Sunday, January 13, 2008

QUICK REVIEWS FOR COMICS DUE 01-16-08

QUICK REVIEWS FOR COMICS DUE 01-16-08
By John Judy
(Support Striking WGA Writers! Buy their comic books!)

AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #547 by Dan Slott and Steve McNiven. Nevermind the plot, I just want to see if they can really get this thing out three weeks a month. Betting pool? BTW, Dan Slott rocks and it looks like Spidey’s fighting ninjas or Yakuza or possibly those poor, metal-faced Persians from “300.”

ANGEL: AFTER THE FALL #3 by Joss Whedon, Brian Lynch, and Franco Urru. Illyria’s back. Hijinks ensue. Recommended.

BONE COLOR EDITION VOL.7: GHOST CIRCLES HC & SC written and illustrated by Jeff Smith. The Bone Epic continues and (despite the name) is appropriate for all ages. Your bookshelf awaits.

BOOSTER GOLD #6 by Geoff Johns and Dan Jurgens. The one we’ve been waiting for. Can Booster save Blue Beetle? Fingers crossed.

DISNEY’S DUCKTAILS BY MARV WOLFMAN: SCROOGE’S QUEST SC by MW and Various Artists. Gemstone Publishing has brought this back into print for the first time since 1990. It’s Scrooge McDuck by the guy who re-invented the Teen Titans, among other things. Gotta look.

DMZ #27 by Brian Wood and Nathan Fox. So what do people do for night-time fun in post-apocalypse New York? Pretty much what they do now except with even more gunplay, if such a thing is possible. Not for kids, recommended.

DOOM PATROL VOL. 6: PLANET LOVE SC by Grant Morrison, Richard Case, and Friends. The final volume of Morrison’s legendary run on the junkyard dogs of DC’s super-teams. Collecting DP #58-63 and DOOM FORCE SPECIAL #1. Recommended.

EC ARCHIVES: CRIME SUSPENSTORIES, VOL. 1 HC by Feldstein, Wood, Craig, Ingels, Kurtzman, Kamen, David, and Roussos. The EC Gods of 1950-51 have willed us these 24 twisted masterpieces. The first six issues of this series are all here. You must have this book.

FELL #9 by Warren Ellis and Ben Templesmith. “Detective Richard Fell: Hostage Negotiator.” Do you really need to know more? Highly recommended.

GRENDEL: BEHOLD THE DEVIL #3 of 8 written and illustrated by Matt Wagner. The story is good but the art is A Gift from On High. The world is better for the presence of Matt Wagner and his drafting table. Recommended.

IMMORTAL IRON FIST #12 by Ed Brubaker, Matt Fraction, and David Aja. Okay, it’s taken a year but now some of the intrigue is starting to clear up and it looks like a great fight is in the works. Putting the “Capital!” back in “Seven Capital Cities of Heaven!” Recommended.

INCREDIBLE HERCULES #113 by Greg Pak, Fred Van Lente, and Khoi Pham. While the Red Hulk is off doing his thing, Herc’s keeping this series going with a little help from the Smart Asian Kid who IS NOT a surrogate for any comic writer we know of so put that idea right out of your mind, Mister-Man! This issue touches upon some of Herc’s classical Greek back-story so that’s kind of cool. Also, a family reunion with Ares occurs.

JUSTICE LEAGUE OF AMERICA #17 by Several People. Two stories, no waiting! Big fight up front, mystery in the back. Something for everyone!

THUNDERBOLTS VOL. 1: FAITH IN MONSTERS SC by Warren Ellis, Mike Deodato, and Others. Collecting T-Bolts #110-115 and a couple of miscellaneous
Stories showing how Ellis transformed this team into The Dirty Dozen on crack. Recommended, but too violent for younger kids.

WOLVERINE ORIGINS #21 by Daniel Way and Steve Dillon. Deadpool guest-stars as this title explores what may be its proper place in the universe: As an “Itchy and Scratchy” cartoon.

ZOMBIES VS ROBOTS VS AMAZONS #2 of 3 by Chris Ryall and Ashley Wood. Exactly what it says, kids. Not for kids.

www.johnjudy.net

5 comments:

Mike Rhode said...

No way are they putting out a comic three times a month - or at least a halfway decent one.

John Judy said...

Well, there was "52" which defied all expectations and shipped every week with great covers and some consistently above average work inside as well. But "52" also had a quartet of A-list writers, something that has not been in evidence on such projects since then.

Regarding Spidey, I share your skepticism but will be happy if it's proven unwarranted.

Ibid said...

Is writing for "Duck Tales" the comic equivalent of being given guard duty in Siberia?

SARosenberg said...

Wow, way to insult the amazing works of Carl Barks, Don Rosa, and countless others amazing creators.

Go read Rosa's "The Life and Times of Scrooge McDuck" or the two volumes of "Carl Bark's Greatest Duck Tales Stories" and you'll find some of the finest adventure comics ever written.

Mike Rhode said...

Wolfman's work was fine for the kids the book was aimed at. He's not Rosa or Barks, but boy did I love his and Perez's Teen Titans.