I Bought Comics: Second Week of September 2008

[Random musings, thoughts, rants, whatever comes up... not reviews, not really, not at all, not at all... New posts when I buy comics.]

After a week off, I am back with two weeks' worth of books, so let's get to it...

Adam Strange Special

Um... yeah... er... not as strong as the Hawkman special, which everyone hated except for me because what the fuck do I care about Hawkman's past? This one as Adam Strange bopping through time for reasons not revealed and we get glimpses of the past and the future, including the destruction of Rann... I guess how we know how Holy War will end, eh? Otherwise, it's forgettable and only exists to add Strange as another of the "Aberrant Six," which even I can't get too enthused about. I love me some Jim Starlin work, but... Also, this special is weaker because Starlin doesn't provide the art (the cover lies, my friends). Rick Leonardi does a... mediocre job here; he flat-out gets some facial expressions wrong in some panels. Not a good comic at all, mostly because it's not a necessary comic. At least the Hawkman one served a purpose... this doesn't.

The Boys #22

...oh fuck me things are gonna go to shit for Hughie aren't they...

Criminal #5

The best part of this comic is Steven Grant's text piece at the very end on crime novelist Eugene Izzi's life and death. The comic is typically good.

Invincible Iron Man #5

"In which the issue ends with the obvious misleading cliffhanger that will be explained away in one month's time..." The fight between Stane and Stark is decent, but I tire of "you killed my daddy" stories as motivation for villains. I wound up watching Spider-Man 2 on Labour Day and found Harry's obsession to be stupid-as-hell... especially when he finds out Spider-Man is his best friend... it's like "Dude, your dad was a douchebag crazy and your best friend stopped him from killing people... THAT'S A GOOD THING, SO GROW THE FUCK UP!" At least Stane and Stark aren't best friends here. Otherwise, it's still rather pathetic--purposefully so, but... meh. And, what the fuck is up with Stane's girlfriend on the cover? We'll see how next issue turns out, because the second half of this arc has left me almost completely cold.

Pax Romana #3

"It's what you don't know that matters most."-—Bret Easton Ellis, Glamorama

Hickman picks and chooses his moments... he outlines the plan and that only gives scenes that show its failure... or maybe reasons why it may fail... success is not interesting! Watching it all go according to plan is boring! Creating a bigger, better world is hard work and people suck at hard work... love the bits on religion... kind of sad that Hickman didn't think beyond the modern conceptions of government, but that is also a limitation of the characters... the end of the issue is a really good cliffhanger... Hickman's art reminds me of Jeremy Haun's art sometimes... I think I should reread Paradigm... god, what a great book that was... and, yeah, I love my "FIGHT FOR THE SITCOM." t-shirt that I bought from Haun in Chicago some years back... still wear it a lot... because I also like sitcoms.

Secret Invasion #6

"I will get over calling Noh-Varr 'Marvel Boy'... I will get over calling Noh-Varr 'Marvel Boy'... I will get over calling Noh-Varr 'Marvel Boy'... I will get over calling Noh-Varr 'Marvel Boy'... I will get over calling Noh-Varr 'Marvel Boy'... I will get over calling Noh-Varr 'Marvel Boy'... I will get over calling Noh-Varr 'Marvel Boy'... I will get over calling Noh-Varr 'Marvel Boy'... I will get over calling Noh-Varr 'Marvel Boy'... I will get over calling Noh-Varr 'Marvel Boy'... I will get over calling Noh-Varr 'Marvel Boy'... I will get over calling Noh-Varr 'Marvel Boy'... I will get over calling Noh-Varr 'Marvel Boy'... I will get over calling Noh-Varr 'Marvel Boy'... I will get over calling Noh-Varr 'Marvel Boy'... I will get over calling Noh-Varr 'Marvel Boy'... I will get over calling Noh-Varr 'Marvel Boy'... I will get over calling Noh-Varr 'Marvel Boy'... I will get over calling Noh-Varr 'Marvel Boy'... I will get over calling Noh-Varr 'Marvel Boy'... I will get over calling Noh-Varr 'Marvel Boy'... I will get over calling Noh-Varr 'Marvel Boy'... I will get over calling Noh-Varr 'Marvel Boy'... I will get over calling Noh-Varr 'Marvel Boy'... I will get over calling Noh-Varr 'Marvel Boy'... I will get over calling Noh-Varr 'Marvel Boy'... I will get over calling Noh-Varr 'Marvel Boy'... I will get over calling Noh-Varr 'Marvel Boy'... I will get over calling Noh-Varr 'Marvel Boy'... I will get over calling Noh-Varr 'Marvel Boy'... I will get over calling Noh-Varr 'Marvel Boy'... I will get over calling Noh-Varr 'Marvel Boy'... I will get over calling Noh-Varr 'Marvel Boy'... I will get over calling Noh-Varr 'Marvel Boy'... I will get over calling Noh-Varr 'Marvel Boy'... I will get over calling Noh-Varr 'Marvel Boy'... I will get over calling Noh-Varr 'Marvel Boy'... I will get over calling Noh-Varr 'Marvel Boy'... I will get over calling Noh-Varr 'Marvel Boy'... I will get over calling Noh-Varr 'Marvel Boy'... I will get over calling Noh-Varr 'Marvel Boy'... I will get over calling Noh-Varr 'Marvel Boy'... I will get over calling Noh-Varr 'Marvel Boy'... I will get over calling Noh-Varr 'Marvel Boy'... I will get over calling Noh-Varr 'Marvel Boy'... I will get over calling Noh-Varr 'Marvel Boy'... I will get over calling Noh-Varr 'Marvel Boy'... I will get over calling Noh-Varr 'Marvel Boy'... I will get over calling Noh-Varr 'Marvel Boy'... I will get over calling Noh-Varr 'Marvel Boy'... I will get over calling Noh-Varr 'Marvel Boy'... I will get over calling Noh-Varr 'Marvel Boy'... I will get over calling Noh-Varr 'Marvel Boy'... I will get over calling Noh-Varr 'Marvel Boy'... I will get over calling Noh-Varr 'Marvel Boy'... I will get over calling Noh-Varr 'Marvel Boy'... I will get over calling Noh-Varr 'Marvel Boy'... I will get over calling Noh-Varr 'Marvel Boy'... I will get over calling Noh-Varr 'Marvel Boy'..."

Good issue.

Sub-Mariner: The Depths #1

Two words: Peter Milligan. An interesting take, but not at all original. Maybe Milligan will put a better spin on it as the series progresses. As it is, very mundane.

Young Liars #7

WHAT THE FUCK?

I dare you to predict what will happen next in this book. I fucking dare you. David Lapham is insane and what the fuck, it's still awesome. The first six issue story is over and now we get... another take on the same story? The way Sadie sees the world? The way she wants to see the world? Wow... I cannot remember another comic that has shifted gears so completely... Anyone not reading this series is missing out on one of the most exciting and insane books around. This has shades of earlier Vertigo series, but is still quite original. This is quickly becoming my favourite book.

Tomorrow, I will discuss one of these books more as my "book of the week." If you want one of these discussed more, just say so and I'll take it under advisement.