Sketch Reviews (January 4 2012)

Every new year is the same as the old one at first. Except I reset the lists where I keep track of things for the year like what books I've read, what CDs and DVDs I've bought, and... well, that's it. That's what matters, right?

Action Comics #5: Well done, Grant Morrison. You turned Brainiac into a more boring version of Plex. And Superman into a more boring version of Noh-Varr. Hey, I wanted more Marvel Boy, didn't I? It's a shame it's been repurposed as a Superman comic. Now, if he starts writing swear words into Metropolis... [**3/4]

Animal Man #5: Steve Pugh returns for no reason other than he drew Animal Man once upon a time and... uh... nonetheless, I do enjoy the art on this book. Unlike anything else in superhero comics right now -- and Lemire is hitting the right beats and tone. [***3/4]

The Defenders #2: I miss The Intimates. The bottom of those comic pages had ambition, son. An interesting issue, not quite cohesive or entertaining enough yet. Not crazy enough. [***1/2]

Fatale #1: I love the way Phillips draws Jo's face. It's different from his usual women. Not a knock you on your ass first issue, but intriguing. I'll stick with Brubaker and Phillips forever most likely. [***2/3]

OMAC #5: I don't know which I liked more: Frankenstein kicking the shit out of OMAC or Father Time trash-talking Maxwell Lord. [****]

Stormwatch #5: Goddamn, that last page has me getting off this particular train. I gave it five issues and it was almost there a couple of times... but, fuck it, I don't care. I'll just reread the Ellis stuff. [dropped]

Uncanny X-Men #4: The ending was a bit obvious from the getgo with the middle not inherently compelling enough to keep my interest. The tie-in to Sinister had me hoping that this would be something more than a one-off where we're supposed to care that Hugh dies at the end. [*3/4]

Wolverine and the X-Men: Alpha & Omega #1: I like Brian Wood's Quentin Quire. Not sure if it's my Quentine Quire, but he's entertaining -- more so than the one we've seen Jason Aaron write so far. Then again, hitting the right tone for that character is tough. Not many people could do it. I think Fraction could if he tried. Joe Casey could without trying. Wood is making a go of it. Not sold on the premise entirely yet and a little disappointed with how restrained the Boschi/Brown art is. Between this and Huat's work on Annihilators, I'm wondering where my Ghost Rider boys are at these days... [***]

Later

Sketch Reviews (December 8 2011)

Looks like I could finish Trailer Park Boys tomorrow. Just have the last three episodes of season seven, the final TV special, and the second movie to go. Pushing on, boys. Pushing on. So, the comics I bought and am not reviewing for CBR:

Animal Man #4: Travel Foreman's refinement continues and is damn impressive. Jeff Lemire's writing is at its best in this issue when he's setting up mood... the plot stuff just seems to get in the way. [***3/4]

The Boys #61: Goddamn, Hughie is getting annoying. The comic recognises this, but still. The Mother's Milk stuff seems a little distracting at this point in the book's run. Everything else seems pointed towards the finish line except for that. Russ Braun... I almost dread Darick Robertson's eventual return (probably for the final arc) because his work has been great. They really lucked out with him coming aboard. [***1/2]

Deadpool MAX-Mas #1: Finally, David Lapham draws some Deadpool and Bob! A strange sort of mash-up of A Christmas Carol and It's a Wonderful Life where Bob is given every reason not to live. The perfect Christmas present. If this doesn't fill you with holiday job, only Cable can... [****]

The Defenders #1: An enjoyable first issue. A bit busy and superficial in places, but definitely one of the more promising things I've seen from Fraction at Marvel since Iron Fist. Consider me aboard for the first few issues at least. [***1/2]

Men of War #4: Real world power is powerless in fictional world... also, when Ivan Brandon leaves, I do, too. [***]

OMAC #4: My favourite issue so far. They managed to touch on Kevin's personal life and still provide some great action. At this rate, Max Lord will run out of people to send after OMAC... [****]

Stormwatch #4: Another book I'll probably drop when Paul Cornell departs (though, unlike Men of War, I'll possibly pick up issue seven to see if there's a big change). Probably the most cohesive issue so far with a stronger focus than the first three. Stormwatch itself is still so scattershot as a group that I don't have a handle on them. The end of the issue is promising... [***]

Later

CBR Review: Stormwatch #3

I recently reviewed Stormwatch #3 for CBR and, in the process, wrote the following sentences: "The moon continues to attack the Earth via projectiles fired from itself and a creature it's unleashed on Earth, itself. The source of the moon’s attack is apparently here to test and improve Earth’s defenses against some future threat. That creates a three-part attack for the team to handle, while keeping the story simple by having it all trace back to a single source. That sort of economy makes this a packed issue to read without overcomplicating things. The only problem is that threats presented are rather basic and not intrinsically compelling as challenges for a team that’s supposed to be as powerful and skilled as Stormwatch."

You can read the rest HERE!

Sketch Reviews (October 5 2011)

My work schedule is normally Saturdays and Sundays 8am-8pm along with Wednesdays and Fridays 10am-6pm. This week, they needed me on Monday and Tuesday, so I'm off until Saturday for a nice change of pace... and three straight days of no work. It also meant getting comics on Wednesday. I've done that occasionally after work when my hours were moved up to 8am-4pm, but I haven't gotten then when the store opened in quite some time. Rather nice. So, let's get some sketch reviews out of the way as I have CBR reviews to write...

Animal Man #2: Travel Foreman's art seemed more consistent this time out and I rather like the way Jeff Lemire writes Maxine. She's a creepy little kid. Hell, this comic is creepy as hell. Really digging it. [****]

The Boys #59: Christ... those final pages... Hughie's angry tirade was pretty awesome, too. Nice to see him standing up for himself. But those final pages... not just the writing either. Russ Braun absolutely destroys those pages with the dead, calm look. Wow. [****]

Men of War #2: Not as engaging at the first issue. I really liked the opening of the issue, but the rest never quite got 'there.' I didn't bother with the back-up story this time. [**3/4]

Moon Knight #6: Last issue left me a little uneasy over Echo wailing on Moon Knight how she did and this issue helped that a bit. The Avengers showing up allowed for some pretty good visual gags surrounding Cap, Spider-Man, and Wolverine. I didn't recognise the 'Kingpin.' Should I have? [***3/4]

OMAC #2: I liked this more than the first issue. Maybe my expectations had shifted enough. I went expecting some big dumb action and, when I got it, ate it up. I wasn't sure about adding this to my pull list, but I think I will. Especially considering I got the last rack copy today... shortly after twelve when my store opens at twelve. [***1/2]

Severed #3: The tension was built masterfully with the bear trap scene. Wow. It's not too often I get a little nervous while reading a comic -- but I did here. Wonderful. [****]

Stormwatch #2: This issue was a step up from the first one. Mostly, it was helped by just getting on with everything and not worrying about explanations as much. Or, trying to write faux-Ellis dialogue. I really hate that new Midnighter costume, though. Harry is turning out to be an interesting character. I like the level of backstabbing and bastardness in the team... without it seeming like they hate one another. They just have their own agendas. Glad I came back for this issue after being disappointed with the debut. [***1/2]

Swamp Thing #2: Good villain... waaaaaaaaaaaaaaay too much fucking exposition. I like the idea of trying to keep everything, even the contradictions, from Swamp Thing's past... but it does make this issue a bit of a chore to read in parts. Second issue and where other books are getting on with it, this one is giving a long history lesson. Paquette handled the horror aspect a bit better this time, I thought -- if only for that panel of the baby/little kid. [***]

I also picked up the trade of the first volume of American Vampire. Only read the first issue and liked it.

Later

CBR Review: Stormwatch #1

I recently reviewed Stormwatch #1 for CBR and, in the process, wrote the following sentences: "If you didn’t have some knowledge of Stormwatch or, better yet, The Authority heading into this issue, it’s not a good introduction. On the first page, we’re alerted that one of the central plots actually stems from Superman #1, which doesn’t come out until September 28, a puzzling way to begin a new first issue. From there, there’s no proper introduction to the concept of the team or its members beyond brief one-sentence descriptors. The recruitment of Apollo seems like a plot tailor-made to introduce the team and its mandate, especially since Apollo seemingly wants nothing to do with groups like the Justice League. What sets this superhuman team apart from any others? It’s a little more secret apparently and... no, that’s it."

You can read the rest HERE!

CBR Review: Soldier Zero #2

I recently reviewed Soldier Zero #2 for CBR and, in the process, wrote the following sentences: "There’s a familiarity in the concept of Solider Zero if you’ve read the first issue only: alien suit/weapon bonds itself to human, granting him powers of some kind. Not an uncommon premise, but this issue works to bring out what makes this story different. Part of that is how the suit changes the paralyzed Trautmann’s life, while a large part is the nature of the suit and what it wants. For one thing, the suit is a sentient being, a parasite/symbiote that requires a host to live and, with its host dead, attached itself to Trautmann. It can grant him extra abilities, but it’s also weakened from what it’s endured, making it an easier target for its enemies. Part of a war, the suit and its previous host were the only survivors of a battle that may have come to Earth."

You can read the rest HERE!

CBR Review: Knight and Squire #2

I recently reviewed Knight and Squire #2 for CBR and, in the process, wrote the following sentences: "I loved Captain Britain and MI:13 for the way it established the role of the British superhero within the Marvel Universe while also telling highly entertaining and compelling stories. In Knight and Squire, Paul Cornell tries to do the same thing for the England of the DC Universe, except the ‘entertaining’ and ‘compelling’ are missing. Reading the second issue of Knight and Squire, it begins with some clever character work before falling into a dull, plodding plot that, like the first issue, seems to be lacking in any point besides to yell out that, yes, this comic takes place in England and isn’t it a little different?"

You can read the rest HERE!

Sketch Reviews (October 13 2010)

Weird week. Still catching up from the, basically, four-day weekend I had because of Thanksgiving. Good weekend, but that also meant Zero Work during those four days aside from a couple of things for 411mania that needed to get done. Bigger week than usual for me with ten books -- evenly divided into five CBR review books and five just for me books. Granted, the five CBR review books are also ones I'd be getting anyway... So, there's the comic reviews to write plus a few other things including the stack of Dreadstar comics I borrowed from my dad that need reading. Yesterday, I read "The Metamorphosis Odyssey," which was serialised in the first nine issues of Epic Illustrated in 1980-81... Jim Starlin cutting loose with some painted art and destroying the village to save it. Fun stuff. Plus, that also means everything else in those issues of Epic Illustrated... I sense a series of posts in the future... Shit. Enough about that. Sketch Reviews!

Casanova #4: "Luxuria" concludes with issues six and seven of the original run... crazy-ass comics. There's so much going on that I still need to take it slow to really get it all -- and I've read this shit a lot. Haven't read the backmatter stuff with Chaykin yet, because this was the final comic of ten and... I wasn't in the mood. I'll read it when I read the original backmatter material. I don't know what to say about this comic right now. [*****]

Knight and Squire #1: I get the joke of Broxton sticking his name and the page number on pretty much every page (a few don't seem to bear the mark, but they could be covered with word balloons), but it's just tedious. That's kind of how I feel about this first issue completely. There are some nice moments, but it's so focused on establishing this large tradition of British heroes and villains that there isn't much else here. It's too focused on shouting "HEY! LOOK! BRITISH SUPERHERO COMIC!" The Knight and Squire also don't offer the same personality that Morrison gives them. The Knight especially seems... different. Broxton's art is fine, but very hit or miss. [**3/4]

New Avengers #5: Hey, how about that cover showing us the final page, basically? Nice job there, Marvel. I like how Bendis teased a retcon involving the Ancient One, playing off his reputation for retconning history (whether that was knowing or not is up for debate) and offering a bit of a surprise. But, a few questions concerning the art: 1. How did Hawkeye lift that taxi off of himself? 2. His cheek doesn't look puffy at all -- why not? 3. Shouldn't Dr. Strange have some mark on his face after being punched by Iron Fist? I'm a nitpicky motherfucker. Otherwise, another strong issue. [***3/4]

Thor #616: Um... after last issue's strong start, this issue spends 22 pages treading water for the most part. The scientist is dismissed by Thor, the World Eaters leave their ship/home/prison, and Kelda is sad. Really disappointing how little happens or couldn't have simply been pushed into last issue. Pasqual Ferry's art doesn't wow me despite me appreciating it at times. His Thor looked better here than last issue. He handles the Asgardians and World Eaters well -- his regular people are so cartoony that they don't look like they belong at all. The World Eaters sequence actually looked fantastic... The ending was a little screwy. It sounds interesting, but what logic drives Thor? Ultimately, a thoroughly disappointing comic. [**]

The Unwritten #18: The first page is great. The little window into the evil organisation Taylor is fighting against is just what I wanted. I want more still! All in all, a pretty solid breather issue with both sides dealing with some business to gear up for the next stage. The 14th Tommy Taylor book sounds godawful with its over-the-top Christ analogue. Harry Potter as Jesus... fuck me... Mike Carey is a bastard. [***3/4]

Later.

CBR Review: Spitfire #1

I recently reviewed Spitfire #1 for CBR and, in the process, wrote the following sentences: "Over a year since Captain Britain and MI:13 ended, Paul Cornell returns to one of the book’s members with a Spitfire one-shot that’s part of Marvel’s 'Women of Marvel' initiative. With Cornell now a DC exclusive, this could be the last chance for fans of the title to see him handling some of the characters for a few years, at least, and Cornell does not disappoint. While the comic stars and focuses on Spitfire, Blade also features prominently as Cornell continues to build on their relationship with one another as they go vampire hunting in New York City."

You can read the rest HERE!

CBR Review: Indomitable Iron Man #1

I recently reviewed Indomitable Iron Man #1 for CBR and, in the process, wrote the following sentences: "The use of the other characters allows Chaykin to draw both the Iron Man/Titanium Man fight and those other characters in their respective activities, plus a sarcastic, flirtatious Pepper Potts who seems both annoyed at her boss and amused by his hectic day. Chaykin’s art allows for a little bit of gray, but is mostly heavy blacks and whites, and dynamic, energetic poses. He seems to love using the circular energy effect of Iron Man’s repulsor rays and it gives a lot of pages an interesting look; mostly, Chaykin favors big pictures with characters in the midst of the action. This is a fun story that rests on a simple concept, but presents it effectively and entertainingly."

You can read the rest HERE!

Best of 2009: Not Good Enough

Today, I'm going to highlight a few books that I liked throughout the year or found noteworthy for some reason, but didn't make my top ten books of 2009. These aren't books eleven, twelve, thirteen, etc. so don't confuse them as such. Just books that I feel like pointing out for whatever reason.

Captain Britain & MI:13 by Paul Cornell, Leonard Kirk, Mike Collins, and Ardian Syaf. Two years in a row, this book makes one top ten list and fails to make another. It made the top ten I gave CBR, but has fallen off from the final list thanks to me reconsidering the order and, well, I bought and read Asterios Polyp. It's a great comic and, this year, it had some of its best writing and art. The "Vampire State" storyline was refreshing and surprising throughout. A vampire story -- hell, a Dracula story that was original and innovative. I'm tempted to name this the best comic of 2009 for that reason alone. Okay, not really tempted, but it's the sort of thing one says in these situations. It doesn't make the list, because the Meggan-centred annual was mediocre and, honestly, it doesn't hold up as well in rereadings. When I reread the entire Captain Britain & MI:13 series for the blogathon this summer, I didn't enjoy it as much as I did the first time around. I've seen it missing from a lot of lists (including the CBR one), which is surprising since it was praised heavily when it was coming out. I think it's a victim of people forgetting that it existed when it came time to make the lists and I just wanted to show that I didn't forget it... it just didn't make the cut. Barely. I wonder if it would have had it not ended...

The Unwritten by Mike Carey and Peter Gross. I want to like this book more than I actually do. It should be on my top ten list, honestly, given my academic background. A comic about the power and wonder of literature... gee, could it be any more of a wet dream for a guy with a master's in English? But, there's something lacking. Maybe it's the slow pacing, the cold, clinical way it's told... that I'm still not entirely sure what the book is actually about... Maybe it's that the book seems like it's trying very, very hard to be clever and smart, and it's hard to love something that's so screaming for attention like that. I don't mean to harp on the book's negatives since I did come here to point out that it's very good. I look forward to each issue and have no doubt that this could become my favourite comic in any given month. It just hasn't yet.

"Boo-tleg" by Ben Jones from Bart Simpsons's Treehouse of Horror #15. I had originally meant to discuss the whole book, but I reviewed enough anthologies this year for CBR to learn that I hate talking about anthologies. Focus on one thing too much and it seems like an uneven review, but making room for everything means there's no depth. Anthologies make me spend the other time trying to find that balance between breadth and depth, and I don't want to this time. I want to point out "Boo-tleg" by Ben Jones as I fucking love this story. I reread it last night and, man oh man, did it make me laugh. It's weird and wild and off-the-wall... in it, bootleg, cheap candy sold at the Kwik-E-Mart begins killing people, so Apu has bootlegs of the dead people made... and it's just fucking weird. And funny. Jones makes fun of The Simpsons, American culture, and also uses the sort of jokes you'd find in The Simpsons. It's an odd line to walk and, by the end, it becomes some 'misguided' mixture of odd cultural stereotypes, like he took a character from every crappy Simpsons knock-off worldwide and stuck them in the same show. Each time I read it, I a different bit makes me laugh. Like, on the first page, the thing I find funniest is that Chief Wiggum died at some point prior to this story -- and, like, the idea that the fat, bumbling cop being alive/dead is the key difference between this reality and the true Simpsons reality. Somehow, he would have stopped Apu and it wouldn't become Da Slimpsonz... what a fucking absurd idea, but it makes me laugh.

Final Crisis Aftermath: Escape by Ivan Brandon, Marco Rudy, and Cliff Richards. How the fuck did this comic get published? I feel bad for using the word 'weird' to describe Ben Jones's "Boo-tleg," because it seems downright middle of the road compared to the weirdness of this series (not really, but, again, that sounds almost good). The first issue of this series left people scratching their heads, wondering what was going on. Nemesis wakes up in Electric City and is held a prisoner with others as reality shifts around them... but it's all test. You escape, you've proven yourself worthy. The series is him working out the puzzle and escaping. It doesn't add up. The Global Peace Agency is never really explained and, honestly, the loss of Marco Rudy makes the book suffer. While everyone was talking about JH Williams III and his great layouts (and rightly so), not many were noticing the work Rudy was doing in the same vein. Not as sophisticated or well done as Williams's work (especially the actual drawings in Rudy's art), but still great effort. Escape promised a lot and failed to deliver completely... but, man, I'd give my left nut (not really) for more books from Marvel and DC to try this hard. Then again, I love my ambitious failures and Escape is one hell of a one. I can't wait to see what happens in the follow-up Nemesis mini-series by Brandon and Richards this year.

Final Crisis/Final Crisis: Superman Beyond 3D by Grant Morrison, Doug Mahnke, JG Jones, Marco Rudy, and Carlos Pacheco. I'm mentioning for the sole purpose of telling you why a comic I really liked was never even considered for contention, because Final Crisis wasn't. I never considered it as a possibility for my top ten, because it's a 2008 comic that got into 2009 on a technicality. It ran late and bled into the new year. Others include it on their lists and that's fine, but it's a 2008 comic in my mind. When I saw it one other lists, I had to remind myself 'Oh yeah, that did finish in January!' It sort of got screwed that way: it didn't finish in 2008, which kept it off last year's best of list most likely... and, now, I see it as a 2008 book. Well, life isn't fair and these lists don't mean that much anyway. I'm sure no one involved is sitting at home reading this and seething with rage that I'm excluding this work. So, no Final Crisis. (And, yes, the collection came out this year, but I read it in singles, so that's what I judge it by. So, no, it doesn't make it based on that technicality either.)

Tomorrow: a rundown of the Joe Casey-penned comics of this year and I'll also spend a few brief moments discussing my favourite comic critic of 2009.

CBR Review: Dark X-Men #2

I recently reviewed Dark X-Men #2 and, in the process, wrote the following sentences: "The biggest problem in this comic, though, is the pacing. The slow, plodding pace means this issue ends on a plot point where, ideally, the first issue should have ended on (since the spoiler of Nate Grey returning was out of the bag). Two issues of build-up and Grey barely appears. Normally, that sort of build-up makes a character look impressive, but, here, it doesn’t; it makes the comic read worse."

You can read the rest HERE!

CBR Review: Dark X-Men: The Beginning #3

I recently reviewed Dark X-Men: The Beginning #3 and, in the process, wrote the following sentences: "The final story is very strong and makes me wish that this mini-series came out before we knew who the Dark X-Men were since it has Osborn recruiting Aurora. Simon Spurrier writes a delightfully twisted story that ends with Aurora not joining the team -— not a spoiler since we know the line-up already. As we know she won’t be a member, the ending loses a lot of its power. It relies on surprise and there isn’t any, which does a disservice to Spurrier and artist Paul Davidson, who both do some great work."

You can read the rest HERE!

Blogathon 41: Captain Britain and MI:13: Vampire State

[Discussed in this post: Captain Britain and MI:13 #10-15 and annual #1.]

It is an absolute shame that Captain Britain and MI:13 had to end -- but it's fantastic that it got to end on a high note like Vampire State. This is about as perfect a storyarc as you're going to find in superhero comics and Paul Cornell takes it a step further by using vampires -- and then takes that a step further by using Dracula. It could have failed on so many levels with those decisions, but Cornell doesn't just get by, he nails it, pulls it off, and leaves us all wondering how the hell he did that.

Cornell's Dracula isn't unfamiliar but he isn't quite like any Dracula you've seen before. He's smart, confident, refined, racist, and knows he's going to win. The racism against Muslims is a nice touch -- and works with the idea of invading Britain because of its large immigrant population. He plans out a careful strategy and executes it with great skill. Only a stragist his equal could match him -- and thank got MI:13 has Pete Wisdom, because he pulls off some masterful swerves against Dracula. When it appears that Dracula has won, it was really his greatest desire as fulfilled by Plokta. When he thought he destroyed a skull that would protect Britain from vampires, it was a fake skull that they put on a show to protect. When he thought he controlled Lady J, he didn't. When he thought he had a treaty with Doom, he didn't. The first half of the arc is about building Dracula up, showing him as unbeatable, while the second half is about tearing him down, showing him as beatable.

Cornell lays on some heavy cliffhangers in this arc. The entire team is killed style of cliffhangers. And while he always follows up on them, unafraid to undo them, it never feels forced or like we got a fake-out before. It only ever feels like something bad happened and the trained professionals reacted, solving the problem. To Cornell's credit, he makes us believe that these characters are as good at what they do as is necessary for a lot of these issues to work. But, we believe it. They are the professionals.

It seems, in restrospect, obvious that vampires would pose a threat with two on the team -- one who's devoted his life to hunting them down. Except it still felt like a surprise for Dracula and company to invade Britain somehow...

The budding relationship between Blade and Lady J is one of my favourite things about this arc. Blade in a pub in issue ten is a great scene. Or, Blade staking J's son to make sure the vampire bugger is put out of his misery... they're a good couple.

Pete Wisdom's strategy is a constant effort to delay Dracula until they can think of something better and it winds up working out.

The annual, which focuses on Meggan, is rather weak. I didn't care for it when I reviewed it for CBR and don't care for it now. The tone isn't quite right, Cornell never really hits his stride in it like he does the rest of the series.

The final issue of the series is a pretty good ending. It's not the strongest end, but you need to remember that it was just meant to be the end of the arc, not the book -- and I doubt Cornell altered it a lot to suit that purpose. It does end with various couples -- Blade and J, Brian and Meggan, Dane and Faiza, Pete and Tara -- although that one is so fucking cool. Pete driving the car, looking like Bond, Tara admiring him. Leonard Kirk nails that pic.

Kirk is an essential part of the book. He has a distinctive style, using thin lines, a little sketchy, but very clean, very easy to read and understand. It's a shame he didn't do every issue.

Oh god, we're running out of comics! In 30 minutes, we'll do Secret Warriors: Nick Fury: Agent of Nothing.

[Don't forget to donate what you can to the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund! After you do, let me know via comment or e-mail (found at the righthand side) so I can keep track of donations -- and who to thank.]

Blogathon 40: Captain Britain and MI:13: Hell Comes to Birmingham

[Discussed in this post: Captain Britain and MI:13 #5-9.]

Issue five was what won me over. Blade joins the cast and stakes Lady J at the end of the issue. Before that, the Black Knight has an awkward conversation with Faiza's parents that's damn funny. It's a quiet issue, pretty light -- which makes the final page that much harsher and surprising. That's when I knew for sure that this was the book for me. Cornell suckered me in, made me think things were alright and then Blade stakes Lady J. Goddamn.

Every issue of this story ends with a cliffhanger of some sort. #5: Blade stakes Lady J; #6: Plokta offers Captain Britain his wife back; #7: Pete Wisdom reveals that the Black Knight doesn't have the Ebony Blade; #8: Captain Midlands is revealed a traitor; #9: Dracula is coming. I don't understand how this title lost readers, because every issue ends with a dare not to pick up the next issue -- and I can't fathom why anyone would take them up on that dare.

Now, if the book were nothing but cliffhangers and teasers, that would be worthless -- it's got a lot of great stuff in the actual issues. This plot, the team preventing a Duke of Hell, Plokta, from taking over a building (and the world) by offering people their deepest desire, is a fairly basis one. Lots of Mindless Ones to fight, lots of temptation. Lady J and Blade bond a little. The Black Knight almost loses control. Captain Britain gets lost in fantasyland for a while. Captain Midlands betrays them all to have his dead wife back -- a contrast to Captain Britain who breaks free of his nearly identical illusion. Blade using a paper sword to cut Plokta. Alistair's form being a bit more maleable... all fantastic.

They eventually defeat and capture Plokta. There's an excellent scene at the end where Pete brings Captain Midlands a gun, hoping they'll avoid a trial. Harsh, brutal, perfect.

The story ends with a teaser for Vampire State, the book's concluding arc -- Dracula invades Britain. Fun fun fun.

Leonard Kirk does good work.

I'll write more in 30 minutes when I discuss Captain Britain and MI:13: Vampire State.

[Don't forget to donate what you can to the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund! After you do, let me know via comment or e-mail (found at the righthand side) so I can keep track of donations -- and who to thank.]

Blogathon 37: Secret Invasion: Captain Britain and MI:13

[Discussed in this post: Captain Britain and MI:13 #1-4.]

Despite tying into a big event crossover, these four issues aren't the best hooks for this series. I nearly dropped the book initially because these issues aren't that strong. But, I had heard positive reviews of Paul Cornell's Wisdom mini and, more than that, I had a feeling about this book. Sometimes, I get these 'feelings' about books (and TV shows and movies and CDs) that tell me that I should check them out. There's no real reason for doing so other than me trusting these feelings. Only rarely have they been wrong, so I put a lot of trust in them at this point in my life. Oh, and we once again know that I was right. Captain Britain and MI:13 was worth sticking with.

The general concept of this opening story is good: the Skrulls want Britain's magic and MI:13 needs to stop them. Simple as all that. Despite the title, Pete Wisdom the leader of the group and Captain Britain dies at the end of the first issue. Cornell is the king of cliffhangers, by the way. The man excels at crafting them. First issue? Captain Britain dies. We're all fucked.

Cornell alternates between two major battle points: Avalon, home to Britain's magic; and London, where the Black Knight and the army hold off some Skrulls. Here, we're also introduced to Faiza, a doctor that's hit with some Skrull zap ray that gives her the power to open up bodies and fix them. It's a defensive sort of power.

By the end of the second issue, it looks like the Skrulls have won Britain's magic. They have a weird Dr. Strange-like Skrull that's actually kind of freaky. However, when all seems fucked, Pete Wisdom does something stupid and releases all the dark, evil forces in exchange for help in fighting the Skrulls and Merlin brings back Captain Britain who kicks some ass. In issue four, there's even a lovely joke where the dark forces tell Wisdom that they will grant one request and he utters those immortal words... "No more Skrulls." Oh ho ho. I love it.

The story ends with Faiza plucking Excalibur out of the ground.

It's a decent little story, but nothing too special or exciting. It's a shame that a cool character like Skrull John (a Skrull that's taken the form of John Lennon) had to die. But, that opening on the team gets filled in the second story by someone even better -- at least in the hands of Cornell.

Leonard Kirk has a simple, clean style. Lots of energy, good facial expressions, the whole lot. He does some very nice art here. The visual reintroduction of Captain Britain is particularly lovely.

In 30 minutes, welcome to "Dark Reign."

[Don't forget to donate what you can to the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund! After you do, let me know via comment or e-mail (found at the righthand side) so I can keep track of donations -- and who to thank.]

CBR Review: Dark X-Men: The Beginning #2

I recently reviewed Dark X-Men: The Beginning #2 for CBR and, in the process, wrote the following sentences: "Ah, repetitive comic book storytelling that serves little purpose. The idea behind Dark X-Men: The Beginning is that each story in this three-issue mini-series will show how each member of Norman Osborn’s X-Men team came to be involved in the group. We’re two issues and six stories in, and it’s getting rather tedious. Here’s how it breaks down: see Character A, see Character A get approached by Osborn, see Character A balk at being in his X-Men, see Osborn either make a very persuasive argument or use devious tactics to get Character A agree to his proposal, repeat."

You can read the rest HERE!

I Bought Comics (July 22, 2009)

[I purchased comics today. I have reviewed many of the comics I've read this week. Here, I will discuss the ones I haven't reviewed in ways that have nothing to do with reviewery. Yay.]

The Boys: Herogasm #3

...did... did Hughie get a thumb shoved up his ass? And why was he huddled when Butcher went looking for him, but back as Black Noir left him later in the issue? Meh. This mini is inferior to the main title. I'm enjoying it, but not as much as The Boys proper. Nothing much seems to actually happen here, you know? And you would think a mini-series that is happening at the same time as the main book would exist because things need to happen. Enjoyable, but not great.

Captain Britain and MI:13 #15

THE END.

It sucks that this title has ended, but, now, I can go back, reread it and enjoy a very, very good 16 issues of comics. I don't think this issue ended as well as it needed to given that it's the final issue of this fantastic series. That's a lot of weight of expectations. Were this simply the end of "Vampire State" with issue 16 out next month, it would read better -- and that's clearly how it was written, for the most part. Cornell obviously threw in a few character beats to give the series a bit more closure, but this is mostly the end of a storyarc. A very good storyarc, of course. I'll miss this book. Expect a reread review on it at some point in the future.

Only two non-review books. I guess I'm not reviewing Wednesday Comics #3, but I discuss that series with Tim, so... Next week will be a bigger crop of non-review books since I reviewed so many books this week and want to take it a bit easier -- especially since I'm moving in with my girlfriend this weekend and, then, next weekend, we'll be at her friend's cottage. A week or so of stepping back from comics a little. Not completely, of course, but a bit. Expect any thoughts on San Diego to show up in my random thoughts post over at Comics Should be Good on Tuesday at 5 pm EST. It's posted at that time every Tuesday. Just as I aim for my reread reviews to go up at 2 pm EST on Sundays. I like the regular schedule, as you can guess.

Now, I'm off to eat some doritos and watch Malcolm in the Middle, a highly underrated show.

I Bought Comics: July 8, 2009

[My girlfriend is out of town this weekend camping with friends. I am lonely as a result. What? Weekends are our time to hang out and all of the things that that entails. But, no, this weekend, I'm sitting in my basement apartment all alone, tired, cranky, and ready to talk about comics. Oh lucky you, imaginary reader. You shall be the recipient of my Wisdom on this dark Saturday morning. I come not to review comics but to talk shit. Rock and roll.]

Dark X-Men: The Beginning #1

Because I am a sucker and god forbid we didn't know every small stupid mundane detail about how it came about that the Dark X-Men were formed. Fuck you for buying this and fuck me, too. I hate it when I'm part of the problem. I hate myself right now because of a dumb comic... what the fuck? When did my life come down to me writing about comics online at 2:33 am and hating myself for buying a dumb, shitty comic? And make no mistake, this is a DUMB SHITTY COMIC, people! I don't care how you try to dress it up, there is no reason for this comic to exist except to feed the beast and I'm beginning to hate the beast. I've been digging Fraction's little crossover so far, because it's a logical extension of the larger story -- why wouldn't Norman Osborn form his own X-Men? Why won't he form his own Fantastic Four? Or his own Heroes for Hire? Or his own Secret Defenders? Why not Dark Guardians of the Galaxy? DARK ELDERS OF THE UNIVERSE! Oh yes, it shall be glorious and then we can have dozens of specials detailing how Norman Osborn personally approached each and every character to recruit them to his team and we can be aware of every small bit of continuity, because we have to know. We must know! Because god forbid we didn't know exactly how, detail-for-detail, second-for-second why a lame-as-fuck z-list bullshit character like the Mimic joined the Dark X-Men. You know why? Because Matt Fraction said so. The character wasn't doing anything and Fraction thought he'd make a good addition to the team. That's why. In the story, it's basically the same thing: he wasn't really doing anything and Norman decided he wanted him. It's goddamn metafictional. Art imitating life. No one cares about the Mimic, so why not throw him on the stupid mirror mirror version of the X-Men? He's like Dark Angel or something. And Dark Beast? Well... I can't even remember what happened in that story. It was rubbish and pointless. The Namor one at least built on recent events, because his joining the team actually requires an explanation, because, when we last saw him, he was ready to rip off Osborn's skull and shit in his brain. You want to know why Namor joined up? Because he doesn't know why. Or maybe he did it all for the nookie. Who the fuck knows? And I paid four dollars and something for this comic and I'll probably buy the next two issues, too. I am pathetic and part of the problem. I mean, I've got to know what's up with this team. I just got to. Fuck.

Gravel #12

Another solid issue of Gravel. I'm not sure where this is going, but each issue is enjoyable. Highly underrated book.

No Hero #6

Warren Ellis wins, you fucking bastards. I don't know exactly what, but he wins. Everyone give up, because the superhero comic is officially dead. The last page of No Hero #6 killed it. The final page grabbed the superhero comic's spine, ripped it out of its back, and then the final page proceeded to attach the spine to itself using excess skin -- it made itself a giant penis out of spine and uttered

THERE.

NOW I LOOK LIKE A REAL FUCKING SUPERHERO.

There's nothing else you can do with superhero comics anymore. I sure as shit don't know what else there is. I thought I'd actually seen it all, but then I saw a guy rip out a spine and attach it to his groin in triumph. And he's been the fucking portagonist of this comic. He's our point of view character. The new recruit. Our eyes and ears. So what does that say about us? Why did I feel excited about that final page? Does Warren Ellis know something about my superhero-loving brain that I don't? Because Josh is me and I'm Josh, so I secretly want my penis to fall off and then replace it with a superhero's spine? Of course I do, because I just realised that superheroes are just about money. All of the high ideals I worshipped, the morals, the ethics, the saving the world -- all a facade in the pusuit of money. I gave up my social life, I stayed inside weekends, pouring over my precious superhero comics, escaping into their worlds, I gave it all up and it's just about money. That's all. Oh sure, they'll say that it's about art and the love of the characters, but I know for sure. They raised the price by a dollar not because they had to, not because that's the only way to keep the comics coming, for superheroes to keep saving the world, but because they want more money. They're happy to lie to our faces, to laugh about it, to bullshit us -- they make us care, make us obsess, make us devote large chunks of our lives. We could be out getting laid and drinking and having fun, we could be making friends, but we don't. We're willing to exchange our cocks and our appearance if it means we can live the superhero dream. AND IT'S REALLY JUST ABOUT MONEY. IT WAS ALWAYS ABOUT THE MONEY. FROM DAY ONE. We've been had, we've been bilked -- and when we realise the truth, we'll want our cocks back by any means necessary... Warren Ellis knows this and he's shown us the truth. HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! Oh fuck and he's right. That final page is so goddamned fucked. And it's a mirror, people. Look at Josh's mask. It's a mirror that reflects our faces. Because he is us and we are him. Enjoy your comics.

I Bought Comics: The Middle Weeks of June 2009

[I wrote five reviews on Wednesday, so I'm reviewed out until after this weekend where I'm getting out of town with my girlfriend. It's her birthday and she wants to visit her parents, so off we go. The point: as always, these aren't reviews, they're just whatever thoughts pop into my head.]

The Unwritten #2

I really enjoyed the first issue of this book and the second issue continues in the same vein. Not sure if this will get a spot on my pull list since I usually give books 4-6 issues before making that determination, but this has a very good shot.

Captain America #600

As I pointed out over at Comics Should be Good, this is actually the second Marvel comic to centre around the one-year anniversary of Steve Rogers's death. And, as others have said, this is a another good chapter in Ed Brubaker's run, but it's not exactly the sort of comic you base a big media push around. It's based very much on context and a solid knowledge of what came before. It's rather good, but I really am curious how much it would grab a guy off the street. I really loved the inclusion of a Golden Age Cap comic with some art that is weird and wild and just fantastic.

Captain Britain and MI:13 #14

Paul Cornell writes the hell out of this comic, pulling back from the end of last issue with a major twist that makes perfect sense and doesn't feel like a cheat. Everyone else, take notes, and learn. Only one more issue left. Dammit.

Final Crisis Aftermath: Dance #2

Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaand ChrisCross is gone already? The comic suffers as a result, because the pair of artists that step in can't quite match him. Comparisons to The Intimates continue as the horrible art that plagued the end of that series happens here in the second issue. Compare this issue to the first and you can see with crystal clear accuracy just how much bad art can hurt an issue. And I don't meant to dump on the artists here, but their work is ugly, cluttered, and pretty bad, and the issue reads bad as a result. Joe Casey's writing is butchered here. We'll see how it reads in the future, but this issue was a disappointment despite Casey hitting all of the right moments, expanding on his character building, and, again, giving us action that dovetails with the vapid nature of the group. But, goddamn.