Weekly Reader.
Comments Off | Posted: May 8th, 2006 | Filed under: UncategorizedYes. Let us do that thing.
DC Comics
MAR060309 52 WEEK #1 $2.50
The second post-Crisis DC Universe starts here! I’m actually looking forward quite a bit to this, at least in theory. Done-in-ones that build a larger picture of the New New DC sounds like…fun to me. That’s something the main DCU hasn’t had in a while. This, combined with the downright joyous Superman titles gives me hope.
FEB060316 AUTHORITY MAGNIFICENT KEVIN TP $14.99
Positively inessential, superhero-loathing material from Ennis. I think it’s a riot, but I’ve consistently proven that my tastes run contrary to the comic nerd zeitgeist.
FEB060261 CRISIS ON MULTIPLE EARTHS VOL 4 TP $14.99
Of course I’m getting this.
MAR060323 JONAH HEX #7 $2.99
Because Mean Bastard Monthly just isn’t doing it for me anymore…
FEB060252 SUPERMAN SHAZAM FIRST THUNDER TP $12.99
A year ago, I would have said “Fuck off!” to someone who said that there’d be a Judd Winick superhero comic I enjoyed, but now I embrace this fine little comic with open arms and even something resembling sincere affection.
Marvel
MAR062084 FANTASTIC FOUR FIRST FAMILY #3 (OF 6) $2.99
We get to see Marvel’s first family (a phrase I will never tire of) in their first public adventures with Casey and Weston building on the bare bones laid out by Lee and Kirby with nary a grumble from me, even if there’s a decidedly more mature theme running through the whole thing. If only the movie’s screenplay had run along similar lines instead of…doing what it did.
MAR062156 SKRULL KILL KREW TP $16.99
I love Grant Morrison’s. I have never made any sort of attempt to conceal this affection. I occasionally enjoy the writings of Mr. Mark Millar. I’m even fond of the delineation provided by Steve Yeowell most of the time. This, however, is an unmitigated disaster for long, painful stretches with only very few highlights, the brightest being Captain America’s appearance. The rest of the time, this comes across as a not-at-all-ironic version of those horrible 90s comics that caused me to flee, flee, flee for a while.
Other Companies, But Mostly First Second
FEB063050 ALIEEEN SC $12.95
MAR063221 DEOGRATIAS TALE OF RWANDA GN $16.95
FEB063051 FATE OF THE ARTIST SC $15.95
FEB063053 LOST COLONY BOOK 1 SNODGRASS CONSPIRACY SC $14.95
FEB063055 SARDINE IN OUTER SPACE SC $12.95
MAR063222 VAMPIRE LOVES GN $16.95
First Second Books has made one of the most impressive debuts I’ve seen in a long time, creating a proper launch that’s unlikely to generate even the slightest sneer from jaded comics bloggers such as me.
I’ve reviewed Sardine In Space and The Fate Of The Artist previously and found them each to be very excellent. I’ve held off on reading Alieeen and Deogratias because both of them seem to require a mood I’ve not quite been in yet. (The latter, especially, seems to drip with some sort of viscous fluid warning me away if I’ve not had a positively stellar day that I wish to see go into the emotional toilet.) I’ll take this chance to go over one of the other titles all quick like, ok? You don’t mind, do you?
The Lost Colony Book One appears to be animator and cartoonist Grady Klein’s debut graphic novel and while it’s certainly ambitious, his newness to the longform version of the media shows. Klein certainly has a very unique and iconic art style, but it seems to be ill-suited for this sort of material. In more than a few panels, I found myself slightly confused by his facial anatomy. Is that a nose? Is that a mouth? There’s a pipe hanging out of it – it must be a mouth! Even in sequences where the action was fairly straightforward, I found myself distracted by an art style that didn’t aesthetically synch with my own tastes.
Also up for some scrutiny is the construction of this volume as its own entity, separate from the ongoing series. Klein spends far too much of this first volume introducing characters that I’m sure will be very important in later books, but have very little function in this installment. I understand that Klein wishes to build a world, but perhaps a micro view was necessary for this introduction.
There is plenty of magic, to be sure. A few characters – Bertha Snodgrass and Pepe Wong, for example – stand out as being delightful right off the bat. Klein’s ability to create a new American history featuring alchemical magic mashed up with steam-powered science also serves him well. As a first volume in a series, I think this has a lot of potential, but as a single tome, I was left unsatisfied. How much of this is personal taste in regards to the art versus analytical thought is probably up for debate.
I’ll review Vampire Loves later, but suffice it to say that I found it to be eminently recommendable.
FEB063405 KINGS IN DISGUISE TP $16.95
This was one of the first “adult” comics I read (thanks to Josh,) with a fascinating, unfliching look on life in the Depression. I flipped through a copy of the new edition yesterday at the new England Mobile Book Fair (which is actually stationary and in Newton, MA) and the new oversized presentation by Norton does this material proud. I nearly bought it before realizing that, yes, I preordered it. Who needs instant gratification anyway?
FEB062876 WOLFSKIN #1 (OF 3) (MR) $3.99
How’s Ellis going to work a cellphone and pierced brunettes with guns into this barbarian tale? I guess we’ll have to read and find out.
Who wants a playlist? You want a playlist! These songs played as I wrote this:
- “You’re My Disco” by Waldorf
- “Now That I Own The BBC” (Motiv 8 Radio Mix) by Sparks
- “Sleeps Tonight” by Dominatrix
- “Seventeen” by Ladytron
- “Oops Oh My” by Ladytron
- “Shake The Disease” (Tiga Remix) by Depeche Mode
- “The Sadness Of Robot And Human” by Valium
- “Shout”(Dub Mix) by Tears For Fears
- “State Farm” by Yaz
- “That Boy Is All About Fun!” by Freezepop
- “Face To Face” by The Twins
- “Burn For You” (12″ Extended Remix) by INXS
Oh, Ironic Dance Party playlist, I do love you so much, except when I find myself doing the “pointing to the beat” thing in public.
Addendum: I just came home and sometimes, just sometimes, I am truly overwhelmed by the generosity of some people. Bully, thank you very, very, very much. What I don’t need will be spread among those who would enjoy the material provided. You are an upstanding stuffed bull whom I owe many a drink. Maybe root beer!
