glamourpuss #1-3 (almost) for free!

You've all heard me talk on and on about how great Dave Sim's examination of the history of the photorealism art style in comics is in glamourpuss, and now there's a chance for you to check it out for yourself. Sim has put up a .pdf of the first three issues' worth of the historical material one for free and you can download it here! Give it a look.

CBR Review: The Muppet Show #4

I recently reviewed The Muppet Show #4 for CBR and, in the process, wrote the following sentences: "After three issues spotlighting Kermit the Frog, Fozzie Bear, and Gonzo the... uh, what is Gonzo again? Anyway, Roger Langridge turns his attention in this issue to the natural fit for this group of four, Miss Piggy. Having each issue of this series revolve around these four characters has been a great way to structure it and to give each issue a singular focus to base that episode of The Muppet Show around."

You can read the rest HERE!

I Bought Comics: Dark Reign: Zodiac #1 Review plus Two Quick Ones

[Trying something different: doing proper reviews for some books I buy. Not quite proper, but done in the CBR format. If I feel like it. Other books get the quick treatment, I suppose. Only because I don't feel like reviewing them properly. Or at all. That's the way it goes. Yay. Enjoy.

Title: Dark Reign: Zodiac #1
Story by: Joe Casey
Art by: Nathan Fox
Colours by: Jose Villarrubia
Letters by: Albert Deschesne
Cover by: Nathan Fox
Publisher: Marvel Comics
Cover price: $3.99 (USD)
Release Date: June 24th, 2009
Rating: 4
Blurb: Guess who’s back. Back again. Casey’s back. Back again.

Along with Final Crisis Aftermath: Dance, I think it’s safe to say that Joe Casey’s back. Okay, he wasn’t really gone, but, aside from Gødland, he hadn’t really been writing anything that great for a while now. Charlatan Ball, Youngblood, and The Death-Defying ‘Devil were all... well, they invented words like ‘mediocre’ and ‘lacklustre’ for works like those. But not Dark Reign: Zodiac #1 where Casey places the work clearly within his own little private Marvel continuity that includes his runs on Cable, The Incredible Hulk, Deathlok, and even his Heroes Reborn: Masters of Evil one-shot despite this being a different Whirlwind technically.

Joe Casey does free-wheeling, off-the-wall dialogue better than almost anyone and his Zodiac talks circles around people. There’s an obvious hint of Ledger’s Joker here, but also Nickelhead from Gødland... in a recent interview regarding that supervillain series he’s doing for Dynamite relating to that Project Superpowers thing, Casey discusses how he likes his villains to have a nihilistic feel about them — that they embrace their villainous lifestyle and that’s what this book is about. People like to say that no one sees himself as a villain, but Casey calls that bullshit... because it is. Some people would, but in that glorious rebellious way where it’s less of a genuine evil motivation and more of a cultural identity one. Zodiac declares himself a villain, partly because he’s a bad guy, but more because he likes the idea of being a bad guy, the way that someone likes being a punk or a goth... being a villain is just an identity that this guy has embraced.

He’s joined by various ancillary characters from the Marvel universe to make up his little group, Casey once again showing that he knows his stuff. Remember, Wizard once called Casey the next Kurt Busiek because of his use of old characters no one remembers. I find this third appearance of the Clown in a Casey book an interesting one since he resembles the Clown that appeared in Casey’s Hulk run instead of the one from Deathlok. It’s the same character, but, visually, the two are distinct and I’m kind of surprised that Nathan Fox (perhaps at Casey’s urging, perhaps not) went with this one. This version is small, fat, comedic... whereas the thinner, more punk-ish Clown from Deathlok seems more appropriate for this tone of this book. It’s an interesting choice.

Nathan Fox fits this book perfectly. His frantic energy matches Casey’s so damn well. I love the way Fox draws Johnny Storm — almost the way that Zodiac views the character. The colouring is a bit too dark and muddled for my taste at times, but it’s also appropriate. I dunno. Otherwise, he really brings life to these characters, even Zodiac, who could fall flat given his mask. I love his inclusion of sound effects throughout the issue, too.

The revelation of Zodiac’s real face at the end... is that supposed to be someone we know? He looks familiar, but he’s not ringing any bells. But, yeah, this is a pretty good book and I’m looking forward to the next two issues. Along with The Last Defenders, Casey shows again that he can take the overlying plot of the Marvel universe and give a different perspective on it. In that case, it was a different view of Stark’s Initiative program, here’s it’s Osborn’s ‘Dark Reign.’

Detective Comics #854

What can I say that Jog hasn't already? Gorgeous fucking comic. I got this issue to see if I'd bother with future ones and I think I will. Rucka's writing is in top form here, coupled with Williams's art... AND the bonus of Cully Hamner? Well, how can you say no?

New Avengers #54

Billy Tan is done! Stuart Immonen is coming! Keep on rockin' in the free world!

CBR Review: Secret Warriors #5

I recently reviewed Secret Warriors #5 and, in the process, wrote the following sentences: "Since this issue is mostly action, artist Stefano Caselli is leaned on heavier than any issue in the past to carry things and he does so well, for the most part. While he shines during the fighting, having no problems depicting humans or machines in battle, there are also panels that call for more subtle looks or body language that he doesn’t always pull off. That’s a slight criticism, though, as he does improve with each issue and you can still understand what he’s getting at."

You can read the rest HERE!

CBR Review: Berserker #1

I recently reviewed Berserker #1 for CBR and, in the process, wrote the following sentences: "That said, with a zero issue and a first issue, you would assume that things would be beyond the most basic of stages in characterization and concept, but they’re not. Both Farris and Aaron are barely sketched out with only the barest of hints about what lays behind their abilities available. One scene tries to give some perspective with agents from Midgard and Asgaard fighting, tying into the Norse aspect of the berserker, but not much is actually revealed in that scene."

You can read the rest HERE!

CBR Review: Dark Avengers #6

I recently reviewed Dark Avengers #6 for CBR and, in the process, wrote the following sentences: "Ever see a sequel to a really great movie that’s basically the same as the first, but just on a bigger scale? Instead of saving the city from doom, the hero now saves the country or the world? It’s really not any different and, while pleasant, it’s nowhere near as good as the first one. Most of the lines are the same, the characters haven’t really changed, and it’s missing the magic that made the first so wonderful. That’s what Dark Avengers is beginning to feel like."

You can read the rest HERE!

CBR Review: Dark Avengers/Uncanny X-Men: Utopia #1

I recently reviewed Dark Avengers/Uncanny X-Men: Utopia #1 for CBR and, in the process, wrote the following sentences: "There are two main problems with this issue. The first is that the length of story seems drawn out to accommodate the increased page count that a special of this nature demands. Fraction does try to fill the pages with different aspects of the riot, but even that doesn’t hide the fact that this could have been a regular-sized issue without anything getting lost. Some scenes work nicely, like Cyclops confronting Toad, or when the Avengers arrive on the scene. The way that Spider-Man/Venom sizes up Colossus and leaps in battle with joy is wonderful."

You can read the rest HERE!

CBR Review: Thor #602

I recently reviewed Thor #602 for CBR and, in the process, wrote the following sentences: "J. Michael Straczynski has been fearless in his Thor run, unafraid to take the characters in new directions and alter the status quo, which he continues in this issue as Thor solves one problem while creating another with a little help from Dr. Strange. Which raises another consistent element to Straczynski’s run: not knowing where it fits in with the rest of the Marvel universe."

You can read the rest HERE!

CBR Review: Young Liars #16

I recently reviewed Young Liars #16 for CBR and, in the process, wrote the following sentences: "The construction of the issue as a two-part song is reflected in the way that Lapham tells the story. The first half of the issue is told all in the same page layout: three stacked panels. There is no variation, aside from the first page where the usual placement of the title precludes using that layout (although the title almost acts as a middle panel). Not only that, but there is no dialogue in these panels, just Ronald’s narration combined with various images that Lapham chooses carefully, often coming back to images of duality."

You can read the rest HERE!

CBR Review: The Boys: Herogasm #2

I recently reviewed The Boys: Herogasm #2 for CBR and, in the process, wrote the following sentences: "This issue is an improvement over the first which, while good, never really progressed beyond the one or two jokes Ennis could tell about superheroes doing drugs and having lots of sex. In this issue, Ennis builds on some of the ideas hinted at towards the end of last issue, like Vic the Veep’s arrival at the Herogasm, and the Boys’ presence."

You can read the rest HERE!

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.

CBR Review: Madman Atomic Comics #16

I recently reviewed Madman Atomic Comics #16 for CBR and, in the process, wrote the following sentences: "It’s weird, but this issue of Madman Atomic Comics begins with a 12-page story by Jamie S. Rich and Joëlle Jones that is actually stronger than the Mike Allred story that follows it. 'Last Night the Atomics Saved My Life!' follows a teenage girl as she details her obsession with the band the Atomics and, most importantly, its front man, Adam Balm."

You can read the rest HERE!

CBR Review: Thor: The Trial of Thor #1

I recently reviewed Thor: The Trial of Thor #1 for CBR and, in the process, wrote the following sentences: "Where it gets interesting, or rather dumb, is the means in which the Warriors Three prove Thor’s guilt: magical forensics. Yes, this comic could have been called 'CSI: Asgard' without being misleading at all. All that’s missing is a short teaser at the beginning that ends with Fandral removing sunglasses in a dramatic fashion. Even the ultimate solution to the mystery doesn’t ring true with odd scientific-esque reasoning."

You can read the rest HERE!

CBR Review: Incognito #4

I recently reviewed Incognito #4 for CBR and, in the process, wrote the following sentences: "Zack Overkill is in it deep. His old employer, the Black Death, wants him dead for turning state against him. His old adversaries, the S.O.S. have captured him, rendered him once again powerless, and want to use him as bait to catch whoever the Black Death sends after him. And his only friend from his cover life is dead. Yeah, he’s in it deep."

You can read the rest HERE!

CBR Review: The Comic Book Podcast Companion

I recently reviewed The Comic Book Podcast Companion for CBR and, in the process, wrote the following sentences: "For the record, my editor, Augie De Blieck, Jr. is featured in this book because his Pipeline Podcast was the first comic book podcast ever. I had no idea, but, then again, I didn’t know a lot about podcasts before reading this book. I listen to a few, but had no idea how widespread and varied they are, which is one of the reasons why Eric Houston’s book is such a joy to read. The book is accessible to those with little knowledge about podcasts and, also, certainly full of information for rabid fans of the shows discussed."

You can read the rest HERE!

CBR Review: Groom Lake #3

I recently reviewed Groom Lake #3 for CBR and, in the process, wrote the following sentences: "Ryall’s writing matches the art wonderfully with some hilarious lines thrown in, most notably the laid back tone of Archie’s speech. He is the friendly alien pal, speaking in pleasant tones, but often about things like destroying aircraft or leaving the human race to die a horrible death. Karl’s panicked tones act as a good counterbalance with Anita somewhere in the middle, more aloof and sarcastic."

You can read the rest HERE!

Variant cover to Blackest Night: Superman #2--too graphic?

Steve here.

I just came across this image via IGN...

For those unwilling to click on the link, it's an image of the variant cover for Blackest Night: Superman #2, which shows Superman and Superboy being menaced by a zombified Psycho-Pirate in Black Lantern garb. DC fans may recall that Superboy-Prime punched a hole through this character's head during Infinite Crisis, which is why his resurrected corpse has been depicted in this image with its face missing, a gory hole where that face should be, and a lone eye dangling horrifically from where his skull once was.

Remember that this is the cover of a Superman comic. Admittedly it is a variant cover, so shop owners would have to specifically order this kind of thing and could only get one copy for every 25 of the regular cover they order. But still I can't help but feel that this choice of cover image is asking for a bit of trouble.

Personally, I think the image looks great, and it is in my mind a totally appropriate image to sell adults on a story of zombie superheroes and villains coming back for revenge. But as a cover image, even if it IS just a variant one, it runs the risk of being seen by people outside of the context of the story contained within it, and that can be a dangerous thing.

Keep in mind that around 55 years ago, comics got into pretty big trouble for using cover images such as this.

That's one of the most famous images in comics, an image which got hauled out during the Senate hearings in 1954, which Gaines famously defended as "in good taste... for a horror comic," which led to EC's demise and to the creation of the Comics Code Authority. And it is an image I would argue is much less gruesome than this Superman cover.

Can you imagine what kind of uproar might have resulted in 1954 if a parent had seen this comic? You could argue that public understanding of comics would be such today that people would realize that this is not a comic intended for children and that kind of outrage would never happen in these modern times. But I would point towards the Gordon Lee case, in which one comic with what was judged as a potentially graphic image in its interior art accidentally wound up in the hands of a child and a five year legal battle ensued because of it. And that's the INTERIOR art, which is much more difficult to see than a COVER image, which even for a variant cover could end up being seen by children during a visit to a local comic shop.

And the cover in question is to a book that is not an indie nor a mature readers book. It's a mainstream superhero book, which most people today still associate with children's fare.

Obviously parents should take on the role themselves to police the reading and viewing habits of their children as they wish, but if it's a cover image the children could accidentally come across, I could understand why in such a case the parents might feel that the publisher should bear some responsibility. I could definitely see a few parents, who might feel (justifiably so) that it's their right to determine for themselves which images of violence and sex their children are mature enough for, being upset that the decision has been taken out of their hands by such a cover image and might then pursue some sort of legal action.

Luckily this image IS a variant cover, and the likelihood of it being seen by children is next to nil. But I still can't help but feel it might have been a poor choice for DC to make. What say you? Too gruesome? Or not graphic enough? In keeping with the tone of the story? Is THAT in itself a problem? Is this choice of cover image ill-advised on DC's part or a shrewd marketing ploy? Please weigh in with your thoughts.

Some CBR Review Stats

I was a little curious about my CBR reviews to date: which titles I've reviewed the most; which publishers I've reviewed the most; the highest issues ranked; the lowest issues ranked; and the average star rating... So, I did the math for you.

For these stats, I went by when the reviews were published (and, as such, I'm not including June's stats).

Reviews by Month
October 2008: 3 reviews; 9 stars total; 3 stars average
November 2008: 18 reviews; 59.5 stars total; 3.3055-- stars average
December 2008: 17 reviews; 58.5 stars total; 3.44 stars average
January 2009: 21 reviews; 67 stars total; 3.19 stars average
February 2009: 18 reviews; 55 stars total; 3.0555-- stars average
March 2009: 20 reviews; 65.5 stars total: 3.275 stars average
April 2009: 21 reviews; 69 stars total; 3.2857 stars average
May 2009: 23 reviews; 71 stars; 3.0869565 stars average
Total: 141 reviews; 454.5 stars; 3.2234 stars average

Reviews by Title/creator
X-Files: 6 reviews; 18 stars; 3 stars average
Young Liars: 5 reviews; 22.5 stars; 4.5 stars average
Scalped: 4 reviews; 17.5 stars; 4.375 stars average
The Boys (including Herogasm): 4 reviews; 13.5 stars; 3.375 stars average
Captain Britain and MI:13: 4 reviews; 17 stars; 4.25 stars average
Invincible Iron Man: 3 reviews; 9 stars; 3 stars average
Ghost Rider: 3 reviews; 12 stars; 4 stars average
Dave Sim books: 4 reviews; 13.5 stars; 3.375 stars average
Bendis Avengers titles: 10 reviews; 33.5 stars; 3.35 stars average
Warren Ellis Avatar books: 11 reviews; 42.5 stars; 3.8636363-- stars average
Joe Casey bookss: 8 reviews; 24 stars; 3 stars average

Number of Reviews by Stars
5 stars: 4
4.5 stars: 15
4 stars: 28
3.5 stars: 32
3 stars: 26
2.5 stars: 12
2 stars: 8
1.5 stars: 8
1 star: 4
0.5 stars: 3
0 stars: 1

Reviews by Publisher
Marvel: 51 reviews; 165 stars; 3.23529 stars average
DC: 37 reviews; 123 stars; 3.324324324-- stars average
Image: 15 reviews; 48.5 stars; 3.23333-- stars average
Avatar: 11 reviews; 42.5 stars; 3.8636363-- stars average
Other: 11 reviews; 38.5 stars; 3.5 stars average
Dynamite: 10 reviews; 25 stars; 2.5 stars average
BOOM!: 6 reviews; 15.5; 2.583333-- stars average

Some interesting stats there. Honestly, I'm a little surprised that the average star rating is that high. I was expecting something between 2.5 and 3... I don't know why, but I was. I am happy to see that my month-to-month average doesn't vary too much. Kind of surprising that I've given out more 3.5 stars than any other rating. The breakdown of publishers doesn't surprise me much. The average stars by publisher is interesting only in that I usually don't pay attention to the publisher when writing my review. Avatar has the highest average mostly because, in this period, every book I reviewed of theirs is a Warren Ellis title. I didn't expect such a low average for Dynamite, but that was before I remember The Death-Defying 'Devil was one of theirs. And, simply because people care about these things, I may review more Marvel books, but DC books are, apparently, a bit higher in quality.

Some questions: Does the average rating seem too high/too low? Am I too nice/too mean? Am I diverse enough (by whatever standard you wish to use)? Any other general comments regarding my reviews?

I may do another post in a few months. Maybe at the end of October at the one-year mark.

CBR Review: Final Crisis Aftermath: Escape #2

I recently reviewed Final Crisis Aftermath: Escape #2 for CBR and, in the process, wrote the following sentences: "If ever there was a comic that will surely split opinions, it’s Final Crisis Aftermath: Escape with its trippy atmosphere, stream of conscious storytelling, and utter lack of explanation for anything that happens. It’s the sort of book where one person will rhyme off a bunch of reasons why it’s the best comic they read that week and someone else will respond with the same list as reason why it’s awful."

You can read the rest HERE!

CBR Review: Anna Mercury 2 #1

I recently reviewed Anna Mercury 2 #1 for CBR and, in the process, wrote the following sentences: "Ellis doesn’t develop this world much in this issue, preferring to give a couple of small details, while going through the concept of the series and what exactly Anna Mercury does to travel to these constellation worlds, making this new-reader friendly for those who haven’t had a chance to pick up the first series yet."

You can read the rest HERE!