I Bought Comics: The Third Week of August 2008

[Short blurbs... not quite reviews... random thoughts... sometimes rants...]

Anna Mercury #3

Huh. This issue concludes Anna's adventures on the other Earth and the issue ends almost as if it were a three-issue mini-series instead of a five-issue one... Granted, we don't get some fantastic explanation about the life of Anna Louise Britton, but that wouldn't be a new thing for Ellis. Two more issues and I'm a little bothered by that. It doesn't fit. This is where Ellis usually ends the story. Having her finish her job, take off her uniform, shower, wash the red dye from her hair and then walk home in the rain like it was just another job? That's pure Ellis. I'm more intrigued by this book now than I was before, because it doesn't fit Ellis's pattern, his style... it just doesn't fit. We'll see what comes in issue four, I suppose.

Captain America #41

See, this issue demonstrates why the slow burn style of Ed Brubaker is very effective: much of what happens in this issue relies on the build... on knowledge the reader has accumulated after 40-plus prior issues. Without said knowledge, it doesn't work. I don't feel like spoiling things, but, yeah, stuff happens in this issue. But then again, stuff happens in every issue and some people don't realise it.

Charlatan Ball #3

I enjoyed this issue quite a bit. Joe Casey and Andy Suriano seem to be finding a groove here, a balance almost... I can't say for sure why this issue is better than the first two other than a more cohesive story and a genuinely fantastic scheme by the villain. The metafictional panel in this issue is also very intriguing... is Joe Casey directing a porn flick there? Hmm... I'm on board with this issue... hmm.

The Core #1

One of those Top Cow "Pilot Season 2" books--and I only bought it (finally) because Jonathan Hickman wrote it. Just like last year, I only bought the Velocity one because Casey wrote it (and subsequently kicked the crap out of every other book). This is a pretty decent if slightly typical comic made interesting by Hickman's playing with genre conventions and presenting these ideas in a new light. I could do without the whole "aliens looking down on humans until one human saves some lives" bit, but the politics of this world along with the final three pages mean this could be a very, very interesting space opera. The art fits Hickman's writing, too. Last time I checked, this book wasn't in the top two vote getters, which is a shame, because it's got a lot of potential.

Ghost Rider #26

Wow... Danny Ketch looks like shit in a lot of these panels... a continuity-heavy issue that works because Jason Aaron trusts his reader to get the necessary bits... which I can confirm since I don't know anything about old Ghost Rider stories and I follow along just fine... but I also know that knowing every little detail isn't necessary as long as you get the important stuff... like Ketch used to be Ghost Rider, he hung out with Blaze and Caretaker, he's since learned that he was lied to by Caretaker and works for Zadkiel because he thinks that's best, which is leading him to have to fight Blaze who has regained his Ghost Rider powers at some point... pretty simple... I really miss Boschi's art... Huat can't compete...

Holy War #4

Lots of action, but the surprising bit is how well Comet handles it all. He's much more able than has been suggested until now. The action stuff is all well and good, but the use of a volcano to trick the religious idiots into not killing Hawkman is rather amusing. Probably the weakest issue yet from my standpoint, but I could see more "typical" readers enjoying this one a whole lot with all of the smashing and robots. People like smashing and robots, I think.

Scalped #20

The slow burn. Jason Aaron has it down to a science on this book. It's all in the characters and he knows his characters through and through. One of the best books out there right now. So good I don't know what to say besides that.

***

I wasn't entirely satisfied with my first "Book of the Week" post last week, so I'll be trying some new things with that in the coming weeks until I find something that works. But, as always, if you want me to expand on my thoughts regarding one of the books in Friday's post, tell me and we'll see if it makes me want to discuss that book. Otherwise, I'll just decide myself.