Quickie Reviews (September 1 2010)

September already? I mentioned this in my random thoughts yesterday, but I do really miss going to school. Not elementary or high school; I miss university. Both undergrad and grad school were great, full of interesting ideas, some cool people, and living a life that I wish I could live forever. Throw in what I currently do online and it would be pretty sweet. But, ah, that's just not how the world works. I'll get over it in a few days. On to the comics...

The Boys #46: Oh come on! The issue ends that way? Garth Ennis is a cruel, cruel man. How I hate him. How I love this comic. The ending is even more hardhitting after the conversation between Hughie and Butcher throughout the rest of the issue. You think Butcher is becoming better somehow and, then... I continue to enjoy Russ Braun on art. He's a great fit. I'll probably stop saying that at some point. I laughed at the visual gag of the Female in the balloons and the ice cream cone. [****]

Scarlet #2: I'm torn on this book. It's loud and obvious and skips over some points of logic in service of advancing things, but... that's all on purpose. Alex Maleev's art is good, but I'm still not convinced it suits what Bendis is doing here. Maleev draws everything on such an equal plane that details that we're meant to pick up on don't necessarily get highlighted visually. For me, at least. Is that wanting things spoonfed or is that wanting good storytelling? I guess that depends on who you ask. I'm still intrigued by the addressing of the audience, and like the concept. Bendis carries the issue on his ability to monologue and it works. My complaints about Maleev are minor, because it's only in a few places that I really have any problems. But, hey, I'm the sort of dick that immediately goes to the negatives, so what do you want? [****]

Later