Discuss new issues of your favourite comics here.
The Continuing New Comics Thread
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His Flash run is good but falls apart after a little bit. The first collection is well worth a look though. Some fantastic layouts.
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I thought his Legion work was very “meh”, without knowing at the time that he was at loggerheads with Shooter. Since reading Shooter’s side of the story, and then seeing how innovative Manapul’s layouts were on Flash, I suspect he simply wasn’t a good fit for Shooter’s old-school writing style.
Which opens up the argument about whether an artist’s first and only duty is to follow the script no matter how cool and clever his own ideas might be.
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I recall Shooter’s complaints and I think he had a point, Manapul’s changes were messing up story points he was trying to make. Whether he needed to go so public with it when Manapul was a new young artist is another point but that does cross a bit of a line in interpretation.
Alan Moore has his stock comment in his detailed scripts of ‘if you think of a better way to convey this, do that” which is understanding that an artist will have a better design sense than a writer but I think with the hope they’ll still convey the same story intention.
A famous version of the misinterpretation was Hank Pym hitting The Wasp, which was meant to be accidental as he raised his hands in despair but instead was drawn as a big right hook the chops, forever changing the character. That was written by Shooter too though so maybe his scripts aren’t as clear as he thinks. š
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If you like crime dramas, pick up the first issue of Rick Remender’s new Image series A RIGHTEOUS THIRST FOR VENGEANCE. The storytelling is very linear and seen only from the POV of the main character, so we only know as much as he knows about what’s going on. I love the pacing, and the understated art (by Andre Araujo) strongly compliments the narrative. I can’t wait to read the next issue to learn more about this story.
I think Remender owes you a pint as you’ve sold at least a couple of extra copies of this series.
I picked up the first issue and loved it. It’s one of those comics where the writer can feel comfortable in sitting back and letting the art tell the story because it’s all so clear and clean and well-conveyed.
Not that the writing isn’t important, it just doesn’t clutter scenes up with unnecessary dialogue and text. There’s a lot of great character and story information here that’s conveyed almost invisibly, and it works really well. And it’s always crystal clear where things are in relation to each other and what’s happening, which isn’t true of all comics.
Plus the final gut-wrenching developments have me very keen to see what comes next. This is like the first 20 minutes of a great pulp crime yarn.
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Another week, another Scott Snyder ComiXology Original. This time itās Night of the Ghoul with Francisco Francavilla.
This oneās a straight up horror story. Creepy and gruesome. Mythologically it shares some commonalities with American Vampire, but this is played more seriously.
It starts with an intriguing dual narrative – one set in WWI Italy, and a second in a remote hospice in the Californian desert at night – that will eventually collide in future issues. The āMacGuffinā that connects them is the lost movie by a visionary director.
Not as mind-blowing as Clear, not as fun as We Have Demons, but taken together all three demonstrate Snyderās range and versatility as a writer. Definitely worth the subscription fee.
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Another week, another Scott Snyder ComiXology Original. This time itās Night of the Ghoul with Francisco Francavilla.
Francavilla sounds like the perfect artist for that type of story.
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I listened to a Snyder interview in the last week and he did a very good job of selling why he went with Comixology for his new line.
He was looking at how his son was consuming media which is all about the path from browse to super fan. He first saw Wolverine in some free to air cartoon show, then wanted to see the Fox movies, then started reading on Marvel Unlimited and finally asked for print copies of the best stories from the CC/Miller mini onwards.
It echoes what I have always said here that so many of the UK and Ireland comics fans on this board did not get into comics via the direct market. They bought Marvel UK’s Transformers comic for 20p in the local newsagent.
Comixology either through Prime or Unlimited lets you try all this stuff for ‘free’, they have 100% ownership and a print version will come through Dark Horse. Every way you would like to consume it is available with an easy access point.
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Catwoman: Lonely City #1
This was a good start. It’s a future-set Catwoman story that contains all the obvious nods to DKR that you’d expect, but also has its own vibe too.
This Selina is a believably middle-aged woman with some interesting past adventures that are gradually teased out as we get to know this version of future-Gotham through her ex-con eyes, and as the issue plays out there are some interesting plots set in motion and mysteries established.
It also touches on aspects of modern city life like gentrification, heavy-handed policing and corrupt corporate criminality, but at its core it’s still a tale of comicbook heroes and villains (albeit a relatively grounded one), in a well-established DKR subgenre.
Chiang writes fairly well, with decent characterisation and some good smaller moments, even if some of it does lean on the clichĆ©s of this kind of story (if you got sick of how DKR Bruce kept talking about how “lucky” he was and how much pain his body was in… well, get ready for more of that). Although unlike DKR it’s much less operatic and grand. It’s even fairly mundane in places, I think intentionally so.
But it’s Chiang’s art that’s the real draw, with a classic Darwyn Cooke vibe mixed with a touch of Year One Mazzucchelli (as much through the colour choices as the linework; all of which Chiang handles himself, along with the lettering).
Plus the oversized square Black Label format really makes the art sing and provides a nice big canvas to play with that accentuates every ‘big’ moment nicely, and provides lots of room for the more intricate layouts too. Although I think I could live without ever seeing another page of Miller-DKR-style TV talking heads again.
A decent start, anyway. I’ll pick up #2 for sure.
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This is on the maybe buy / look out for list so interested in how you find the rest of it.
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A few recent reads:
Mazebook #2:Ā Not quite as arresting as #1, but still very decent. This issue develops the ideas of #1 a little further and you definitely feel the lead character’s journey, even if it doesn’t go very far here.
Gun Honey #2: Still enjoying this as a pulp adult thriller with a slightly sleazy edge. Issue #2 moves the plot on quite a bit and also pushes a bit further with the sex and violence than #1 did, giving the book a slightly harder edge than I expected. I’m on board for the whole series at this point.
Superman and the Authority #4: the final issue of this mini is apparently also the final Grant Morrison DC comic for the foreseeable future, and it’s kind of an odd place for Morrison to leave off. Without giving too much away there’s a suggestion that this mini has largely been a setup ‘origin’ arc for this new team and it will feed back into current Superman comics. Which I remember being mentioned here in talk of future DC solicits, but which still feels jarring as this Superman felt very different from the regular DCU version. It also means we don’t really get the kind of closure that would have been nice for a mini like this. Still, some fun moments and nice art.
Strange Adventures #12:Ā this was much more of an epilogue issue than I expected. I had been going in expecting some further revelations that once again shifted our perspective on the events of the series – especially those of recent issues – but it’s more just a tidying up of loose ends. Still, unlike (say) Rorschach it feels like this series will hang together well and benefit from a reread once it’s all collected. Beautiful artwork too.
The Nice House On The Lake #5: just at the point where this book was starting to feel like it was spinning its wheels, this issue brings us a genuinely intriguing new development that will hopefully shake things up a bit. I still think Tynion bit off more than he could chew by introducing such a large cast all at once and expecting us to easily keep track of who they all are, let alone care about them, but the central premise is good and I like the way the overarching story is developing. One of those comics that might actually work better as a TV show where actors can develop the characters and make them a bit more distinctive, as a lot of them threaten to merge into one for me.
Maw #2:Ā still a bit underwhelmed by this. Two issues in it feels like we’re still yet to feel any really strong hook for the story. Which is a shame, as it’s fairly well-written and well-drawn, and the difficult subject matter is handled delicately. I’m sticking with this in the hope that it comes together, but we’ll see.
Swamp Thing #8:Ā Ram V feels like he’s written a decent arc in spite of the Suicide Squad guest appearance here, rather than because of it. Unfortunately the series’ characters and subplots have been somewhat pushed aside by the battle with Peacemaker & co, who have taken up a few issues now. Hopefully the last two issues get more of a chance to put Swamp Thing’s own story centre stage.
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Newburn #1Ā is well worth picking up. No spoilers (I was glad I went into it knowing as little as possible) but it’s an enjoyable detective yarn that introduces a great lead character with a lot of potential and depth, and tells a good, tight little mystery story.
Although I expected the book to be something like Criminal or That Texas Blood, the title it reminded me of most was Fell, just for the way it told its story in such an efficient, no-nonsense way.
Recommended!
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Human Target #1: Greg Smallwood’s art is great here but I’m just not sure that I’m up for another 12 issues of Tom King gradually unravelling a fairly straightforward plot. I might be tempted to pick up the collection just for the art, though.
That Texas Blood #11Ā is a surprisingly exciting issue for what is usually such a laid-back series. I’ve enjoyed this second arc and I’m looking forward to seeing how it all wraps up next month.
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Echolands #3: Now that I’m getting into Echolands I’m really enjoying it. The story is a bit all over the place but I’m just sitting back and enjoying the ride as I soak up JHW3’s art. There’s a splashpage here that’s one of the most arresting things I’ve seen in comics in quite a while and is given extra emphasis by the horizontal format.
The Magic Order 2 #1: this was a decent opener and Immonen’s art suits the series well – different from Coipel but not such a massive departure that it breaks the flow. Some fun ideas here and a decent larger plot set in motion.
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Dark Knights Of Steel has been on my radar since it was announced and I got around to reading the first issue today.
I really liked it. It’s got some interesting things going for itself. A couple of decent twists along the way sets it apart from your “standard” elseworlds take on Superman/Batman/JL, one of which pops out in the first few pages. The ending sets up the story nicely, it could go any which way from here. I’m looking forward to the next issue!
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Took advantage of a slow workday to read a couple of Ed Brubaker trades.
Volumen 3 of RECKLESS, “Destroy All Monsters”, is my favorite of the series so far. It delves into Ethan’s backstory with his odd assistant Anna while they try to find dirt on a crooked businessman. Politics, racism, and a hefty helping of violence, and a reveal at the end that makes me impatient to get the next issue, which isn’t due until April 2022. This series shows no sign of slowing down; if you’re not reading it, you’re doing yourself a disservice.
FRIDAY Vol 1 is a collection of the first three issues of Brubaker’s online comic with artist Marcos Martin. This one caught me offguard — the main character is a teenage girl who is a sidekick to an Encyclopedia Brown-type boy genius in a story that veers close to the Lovecraft horror that Brubaker visited in the series FATALE. Really enjoyed this one too, but disappointed that the story does not conclude in this collection, which means I have to wait a while to find out what happens next.
Two strong recommendations.
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Volumen 3 of RECKLESS, āDestroy All Monstersā, is my favorite of the series so far. It delves into Ethanās backstory with his odd assistant Anna while they try to find dirt on a crooked businessman. Politics, racism, and a hefty helping of violence, and a reveal at the end that makes me impatient to get the next issue, which isnāt due until April 2022. This series shows no sign of slowing down; if youāre not reading it, youāre doing yourself a disservice.
I just finished this and I agree it’s the best Reckless yet, and one of the best Brubaker-Phillips collaborations overall (which is obviously saying a lot).
A great plot but an even greater sense of time, place and characterisation. And so gripping you’ll read it all in one sitting.
In particular, I fell in love with Anna over the course of this story and you get the sense that the creative team did too. So hearing that book 4 is going to revolve more around her than Ethan has me anticipating it all the more. Especially after the final page of this one.
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The Detective was a fun mini-series. Lovely art from Kubert/ Hope/ Anderson, and a cracking James Bond-esque story from Tom Taylor. Inessential, but highly entertaining.
James Tynionās Batman run also finished up this week, and with it effectively his time as DCās main man. He still has a few more issues of The Joker to go, and is co-writing DC vs Vampires, but other than that, heās fully creator owned now.
Anyway, getting back to Tynionās Batman run. Iām on record as saying that I think it was the best pure superhero book coming out monthly. And, largely, I still believe that, but the Fear State was a bit of a misfire if Iām honest. Itās bloated and a bit haphazard, and suffers from crossover-itis in a far more egregious way than Joker War did last year. Lots of stuff happening elsewhere, with characters wandering on and off stage in a confusing mess.
James also spends a little too much time with his babies, at the expense of the established supporting cast, and even Batman himself; who seems to prevail through no fault or action of his own.
Fear State – Omega also sets up the new Batman status quo, where he leaves Gotham behind, without actually providing any rationale for why he would do that. Itās a bit of a head scratcher.
So, overall, a bit of an anti-climatic ending for an otherwise impressive run. As much as I enjoy his creator owned stuff, I will miss Tynionās super heroic work going forwards. But, you could maybe tell that his heart wasnāt really in this anymore.
Still, Iāll always have Detective Comics.
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you could maybe tell that his heart wasnāt really in this anymore.
I could tell you my heart wasn’t in it. I kept buying the floppies but I set them aside to read like a trade because I knew it was not going to affect anything going forward. I ,too, will miss his superhero work but he handled his transition to digital poorly imo so he won’t be a must see if he comes back.
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Reading some Avengers 750 (or #50 on the cover):
The issue devoted a few pages to what is going on with the heroes and a few situations. I won’t give much away (there is a lot), but there was a scene with the Squadron Supreme. The Heroes Reborn special earlier this year had Mephisto create this alternate timeline using them as puppets and they always won until the Avengers slowly formed and …. Now, the SS are scattered throughout the main restored timeline and a few of them figured out what happened and that they were used by Mephisto. One of them wants to restore that timeline. So…. Jason Aaron gave himself another plot to explore down the line.
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King Of Spies #1 is one of Millar’s best comics in a long time. It sets up a great new lead character with a really fiery sense of purpose and indignation about the state of the country and the world, and a bittersweet sense of regret and responsibility at the heart of it. There’s a real energy to it.
Some great art from Scalera too, both the action sequences and the quieter, more introspective moments. Can’t wait to see where this one goes.
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Wonder Woman Historia #1: The Amazons
I’m a little bit behind on my stack from the last month so I only just got around to reading this. And it really blew me away: the first book in months to really make an impact and make me sit up and take notice.
It’s presented as a history of how the Amazons descended from the gods of Olympus (and why), and there’s a real epic mythical quality to it that reminded me of the likes of Sandman. Sometimes a bit enigmatic and opaque, sometimes very heavy-handed and operatic, but it all works.
Also the art is phenomenal – Jimenez has done the work of his career here, and the oversized pages of the big square Black Label format give him a gigantic canvas that let him pull off some incredibly complex and detailed images and packed layouts. You really want to linger over each page for many minutes as there’s so much to drink in. And the vivid colours really give the whole thing a sense of energy and life.
I wasn’t expecting to enjoy this as much as I did. This is exactly the kind of book Black Label should be doing.
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Thanks, Dave. Iāve been curious about that, but slightly put off by the fact that Jiminez only did the first issue. Maybe one to pick up in the inevitable hardcover down the road.
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Thanks, Dave. Iāve been curious about that, but slightly put off by the fact that Jiminez only did the first issue. Maybe one to pick up in the inevitable hardcover down the road.
Yeah, it’ll be interesting to see how the next issues are with the rotating artists. Gene Ha is next up I think.
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I know Iāve written about how much I enjoy Kirkman and Samneeās Fire Power beforehand. Itās difficult, therefore, not to be repetitive now. I just read #17 & #18, wrapping up vol 4 of the series, and ending on a pretty whopping big cliffhanger as the book goes on hiatus until April.
These two issues were a tour de force by Samnee and Wilson, with some breathtaking imagery and storytelling. Thereās a two page spread in #17 that gave me the literal chills, but I canāt share it here for spoilers.
This is an all ages martial arts story that is tonally very similar to Kung Fu Panda or the Shang Chi movies. If that sounds like fun you should definitely check it out.
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Waiting for the OHC in May.
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Gave two new series a shot this week without any prior knowledge, with mixed results:
MONKEY MEAT #1 (Image) is created by Juni Ba (which I assume means he wrote and drew the book). It reminded me of John Layman’s CHEW, in the sense that both books center around a mysterious food and the secrets of its ingredients and source. But while CHEW was well written and drawn in a professional (if cartoonish) style, I can’t say the same about MONKEY MEAT. I had no immediate connection to the characters, parts of the storyline were incoherently written and drawn, and the whole thing was a bit “too cool” for my tastes. I won’t be picking up future issues, and cannot recommend it. Sorry, Mr. Ba.
On the other hand, APACHE DELIVERY SERVICE #1 (Dark Horse) drew me in immediately and held my interest for the entire first issue. Centering on a Native American soldier in 1967 Vietnam, we are introduced to numerous mysteries and events in a way that piqued my interest without making me feel totally confused. Writer Matt Kindt is at his best here, and the art/lettering/colors by Tyler and Hilary Jenkins are very professional and complement the storytelling well. I’m definitely on board for the remaining issues; strongly recommended.
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Picked up this on a whim, partly as I liked the JR jr cover. It seems to be Marvel’s answer to the recent Batman/Superman/Wonder Woman “black and white (and colour)” anthology titles which I also read.
While it’s an OK issue with a decent lead story from Soule and Bagley that inserts Elektra into a vampire story, I’m not sure there’s as much scope here for variety as with the DC trinity heroes. Elektra is a much narrower character, and all three stories here essentially boil down to what a badass silent assassin type character she is.
The appeal of these anthologies is getting different flavours of story, and it feels like there’s only so much you can do with Elektra. So I’m not sure I’ll go any further with this one.
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That is a badass cover though!
I finished up Garth Ennis and Goran Zudsukaās Marjorie Finnegan, Temporal CriminalĀ mini-series earlier. Overall it started well, lost itās way in the middle, and then managed to bring it all back together for a fairly decent ending.
I definitely get on with serious Garth more than funny Garth, and this was more the latter than the former. Itās actually a lot like Chronicles of Wormwood as a comparison, in both tone and subject matter.
The ending suggests a potential sequel that could provide several interesting opportunities. I would be back for that should it happen.
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I’ve been lovingĀ Marjorie FinneganĀ but I still haven’t read the final issue yet. Just lots of very silly, irreverent fun.
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I agree with both of you. Marjorie Finnegan may be one of the weaker Garth Ennis stories I’ve read, but it’s still good fun.
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That is a badass cover though!
It really is. The best thing I’ve seen from Romita Jr in a while. I always liked his Daredevil work when he was inked by Al Williamson with all those lines and it reminds me of that.
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Mazebook #5 was incredible. A perfect finale to a brilliant series that’s one of the most affecting comics I’ve read in a long time, while also being really creative and inventive with the comics page. That rare book with both a head and a heart.
I was quite choked up at times reading this final issue – it brings everything together for a powerful and heartfelt ending without any easy outs and without undermining anything that’s come before.
What a tremendous book. If you haven’t read it, it’s well worth a look.
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I see thatĀ SagaĀ is back this week. Did anyone read the new issue?
Yup, it’s still very good. The issue is pretty much all just setting up the new status quo, with the same amount of time having passed in the comic as in the real world since the last issue, and Hazel now being ten. Lovely art as always from Staples.
It’ll be interesting to see if many people who caught up on the collections during the break jump onto the single issues now.
It’s 44 pages for $2.99, hard to argue with that.
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Itāll be interesting to see if many people who caught up on the collections during the break jump onto the single issues now.
From this anecdote it seems some definitely have:
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I was really quite excited about Task Force Z, but sadly itās not great. The mash up of Batmanās villains, Red Hood, Suicide Squad and horror sounds brilliant on paper, but is lacking in execution. Eddy Barrowsā artwork is lovely and there are definitely fun moments here and there – like Jason throwing Bane off a skyscraper in revenge for Alfred, for example. But the storytelling is a bit disjointed, and I find it quite difficult to follow. Fun if you like the characters and ridiculous premise, but probably not for anyone else.
DC vs Vampires on the other hand is genuinely a lot of fun. The vampires are out to take over the world, and they have already turned many of the biggest names in the DCU. Itās a tense, atmospheric read, with just the right amounts of horror and levity. Itās clever and fun, and doesnāt take itself too seriously. Worth checking out.
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Death of Doctor Strange is an amazing series. It’s got plenty of awesome dialogue and cliffhangers, but particularly one of the most badass moments I’ve read in comics for a long while. I was quite blown away there.
I’ve not read all the tie-ins, but the Spider-Man one was of note. I wholeheartedly recommend the main series and the Spider-Man issue.
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I think the latest issue of Batman and Green Arrow vs Vampires can best be summed up in two words: “Damnit, Bruce!”
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The second half of the DC series A NICE HOUSE ON THE LAKE returns this week. I read the first six issues over two nights, and the premise held up well and made me curious about where it will go in the second half.
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Picked up this new oversized #1 issue by Si Spurrier and Matais Bergara as I heard good things.
A text-free, art-driven comic about a young girl and her gigantic guardian crossing a fantasy world, there’s something offbeat and charming about it that reminds me of a Ghibli movie.
It’s a decent read with fantastic art and I’m interested to see where it goes, even if the ‘silent’ technique sometimes leaves parts of it less than 100% clear.
Probably the less you know about it going in, the better – this is a comic where the discovery of each new element is a big part of the fun.
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I’ve enjoyed this series quite a bit, especially the great art, but it finished on a bum note with issue #8.
While there are some good character developments and lessons learned here, it’s also quite messily done – important story points are waved away and dismissed almost arbitrarily, and there’s a final coda that undermines much of what has come before it.
You get the sense that King didn’t really know what ending he was working towards all along – which is a shame, as the journey getting there has been quite enjoyable.
But this is like a decent movie with a terrible last 10 minutes that has you leaving the cinema shaking your head.
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But this is like a decent movie with a terrible last 10 minutes that has you leaving the cinema shaking your head.
You did know that this is a King book, right? Buying a King book and hoping for a good ending is like buying a Bendis book and hoping for tight storyline and terse dialogue. King is getting as set in his ways as Bendis.
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Re-reading MAUS tonight. Just in between volume one and two now.
I picked it out of the book shelfĀ an hour ago because I wanted to check something about the art, I don’t even remember what it was, and got sucked right in.
What a well-crafted and personal story this is.
With my current state of mind, I’m having a small crisis at the moment, it’s really healing to read this stuff.
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Picked up the fourth and final (for now?) issue of James Stokoe’s Orphan And The Five Beasts.
It completes this awesome connecting cover.
I’ve enjoyed this book as a weird (and extremely well-illustrated) kung fu grindhouse adventure, and this issue delivers more of that.
It’s a shame though that the story just suddenly ends here, midway through, even though the four-issue mini is finished.
Supposedly Stokoe is working on more, according to his comments on Twitter, but nothing has been solicited. And there’s not even any real indication on the final page of #4 that it’s the end of the issue, let alone the series. I was turning pages convinced that I’d missed the end.
Weird.
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Hope youāre okay, Anders!
Thanks, bud! I’ll be okay, just need to get some time in under the belt.
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The Batman: Reptilian mini-series by Garth Ennis and Liam Sharp was a fun read. Itās humorous but mostly played straight, sitting tonally somewhere between Garthās Marvel Knights and MAX work.
The plot is something from a weird science fiction B-movie, but produced on a Hollywood blockbuster budget, with some huge set pieces throughout.
Liam digitally painted this book, and itās suitably dark and moody. Sometimes, I found, it got a little too murky, but the storytelling was generally superb and it was never difficult to follow what was happening.
Interestingly, this book was supposed to be drawn by Steve Dillon originally. I can see that, given the content. But, I think Sharpās rougher style suited the story better than the cleaner lines we would have got from Dillon.
Despite his vocal disdain for superheroes, Garth writes a great Batman. Especially during his discussions with Alfred, who is brilliant here too. I doubt it will ever happen, but I would certainly welcome a sequel or follow up to this series.
The hardcover collection comes out in late May, I believe. Worth checking out.
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The concluding chapters of Primordial were stunning to look at – Andrea Sorrentino and Dave Stewart delivered something beautiful here. Iām astonished at the quality they produce in such a timely and consistent manner.
But, I have no clue what was going on. I got the plot and enjoyed the characters, but the whys and wherefores of it all remain elusive.
I find that happens quite often with Lemireās shorter work. Lots of unanswered questions. Not necessarily a bad thing, mind you. It does give the story an added dimension that makes it linger on in your thoughts long after youāve closed the cover. Maybe thatās the point.
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The concluding chapters of Primordial were stunning to look at ā Andrea Sorrentino and Dave Stewart delivered something beautiful here. Iām astonished at the quality they produce in such a timely and consistent manner. But, I have no clue what was going on. I got the plot and enjoyed the characters, but the whys and wherefores of it all remain elusive.
Agreed. I was with it until the final chapter, where the tangible reality of the story really seemed to fall apart.
This seemed to be intentional, and there was still quite an emotional quality to how it all played out – but I couldn’t actually tell you what was meant to be happening in those pages.
So it ended up being a valiant failure for me. Not up there with the recent Mazebook, which managed to deliver on all fronts and is one of the best Lemire books I’ve ever read.
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I read the new Ghost Rider today. It was pretty epic.
Heās not a character that I particularly have a lot of affection for, but I enjoyed Aaronās run immensely a few years back, and Benjamin Percy was writing this one, so I thought āwhy notā?
Plus, he does look pretty fucking cool.
Itās a very Vertigo style take on the character. Low on the action. High on mood and horror. The art by Cory Smith with colours by Bryan Valenza reinforce this, with a book that wouldnāt look out of place alongside something like Animal Man or one of Avatarās more competent offerings.
Something or someone has trapped Johnny Blaze in small town Americana, whilst dark supernatural forces run amok. The end of the issue sets up the new seriesā status quo, which probably wouldnāt be out of place on Supernatural.
Which, puts it right up my street. Iām definitely on board for more.
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Mazebook, which managed to deliver on all fronts and is one of the best Lemire books Iāve ever read.
Added this one too, thank you Dave!
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The new PUNISHER #1 by Aaron, Saiz and Azaceta was very interesting. An unexpected setup and glorious art. Will keep reading these.
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I wasnāt totally sold on it, to be fair. It is very close to breaking the character, in my mind – bringing Frank into this world felt really off to me. But, Aaronās got a lot of credit built up with me so Iāll give him some leeway.
The artwork is gorgeous though. I agree.
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Little Monsters #1 is the new Image ongoing from Lemire and Nguyen. Itās a post-apocalyptic story, where the main characters are a tribe of vampires. The first issue was a slice of life episode before the other shoe dropped on the last couple of pages. Itās an intriguing cliffhanger, although the book may have benefitted from a slightly longer debut issue as itās very difficult to tell where this story is going to go after this. Clearly they are partly banking on the creative team being enough of a draw for you to come back for the next issue.
The artwork is all in black & white, with gray wash and spot colours. Itās an interesting look that accentuates the humdrum nature of the first issue. I wonder if future issues will be more colourful as things get a little more eventful.
Looking forward to seeing more. I think itās worth giving a shot, especially if you like the creative team. Although highly likely to read better in trade.
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To commemorate Buffy the TV show turning 25 last week, I read the last couple of issues of Buffy, The Last Vampire Slayer. In the near future the sunlight has been blocked somehow, vampires have come out of the shadows, and āOld Lady Buffyā is just trying to keep a low profile. It was nice to see a few familiar faces again, but the story was surprisingly low key and inconclusive for a āfinalā story of a legendary character.
I donāt know the creative teamās prior credits (Casey Gilly and Joe Jaro), and they certainly did an alright job of it, but it does feel like they werenāt quite up to the task here.
And, talking of vampires, I also finished up Out – the five issue mini by Rob Williams and Wil Conrad. A horror story set in a German POW camp at the close of WWII.
I liked this one more. Itās tense and gripping, and quite gruesome in parts. Unfortunately Conradās clean and crisp artwork really didnāt do it any favours. Someone like Laurence Campbell would have done a far better job on this, I feel. It needed some darkness to really make it work effectively.
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I also caught up with the last few issues of Nightwing, by Tom Taylor and Bruno Redondo.
#87 was the āone long panel comicā – 22 pages that literally connect together. The artistry on display here was phenomenal, with an incredible sense of motion across the page. Truly excellent, and more or less stand-alone too, so worth checking out just to see how it was done.
#88 co-starred the Titans, in an issue where Dick Grayson has a bounty on his head. The chemistry between the characters really sells the issue.
#89 and Superman: Son of Kal El #9Ā are a two part crossover by the same creative team. And, it was fantastic.
Before he left the planet, Clark asked Dick to look after his boy. This is the follow up to that story. A fun two parter, with several moments that made me laugh out loud and others that brought a tear to my eye.
So much love for this two parter! Just disappointing that this creative team wonāt be doing Dark Crisis after this.
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No š I meant last as in the most recent ones released not the final issues by the creative team.
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I also caught up with the last few issues of Nightwing, by Tom Taylor and Bruno Redondo.
I recently read the first HC collection of this run and enjoyed it, despite no previous history with the character. It was light and charming and visually interesting in a way that I found very similar to Fraction & Aja’s Hawkeye, which it seems to be at least partially inspired by.
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Yes! It definitely has the same sort of feel to it, I agree.
Be aware though that the issues in the second collection (#84 – 86) were part of the āFear Stateā crossover and are quite different. Iād actually recommend skipping those and just going to the third book collecting #87 onwards.
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that brought a tear to my eye.
Tea brought a tear to your eye? I believe you need to go read Gail Simone’s tweets about tea to readjust your feelings towards tea.
One of my favorite lines followed that scene. Dick offers to juggle for Jon and Jon said it would be great if he was still 7 years old.
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The chemistry between the characters
I would love to see Taylor do a Titans comics.
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No. The tea scene definitely falls into the smile category. The other Alfred moment made me cry.
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Worldās Finest #1 was brilliant. 32 pages, no ads. Just pure Waid/ Mora/ Bonvillain excellence from cover to cover.
The issue includes a reprint of the short story from Detective Comics #1050, hence the extra page count. Next issue is regular sized.
The story is set in āthe recent pastā so as to avoid any continuity complications, yet is not at all nostalgic in its storytelling. Itās smart and clever, and just fun. It feels very much like the work Waid did previously on Flash or Captain America.
The artwork by Mora and Bonvillain is gorgeous too. I donāt know how Mora manages to produce work of this calibre in such a timely fashion, but long may it continue. I enjoyed the subtle updates he has made to the classic costumes, giving them a modern spin.
I know Iām gushing here. Sorry. But, I enjoyed this very much, and would recommend it 100%. Canāt wait to read more.
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Department of Truth #15 – the moth man issue was an interesting take on how belief creates reality, told in a fairly unconventional manner.
#16 – ā¦ no clue what this issue was about, to be honest. Read it twice and it still escapes me.
#17 – on the other hand was excellent. Helped immensely by Jorge Fornes clear artwork. Nixon, the Cold War and the moon landing. Enjoyed this one.
A mixed bag of issues. I think theyāre back to the main arc next issue. Hopefully this extended side excursion hasnāt hurt the series in the long run.
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I have to admit I’ve actually given up buying the series in singles after this recent run of mediocre one-shots, with #16 being a low point. Sounds like I should have maybe hung in one more month for #17.
Tynion is going off the boil a bit for me in general. Nice House on the Lake started well but lost momentum by the end of the first half and I can’t get into the Substack stuff he’s been doing.
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I think #17 is worth a look, as a stand-alone. Itās possibly not as strong as the main series, but the best of the āDeviationsā so far.
I tend to agree on Tynion, btw. Iām a paid subscriber of his platform but thereās very little there thatās strongly resonating with me.
Tynionās been talking a lot about his changing interests and desires to write something different. But, ironically, the stuff he is moving away from is the stuff that people are interested in, and what heās moving towards is more esoteric and limited in appeal.
Arguably SiKTC is a superhero book by any other name. By far his most successful book, and one I still very much enjoy (new issue next week, I believe). But, the other stuff heās doing is starting to lose my interest too.
Edit: I am still enjoying The Joker a lot, but thatās something of a holdover rather than an ongoing concern.
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Tynionās been talking a lot about his changing interests and desires to write something different. But, ironically, the stuff he is moving away from is the stuff that people are interested in, and what heās moving towards is more esoteric and limited in appeal. Arguably SiKTC is a superhero book by any other name. By far his most successful book, and one I still very much enjoy (new issue next week, I believe). But, the other stuff heās doing is starting to lose my interest too.
I wonder whether Tynion has possibly made his big move into creator-owned non-Big-Two stuff just a little bit too early.
Spending a bit longer at company books could have helped him to hone his skills a little bit more as well as develop a slightly bigger following to take with him into his more esoteric and less commercial books.
As it is, it feels like he maybe believed his own publicity a little too much and jumped away from mainstream books just a little bit before he was really ready.
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World War M
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Flipping through what’s out from DC today, it’s the usual. DC Vs Vampires, The War For Earth 3, Batman: Beyond the White Knight, Shadow War: Al… Wait.
Batman: Beyond the White Knight !!?!!?!?!?
And it’s not even a cop-out, it’s by Sean Murphy!
How did I not know about this!?
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