« The Fantastic Suckytarian | Main | Subway Reading: Ultimate Fantastic Four »
July 12, 2005
To Buy or Not to Buy?
Action Comics #829 - I'm still picking up this Gail Simone/John Byrne title, depsite the wierd out-of-nowhere resolution to the last storyline. Apparently the characters who suddenly appeared and stole away with the villain originated from some kind of crossover madness. That's the price I pay for reading Marvel or DC comics this summer, but a panel or two of lip service that explained who these charcters were and what they were doing would have gone a long way. Nonetheless, John Byrne's art makes me happy, and seeing it in a book that neither he nor Chris Claremont is writing makes me even happier.
All Star Batman And Robin The Boy Wonder #1 - I know I'm the only person in the world who feels this way, but Jim Lee's art drives me batty (har, har). What don't I like about it? The bizarre muscle-fetish anatomy, the disatracting over-hatching, the uniformly thin line weight, the pin-up poses and gritted teeth in place of character acting, the splash pages instead of storytelling... shall I go on? I love the idea of Frank Miller writing a light-hearted, continuity-free Batman, but I just can't get past the visuals. When is Morrison & Quitely's All-Star Superman coming out?
Desolation Jones #2 - Yes, Warren Ellis' stuff has gotten a bit formulaic, but it's a good formula that I haven't tired of. It helps to have J.H. Williams III doing the art.
How To Draw The Batman - "The" Batman?
Mnemovore #4 - One of those books that I like, and that I will buy, but about which I have nothing new to say. Creepy horror, solid art, rock on.
Seven Soldiers Guardian #3 - After Shining Knight's redemptive third issue, this may have become my least favorite of the Seven Soldiers minis. Of course, Morrison's least is miles ahead of most of his competiton's best. And luckily, Cameron Stewart is drawing the book, so there's no way I would pass it up.
Smoke #2 - I've heard great things about this book, and I liked what I saw when I flipped through issue #1. But at that price point of $7.49 per issue, I'm waiting for the trade.
Ultimate Fantastic Four #21 - But Pickytarian, you said Mark Millar makes you crazy! You said that you were so upset about Warren Ellis leaving that you weren't going to touch this one! You said... I know what I said. But damned if the lead-in from issue #20 didn't grab me a little bit. Plus I really do like that Fantastic Four. I'm going to give it a shot, despite the presence of Greg Land's photo-lifted cheesecake art. And while we're on the topic, that wasn't me that you saw in Midtown Comics buying the first two issues of JM Straczynski's FF. It was my evil FF-loving clone. Damn you, clone! Stop making a hypocrite out of me!
Man With The Screaming Brain #3 - I'm loving the mad scientist retro-horror goodness in this title, but I'm loving Hillary Barta's art even more.
Nat Turner #1 Corrected Printing - Maybe they will "correct" the shoddy toilet paper on which the first run was printed? Either way, pick up this book if you haven't already done so. It's the best work that Kyle Baker has done in a long time.
Banana Sundays #1 - Colleen Coover is a heck of a cartoonist. It's nice to see her breaking out of the porno-comic ghetto that surely restricted her audience. Throw in the fact that this is a book about talking monkeys and I am definitely buyng it. Check out this preview at the Oni Comics web site and judge for yourself.
So what did I miss?
Before I forget... I put up some new eBay auctions. Recent comics such as Spider-Man/Human Torch, Ex Machina, Ocean, and more could be yours for cheap. Happy bidding!
Posted by jdonelson_nyc at July 12, 2005 10:26 AM
Comments
I feel you on UFF. Can't stand Millar but I've really enjoyed the series up to now and hate to let it go. But I can't stand Millar... Or Land, for that matter. Must. Resist.
Anyway, which Midtown do you shop at? I go to Times Square, usually on Wednesday afternoon.
Posted by: Guy LeCharles Gonzalez at July 12, 2005 12:02 PM
Skip Action Comics this week, especially if you hated last issue's minor crossover. It interrupts the story arc that the last 2 issues started so that it can bring us a big crossover story that combines all 3 Superman titles and Wonder Woman. And DC has assured us that if we don't buy all 4 of those comics, we won't be able to understand Omac #4. I still plan on giving Simone's Action run a shot, but I am definitely skipping this unnecessary crossover.
All-Star Superman is supposed to start later this year. I think it will be October (which would mean this upcoming issue of Previews), but I could be off by a month.
Posted by: Nevin at July 12, 2005 12:29 PM
Times Square, that's the one on 40th & 7th Ave right? That's where I go, usually Wednesday around 12:30.
Yeah, Greg Land... not my cup of tea. It will be interesting to see how non-teenagerish he draws Sue Storm.
Posted by: jdonelson_nyc at July 12, 2005 12:31 PM
Good to know Nevin, thanks! I will definitely be skipping Action Comics this week.
Posted by: jdonelson_nyc at July 12, 2005 12:34 PM
I think Land traced Jessica Simpson for her. And Justin Guarini for Johnny: http://www.buzzscope.com/reviews.php?id=4504
And yeah, that's the Times Square location. I usually come through later, closer to 2pm, just to make sure they've unpacked everything. Stood around for an hour to make sure I got Damn Nation #1 a while back when it ended being in the last box they opened! You should talk to Jon about writing for Buzzscope next time you're in there. We need some more good writers, and I like your range.
Posted by: Guy LeCharles Gonzalez at July 12, 2005 12:58 PM
You guys are nuts. Mark Millar rocks.
I'm on an Ultimate kick, and am currently working my way through all the Ultimate X-men trades, most of which are Millar. That guy is an awesome fricken' writer. I'll admit that sometimes he gets a little deus ex machina in getting his characters out of the ridiculous binds he puts them in in only one issue, but panel-to-panel, he's the man. His Magneto is hte scariest I've ever seen.
And frankly, the 'hero suddenly overcomes all obstacles for the smash ending' is hardly a stranger to some of the great works of our time.
Posted by: Peat at July 12, 2005 07:24 PM
Nice call on the Justin Guarini reference GLC. Seems like a strange choice for Johnny Storm but what do I know?
As for Mark Millar, for the 93rd time: Exhibit A, Wanted. Exhibit B, Marvel Knights Spider-Man. Shock value is grossly overrated as a narrative device. He has written stuff that I like, such as Ultimates and Chosen. He's the McDonalds of comic book writers: no nutritional value. Sometimes it tastes pretty good, but sometimes it doesn't. And sometimes it makes me violently ill.
Posted by: jdonelson_nyc at July 13, 2005 01:40 PM