a three issue mini. It's basically the story of multiple universes, where the actions in one universe affect the other universe. 99% of people have a representative in both realities, but the tiny amount that don't are called Uniques, and with practice, they can switch back and forth between realities. This guy gets set up for embezzlement in one, but when he goes to the other universe he discovers the guy who set him up, his boss, is trying to gain ultimate power in both universes and he has to knock out the uniques in order to insure he won't be stopped. And it's good. Really good art.
Walking Dead #37
I have never been so affected or so addicted to a comic book before. It's starting to feel a lot like Lost, my other fictional love. Survivors of a catastrophic event left to fend for themselves with no help other than each other, meanwhile a group of awful people try to fuck with them and drive some of them totally crazy. Walking Dead is so fucking good, I need to check out Battle Pope and Invincible.
Welcome to Tranquility #6
In my book, Gail Simone rocks. I really love this series, it's probably my second favorite WS title other than Gen13 volume 93282928292921921829. It's really good, the characters are sometimes lovely and it turned out I really liked an evil old man who wanted to destroy the world. Whoops. This issue wrapped up the first arc of the story, capturing the killer that was freaking out the whole town and giving the gang of super powered teens a chance to shine. It's really good writing, detailed characterization, very likeable art and good, smart plotting. The idea of a retirement community for super-powered people is great in itself, but turning it into a murder mystery for six issues was genius. Now the real mystery is going to what what happens now that the killer is gone. Things surely can't remain peaceful, that wouldn't be very DC.
Wetworks #8
Well, my comic shop guy told me this is the first World Storm title to be cancelled, which makes perfect sense to me. I was consdiering dropping one of the WS titles because my buying is kind of out of control right now and I know summer is just going to get worse. I initially planned to drop Wetworks at #12, but I think it will end before that. The idea of a vampire war is great, as is a vampire/werewolf/super guys team to enforce laws to super powered folks, but it just doesn't seem to work in this book. But the art's not bad.
World War Hulk: Prologue
WWH + Peter David = YES. Most of the main story felt like a summary of what had happened up to Incredible Hulk #106, but I guess that's the real point of a prologue. But if you missed the last year of Hulk comics, you missed out on some fantastic characterization and a ton of hulk smashing/shit blows up kind of fun.
I already read and bagged some and now I can't remember what I've already forgotten. Well, it's fairly complete.
null
Thanks for all the reviews, it's great because for the most part it's titles I'm not reading and need to know about, but there's enough stuff we agree upon to let me know that I can take your recommendations. see you next entry.