I Bought Comics: Fourth Week of August 2008

[I like to talk about comics, but I don't always like to make sense while I do it. This is what happens sometimes. These are reviews in the abstract, perhaps technical sense. Oh, and Los Manlicious by Hawksley Workman is a great fucking album. It came out yesterday here in Canada after being a Europe-only release for the past few months, which I found odd since Workman is Canadian... and released an album back in January (Between the Beautifuls). Thankfully, he saw the light and got it released in Canada, too. I don't know about the US, though. Perhaps no Hawksley for you. A shame. Oh... comics now.]

Final Crisis: Superman Beyond #1

No just 3D, but 4D! Grant Morrison has read all of the complaints about the first issue of Final Crisis and has spit in your idiot eyes! CompressedComics! It all happens between the panels of Final Crisis #3, but the second issue doesn't come out until December at least? What? "Captain Adam"? Ha! The first man... the first superman... Captain Atom... Dr. Manhattan... but on drugs! Ignore every Ultraman appearance post-Earth 2, please. A return to Limbo from Animal Man... I was expecting the baldy Scot to make an appearance, but maybe in part two... "Grant Morrison, may I introduce you to Superman?" Oh ho ho! I'm not a fan of the 3D glasses, they don't add much... add a dimension, subtract all but two colours? No thank you, sir--no thank you. I refuse to read any non-Morrison-penned Final Crisis books, by the way... best to view this as Final Crisis #4 almost... definitely reminds me of "Rock of Ages"... is this really a quest for the Worlogog? What ever happened to that, by the way?

Gravel #4

Back on schedule with a big fight between Gravel and ten magicians... Jesus, this guy can kill. One of the benefits of having vague magical abilities, I suppose, is that he can always win. I'm convinced that this story will end in tears for young William Gravel. He's never really been challenged... has he? Looks like Oscar Jiminez is the new permanent artist, which doesn't bother me much. I'm still not sold on his Gravel, but the rest of the art is good. His Gravel is too skinny, too old... but better than last issue... or I'm getting used to it... hmm... If you want some witty lines and lots of fucked up death, this is your book.

The ImMortal Iron Fist #18

The second Swierczynski-penned issue and it's still pretty decent. So, Orson Randall wasn't a weak little junkie? And Danny Rand lives to die another day. It's interesting writing... Travel Foreman's art still does nothing for me as it doesn't look the same panel-to-panel. I'm sticking with this book--at least until the end of this arc. Swierczynski has me for now, though... hopefully it turns out better than his Cable...

The Mighty Avengers #17 & The New Avengers #44

Okay, The Mighty Avengers issue was interesting. When I first heard that it was about the replacement of Henry Pym, I was like "Um, didn't that already happen?" but Bendis gives an interesting story and hints at some deeper complexities to the Skrull invasion. The first of these issues in a while that seemed worth it. The New Avengers issue was alright, but nothing too special. Reed Richards masterminded the "cloaking" technique... except not really... interesting. Like many of these issues, the core idea is cool, but it fails to sustain an entire comic. These issues would be better if Bendis did two 11-page stories in each, I think. Only a small number have seemed worth an entire issue. But, I'm looking forward to the "House of M" issue of New and the Howlin' Commandos issue of Mighty next month. Seriously, there's no way I'm calling them the "Secret Warriors" when a far superior and SENSICAL name just sits there not getting used for reasons beyond comprehension.

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Come back Friday as I discuss one of these comics in more depth. And if you want more depth on one of them, just ask... maybe I'll listen.