QUICK REVIEWS OF COMICS DUE THURSDAY (Not Wednesday) 12-04-08
By John Judy
AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #579 by Mark Waid and Marcos Martin. Our hero is trapped underground with the father of his worst enemy. What to do? What to do? Good comics!
ASTOUNDING WOLF-MAN #10 by Robert Kirkman and Jason Howard. The Secret Origin of Zechariah, the world’s most bi-polar vampire.
BATMAN #682 by Grant Morrison and Lee Garbett. Well, now that Batman is “dead” at the hands of his dad or “Mr. Hurt” or The Devil or whoever, we are to be treated to a retrospective of his life by Alfred the faithful butler on his deathbed. More fun from Grant Morrison’s collection of soggy cocktail napkins, strung together with pictures! WARNING! MAY CONTAIN COHERENT NARRATIVE! (kidding!)
THE BOYS #25 by Garth Ennis and Darick Robertson. Wee Hughie a.k.a. “Bagpipe” meets the G-Men and their founder. Meanwhile his team-mates are up to their own shenanigans. Ennis-style action and debauchery! Not for kids. Recommended otherwise.
CRIMINAL 2 #7 by Ed Brubaker and Sean Phillips. This latest arc comes to a conclusion as Jacob the beat-up forger/cartoonist must figure out how to double-cross his double-crossers. Highly Recommended!
ESSENTIAL DYKES TO WATCH OUT FOR HC written and drawn by Alison Bechdel. The best strips from the past eleven volumes of DTWOF, plus sixty new ones not previously collected. Twenty-five years worth of funny, opinionated, challenging stuff. Recommended, especially for Mormons.
HAUNTED TANK #1 of 5 by Frank Marraffino and Henry Flint. The classic DC war comic about the ghost of a Confederate General who makes himself available to aid his tank-driving descendents gets a great twist here. The General’s latest descendent is a black man serving in Iraq. I already love this comic. Recommended!
HELLBOY: THE WILD HUNT #1 of 8 by Mike Mignola and Duncan Fegredo. HB’s fightin’ giants! But of course nothing’s ever that simple in his world. The follow-up to last year’s DARKNESS CALLS.
IMMORTAL IRON FIST #20 by Duane Swierczynski and Travel Foreman. Danny Rand faces down his latest and most deadly nemesis, the weird demon critter who’s been killing Iron Fists for centuries. I’m betting on the guy with his name on the comic.
JUSTICE SOCIETY OF AMERICA #21 by Geoff Johns, Alex Ross and Dale Eaglesham. Anytime a God says “Worship me!” you know you’re in trouble. Next thing you know you’ve got guys in bad suits and worse haircuts asking for money. Good thing the JSA is here to put a stop to all that. The penultimate chapter of “One World, Under Gog.”
MARVELS: EYE OF THE CAMERA #1 of 6 by Kurt Busiek and Jay Anacieto. A sequel to the ground-breaking 1994 series MARVELS, in which we learn again what it’s like to be an everyman in a world of supermen. Nobody writes such stories better than Kurt Busiek. Recommended.
NEW AVENGERS #47 by Brian Michael Bendis and Billy Tan. An issue focusing on the consequences of the Skrull invasion, specifically as they affect Luke Cage. Look for green people getting punched in the brain.
PUNISHER MAX: X-MAS SPECIAL #1 by Jason Aaron and Roland Boschi. A little something for all of us who were beginning to doubt Santa Claus: A Punisher story by Jason frickin’ Aaron! The author of SCALPED! You probably want to draw the blinds and turn off your phones for this one. Not for kids. Highly recommended!
SANDMAN: DREAM HUNTERS #2 of 4 by Neil Gaiman and P. Craig Russell. A beautiful adaptation of an earlier Sandman novella. Highly recommended.
SECRET INVASION #8 of 8 by Brian Michael Bendis and Leinil Francis Yu. The final chapter. Radical stuff occurs. “He loves you!”
SHE-HULK: COSMIC COLLISION #1 by Peter David and Mahmud S Asrar. For all you Shulk Completists out there! It’s okay! Come out into the light! Featuring powerful chicks in tight clothes!
SOLOMON KANE #3 of 5 by Scott Allie and Mario Guevara. Intrigues abound as Robert E. Howard’s puritan Punisher is drawn deeper into a mystery that can only be resolved with steel and powder. Very solid stuff. Recommended.
WOLVERINE: MANIFEST DESTINY #2 of 4 by Jason Aaron and Stephen Segovia. Wolvie gets his butt kicked all over Chinatown by a girl. It’s swell. Jason Aaron strikes again!
X-MEN: NOIR #1 of 4 by Fred Van Lente and Dennis Calero. What if the X-Men had been created and written by pulp crime novelists back in 1930-something? Imagine Mickey Spillane writing Wolverine! Highly recommended and hopefully the gateway through which X-maniacs will find their way to SCALPED and CRIMINAL. Recommended.
www.johnjudy.net
Showing posts with label John Judy. Show all posts
Showing posts with label John Judy. Show all posts
Sunday, November 30, 2008
Monday, November 24, 2008
QUICK REVIEWS FOR COMICS DUE 11-26-08
QUICK REVIEWS FOR COMICS DUE 11-26-08
By John Judy
(This week we are thankful for comics and not being a turkey at a Sarah Palin interview.)
BATMAN #681 by Grant Morrison and Tony Daniel. “Batman R.I.P.” wraps up here, leading into all kinds of stories in which Batman is not allowed to be technically alive and present. Don’t think about this too hard. Just go with it…
BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER #19 by Joss Whedon and Karl Moline. Dark Willow, Fray, Time-Travel. Who doesn’t love time-travel stories? Only your evil alternate-future selves, that’s who!
CAPTAIN AMERICA #44 by Ed Brubaker and Luke Ross. Only Brubaker could make Batroc the Leaper versus Bucky a smashing good yarn. It’s miraculous really…
CREEPY ARCHIVES VOL.2 HC by Various Creators, including Archie Goodwin, Alex Toth, Al Williamson and many more! Collecting issues 6-10 of the classic horror mag! Originals are valued at over 500 bucks! Yours here for a lot less. Recommended.
DAREDEVIL #113 by Ed Brubaker and Michael Lark. And did I mention Lady Bullseye? I mean, whatever they’re feeding Brubaker I’ll take a case. This is the same guy who writes CRIMINAL, one of the best comics EVER! Take a gander.
GARTH ENNIS BATTLEFIELDS: NIGHT WITCHES #2 of 3 by Garth and Russ Braun. It’s Krauts versus Commies in this fact-based WWII adventure as things heat up between The Hun and the honeys! Boom!
GLAMOURPUSS #4 by Dave Sim. Gotta be honest, the only way to describe this book is “It’s a Dave Sim project.” Take it or leave it, CEREBUS fans.
HOLY SH*T: THE WORLD’S WEIRDEST COMICS HC by Paul Gravett and Peter Stanbury. Exactly what it sounds like, folks. Gotta look!
HULK #8 by Jeph Loeb, Frank Cho and Art Adams. Wendigos (“Wendigoes?”), Lady Liberators and a couple of Hulks. You want more, write your own HULK comic!
JSA KINGDOM COME SPECIAL: THE KINGDOM #1 by Geoff Johns and Fernando Pasarin. More Gog, but at least it’s Geoff Johns writing it. Plus, Starman finally comes clean about his mission, his insanity and his Commander Riker-looking beard. Okay, two out of three. Gotta look.
MARVEL MASTERWORKS ALL-WINNERS, VOL.3 HC by Various Creators. Collecting issues 9-14, currently valued at over ten grand in near-mint. Cheaper here. Lotsa Golden-Age ruckus guaranteed!
NORTHLANDERS #12 by Brian Wood and Ryan Kelly. The Vikings continue their tour of the Emerald Isle. Hijinks ensue. NOT for kids. Highly recommended.
PREVIEWS by Marvel and Diamond Comics. As if 2009 wasn’t looking good enough already!
SUPERMAN #682 by James Robinson and Renato Guedes. The 100,000 Kryptonian refugees start to figure out the INS can’t really do anything to them. Lou Dobbs goes into hiding.
THOR: MAN OF WAR #1 by Matt Fraction and Patrick Zircher. Thor and his dad have a fight. Hey, they’re both gods! It’s a Big Fight!
UMBRELLA ACADEMY: DALLAS #1 of 6 by Gerard Way and Gabriel Ba. If you liked the first Eisner-winning limited series you’ll love this. Featuring rampaging stone Presidents!
WALKING DEAD #55 by Robert Kirkman and Charles Adlard. Bi-weekly now? Does this mean the zombies are getting faster? Awesome! Not for kids.
WELCOME TO HOXFORD #4 of 4 writ and scribbled by Ben Templesmith. It’s the insane criminals versus the werewolves in their final battle. From the co-creator of FELL and 30 DAYS OF NIGHT, since you ask.
www.johnjudy.net
By John Judy
(This week we are thankful for comics and not being a turkey at a Sarah Palin interview.)
BATMAN #681 by Grant Morrison and Tony Daniel. “Batman R.I.P.” wraps up here, leading into all kinds of stories in which Batman is not allowed to be technically alive and present. Don’t think about this too hard. Just go with it…
BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER #19 by Joss Whedon and Karl Moline. Dark Willow, Fray, Time-Travel. Who doesn’t love time-travel stories? Only your evil alternate-future selves, that’s who!
CAPTAIN AMERICA #44 by Ed Brubaker and Luke Ross. Only Brubaker could make Batroc the Leaper versus Bucky a smashing good yarn. It’s miraculous really…
CREEPY ARCHIVES VOL.2 HC by Various Creators, including Archie Goodwin, Alex Toth, Al Williamson and many more! Collecting issues 6-10 of the classic horror mag! Originals are valued at over 500 bucks! Yours here for a lot less. Recommended.
DAREDEVIL #113 by Ed Brubaker and Michael Lark. And did I mention Lady Bullseye? I mean, whatever they’re feeding Brubaker I’ll take a case. This is the same guy who writes CRIMINAL, one of the best comics EVER! Take a gander.
GARTH ENNIS BATTLEFIELDS: NIGHT WITCHES #2 of 3 by Garth and Russ Braun. It’s Krauts versus Commies in this fact-based WWII adventure as things heat up between The Hun and the honeys! Boom!
GLAMOURPUSS #4 by Dave Sim. Gotta be honest, the only way to describe this book is “It’s a Dave Sim project.” Take it or leave it, CEREBUS fans.
HOLY SH*T: THE WORLD’S WEIRDEST COMICS HC by Paul Gravett and Peter Stanbury. Exactly what it sounds like, folks. Gotta look!
HULK #8 by Jeph Loeb, Frank Cho and Art Adams. Wendigos (“Wendigoes?”), Lady Liberators and a couple of Hulks. You want more, write your own HULK comic!
JSA KINGDOM COME SPECIAL: THE KINGDOM #1 by Geoff Johns and Fernando Pasarin. More Gog, but at least it’s Geoff Johns writing it. Plus, Starman finally comes clean about his mission, his insanity and his Commander Riker-looking beard. Okay, two out of three. Gotta look.
MARVEL MASTERWORKS ALL-WINNERS, VOL.3 HC by Various Creators. Collecting issues 9-14, currently valued at over ten grand in near-mint. Cheaper here. Lotsa Golden-Age ruckus guaranteed!
NORTHLANDERS #12 by Brian Wood and Ryan Kelly. The Vikings continue their tour of the Emerald Isle. Hijinks ensue. NOT for kids. Highly recommended.
PREVIEWS by Marvel and Diamond Comics. As if 2009 wasn’t looking good enough already!
SUPERMAN #682 by James Robinson and Renato Guedes. The 100,000 Kryptonian refugees start to figure out the INS can’t really do anything to them. Lou Dobbs goes into hiding.
THOR: MAN OF WAR #1 by Matt Fraction and Patrick Zircher. Thor and his dad have a fight. Hey, they’re both gods! It’s a Big Fight!
UMBRELLA ACADEMY: DALLAS #1 of 6 by Gerard Way and Gabriel Ba. If you liked the first Eisner-winning limited series you’ll love this. Featuring rampaging stone Presidents!
WALKING DEAD #55 by Robert Kirkman and Charles Adlard. Bi-weekly now? Does this mean the zombies are getting faster? Awesome! Not for kids.
WELCOME TO HOXFORD #4 of 4 writ and scribbled by Ben Templesmith. It’s the insane criminals versus the werewolves in their final battle. From the co-creator of FELL and 30 DAYS OF NIGHT, since you ask.
www.johnjudy.net
Friday, November 14, 2008
QUICK REVIEWS FOR COMICS DUE 11-19-08
From the US Virgin Islands! Enjoy!
QUICK REVIEWS FOR COMICS DUE 11-19-08
By John Judy
AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #578 by Mark Waid and Marcos Martin. The start of a two-part adventure featuring one of President-Elect Obama’s two favorite heroes! That’s right! “That One” is a comics geek! “One of us! One of us!” Also Waid and Martin are swell. Recommended.
AVENGERS/INVADERS #6 of 12 by Alex Ross, Jim Krueger and Steve Sadowski. At the half-way mark as Toro learns he’s dead and the Torch decides to liberate his Life-Model Decoy brethren from… GAH! I mean, robots and androids, Ross! How can you be a comics professional and not know the difference? GAH!
CONAN THE CIMMERIAN #5 by Timothy Truman, Tomas Giorello and Richard Corben.. Another thrilling adventure from President-Elect Obama’s other favorite hero! Featuring tough chicks with swords! Yes!
EX MACHINA #39 by Brian K. Vaughan and Tony Harris. Wrapping up the “Dirty Tricks” storyline with a call-back to issue #1. Yeah, that BK Vaughan knows how to pay it off. Recommended!
FANTASTIC FOUR #561 by Mark Millar and Bryan Hitch. The Invisible Woman dies. Oops! I mean, “Spoiler Alert!” (Come on, the story’s called “The Death of the Invisible Woman” so just save your hate-mail for when Millar gets to write the next Superman movie.)
GHOST RIDER #29 by Jason Aaron and Tan Eng Huat. Johnny Blaze vs. Danny Ketch is a Ghost Rider/Ghost Rider smack-down. I kinda want this to wrap up quick so Aaron can get out of having to make sense of the hopelessly insane Ghost Rider continuity and just start telling stories like “Zombie Highway.” Still, Big Fight! My money’s on the guy they made the movie about.
GOON #30 written and drawn by Eric Powell. The gorgeous cartoon noir fun continues. “The only reason you ain’t dead is that he’d never forgive me.” Highly recommended.
GREATEST HITS #3 of 6 by David Tischman, Glenn Fabry and Gary Erskine. A great-looking riff on the super-hero as Rock Star, guaranteed to pluck the heartstrings of any Beatlemaniac comics fans out there. You know who you are…
HELLBLAZER #249 by Andy Diggle and Leonardo Manco. Wrapping up Diggle’s run as Constantine returns to Ravenscar Mental Hospital for the big showdown.
JACK KIRBY’S THE DEMON OMNIBUS HC written and drawn by Da King. Even though DC seems to be killing off every one of its Kirby characters lately, they took the time to collect all 16 issues of the last survivor of Camelot, the demon Etrigan and his mortal host Jason Blood. Bizarre seventies horror adventure for them that likes it!
JSA KINGDOM COME SPECIAL MAGOG #1 by Peter J. Tomasi and Fernando Pasarin. The latest doings with resurrected Marine and Franklin Roosevelt descendant David Reid and the being he has become. Can Magog be a hero in spite of the creepy name and awkward headgear? Here’s all the stuff that won’t fit into the regular JSA book!
PUNISHER MAX #64 by Gregg Hurwitz and Laurence Campbell. Frank’s still pretty annoyed by those drug dealers making him think he killed a little girl so this one’s bound to be a little bumpy. Not cool, drug-dealers. Not for kids.
SCALPED #23 by Jason Aaron and R.M. Guera. “The Gravel in Your Guts” continues in this stark, hypnotic crime comic that just happens to be set on an Indian reservation. Can the murderous Chief Lincoln Red Crow ever redeem himself? Will Dino Poor Bear follow the same dead end path? This is the comic you should read first then hide from your family. Highly recommended.
STAN’S SOAPBOX: THE COLLECTION SC by Da Man. Collecting every one of Smilin’ Stan Lee’s interstitial manifestos from 1967 to 1980. These were the monthly asides that made a generation of fans feel like Stan Lee was standing right behind us, whispering in our ears even when he usually wasn’t. A true geek “Must-Have!”
SUPERGIRL #35 by Sterling gates and Jamal Igle. For you “New Krypton” completists who can’t wait for the trade.
THUNDERBOLTS #126 by Andy Diggle and Roberto De La Torre. A new creative team asks the musical question “What happens when a team of criminal nut-jobs who hate each other are left unsupervised by the criminal nut-job who’s supposed to be in charge of them?” It’s kind of like that time Dick Cheney got locked in the bathroom and the economy collapsed…
UNCANNY X-MEN #504 by Matt Fraction and Terry & Rachel Dodson. A new creative team is clearly chomping at the bit to get started with FOUR distinct storylines starting in one issue! Which ones will be resolved and which ones will trail off into Claremontian nothingness? Place yer bets, bub!
X-MEN LEGACY #218 by Mike Carey and Scot Eaton. Professor X tries to help Wolver-Boy, y’know the one whose healing factor can’t quite manage to take care of his tattoos and stupid haircut. Definitely NOT one of President-Elect Obama’s favorite heroes! Nuff said!
www.johnjudy.net
QUICK REVIEWS FOR COMICS DUE 11-19-08
By John Judy
AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #578 by Mark Waid and Marcos Martin. The start of a two-part adventure featuring one of President-Elect Obama’s two favorite heroes! That’s right! “That One” is a comics geek! “One of us! One of us!” Also Waid and Martin are swell. Recommended.
AVENGERS/INVADERS #6 of 12 by Alex Ross, Jim Krueger and Steve Sadowski. At the half-way mark as Toro learns he’s dead and the Torch decides to liberate his Life-Model Decoy brethren from… GAH! I mean, robots and androids, Ross! How can you be a comics professional and not know the difference? GAH!
CONAN THE CIMMERIAN #5 by Timothy Truman, Tomas Giorello and Richard Corben.. Another thrilling adventure from President-Elect Obama’s other favorite hero! Featuring tough chicks with swords! Yes!
EX MACHINA #39 by Brian K. Vaughan and Tony Harris. Wrapping up the “Dirty Tricks” storyline with a call-back to issue #1. Yeah, that BK Vaughan knows how to pay it off. Recommended!
FANTASTIC FOUR #561 by Mark Millar and Bryan Hitch. The Invisible Woman dies. Oops! I mean, “Spoiler Alert!” (Come on, the story’s called “The Death of the Invisible Woman” so just save your hate-mail for when Millar gets to write the next Superman movie.)
GHOST RIDER #29 by Jason Aaron and Tan Eng Huat. Johnny Blaze vs. Danny Ketch is a Ghost Rider/Ghost Rider smack-down. I kinda want this to wrap up quick so Aaron can get out of having to make sense of the hopelessly insane Ghost Rider continuity and just start telling stories like “Zombie Highway.” Still, Big Fight! My money’s on the guy they made the movie about.
GOON #30 written and drawn by Eric Powell. The gorgeous cartoon noir fun continues. “The only reason you ain’t dead is that he’d never forgive me.” Highly recommended.
GREATEST HITS #3 of 6 by David Tischman, Glenn Fabry and Gary Erskine. A great-looking riff on the super-hero as Rock Star, guaranteed to pluck the heartstrings of any Beatlemaniac comics fans out there. You know who you are…
HELLBLAZER #249 by Andy Diggle and Leonardo Manco. Wrapping up Diggle’s run as Constantine returns to Ravenscar Mental Hospital for the big showdown.
JACK KIRBY’S THE DEMON OMNIBUS HC written and drawn by Da King. Even though DC seems to be killing off every one of its Kirby characters lately, they took the time to collect all 16 issues of the last survivor of Camelot, the demon Etrigan and his mortal host Jason Blood. Bizarre seventies horror adventure for them that likes it!
JSA KINGDOM COME SPECIAL MAGOG #1 by Peter J. Tomasi and Fernando Pasarin. The latest doings with resurrected Marine and Franklin Roosevelt descendant David Reid and the being he has become. Can Magog be a hero in spite of the creepy name and awkward headgear? Here’s all the stuff that won’t fit into the regular JSA book!
PUNISHER MAX #64 by Gregg Hurwitz and Laurence Campbell. Frank’s still pretty annoyed by those drug dealers making him think he killed a little girl so this one’s bound to be a little bumpy. Not cool, drug-dealers. Not for kids.
SCALPED #23 by Jason Aaron and R.M. Guera. “The Gravel in Your Guts” continues in this stark, hypnotic crime comic that just happens to be set on an Indian reservation. Can the murderous Chief Lincoln Red Crow ever redeem himself? Will Dino Poor Bear follow the same dead end path? This is the comic you should read first then hide from your family. Highly recommended.
STAN’S SOAPBOX: THE COLLECTION SC by Da Man. Collecting every one of Smilin’ Stan Lee’s interstitial manifestos from 1967 to 1980. These were the monthly asides that made a generation of fans feel like Stan Lee was standing right behind us, whispering in our ears even when he usually wasn’t. A true geek “Must-Have!”
SUPERGIRL #35 by Sterling gates and Jamal Igle. For you “New Krypton” completists who can’t wait for the trade.
THUNDERBOLTS #126 by Andy Diggle and Roberto De La Torre. A new creative team asks the musical question “What happens when a team of criminal nut-jobs who hate each other are left unsupervised by the criminal nut-job who’s supposed to be in charge of them?” It’s kind of like that time Dick Cheney got locked in the bathroom and the economy collapsed…
UNCANNY X-MEN #504 by Matt Fraction and Terry & Rachel Dodson. A new creative team is clearly chomping at the bit to get started with FOUR distinct storylines starting in one issue! Which ones will be resolved and which ones will trail off into Claremontian nothingness? Place yer bets, bub!
X-MEN LEGACY #218 by Mike Carey and Scot Eaton. Professor X tries to help Wolver-Boy, y’know the one whose healing factor can’t quite manage to take care of his tattoos and stupid haircut. Definitely NOT one of President-Elect Obama’s favorite heroes! Nuff said!
www.johnjudy.net
Friday, November 07, 2008
QUICK REVIEWS FOR COMICS DUE 11-12-08
QUICK REVIEWS FOR COMICS DUE 11-12-08
By John Judy
ACTION COMICS # 871 by Geoff Johns and Pete Woods. In which we learn if you didn’t escape Krypton before it exploded it’s only because you didn’t try.
BATMAN: CACOPHONY #1 of 3 by Kevin Smith and Walt J. Flanagan. Don’t worry, the working title of this comic was not “Bruce and Selina Make a Porno.” Unfortunately the Big Bad’s name is “Onomatopoeia” and I am not making that up. To save you a trip to Wikipedia I’ll tell you that the word is Greek in origin and refers to the making of words that sound like their meanings. Words like buzz, bop, thump and whatever sound Kevin Smith’s head makes when you smash it repeatedly into a concrete floor for trying too damn hard to be clever. Oh yeah, “Onomatopoeia” in this case is the name of a “mysterious masked killer” bent on vexing the Gotham Goliath. No doubt by making him say his name three times fast. Oy…
BLACK TERROR #1 by Alex Ross, Jim Krueger and Mike Lilly. No, it’s not about what red state voters are experiencing this week. It’s a series spun off from PROJECT SUPERPOWERS that will no doubt appeal to both of the people still reading PROJECT SUPERPOWERS. I liked the Alan Moore TERRA OBSCURA version better on account of Moore being able to write. Hey, these Golden-Age revamps are public domain so write your own if you like!
CAPTAIN BRITAIN AND MI 13 #7 by Paul Cornel and Leonard Kirk. The Mindless Ones are on the attack! Guess they’re still not over last Tuesday. J
JLA/AVENGERS SC by Kurt Busiek and George Perez. Finally one of the biggest of Big Fights is collected in affordable, bookshelf-friendly, trade paperback form. From the days when Big Event comics didn’t suck and/or take all year to come out. Recommended for all ages.
JSA KINGDOM COME SPECIAL: SUPERMAN #1 written and illustrated by Alex Ross. This is the first comic ever done by Alex Ross flying solo. That automatically gets it a “Gotta Look.” Here’s hoping it’s more KINGDOM COME and less EARTH X or PROJECT SUPERPOWERS. Fingers crossed.
THE STAND: CAPTAIN TRIPS #3 of 5 by Stephen King, Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa and Mike Perkins. The best Stephen King adaptation ever continues as we see the super-flu begin its extermination of the world population. No more long lines at the polls! Recommended.
THUNDERBOLTS, VOL.2: CAGED ANGELS SC by Warren Ellis and Mike Deodato. That nice Mister Ellis shows us what happens when one attempts the psychic domination of people who self-mutilate, eat people and throw exploding pumpkins at Spider-Man. Most entertaining! Not for kids.
WALKING DEAD #54 by Robert Kirkman and Charlie Adlard. New friends, old friends and lotsa zombie-killin’! It’s good to vent now and then. Recommended. Not for kids.
WOLVERINE #69 by Mark Millar and Steve McNiven. Okay, much as I hated the movie “Wanted” and don’t want Millar on the next Superman flick, he is delivering a solid, intriguing alternate-future Wolverine story here. But the pay-off better not be that he saw a puppy die and swore off claw-popping forever. Fair warning has been given. Recommended.
X-MEN: MAGNETO TESTAMENT #3 of 5 by Greg Pak and Carmine Di Giandomenico. The Nazis invade Poland and young Magneto still hasn’t powered up. A dark story that doesn’t flinch from the history in which it’s based. Probably too intense for young kids. Good for teens and up. Recommended.
www.johnjudy.net
By John Judy
ACTION COMICS # 871 by Geoff Johns and Pete Woods. In which we learn if you didn’t escape Krypton before it exploded it’s only because you didn’t try.
BATMAN: CACOPHONY #1 of 3 by Kevin Smith and Walt J. Flanagan. Don’t worry, the working title of this comic was not “Bruce and Selina Make a Porno.” Unfortunately the Big Bad’s name is “Onomatopoeia” and I am not making that up. To save you a trip to Wikipedia I’ll tell you that the word is Greek in origin and refers to the making of words that sound like their meanings. Words like buzz, bop, thump and whatever sound Kevin Smith’s head makes when you smash it repeatedly into a concrete floor for trying too damn hard to be clever. Oh yeah, “Onomatopoeia” in this case is the name of a “mysterious masked killer” bent on vexing the Gotham Goliath. No doubt by making him say his name three times fast. Oy…
BLACK TERROR #1 by Alex Ross, Jim Krueger and Mike Lilly. No, it’s not about what red state voters are experiencing this week. It’s a series spun off from PROJECT SUPERPOWERS that will no doubt appeal to both of the people still reading PROJECT SUPERPOWERS. I liked the Alan Moore TERRA OBSCURA version better on account of Moore being able to write. Hey, these Golden-Age revamps are public domain so write your own if you like!
CAPTAIN BRITAIN AND MI 13 #7 by Paul Cornel and Leonard Kirk. The Mindless Ones are on the attack! Guess they’re still not over last Tuesday. J
JLA/AVENGERS SC by Kurt Busiek and George Perez. Finally one of the biggest of Big Fights is collected in affordable, bookshelf-friendly, trade paperback form. From the days when Big Event comics didn’t suck and/or take all year to come out. Recommended for all ages.
JSA KINGDOM COME SPECIAL: SUPERMAN #1 written and illustrated by Alex Ross. This is the first comic ever done by Alex Ross flying solo. That automatically gets it a “Gotta Look.” Here’s hoping it’s more KINGDOM COME and less EARTH X or PROJECT SUPERPOWERS. Fingers crossed.
THE STAND: CAPTAIN TRIPS #3 of 5 by Stephen King, Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa and Mike Perkins. The best Stephen King adaptation ever continues as we see the super-flu begin its extermination of the world population. No more long lines at the polls! Recommended.
THUNDERBOLTS, VOL.2: CAGED ANGELS SC by Warren Ellis and Mike Deodato. That nice Mister Ellis shows us what happens when one attempts the psychic domination of people who self-mutilate, eat people and throw exploding pumpkins at Spider-Man. Most entertaining! Not for kids.
WALKING DEAD #54 by Robert Kirkman and Charlie Adlard. New friends, old friends and lotsa zombie-killin’! It’s good to vent now and then. Recommended. Not for kids.
WOLVERINE #69 by Mark Millar and Steve McNiven. Okay, much as I hated the movie “Wanted” and don’t want Millar on the next Superman flick, he is delivering a solid, intriguing alternate-future Wolverine story here. But the pay-off better not be that he saw a puppy die and swore off claw-popping forever. Fair warning has been given. Recommended.
X-MEN: MAGNETO TESTAMENT #3 of 5 by Greg Pak and Carmine Di Giandomenico. The Nazis invade Poland and young Magneto still hasn’t powered up. A dark story that doesn’t flinch from the history in which it’s based. Probably too intense for young kids. Good for teens and up. Recommended.
www.johnjudy.net
Sunday, November 02, 2008
QUICK REVIEWS FOR COMICS DUE 11-05-08
QUICK REVIEWS FOR COMICS DUE 11-05-08
By John Judy
(NOTE: What better day to read comics, either in celebration or to escape?)
ADVENTURE COMICS SPECIAL: GUARDIAN by James Robinson and Pere Perez. The Great Kirby Character Kill-Off continues! Pretty soon they’ll be down to the Marvel romance and western characters. Still pretty good in all.
AVENGERS: INITIATIVE SPECIAL #1 by Dan Slott and Steve Uy. Two of your favorite characters have it out. Can True Love win out over secret Hydra membership? And Dan Slott’s back at the helm! Recommended.
FINAL CRISIS: RESIST #1 by Greg Rucka, Eric Trautman and Ryan Sook. Darkseid’s in the driver’s seat and it’s up to Checkmate, Snapper Carr and Mister Terrific to pull him over. I know, but it’s Rucka so it’ll actually be good.
FREAKANGELS, VOL. 1 SC by Warren Ellis and Paul Duffield. The notorious web-comic in tangible form for the first time, in full color. Featuring twelve special children with one big secret. Gotta look!
IRON MAN: THE END #1 by David Michelinie and Bernard Chang. The latest in Marvel’s continuing series of “Last” stories of iconic characters. I believe this one involves an aging and still bitter Terrence Howard.
JUSTICE SOCIETY OF AMERICA #20 by Geoff Johns, Alex Ross and Dale Eaglesham. Alternate Universe JSAs do battle and Gog the big scary guy hangs back being all cryptic and omnipotent. Come on, people! Let’s show Geoff Johns the love so he gets to write the next Superman movie instead of Mark Millar! Did you see “Wanted?” We cannot let that happen again!
POPEYE, VOL. 3: LET’S YOU AND HIM FIGHT HC by E.C. Segar. The third of six volumes from Fantagraphics collecting Segar’s complete run of Popeye strips. This one covers the years 1932-34 and includes a two-week extra large sequence done specially for the Chicago World’s Fair. It has never been reprinted anywhere until now. Also includes the only appearance of Popeye’s arch-rival Bluto by Segar. Highly recommended.
SANDMAN: DREAM HUNTERS #1 of 4 by Neil Gaiman and P. Craig Russell. Yes, it’s a re-telling of an illustrated story released ten years ago, but it’s Neil and P. Craig so we are all compelled to buy it and sleep with it tucked under our pillows next to our guns. Highly recommended.
SECRET SIX #3 by Gail Simone and Nicola Scott. It’s the Six versus everyone they used to drink with. As usual. Also a new member joins the team. Who? Well, that’s the “secret” part, isn’t it? Good stuff.
TOP TEN SEASON TWO #2 of 4 by Zander Cannon and Gene Ha. Among the best news in comics is that this police procedural set in the world of capes and tights holds up fine even without co-creator Alan Moore scripting. Recommended for fans of both genres.
ULTIMATUM #1 of 5 by Jeph Loeb and David Finch. The great powers of the Ultimate Universe band together against… bad weather? Will this mark the debut of Ultimate Al Roker?
WOLVERINE: CHOP SHOP #1 by Mike Benson and Roland Boschi. Some dope thinks he’s gonna harvest Wolverine’s organs. That’s why this is a one-shot.
www.johnjudy.net
By John Judy
(NOTE: What better day to read comics, either in celebration or to escape?)
ADVENTURE COMICS SPECIAL: GUARDIAN by James Robinson and Pere Perez. The Great Kirby Character Kill-Off continues! Pretty soon they’ll be down to the Marvel romance and western characters. Still pretty good in all.
AVENGERS: INITIATIVE SPECIAL #1 by Dan Slott and Steve Uy. Two of your favorite characters have it out. Can True Love win out over secret Hydra membership? And Dan Slott’s back at the helm! Recommended.
FINAL CRISIS: RESIST #1 by Greg Rucka, Eric Trautman and Ryan Sook. Darkseid’s in the driver’s seat and it’s up to Checkmate, Snapper Carr and Mister Terrific to pull him over. I know, but it’s Rucka so it’ll actually be good.
FREAKANGELS, VOL. 1 SC by Warren Ellis and Paul Duffield. The notorious web-comic in tangible form for the first time, in full color. Featuring twelve special children with one big secret. Gotta look!
IRON MAN: THE END #1 by David Michelinie and Bernard Chang. The latest in Marvel’s continuing series of “Last” stories of iconic characters. I believe this one involves an aging and still bitter Terrence Howard.
JUSTICE SOCIETY OF AMERICA #20 by Geoff Johns, Alex Ross and Dale Eaglesham. Alternate Universe JSAs do battle and Gog the big scary guy hangs back being all cryptic and omnipotent. Come on, people! Let’s show Geoff Johns the love so he gets to write the next Superman movie instead of Mark Millar! Did you see “Wanted?” We cannot let that happen again!
POPEYE, VOL. 3: LET’S YOU AND HIM FIGHT HC by E.C. Segar. The third of six volumes from Fantagraphics collecting Segar’s complete run of Popeye strips. This one covers the years 1932-34 and includes a two-week extra large sequence done specially for the Chicago World’s Fair. It has never been reprinted anywhere until now. Also includes the only appearance of Popeye’s arch-rival Bluto by Segar. Highly recommended.
SANDMAN: DREAM HUNTERS #1 of 4 by Neil Gaiman and P. Craig Russell. Yes, it’s a re-telling of an illustrated story released ten years ago, but it’s Neil and P. Craig so we are all compelled to buy it and sleep with it tucked under our pillows next to our guns. Highly recommended.
SECRET SIX #3 by Gail Simone and Nicola Scott. It’s the Six versus everyone they used to drink with. As usual. Also a new member joins the team. Who? Well, that’s the “secret” part, isn’t it? Good stuff.
TOP TEN SEASON TWO #2 of 4 by Zander Cannon and Gene Ha. Among the best news in comics is that this police procedural set in the world of capes and tights holds up fine even without co-creator Alan Moore scripting. Recommended for fans of both genres.
ULTIMATUM #1 of 5 by Jeph Loeb and David Finch. The great powers of the Ultimate Universe band together against… bad weather? Will this mark the debut of Ultimate Al Roker?
WOLVERINE: CHOP SHOP #1 by Mike Benson and Roland Boschi. Some dope thinks he’s gonna harvest Wolverine’s organs. That’s why this is a one-shot.
www.johnjudy.net
Sunday, October 26, 2008
QUICK REVIEWS FOR COMICS DUE 10-29-08
QUICK REVIEWS FOR COMICS DUE 10-29-08
By John Judy
AMAZING SPIDER-MAN ANNUAL #1 by Marc Guggenheim and Mike McKone. In which we finally learn who Jackpot really is. Hope this issue comes with aspirin…
ASTONISHING X-MEN: GHOST BOXES #1 of 2 by Warren Ellis, Frank Cho and Alan Davis. A tie-in series to the current Ellis AXM storyline, chiefly interesting for the artists involved. Guaranteed pretty!
ASTOUNDING WOLF-MAN #9 by Robert Kirkman and Jason Howard. Wolf-Man on the run? Always fun! And what about this “Elder Brood” business? It’s the old Hulk TV show done right!
AVENGERS INITIATIVE #18 by Dan Slott, Christos Gage and Stefano Caselli. Scrappy kids still fightin’ Skrulls because that never gets old!
BOYS #24 by Garth Ennis and Darick Robertson. This issue has an “Animal House” tribute cover. Why did nobody think of this before? “In your face, first issues of Action Comics and Fantastic Four!” Highly recommended. Not for kids.
DC UNIVERSE: DECISIONS #4 of 4 by Bill Willingham, Judd Winick and Howard Porter. An evil entity is taking over Presidential candidates and forcing them to self-destruct. (Insert Sarah Palin joke here.)
ELEKTRA BY FRANK MILLER OMNIBUS HC by Frank Miller and Bill Sienkiewicz. Lots of ninja super-action from early (pre-insane) Frank Miller. This stuff is great! What happened…?
EMPOWERED, VOL. 4 SC written and drawn by Adam Warren. Kind of like a bawdy HBO comedy built around a super-hero awards show and the personalities involved. Manga-style art, salty dialogue, for older teens and up.
ESSENTIAL MARVEL HORROR, VOL.2 SC by Various Creators. “Boo!”
FINAL CRISIS: RAGE OF THE RED LANTERNS #1 by Geoff Johns and Shane Davis. Okay, the Lantern spectrum so far is Green = Will Power. Yellow = Fear. Red = Anger. Of course the ones you really need to watch out for are the Plaid With Stripes Lanterns. Get offa their lawns!
GARTH ENNIS’S BATTLEFIELDS: NIGHT WITCHES #1 of 3 by Ennis and Russ Braun. 1942. Commie women pilots drop bombs on Nazi invaders. This is so Grindhouse!
GREEN LANTERN: IN BRIGHTEST DAY SC edited by Geoff Johns. A bunch of old GL comics selected and introduced by the guy who revitalized the franchise. A chance to peek behind the curtain.
HELLBLAZER: FAMILY MAN SC by Jamie Delano and Many Great Artists. Collecting eight issues from the early days of HELLBLAZER in which John Constantine had to contend with a completely non-mystical serial killer. Still one of the best Constantine stories ever done. Highly recommended.
IMMORTAL IRON FIST #19 by Duane Swierczynski and Travel Foreman. In which Danny tries to learn why all previous Iron Fists have died at age 33. Did someone let it slip that that’s when your life as a man peaks, never to get that good again? Oops…
JOKER HC by Brian Azzarello and Lee Bermejo. An original graphic novel focusing on the Batman’s Big Bad. Mr. J decides to take control of the Gotham underworld in his own inimitable style. Guaranteed oogies!
KILL YOUR BOYFRIEND GN by Grant Morrison and Philip Bond. A third printing of the Vertigo cult classic from 1995. Exactly what it sounds like. Fun stuff, especially when you consider the original target audience is probably having their second kids by now.
MAN OF ROCK: A BIOGRAPHY OF JOE KUBERT SC by Bill Schelly. Tracing the life and work of the 82 year-old living legend of comics. Includes interviews with the artist, his family and colleagues going back to 1938 when he got his first job in comics at age twelve. Recommended.
MARVEL APES #4 of 4 by Karl Kesel and Ramon Bachs. The final issue! Yes, it really made it all the way to number four! Your favorite Marvel heroes as apes! Some as vampire apes! Ook!
MISTER X ARCHIVES HC by Dean Motter, Los Bros Hernandez and Others. It’s 25 years old and really, really weird. But Important! If you like noir, art deco and German Expressionism this one’s for you!
NO HERO #2 of 7 by Warren Ellis and Juan Jose Ryp. If you want to be a super-hero you have to take dangerous drugs. That nice Mr. Ellis tells me so and he’s got an honest face. Not for kids.
NORTHLANDERS #11 by Brian Wood and Ryan Kelly. A tale set in the closing days of the Viking rule of Ireland. Vikings fighting Irish. Will this title ever stop being completely awesome? Highly recommended.
PREVIEWS by Marvel and Diamond Comics. See what you’re getting tomorrow today!
SOLOMON KANE #2 of 5 by Scott Allie and Mario Guevara. Starring the only Puritan that Ed Brubaker’s ever been a fan of! This series had a very strong first issue and appears to be maintaining its high quality. Recommended.
STREETS OF GLORY #6 of 6 by Garth Ennis and Mike Wolfer. Wrapping up Ennis’ oater epic in a fashion to be expected by Fans of Garth. Not for kids.
SUPERMAN #681 by James Robinson and Renato Guedes. One Hundred-Thousand Kryptonians hit the third rock! What could go wrong?
THOR #11 by J.Michael Straczynski and Olivier Coipel. Believe it or not, Loki is up to something…
ULTIMATE SPIDER-MAN ANNUAL #3 by Brian Michael Bendis and David Lafuente Garcia. Ultimate Peter and Ultimate Mary-Jane appear headed to an ultimate experience, sans purity rings. Tsk-tsk, are these kids from Ultimate Alaska or something?
UNITED STATES CONSTITUTION GRAPHIC ADAPTATION HC & SC by Jonathan Hennessey and Aaron McConnell (with a little help from James Madison). What it says: A graphic exploration of the document that made us a pretty amazing country up until the age of signing statements, extraordinary rendition and warrantless wiretaps. A worthy addition to any library and an appropriate parting gift for various Congresspersons, Senators, etc. Highly recommended.
www.johnjudy.net
By John Judy
AMAZING SPIDER-MAN ANNUAL #1 by Marc Guggenheim and Mike McKone. In which we finally learn who Jackpot really is. Hope this issue comes with aspirin…
ASTONISHING X-MEN: GHOST BOXES #1 of 2 by Warren Ellis, Frank Cho and Alan Davis. A tie-in series to the current Ellis AXM storyline, chiefly interesting for the artists involved. Guaranteed pretty!
ASTOUNDING WOLF-MAN #9 by Robert Kirkman and Jason Howard. Wolf-Man on the run? Always fun! And what about this “Elder Brood” business? It’s the old Hulk TV show done right!
AVENGERS INITIATIVE #18 by Dan Slott, Christos Gage and Stefano Caselli. Scrappy kids still fightin’ Skrulls because that never gets old!
BOYS #24 by Garth Ennis and Darick Robertson. This issue has an “Animal House” tribute cover. Why did nobody think of this before? “In your face, first issues of Action Comics and Fantastic Four!” Highly recommended. Not for kids.
DC UNIVERSE: DECISIONS #4 of 4 by Bill Willingham, Judd Winick and Howard Porter. An evil entity is taking over Presidential candidates and forcing them to self-destruct. (Insert Sarah Palin joke here.)
ELEKTRA BY FRANK MILLER OMNIBUS HC by Frank Miller and Bill Sienkiewicz. Lots of ninja super-action from early (pre-insane) Frank Miller. This stuff is great! What happened…?
EMPOWERED, VOL. 4 SC written and drawn by Adam Warren. Kind of like a bawdy HBO comedy built around a super-hero awards show and the personalities involved. Manga-style art, salty dialogue, for older teens and up.
ESSENTIAL MARVEL HORROR, VOL.2 SC by Various Creators. “Boo!”
FINAL CRISIS: RAGE OF THE RED LANTERNS #1 by Geoff Johns and Shane Davis. Okay, the Lantern spectrum so far is Green = Will Power. Yellow = Fear. Red = Anger. Of course the ones you really need to watch out for are the Plaid With Stripes Lanterns. Get offa their lawns!
GARTH ENNIS’S BATTLEFIELDS: NIGHT WITCHES #1 of 3 by Ennis and Russ Braun. 1942. Commie women pilots drop bombs on Nazi invaders. This is so Grindhouse!
GREEN LANTERN: IN BRIGHTEST DAY SC edited by Geoff Johns. A bunch of old GL comics selected and introduced by the guy who revitalized the franchise. A chance to peek behind the curtain.
HELLBLAZER: FAMILY MAN SC by Jamie Delano and Many Great Artists. Collecting eight issues from the early days of HELLBLAZER in which John Constantine had to contend with a completely non-mystical serial killer. Still one of the best Constantine stories ever done. Highly recommended.
IMMORTAL IRON FIST #19 by Duane Swierczynski and Travel Foreman. In which Danny tries to learn why all previous Iron Fists have died at age 33. Did someone let it slip that that’s when your life as a man peaks, never to get that good again? Oops…
JOKER HC by Brian Azzarello and Lee Bermejo. An original graphic novel focusing on the Batman’s Big Bad. Mr. J decides to take control of the Gotham underworld in his own inimitable style. Guaranteed oogies!
KILL YOUR BOYFRIEND GN by Grant Morrison and Philip Bond. A third printing of the Vertigo cult classic from 1995. Exactly what it sounds like. Fun stuff, especially when you consider the original target audience is probably having their second kids by now.
MAN OF ROCK: A BIOGRAPHY OF JOE KUBERT SC by Bill Schelly. Tracing the life and work of the 82 year-old living legend of comics. Includes interviews with the artist, his family and colleagues going back to 1938 when he got his first job in comics at age twelve. Recommended.
MARVEL APES #4 of 4 by Karl Kesel and Ramon Bachs. The final issue! Yes, it really made it all the way to number four! Your favorite Marvel heroes as apes! Some as vampire apes! Ook!
MISTER X ARCHIVES HC by Dean Motter, Los Bros Hernandez and Others. It’s 25 years old and really, really weird. But Important! If you like noir, art deco and German Expressionism this one’s for you!
NO HERO #2 of 7 by Warren Ellis and Juan Jose Ryp. If you want to be a super-hero you have to take dangerous drugs. That nice Mr. Ellis tells me so and he’s got an honest face. Not for kids.
NORTHLANDERS #11 by Brian Wood and Ryan Kelly. A tale set in the closing days of the Viking rule of Ireland. Vikings fighting Irish. Will this title ever stop being completely awesome? Highly recommended.
PREVIEWS by Marvel and Diamond Comics. See what you’re getting tomorrow today!
SOLOMON KANE #2 of 5 by Scott Allie and Mario Guevara. Starring the only Puritan that Ed Brubaker’s ever been a fan of! This series had a very strong first issue and appears to be maintaining its high quality. Recommended.
STREETS OF GLORY #6 of 6 by Garth Ennis and Mike Wolfer. Wrapping up Ennis’ oater epic in a fashion to be expected by Fans of Garth. Not for kids.
SUPERMAN #681 by James Robinson and Renato Guedes. One Hundred-Thousand Kryptonians hit the third rock! What could go wrong?
THOR #11 by J.Michael Straczynski and Olivier Coipel. Believe it or not, Loki is up to something…
ULTIMATE SPIDER-MAN ANNUAL #3 by Brian Michael Bendis and David Lafuente Garcia. Ultimate Peter and Ultimate Mary-Jane appear headed to an ultimate experience, sans purity rings. Tsk-tsk, are these kids from Ultimate Alaska or something?
UNITED STATES CONSTITUTION GRAPHIC ADAPTATION HC & SC by Jonathan Hennessey and Aaron McConnell (with a little help from James Madison). What it says: A graphic exploration of the document that made us a pretty amazing country up until the age of signing statements, extraordinary rendition and warrantless wiretaps. A worthy addition to any library and an appropriate parting gift for various Congresspersons, Senators, etc. Highly recommended.
www.johnjudy.net
Monday, October 20, 2008
QUICK REVIEWS FOR COMICS DUE 10-22-08
QUICK REVIEWS FOR COMICS DUE 10-22-08
By John Judy
BERNIE WRIGHTSON’S FRANKENSTEIN HC by Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley and Bernie Wrightson. If you’ve never seen this book before brace yourself for a religious experience. On the 25th anniversary of its original release, Dark Horse Comics has put together this Cadillac of a collectible. Contains the full text of the classic novel and 47 full-page illustrations by the Grand Master of American horror art. Highly Recommended and Then Some.
CAPTAIN AMERICA #43 by Ed Brubaker and Luke Ross. Winter Bucky fights that freedom-hating Frenchie, Batroc the Leaper! The moustache wax is gonna fly!
CRIMINAL 2 #6 by Ed Brubaker and Sean Phillips. The bodies are piling up and the poor slob behind “Frank Kafka: Private Eye” is in so far over his head he oughta change his name to Aquaman. Highly recommended!
DAREDEVIL #112 by Ed Brubaker and Michael Lark. The notorious assassins guild known as The Hand runs all over New York in search of a good thumping! And DD spends the night in jail for being a big man-whore. Spicey stories!
DC UNIVERSE HALLOWEEN 2008 by Various Spooks. A little something to hand out to the kids that won’t rot their teeth or get your house torched.
FINAL CRISIS #4 of 7 by Grant Morrison and J. G. Jones. Evil wins as Darkseid finally attains “The Anti-Life Equation!” (Also known as John McCain’s latest budget proposal.)
FINAL CRISIS: SUBMIT #1 by Grant Morrison and Matthew Clark. Darkseid and his goons want Black Lightning to submit! Insist on a safety-word, Black Lightning!
HULK #7 by Jeph Loeb, Frank Cho and Arthur Adams. Come for the Red Hulk, stay for the legendary artists! Or vice-versa. BTW, the Red Hulk is secretly Ang Lee.
NEW AVENGERS #46 by Brian Michael Bendis and Billy Tan. Otherwise known as “The Old Red Hood.” This issue contains trace elements of actual Avengers.
NORTHLANDERS, VOL.1: SVEN THE RETURNED SC by Brian Wood and Davide Gianfelice. An engaging, original “You Can’t Go Home Again” story set near the turn of the last millennium. Stark and beautiful, giving the reader a real sense of how desolate Viking country was back then. Highly recommended.
RUNAWAYS #3 by Terry Moore and Huberto Ramos. Mostly Skrull-free! Still, these kids need a bigger Bad to fight. Or at least run away from. That Brian K. Vaughan is a tough act to follow…
SCALPED #22 by Jason Aaron and R.M. Guera. In which we finally see Chief Lincoln Red Crow’s first murder. I’d suggest you buy extra copies to hand out at Halloween but it would get you arrested. For “Great Taste in Comics!” Highly recommended.
SECRET INVASION #7 of 8 by Brian Michael Bendis and Leinil Francis Yu. Big fights!
SUPERMAN: NEW KRYPTON SPECIAL #1 by Tons O’People. There’s 100,000 new Kryptonians in town. At least they’re not mutants.
THOR: THE TRUTH OF HISTORY ONE-SHOT written and drawn by Alan Davis. A Thor adventure in ancient Egypt. “Osiris have mercy on us! Their skin is the color of a blood-drained corpse!” Guest-starring Laurel and Hardy! Honest!
THUNDERBOLTS #125 by Christos Gage and Fernando Blanco. Skrull fightin’ action!
ULTIMATE SPIDER-MAN #127 by Brian Michael Bendis and Stuart Immonen. Creepy Ultimate Carnage/Gwen Stacy is back. “But her face!”
WARREN ELLIS AETHERIC MECHANICS GN by Internet Jesus and Gianluca Pagliarani. Ellis’ twisted take on a Holmes/Watson mystery. So compelling that Avatar Press ALMOST decided to publicize it! Gotta look!
WOLVERINE: MANIFEST DESTINY #1 of 4 by Jason Aaron and Stephen Segovia. Wolverine goes to Chinatown looking to peacefully settle an old score. Not with three issues still to go, bub! Good stuff. Recommended.
X-FACTOR #36 by Peter David and Larry Stroman. If mutants are the next step in human evolution why does Larry Stroman draw them all like cro-magnon men? Even the girls. Starring all the mutants nobody else currently wants.
X-MEN: LEGACY #217 by Mike Carey and Scot Eaton. Wolverine’s long-lost son, nerd-level sexual intrigue and the saddest-looking last page I’ve seen this year. Sigh…
Y: THE LAST MAN DELUXE EDITION HC by Brian K. Vaughan and Pia Guerra. The first ten issues of the now-legendary series, done up nice and posh. Recommended.
www.johnjudy.net
By John Judy
BERNIE WRIGHTSON’S FRANKENSTEIN HC by Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley and Bernie Wrightson. If you’ve never seen this book before brace yourself for a religious experience. On the 25th anniversary of its original release, Dark Horse Comics has put together this Cadillac of a collectible. Contains the full text of the classic novel and 47 full-page illustrations by the Grand Master of American horror art. Highly Recommended and Then Some.
CAPTAIN AMERICA #43 by Ed Brubaker and Luke Ross. Winter Bucky fights that freedom-hating Frenchie, Batroc the Leaper! The moustache wax is gonna fly!
CRIMINAL 2 #6 by Ed Brubaker and Sean Phillips. The bodies are piling up and the poor slob behind “Frank Kafka: Private Eye” is in so far over his head he oughta change his name to Aquaman. Highly recommended!
DAREDEVIL #112 by Ed Brubaker and Michael Lark. The notorious assassins guild known as The Hand runs all over New York in search of a good thumping! And DD spends the night in jail for being a big man-whore. Spicey stories!
DC UNIVERSE HALLOWEEN 2008 by Various Spooks. A little something to hand out to the kids that won’t rot their teeth or get your house torched.
FINAL CRISIS #4 of 7 by Grant Morrison and J. G. Jones. Evil wins as Darkseid finally attains “The Anti-Life Equation!” (Also known as John McCain’s latest budget proposal.)
FINAL CRISIS: SUBMIT #1 by Grant Morrison and Matthew Clark. Darkseid and his goons want Black Lightning to submit! Insist on a safety-word, Black Lightning!
HULK #7 by Jeph Loeb, Frank Cho and Arthur Adams. Come for the Red Hulk, stay for the legendary artists! Or vice-versa. BTW, the Red Hulk is secretly Ang Lee.
NEW AVENGERS #46 by Brian Michael Bendis and Billy Tan. Otherwise known as “The Old Red Hood.” This issue contains trace elements of actual Avengers.
NORTHLANDERS, VOL.1: SVEN THE RETURNED SC by Brian Wood and Davide Gianfelice. An engaging, original “You Can’t Go Home Again” story set near the turn of the last millennium. Stark and beautiful, giving the reader a real sense of how desolate Viking country was back then. Highly recommended.
RUNAWAYS #3 by Terry Moore and Huberto Ramos. Mostly Skrull-free! Still, these kids need a bigger Bad to fight. Or at least run away from. That Brian K. Vaughan is a tough act to follow…
SCALPED #22 by Jason Aaron and R.M. Guera. In which we finally see Chief Lincoln Red Crow’s first murder. I’d suggest you buy extra copies to hand out at Halloween but it would get you arrested. For “Great Taste in Comics!” Highly recommended.
SECRET INVASION #7 of 8 by Brian Michael Bendis and Leinil Francis Yu. Big fights!
SUPERMAN: NEW KRYPTON SPECIAL #1 by Tons O’People. There’s 100,000 new Kryptonians in town. At least they’re not mutants.
THOR: THE TRUTH OF HISTORY ONE-SHOT written and drawn by Alan Davis. A Thor adventure in ancient Egypt. “Osiris have mercy on us! Their skin is the color of a blood-drained corpse!” Guest-starring Laurel and Hardy! Honest!
THUNDERBOLTS #125 by Christos Gage and Fernando Blanco. Skrull fightin’ action!
ULTIMATE SPIDER-MAN #127 by Brian Michael Bendis and Stuart Immonen. Creepy Ultimate Carnage/Gwen Stacy is back. “But her face!”
WARREN ELLIS AETHERIC MECHANICS GN by Internet Jesus and Gianluca Pagliarani. Ellis’ twisted take on a Holmes/Watson mystery. So compelling that Avatar Press ALMOST decided to publicize it! Gotta look!
WOLVERINE: MANIFEST DESTINY #1 of 4 by Jason Aaron and Stephen Segovia. Wolverine goes to Chinatown looking to peacefully settle an old score. Not with three issues still to go, bub! Good stuff. Recommended.
X-FACTOR #36 by Peter David and Larry Stroman. If mutants are the next step in human evolution why does Larry Stroman draw them all like cro-magnon men? Even the girls. Starring all the mutants nobody else currently wants.
X-MEN: LEGACY #217 by Mike Carey and Scot Eaton. Wolverine’s long-lost son, nerd-level sexual intrigue and the saddest-looking last page I’ve seen this year. Sigh…
Y: THE LAST MAN DELUXE EDITION HC by Brian K. Vaughan and Pia Guerra. The first ten issues of the now-legendary series, done up nice and posh. Recommended.
www.johnjudy.net
Saturday, October 11, 2008
QUICK REVIEWS OF COMICS DUE 10-15-08
QUICK REVIEWS OF COMICS DUE 10-15-08
By John Judy
AFTER 9-11: AMERICA’S WAR ON TERROR HC & SC by Sid Jacobson and Ernie Colon. The team behind the excellent 9-11 REPORT graphic adaptation now present us with its tragic sequel. While the creators strive to be fair to all concerned the Bushies come off almost as badly as they deserve. Hey, misleading a nation into a bankrupting, unnecessary war will do that sometimes! Highly recommended for 4,115 reasons as of this writing.
AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #573 by Dan Slott and John Romita Jr. Spidey and Norman Osborn mix it up but the real story is the variant cover featuring Stephen Colbert! “Stephen Colbert: Better than zombies and apes put together!”
ASTONISHING X-MEN #27 by Warren Ellis and Simone Bianchi. This is one of those special books where, even if you don’t love where it’s going, you have to respect the intelligence of the writing and the intricate beauty of the art. It even has jokes that work! Who knew the White Queen’s real power was drollery? Recommended.
CAPTAIN BRITAIN AND MI13 #6 by Paul Cornell and Leonard Kirk. Vampires! Mindless Ones! But enough about the GOP base… This is a good comic. Clever, worth reading, recommended.
DC UNIVERSE DECISIONS #3 of 4 by Judd Winick, Bill Willingham and Rick Leonardi. The most amazing thing about the DCU isn’t the superheroes. It’s that there are four viable candidates for President in the general election. I wish we could have President Luthor back. He kept us safe.
EX MACHINA VOL. 7: EX CATHEDRA SC by Brian K. Vaughan and Tony Harris. Collecting issues #30-35 in which the Great Machine meets the Pope. Hijinks ensue. Recommended.
FINAL CRISIS: LEGION OF THREE WORLDS #2 of 5 by Geoff Johns and George Perez. Great, epic, continuity-shattering space opera by two guys who were born to do this sort of thing! On, Nerdery, on! Recommended.
FINAL CRISIS: ROGUES REVENGE #3 of 3 by Geoff Johns and Scott Kolins. The big throw-down between the Rogues and the Secret Society! Who will burn? Who will freeze? Who will… look bad in the mirror? Plus, Barry Allen!
GHOST RIDER #28 by Jason Aaron and Tang Eng Hut. Two Ghost Riders, Johnny Blaze and Danny Ketch, fight in the mountains of Tibet. Why isn’t Tarantino filming this right now? Also, a Very Special back-up story.
GREATEST HITS #2 of 6 by David Tischman, Glenn Fabry and Gary Erskine. A great new series based on the idea that the British Invasion of the sixties was not rockers but superheroes. Oh, and somebody dies. Probably the hero whose superpowers are drumming and mooching off his girlfriend. Very clever, lots of inside humor, recommended.
HULK MONSTER-SIZE SPECIAL #1. (Insert incredibly inappropriate joke here.)
JUSTICE SOCIETY OF AMERICA #19 by Geoff Johns, Alex Ross and Dale Eaglesham. Everybody fights everybody! Finally! It’s Gog-errific!
MIGHTY AVENGERS #19 by Brian Michael Bendis and Steve Kurth. Warning! This issue may contain actual Avengers!
PUNISHER MAX #63 by Gregg Hurwitz and Laurence Campbell. Last issue some low-down meth dealers tricked Frank into wasting a kidnapped little girl. This issue Frank responds. Not for kids.
RASL #3 written and drawn by Jeff Smith. The mystery of Smith’s dimension-hopping thief continues. Who is the lizard dude and why is he chasing Rasl down? Cartoon, sci-fi noir. Good stuff. Recommended.
SCALPED VOL.3 SC: DEAD MOTHERS by Jason Aaron, R.M. Guera and John Paul Leon. Don’t buy anything else this week until you’ve picked up this book, collecting issues #12–18 of this amazing, gut-punching series. Not for kids. For everyone else. Highly recommended.
SUPERMAN AND BATMAN VS VAMPIRES AND WEREWOLVES #1 of 6. I list this comic only because I wanted to type the title.
SUPERMAN’S PAL, JIMMY OLSEN SPECIAL #1 by James Robinson and Jesus Merino. We always knew he was.
ULTIMATE ORIGINS #5 of 5 by Brian Michael Bendis and Butch Guice. Okay, it’s been an interesting ride, but I’d like to officially request of Marvel that all future ULTIMATE mini-series actually have an ending rather than just being lead-ins to the next friggin’ ULTIMATE mini-series! Just make it a maxi-series if it takes longer than six issues to tell the story. Nuff said!
UNCANNY X-MEN #503 by Matt Fraction, Ed Brubaker and Greg Land. Mutants drink beer, fight and smile a lot. Did you know that in San Francisco everyone has perfectly straight, white teeth? Or at least solid white bands where teeth should be? Don’t tell me comic books lie! Also a certain redhead is back from the dead. It must be Wednesday.
WELCOME TO HOXFORD #3 written and executed by Ben Templesmith. The artist of FELL pulls out the stops on this Werewolves vs. Psycho-Killer diversion. It’s fun but not for kids.
www.johnjudy.net
By John Judy
AFTER 9-11: AMERICA’S WAR ON TERROR HC & SC by Sid Jacobson and Ernie Colon. The team behind the excellent 9-11 REPORT graphic adaptation now present us with its tragic sequel. While the creators strive to be fair to all concerned the Bushies come off almost as badly as they deserve. Hey, misleading a nation into a bankrupting, unnecessary war will do that sometimes! Highly recommended for 4,115 reasons as of this writing.
AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #573 by Dan Slott and John Romita Jr. Spidey and Norman Osborn mix it up but the real story is the variant cover featuring Stephen Colbert! “Stephen Colbert: Better than zombies and apes put together!”
ASTONISHING X-MEN #27 by Warren Ellis and Simone Bianchi. This is one of those special books where, even if you don’t love where it’s going, you have to respect the intelligence of the writing and the intricate beauty of the art. It even has jokes that work! Who knew the White Queen’s real power was drollery? Recommended.
CAPTAIN BRITAIN AND MI13 #6 by Paul Cornell and Leonard Kirk. Vampires! Mindless Ones! But enough about the GOP base… This is a good comic. Clever, worth reading, recommended.
DC UNIVERSE DECISIONS #3 of 4 by Judd Winick, Bill Willingham and Rick Leonardi. The most amazing thing about the DCU isn’t the superheroes. It’s that there are four viable candidates for President in the general election. I wish we could have President Luthor back. He kept us safe.
EX MACHINA VOL. 7: EX CATHEDRA SC by Brian K. Vaughan and Tony Harris. Collecting issues #30-35 in which the Great Machine meets the Pope. Hijinks ensue. Recommended.
FINAL CRISIS: LEGION OF THREE WORLDS #2 of 5 by Geoff Johns and George Perez. Great, epic, continuity-shattering space opera by two guys who were born to do this sort of thing! On, Nerdery, on! Recommended.
FINAL CRISIS: ROGUES REVENGE #3 of 3 by Geoff Johns and Scott Kolins. The big throw-down between the Rogues and the Secret Society! Who will burn? Who will freeze? Who will… look bad in the mirror? Plus, Barry Allen!
GHOST RIDER #28 by Jason Aaron and Tang Eng Hut. Two Ghost Riders, Johnny Blaze and Danny Ketch, fight in the mountains of Tibet. Why isn’t Tarantino filming this right now? Also, a Very Special back-up story.
GREATEST HITS #2 of 6 by David Tischman, Glenn Fabry and Gary Erskine. A great new series based on the idea that the British Invasion of the sixties was not rockers but superheroes. Oh, and somebody dies. Probably the hero whose superpowers are drumming and mooching off his girlfriend. Very clever, lots of inside humor, recommended.
HULK MONSTER-SIZE SPECIAL #1. (Insert incredibly inappropriate joke here.)
JUSTICE SOCIETY OF AMERICA #19 by Geoff Johns, Alex Ross and Dale Eaglesham. Everybody fights everybody! Finally! It’s Gog-errific!
MIGHTY AVENGERS #19 by Brian Michael Bendis and Steve Kurth. Warning! This issue may contain actual Avengers!
PUNISHER MAX #63 by Gregg Hurwitz and Laurence Campbell. Last issue some low-down meth dealers tricked Frank into wasting a kidnapped little girl. This issue Frank responds. Not for kids.
RASL #3 written and drawn by Jeff Smith. The mystery of Smith’s dimension-hopping thief continues. Who is the lizard dude and why is he chasing Rasl down? Cartoon, sci-fi noir. Good stuff. Recommended.
SCALPED VOL.3 SC: DEAD MOTHERS by Jason Aaron, R.M. Guera and John Paul Leon. Don’t buy anything else this week until you’ve picked up this book, collecting issues #12–18 of this amazing, gut-punching series. Not for kids. For everyone else. Highly recommended.
SUPERMAN AND BATMAN VS VAMPIRES AND WEREWOLVES #1 of 6. I list this comic only because I wanted to type the title.
SUPERMAN’S PAL, JIMMY OLSEN SPECIAL #1 by James Robinson and Jesus Merino. We always knew he was.
ULTIMATE ORIGINS #5 of 5 by Brian Michael Bendis and Butch Guice. Okay, it’s been an interesting ride, but I’d like to officially request of Marvel that all future ULTIMATE mini-series actually have an ending rather than just being lead-ins to the next friggin’ ULTIMATE mini-series! Just make it a maxi-series if it takes longer than six issues to tell the story. Nuff said!
UNCANNY X-MEN #503 by Matt Fraction, Ed Brubaker and Greg Land. Mutants drink beer, fight and smile a lot. Did you know that in San Francisco everyone has perfectly straight, white teeth? Or at least solid white bands where teeth should be? Don’t tell me comic books lie! Also a certain redhead is back from the dead. It must be Wednesday.
WELCOME TO HOXFORD #3 written and executed by Ben Templesmith. The artist of FELL pulls out the stops on this Werewolves vs. Psycho-Killer diversion. It’s fun but not for kids.
www.johnjudy.net
Sunday, October 05, 2008
QUICK REVIEWS FOR COMICS DUE 10-08-08 (Yom Kippur!)
QUICK REVIEWS FOR COMICS DUE 10-08-08 (Yom Kippur!)
By John Judy
NOTE: Be sure to read this week’s X-comics before sunset so you can atone for doing so.
ACTION COMICS #870 by Geoff Johns and Gary Frank. Clark fights Brainiac and gets so upset he leaves his shirt open on the front cover! Great Krypton!
AVENGERS/INVADERS #5 of 12 by Alex Ross, Jim Krueger and Steve Sadowski. Do you want a comic in which Wolverine rides piggy-back on a flaming mutant boy in swim trunks? How about a comic in which a deaf character lip-reads Spider-Man even though Spidey is wearing a mask that covers his entire face? Okay, how about a comic in which the original Human Torch equates trashed government robots (LMDs) with Jews murdered in the holocaust? And it’s drawn almost as well as it reads. Seven more issues until we discover if a comic will ship with zero retailer orders.
DC COMICS GOES APE SC by Various Creators. You want ape-fights? You want superheroes turning into apes and fighting other superheroes who have also turned into apes? Well, buster, you came to the right place! And we don’t need no WWII secret vampire apes neither! This is Old Ape School, pally-boy! “Ook!”
FINAL CRISIS: REVELATIONS #3 of 5 by Greg Rucka and Philip Tan. Darkseid has the anti-life equation and it will be on the test!
GOON #29 written and drawn by Eric Powell. “You’d think he’d learn not to eat sauerkraut around the Goon. He hates the smell of sauerkraut.” “There’s no learnin’ some people. You just gotta twist their heads around.” So highly recommended…
GREEN LANTERN #35 by Geoff Johns and Ivan Reis. The final chapter of the Hal Jordan/Sinestro buddy-cop movie! Good stuff.
HELLBOY LIBRARY EDITION, VOL. 2 HC by Mike Mignola, Matthew Hollingsworth and James Sinclair. Collecting the complete “Chained Coffin” and “The Right Hand of Doom” in super-sweet 9 x 12 format! Recommended.
MARVEL ZOMBIES 3 #1 of 4 by Fred Van Lente and Kev Walker. A surprisingly good follow-up to a series that kind of half jumped the shark a year ago. Credit the talents of artist Kev Walker and author and co-founder of EvilTwin Comics, Fred Van Lente. Worth a look if you liked the first MZ series.
PRESIDENTIAL MATERIAL: BARACK OBAMA by Jeff Mariotte and Tom Morgan. IDW Publishing is putting out two graphic biographies of the men vying to become our next President: Senator Barack Obama and the guy who’s going to lose because he picked your crazy homeroom teacher as his running mate. Gotta look! Gotta vote!
SECRET SIX #2 by Gail Simone and Nicola Scott. Batman versus Catman! Can Ratman be far behind? No, because there is no Ratman, I made him up. How about Scatman Crothers? No, he’s dead. Okay, seriously, this is a good team book, kind of like THUNDERBOLTS only more intimate. Honest. For some reason the best super-team books lately are about teams of villains. Go figure.
SERENITY: BETTER DAYS SC by Joss Whedon, Brett Matthews and Will Conrad. Collecting the three-issue space adventures of the crew that made Han Solo look like a choirboy. Stupid Fox Television!
SHOWCASE PRESENTS: BLACKHAWK VOL. 1 SC by Various Creators. Collecting BLACKHAWK issues #108-127 from the fabulous fifties. They’re being eaten by a giant robot whale who is almost certainly a commie. Old school.
THE STAND: CAPTAIN TRIPS #2 of 5 by Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa and Mike Perkins. So far this is turning out to be among the strongest adaptations of Stephen King’s work in comics or any other medium. Not kidding. Highly recommended.
THE TWELVE #8 of 12 by J. Michael Straczynski and Chris Weston. Electro the mysterious robot makes his move. Finally! Recommended.
TWO-FACE: YEAR ONE #2 of 2 by Mark Sable and Jesus Saiz. Two-Face is running for election! But enough about John McCain….
WALKING DEAD #53 by Robert Kirkman and Charles Adlard. Old friends return and new ones are made. At least we think they’re friends… Recommended. Not for kids.
WONDER WOMAN #25 by Gail Simone and Bernard Chang. Wonder Woman is determined to stop a movie of her life from being made. If only the suits hadn’t said “Does she have to be a woman?”
X-MEN: MAGNETO TESTAMENT #2 of 5 by Greg Pak and Carmine Di Giandomenico. A bold attempt to show the early life of one of Marvel’s iconic villains as a young Jewish boy trying to survive in Hitler’s Germany. Not your run-of-the-mill X-garbage. Worth checking out.
X-MEN: MANIFEST DESTINY #2 of 5 by Lotsa People. Three stories of mutants with intimacy issues. Also a philosophy under which Marvel will attempt to push all other comics off the racks in order to accommodate more X-Books, regardless of quality. Nuff said!
X-MEN: ORIGINAL SIN #1 by Daniel Way, Mike Deodato, Mike Carey and Scot Eaton. Wolverine beats up and threatens to kill his X-friends. An artist forgets how to draw Wolver-Lad’s claws. And they re-print the first issue of CLASSIC X-MEN. The good news? This is a one-shot.
www.johnjudy.net
By John Judy
NOTE: Be sure to read this week’s X-comics before sunset so you can atone for doing so.
ACTION COMICS #870 by Geoff Johns and Gary Frank. Clark fights Brainiac and gets so upset he leaves his shirt open on the front cover! Great Krypton!
AVENGERS/INVADERS #5 of 12 by Alex Ross, Jim Krueger and Steve Sadowski. Do you want a comic in which Wolverine rides piggy-back on a flaming mutant boy in swim trunks? How about a comic in which a deaf character lip-reads Spider-Man even though Spidey is wearing a mask that covers his entire face? Okay, how about a comic in which the original Human Torch equates trashed government robots (LMDs) with Jews murdered in the holocaust? And it’s drawn almost as well as it reads. Seven more issues until we discover if a comic will ship with zero retailer orders.
DC COMICS GOES APE SC by Various Creators. You want ape-fights? You want superheroes turning into apes and fighting other superheroes who have also turned into apes? Well, buster, you came to the right place! And we don’t need no WWII secret vampire apes neither! This is Old Ape School, pally-boy! “Ook!”
FINAL CRISIS: REVELATIONS #3 of 5 by Greg Rucka and Philip Tan. Darkseid has the anti-life equation and it will be on the test!
GOON #29 written and drawn by Eric Powell. “You’d think he’d learn not to eat sauerkraut around the Goon. He hates the smell of sauerkraut.” “There’s no learnin’ some people. You just gotta twist their heads around.” So highly recommended…
GREEN LANTERN #35 by Geoff Johns and Ivan Reis. The final chapter of the Hal Jordan/Sinestro buddy-cop movie! Good stuff.
HELLBOY LIBRARY EDITION, VOL. 2 HC by Mike Mignola, Matthew Hollingsworth and James Sinclair. Collecting the complete “Chained Coffin” and “The Right Hand of Doom” in super-sweet 9 x 12 format! Recommended.
MARVEL ZOMBIES 3 #1 of 4 by Fred Van Lente and Kev Walker. A surprisingly good follow-up to a series that kind of half jumped the shark a year ago. Credit the talents of artist Kev Walker and author and co-founder of EvilTwin Comics, Fred Van Lente. Worth a look if you liked the first MZ series.
PRESIDENTIAL MATERIAL: BARACK OBAMA by Jeff Mariotte and Tom Morgan. IDW Publishing is putting out two graphic biographies of the men vying to become our next President: Senator Barack Obama and the guy who’s going to lose because he picked your crazy homeroom teacher as his running mate. Gotta look! Gotta vote!
SECRET SIX #2 by Gail Simone and Nicola Scott. Batman versus Catman! Can Ratman be far behind? No, because there is no Ratman, I made him up. How about Scatman Crothers? No, he’s dead. Okay, seriously, this is a good team book, kind of like THUNDERBOLTS only more intimate. Honest. For some reason the best super-team books lately are about teams of villains. Go figure.
SERENITY: BETTER DAYS SC by Joss Whedon, Brett Matthews and Will Conrad. Collecting the three-issue space adventures of the crew that made Han Solo look like a choirboy. Stupid Fox Television!
SHOWCASE PRESENTS: BLACKHAWK VOL. 1 SC by Various Creators. Collecting BLACKHAWK issues #108-127 from the fabulous fifties. They’re being eaten by a giant robot whale who is almost certainly a commie. Old school.
THE STAND: CAPTAIN TRIPS #2 of 5 by Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa and Mike Perkins. So far this is turning out to be among the strongest adaptations of Stephen King’s work in comics or any other medium. Not kidding. Highly recommended.
THE TWELVE #8 of 12 by J. Michael Straczynski and Chris Weston. Electro the mysterious robot makes his move. Finally! Recommended.
TWO-FACE: YEAR ONE #2 of 2 by Mark Sable and Jesus Saiz. Two-Face is running for election! But enough about John McCain….
WALKING DEAD #53 by Robert Kirkman and Charles Adlard. Old friends return and new ones are made. At least we think they’re friends… Recommended. Not for kids.
WONDER WOMAN #25 by Gail Simone and Bernard Chang. Wonder Woman is determined to stop a movie of her life from being made. If only the suits hadn’t said “Does she have to be a woman?”
X-MEN: MAGNETO TESTAMENT #2 of 5 by Greg Pak and Carmine Di Giandomenico. A bold attempt to show the early life of one of Marvel’s iconic villains as a young Jewish boy trying to survive in Hitler’s Germany. Not your run-of-the-mill X-garbage. Worth checking out.
X-MEN: MANIFEST DESTINY #2 of 5 by Lotsa People. Three stories of mutants with intimacy issues. Also a philosophy under which Marvel will attempt to push all other comics off the racks in order to accommodate more X-Books, regardless of quality. Nuff said!
X-MEN: ORIGINAL SIN #1 by Daniel Way, Mike Deodato, Mike Carey and Scot Eaton. Wolverine beats up and threatens to kill his X-friends. An artist forgets how to draw Wolver-Lad’s claws. And they re-print the first issue of CLASSIC X-MEN. The good news? This is a one-shot.
www.johnjudy.net
Monday, September 29, 2008
QUICK REVIEWS FOR COMICS DUE 10-01-08
QUICK REVIEWS FOR COMICS DUE 10-01-08
By John Judy
THE ALCOHOLIC HC by Jonathan Ames and Dean Haspiel. A graphic novel about a writer who enjoys the occasional tipple if you can imagine such a beastly thing.
BATMAN #680 by Grant Morrison and Tony Daniel. In which Bats faces down the Joker and the Club of Villains. Do they not realize he’s the !@#$% Batman?!
BEST AMERICAN COMICS 2008 HC by Lotsa People including Chris Ware, Seth, Alison Bechdel and some guy named Matt Groening. Edited by Lynda Barry, Jessica Abel and Matt Madden. What it says, people. Gotta look.
THE BOYS #23 by Garth Ennis and Darick Robertson. Beginning a new storyline so big they needed multiple covers just to…. Um…. Just to…. Take more money from gullible fans? Come on guys it’s a good series. You don’t need to do this. Plus the third BOYS trade paperback is out too, collecting issues #15-18.
DC UNIVERSE DECISIONS #2 of 4 by Judd Winick, Bill Willingham and Rick Leonardi. So we’ve learned that Lois Lane believes in small government, low taxes and a strong military. In other words there is no party in America she can vote for. I now believe this is a woman who was fooled by a pair of glasses all those years. Oh, and Green Arrow is a “librul.” Who knew? Good for DC for at least attempting to broach the subject of who a real hero would vote for.
DOKTOR SLEEPLESS #9 by Warren Ellis and Ivan Rodriguez. Doktor Sleepless: Hero, Villain, or Complete Nutjob? My money’s on “Yes.”
HARVEY COMICS CLASSICS, VOL. 4: BABY HUEY SC by Various Creators. It’s about a huge creature in a diaper who just wants someone to play with him. And it’s NOT Republican Senator David Vitter of Louisiana! It’s NOT, do you hear?!
JUSTICE LEAGUE OF AMERICA #25 by Dwayne McDuffie and Ed Benes. The African spider-god Anansi begins screwing with the histories of the JLA members. Is Anansi gunning for a job with DC Editorial?
MARVEL APES #3 of 4 by Karl Kesel and Ramon Bachs. They ain’t just super-hero apes, pal! They are VAMPIRE super-hero apes! Might as well just ship Kesel and Bachs their Eisners now. In your face, WATCHMEN!
NO HERO #1 of 7 by Warren Ellis and Juan Jose Ryp. That nice Mr. Ellis suggests that super-heroing might occasionally present certain unpleasantries.
SUB-MARINER: DEPTHS #2 of 5 by Peter Milligan and Esad Ribic. In this sorta out of continuity, sorta Mature Readers version Prince Namor is a scary legend of the sea who terrorizes and kills anyone dumb enough to screw with him. Milligan seems to get what Bill Everett figured out in Subby’s first appearance. The Sub-Mariner isn’t terrifying because he can breathe water. He’s terrifying because you can’t.
TOP TEN: SEASON TWO #1 of 4 by Xander Cannon and Gene Ha. The hard-working super-cops of Neoplolis are back without the guiding hand of creator Alan Moore. Still looks amazing. For fans of cop dramas and classic spandex. Recommended.
www.johnjudy.net
By John Judy
THE ALCOHOLIC HC by Jonathan Ames and Dean Haspiel. A graphic novel about a writer who enjoys the occasional tipple if you can imagine such a beastly thing.
BATMAN #680 by Grant Morrison and Tony Daniel. In which Bats faces down the Joker and the Club of Villains. Do they not realize he’s the !@#$% Batman?!
BEST AMERICAN COMICS 2008 HC by Lotsa People including Chris Ware, Seth, Alison Bechdel and some guy named Matt Groening. Edited by Lynda Barry, Jessica Abel and Matt Madden. What it says, people. Gotta look.
THE BOYS #23 by Garth Ennis and Darick Robertson. Beginning a new storyline so big they needed multiple covers just to…. Um…. Just to…. Take more money from gullible fans? Come on guys it’s a good series. You don’t need to do this. Plus the third BOYS trade paperback is out too, collecting issues #15-18.
DC UNIVERSE DECISIONS #2 of 4 by Judd Winick, Bill Willingham and Rick Leonardi. So we’ve learned that Lois Lane believes in small government, low taxes and a strong military. In other words there is no party in America she can vote for. I now believe this is a woman who was fooled by a pair of glasses all those years. Oh, and Green Arrow is a “librul.” Who knew? Good for DC for at least attempting to broach the subject of who a real hero would vote for.
DOKTOR SLEEPLESS #9 by Warren Ellis and Ivan Rodriguez. Doktor Sleepless: Hero, Villain, or Complete Nutjob? My money’s on “Yes.”
HARVEY COMICS CLASSICS, VOL. 4: BABY HUEY SC by Various Creators. It’s about a huge creature in a diaper who just wants someone to play with him. And it’s NOT Republican Senator David Vitter of Louisiana! It’s NOT, do you hear?!
JUSTICE LEAGUE OF AMERICA #25 by Dwayne McDuffie and Ed Benes. The African spider-god Anansi begins screwing with the histories of the JLA members. Is Anansi gunning for a job with DC Editorial?
MARVEL APES #3 of 4 by Karl Kesel and Ramon Bachs. They ain’t just super-hero apes, pal! They are VAMPIRE super-hero apes! Might as well just ship Kesel and Bachs their Eisners now. In your face, WATCHMEN!
NO HERO #1 of 7 by Warren Ellis and Juan Jose Ryp. That nice Mr. Ellis suggests that super-heroing might occasionally present certain unpleasantries.
SUB-MARINER: DEPTHS #2 of 5 by Peter Milligan and Esad Ribic. In this sorta out of continuity, sorta Mature Readers version Prince Namor is a scary legend of the sea who terrorizes and kills anyone dumb enough to screw with him. Milligan seems to get what Bill Everett figured out in Subby’s first appearance. The Sub-Mariner isn’t terrifying because he can breathe water. He’s terrifying because you can’t.
TOP TEN: SEASON TWO #1 of 4 by Xander Cannon and Gene Ha. The hard-working super-cops of Neoplolis are back without the guiding hand of creator Alan Moore. Still looks amazing. For fans of cop dramas and classic spandex. Recommended.
www.johnjudy.net
Monday, September 22, 2008
QUICK REVIEWS FOR COMICS DUE 09-24-08
QUICK REVIEWS FOR COMICS DUE 09-24-08
By John Judy
ABSOLUTE RONIN HC written and illustrated by pre-psychotic Frank Miller. It’s awesome! The savage six-issue story of a psychokinetic, cyborg samurai, first published in 1983 back when Miller was only 26. What happened? Oh yeah….
ALL-STAR BATMAN AND ROBIN #10-B by Frank Miller and Jim Lee. Well it took ‘em two weeks but they finally got enough soap to wash out Frank Miller’s mouth. What a (redacted)!
AVENGERS INITIATIVE #17 by Dan Slott, Christos Gage and Stefano Caselli. The Skrulls get their big green heinies handed to them by the good ol’ U.S. Avengers!
BACK TO BROOKLYN #1 of 5 by Garth Ennis and Jimmy Palmiotti. How would you kill every crime crew in Brooklyn if you absolutely had to? This is a PUNISHER story so gruesome Marvel wouldn’t publish it. Recommended but not for kids or before meals.
BLACK PANTHER #41 by Jason Aaron and Jefte Palo. The Skrulls have T’Challa right where he wants them. Time to serve it up Wakanda-style!
CAPTAIN AMERICA #42 by Ed Brubaker and Steve Epting. The Red Skull just can’t get good help these days. It’s an on-going problem when the only people who will work for you are drug-addled white supremacists and Scientists who are, technically, well y’know “Mad.” Anyway, the adventures of Bucky America continue to entertain. Recommended.
DAREDEVIL #111 by Ed Brubaker and Clay Mann. In which we meet Lady Bullseye and it’s a lot less horrible than that sounds. Also Matt does something so wrong it’s right. Good stuff.
FANTASTIC FOUR #560 by Mark Millar and Bryan Hitch. Some time-travel business supposedly tied into the “death” of the Invisible Woman. Who even knew she was sick?!
HELLBOY: THE CROOKED MAN #3 of 3 by Mike Mignola and Richard Corben. In which we learn that hillbilly country is about the last place in the world where people are still dumb enough to sell their souls to the Devil. Do they not get “Twilight Zone” reruns up there?
HULK #6 by Jeph Loeb and Ed McGuinness. Red Hulk! Green Hulk! Smash! Man, this thing writes itself!
IMMORTAL IRON FIST: ORSON RANDALL AND THE DEATH QUEEN OF CALIFORNIA #1 by Duane Swiercynski and Guiseppe Camuncoli. Yeah, I dated her… Recommended.
NEW AVENGERS #45 by Brian Michael Bendis and Jim Cheung. In which we learn what happened to the Secret Invasion Skrulls during the House of M. And possibly Heroes Reborn, Operation Galactic Storm and Atlantis Attacks. But not Countdown. IT NEVER HAPPENED!
NORTHLANDERS #10 by Brian Wood and Dean Ormston. A young boy gets to live his dream of watching Vikings destroy his hated hometown. A must for everyone who was ever The Last One Picked for Kickball. No, seriously, this series is a gem and you should give it a read. Highly recommended.
PREVIEWS by Marvel and Diamond Comics. Find what you want for the holidays here!
RUNAWAYS #2 by Terry Moore and Humberto Ramos. Karolina Dean like, gets totally blamed for like, eradicating a whole planet of aliens which she like, totally did not do! Duh, angry space people! I am totally flaming you on MySpace about this!
SOLOMON KANE #1 of 5 by Scott Allie and Mario Guevara. A really well-drawn revival of Robert E. Howard’s other famous pulp creation, a tough as nails 17th century Puritan who mows through evil like a pinch-faced terminator. Definitely worth a look.
SUPERMAN #680 by James Robinson and Renato Guedes. Krypto vs. Atlas! Arf!
THUNDERBOLTS #124 by Christos Gage and Fernando Blanco. The T-Bolts fight the Skrulls for control of Washington D.C. But where do they stand on flag-burning?! Ya remember flag-burning?! Ah the good old days…
ULTIMATE SPIDER-MAN #126 by Brian Michael Bendis and Stuart Immonen. Ultimate Spidey-Venom fights the Ultimates and tries to eat them. Big, hungry fight.
ULTIMATES 3 #5 of 5 by Jeph Loeb and Joe Madureira. In which we finally learn who killed the Scarlet Witch. Featuring robot duplicates and revolting plot points involving Quicksilver and SW engaging in the West Virginia State Sport. Yuck.
WOLVERINE: ROAR #1 by Duane Swiercynski and Mike Deodato. A stand-alone story about Wolverine and a vicious animal. But I repeat myself…
WOLVERINE ORIGINS #28 by Daniel Way and Mike Deodato. A story which firmly establishes Wolverine as a mass murderer of innocents and Professor X as a guy who looks the other way. Gee, now if only the X-Men can be ret-conned into Satanist pedophiles Mr. Way’s work will be complete.
X-MEN LEGACY #216 by Mike Carey and Phil Briones. Emma Frost psychically violates Professor X’s mind because she’s a twisted, sadistic witch. Pardon me. “Because it’s for his own good.” Pots and kettles all around! Hoo-ha!
www.johnjudy.net
By John Judy
ABSOLUTE RONIN HC written and illustrated by pre-psychotic Frank Miller. It’s awesome! The savage six-issue story of a psychokinetic, cyborg samurai, first published in 1983 back when Miller was only 26. What happened? Oh yeah….
ALL-STAR BATMAN AND ROBIN #10-B by Frank Miller and Jim Lee. Well it took ‘em two weeks but they finally got enough soap to wash out Frank Miller’s mouth. What a (redacted)!
AVENGERS INITIATIVE #17 by Dan Slott, Christos Gage and Stefano Caselli. The Skrulls get their big green heinies handed to them by the good ol’ U.S. Avengers!
BACK TO BROOKLYN #1 of 5 by Garth Ennis and Jimmy Palmiotti. How would you kill every crime crew in Brooklyn if you absolutely had to? This is a PUNISHER story so gruesome Marvel wouldn’t publish it. Recommended but not for kids or before meals.
BLACK PANTHER #41 by Jason Aaron and Jefte Palo. The Skrulls have T’Challa right where he wants them. Time to serve it up Wakanda-style!
CAPTAIN AMERICA #42 by Ed Brubaker and Steve Epting. The Red Skull just can’t get good help these days. It’s an on-going problem when the only people who will work for you are drug-addled white supremacists and Scientists who are, technically, well y’know “Mad.” Anyway, the adventures of Bucky America continue to entertain. Recommended.
DAREDEVIL #111 by Ed Brubaker and Clay Mann. In which we meet Lady Bullseye and it’s a lot less horrible than that sounds. Also Matt does something so wrong it’s right. Good stuff.
FANTASTIC FOUR #560 by Mark Millar and Bryan Hitch. Some time-travel business supposedly tied into the “death” of the Invisible Woman. Who even knew she was sick?!
HELLBOY: THE CROOKED MAN #3 of 3 by Mike Mignola and Richard Corben. In which we learn that hillbilly country is about the last place in the world where people are still dumb enough to sell their souls to the Devil. Do they not get “Twilight Zone” reruns up there?
HULK #6 by Jeph Loeb and Ed McGuinness. Red Hulk! Green Hulk! Smash! Man, this thing writes itself!
IMMORTAL IRON FIST: ORSON RANDALL AND THE DEATH QUEEN OF CALIFORNIA #1 by Duane Swiercynski and Guiseppe Camuncoli. Yeah, I dated her… Recommended.
NEW AVENGERS #45 by Brian Michael Bendis and Jim Cheung. In which we learn what happened to the Secret Invasion Skrulls during the House of M. And possibly Heroes Reborn, Operation Galactic Storm and Atlantis Attacks. But not Countdown. IT NEVER HAPPENED!
NORTHLANDERS #10 by Brian Wood and Dean Ormston. A young boy gets to live his dream of watching Vikings destroy his hated hometown. A must for everyone who was ever The Last One Picked for Kickball. No, seriously, this series is a gem and you should give it a read. Highly recommended.
PREVIEWS by Marvel and Diamond Comics. Find what you want for the holidays here!
RUNAWAYS #2 by Terry Moore and Humberto Ramos. Karolina Dean like, gets totally blamed for like, eradicating a whole planet of aliens which she like, totally did not do! Duh, angry space people! I am totally flaming you on MySpace about this!
SOLOMON KANE #1 of 5 by Scott Allie and Mario Guevara. A really well-drawn revival of Robert E. Howard’s other famous pulp creation, a tough as nails 17th century Puritan who mows through evil like a pinch-faced terminator. Definitely worth a look.
SUPERMAN #680 by James Robinson and Renato Guedes. Krypto vs. Atlas! Arf!
THUNDERBOLTS #124 by Christos Gage and Fernando Blanco. The T-Bolts fight the Skrulls for control of Washington D.C. But where do they stand on flag-burning?! Ya remember flag-burning?! Ah the good old days…
ULTIMATE SPIDER-MAN #126 by Brian Michael Bendis and Stuart Immonen. Ultimate Spidey-Venom fights the Ultimates and tries to eat them. Big, hungry fight.
ULTIMATES 3 #5 of 5 by Jeph Loeb and Joe Madureira. In which we finally learn who killed the Scarlet Witch. Featuring robot duplicates and revolting plot points involving Quicksilver and SW engaging in the West Virginia State Sport. Yuck.
WOLVERINE: ROAR #1 by Duane Swiercynski and Mike Deodato. A stand-alone story about Wolverine and a vicious animal. But I repeat myself…
WOLVERINE ORIGINS #28 by Daniel Way and Mike Deodato. A story which firmly establishes Wolverine as a mass murderer of innocents and Professor X as a guy who looks the other way. Gee, now if only the X-Men can be ret-conned into Satanist pedophiles Mr. Way’s work will be complete.
X-MEN LEGACY #216 by Mike Carey and Phil Briones. Emma Frost psychically violates Professor X’s mind because she’s a twisted, sadistic witch. Pardon me. “Because it’s for his own good.” Pots and kettles all around! Hoo-ha!
www.johnjudy.net
Sunday, September 14, 2008
QUICK REVIEWS FOR COMICS DUE 09-17-08
QUICK REVIEWS FOR COMICS DUE 09-17-08
By John Judy
ACTION COMICS #869 by Geoff Johns and Gary Frank. “He’s a Brainiac, Brainiac on the floooorrr….!” I’m sorry.
ALL-STAR BATMAN AND ROBIN #10 (the amended version) by Frank Miller and Jim Lee. This isn’t actually on the invoice but I’m hoping DC is able to ship all the replacement copies for the ones they had to destroy or put on E-Bay last week thanks to Frank Miller’s insistence that all his potty-mouth dialogue be printed before being “blacked-out” afterwards. Oops. Frank is at that point in his career in which he appears comfortable with every word except “No.” Hopefully this will pass after “The Spirit” wins a few Razzies.
ALL-STAR SUPERMAN #12 by Grant Morrison and Frank Quitely. Well, it’s taken three years but we’ve finally made it to issue twelve! In this climactic issue we find out how a dying Superman deals with Lex, Lois and all sorts of other stuff! All without a single crude reference to female anatomy!
AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #572 by Dan Slott and John Romita Jr. The amazing Norman Osborn continues dancing his sociopathic jig on the corpse of decency. Fun stuff! Oh, and Spider-Man appears too. Recommended.
ASTOUNDING WOLF-MAN #8 by Robert Kirkman and Jason Howard. Now monthly The Astounding W.M. goes out looking for the Were-Creep who cast his life into a furry Hell. (Note: “Furry Hell” is also where you go when you die while misbehaving at Sci-Fi conventions.)
BILLY BATSON AND THE MAGIC OF SHAZAM #2 written and drawn by Mike Kunkel. Setting up the Captain Marvel/Black Adam rivalry. Gotta admit the art on this series doesn’t grab me the way Jeff Smith’s did but the spirit remains the same and my kid seems to enjoy it. And shouldn’t there always be a Captain Marvel comic on the racks?
CAPTAIN BRITAIN AND MI13 #5 by Paul Cornell and Pat Olliffe. Well the cover kind of gives everything away. Be advised: Spitfire is NOT naked in this issue, but she does appear to have gone swimming.
DC UNIVERSE: DECISIONS #1 of 4 by Judd Winick, Bill Willingham and Rick Leonardi. The superheroes of the DCU start off just protecting their presidential candidates and end up endorsing them. Gotta look, but I’m afraid this is one of those cases of Reality out-weirding the comic books….
GHOST RIDER #27 by Jason Aaron and Tan Eng Hut. Okay, the art here could be better but Jason Aaron is clearly having a ball making Ghost Rider terrorize his way through Biker Country. Like a seventies grindhouse movie where the budget ran out early on. Recommended.
GRAVEL #5 by Warren Ellis, Mike Wolfer and Oscar Jimenez. Combat Magician William Gravel continues killing magicians who have what he wants. If only he’d go after the Avatar Press webmaster next! This is kind of like Marvel’s “Infinity Gauntlet” only with more smoking and swearing.
GREATEST HITS #1 of 6 by David Tischman and Glenn Fabry. Imagine if the Beatles had been superheroes instead of musicians. Now meet The Mates, the four supermen from England. Absolutely must-look, but it’s Vertigo so probably not for kids.
HELLBLAZER #247 by Andy Diggle and Leonardo Manco. Diggle’s final story-arc as Constantine faces down a War-Magus who eats people for power. Like Venom only with less tongue.
MARVEL APES #2 of 4 by Karl Kesel and Ramon Bachs. It’s the adventures of Marvel superheroes on Earth-Ape! Twisted fun. “Paging Doctor Zaius!”
MIGHTY AVENGERS #18 by Brian Michael Bendis and Khoi Pham. Needs apes.
PUNISHER #62 by Gregg Hurwitz and Laurence Campbell. Thus far a worthy successor to the Garth Ennis run. No small hurdle. Recommended.
SCALPED #21 by Jason Aaron and R.M. Guera. That’s not a peace pipe Dashiell Bad Horse is smoking. If you ever wondered how the darkest noir comic on the stands today could get darker, here’s your answer: Have your hero start smoking rock. Why is it the higher I recommend this thing the lower the orders go? Fine. It’s horrible! With mutants! Check it out before some jerk at DC/Vertigo cancels my favorite book!
SQUADRON SUPREME #3 by Howard Chaykin and Marco Turini. Quite possibly the all-around worst comic series I have read this year. And I’ve read WOLVERINE: ORIGINS.
UNCANNY X-MEN #502 by Matt Fraction, Ed Brubaker and Greg Land. Hard to say what’s more disturbing in this issue: Greg Land’s photo swipes or Cyclops’ newfound pleasure in using torture to extract information from prisoners when he’s got super-powered mind-readers on his team. I’m honestly sickened by this post Abu Ghraib idea that heroes (as opposed to anti-heroes) can do this stuff. Maybe it’s the way Greg Land draws everybody grinning ear-to-ear while they go all X-Gestapo. When did the X-Men become Bush-McCain Republicans?
WALKING DEAD #52 by Robert Kirkman and Charles Adlard. And speaking of John McCain… Recommended as always. The comic, not the Senator. Oy.
X-FACTOR #35 by Peter David and Larry Stroman. Longshot’s back! Plus lumpy artwork!
Also this week, many bundles of “Halloween” Mini-Comics arrive including ARCHIE, BONE, COWA!, DONALD DUCK, and PEANUTS. Excellent treats, appropriate for all ages and guaranteed to rot only your mind, never your teeth. Get some!
www.johnjudy.net
I'll be giving out the Halloween comics - Mike
By John Judy
ACTION COMICS #869 by Geoff Johns and Gary Frank. “He’s a Brainiac, Brainiac on the floooorrr….!” I’m sorry.
ALL-STAR BATMAN AND ROBIN #10 (the amended version) by Frank Miller and Jim Lee. This isn’t actually on the invoice but I’m hoping DC is able to ship all the replacement copies for the ones they had to destroy or put on E-Bay last week thanks to Frank Miller’s insistence that all his potty-mouth dialogue be printed before being “blacked-out” afterwards. Oops. Frank is at that point in his career in which he appears comfortable with every word except “No.” Hopefully this will pass after “The Spirit” wins a few Razzies.
ALL-STAR SUPERMAN #12 by Grant Morrison and Frank Quitely. Well, it’s taken three years but we’ve finally made it to issue twelve! In this climactic issue we find out how a dying Superman deals with Lex, Lois and all sorts of other stuff! All without a single crude reference to female anatomy!
AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #572 by Dan Slott and John Romita Jr. The amazing Norman Osborn continues dancing his sociopathic jig on the corpse of decency. Fun stuff! Oh, and Spider-Man appears too. Recommended.
ASTOUNDING WOLF-MAN #8 by Robert Kirkman and Jason Howard. Now monthly The Astounding W.M. goes out looking for the Were-Creep who cast his life into a furry Hell. (Note: “Furry Hell” is also where you go when you die while misbehaving at Sci-Fi conventions.)
BILLY BATSON AND THE MAGIC OF SHAZAM #2 written and drawn by Mike Kunkel. Setting up the Captain Marvel/Black Adam rivalry. Gotta admit the art on this series doesn’t grab me the way Jeff Smith’s did but the spirit remains the same and my kid seems to enjoy it. And shouldn’t there always be a Captain Marvel comic on the racks?
CAPTAIN BRITAIN AND MI13 #5 by Paul Cornell and Pat Olliffe. Well the cover kind of gives everything away. Be advised: Spitfire is NOT naked in this issue, but she does appear to have gone swimming.
DC UNIVERSE: DECISIONS #1 of 4 by Judd Winick, Bill Willingham and Rick Leonardi. The superheroes of the DCU start off just protecting their presidential candidates and end up endorsing them. Gotta look, but I’m afraid this is one of those cases of Reality out-weirding the comic books….
GHOST RIDER #27 by Jason Aaron and Tan Eng Hut. Okay, the art here could be better but Jason Aaron is clearly having a ball making Ghost Rider terrorize his way through Biker Country. Like a seventies grindhouse movie where the budget ran out early on. Recommended.
GRAVEL #5 by Warren Ellis, Mike Wolfer and Oscar Jimenez. Combat Magician William Gravel continues killing magicians who have what he wants. If only he’d go after the Avatar Press webmaster next! This is kind of like Marvel’s “Infinity Gauntlet” only with more smoking and swearing.
GREATEST HITS #1 of 6 by David Tischman and Glenn Fabry. Imagine if the Beatles had been superheroes instead of musicians. Now meet The Mates, the four supermen from England. Absolutely must-look, but it’s Vertigo so probably not for kids.
HELLBLAZER #247 by Andy Diggle and Leonardo Manco. Diggle’s final story-arc as Constantine faces down a War-Magus who eats people for power. Like Venom only with less tongue.
MARVEL APES #2 of 4 by Karl Kesel and Ramon Bachs. It’s the adventures of Marvel superheroes on Earth-Ape! Twisted fun. “Paging Doctor Zaius!”
MIGHTY AVENGERS #18 by Brian Michael Bendis and Khoi Pham. Needs apes.
PUNISHER #62 by Gregg Hurwitz and Laurence Campbell. Thus far a worthy successor to the Garth Ennis run. No small hurdle. Recommended.
SCALPED #21 by Jason Aaron and R.M. Guera. That’s not a peace pipe Dashiell Bad Horse is smoking. If you ever wondered how the darkest noir comic on the stands today could get darker, here’s your answer: Have your hero start smoking rock. Why is it the higher I recommend this thing the lower the orders go? Fine. It’s horrible! With mutants! Check it out before some jerk at DC/Vertigo cancels my favorite book!
SQUADRON SUPREME #3 by Howard Chaykin and Marco Turini. Quite possibly the all-around worst comic series I have read this year. And I’ve read WOLVERINE: ORIGINS.
UNCANNY X-MEN #502 by Matt Fraction, Ed Brubaker and Greg Land. Hard to say what’s more disturbing in this issue: Greg Land’s photo swipes or Cyclops’ newfound pleasure in using torture to extract information from prisoners when he’s got super-powered mind-readers on his team. I’m honestly sickened by this post Abu Ghraib idea that heroes (as opposed to anti-heroes) can do this stuff. Maybe it’s the way Greg Land draws everybody grinning ear-to-ear while they go all X-Gestapo. When did the X-Men become Bush-McCain Republicans?
WALKING DEAD #52 by Robert Kirkman and Charles Adlard. And speaking of John McCain… Recommended as always. The comic, not the Senator. Oy.
X-FACTOR #35 by Peter David and Larry Stroman. Longshot’s back! Plus lumpy artwork!
Also this week, many bundles of “Halloween” Mini-Comics arrive including ARCHIE, BONE, COWA!, DONALD DUCK, and PEANUTS. Excellent treats, appropriate for all ages and guaranteed to rot only your mind, never your teeth. Get some!
www.johnjudy.net
I'll be giving out the Halloween comics - Mike
Sunday, September 07, 2008
QUICK REVIEWS FOR COMICS DUE 09-10-08
QUICK REVIEWS FOR COMICS DUE 09-10-08
By John Judy
ALL-STAR BATMAN AND ROBIN #10 by Frank Miller and Jim Lee. Brace yourself. This issue Miller’s writing his “All-Star” versions of the females of Gotham City. Like those “Spirit” billboards except you have to pay three bucks to look at ‘em. “Must…! Find…! Aspirin….!”
AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #571 by Dan Slot and John Romita Jr. Could we just change this book to “The Amazing Norman Osborn?” Because I’m loving this character more and more. I’d like to see him and Lex Luthor in a sneer-off. Recommended.
AMERICAN WIDOW HC by Alissa Torres and Sungyoon Choi. A non-fiction account of a woman who lost her husband and father of her unborn son in the attacks of 9-11. About as far from escapist fantasy as you’re going to get this week. Recommended but too intense for younger readers.
BIG HERO 6 #1 of 5 by Chris Claremont and David Nakayama. Superheroes in Japan! Watch out, Gojira!
BOOSTER GOLD #12 by Chuck Dixon and Dan Jurgens. A Batgirl cover that makes you realize how much you miss the real Batgirl. What a great costume…
CRIMINAL 2 #5 by Ed Brubaker and Sean Phillips. A doll with a gun on the cover and a hard-luck cartoonist/forger inside. If you’re not reading this series you are part of The Problem. Highly recommended. Not for kids or wusses.
DARK TOWER: TREACHERY #1 of 6 by Robin Furth, Peter David and Jae Lee. For them what likes their Stephen King comic book adaptations and how!
EX MACHINA #38 by Brian K. Vaughan and Tony Harris. The George Bush-hating villainess “Trouble” continues her reign of Total Awesomeness! Spin-Off Series! Now!
FINAL CRISIS: REVELATIONS #2 of 5 by Greg Rucka and Philip Tan. Gotham Central’s Renee Montoya and Crispus Allen are reunited the hard way as the Spectre must pass judgment on the Question. And how often does that end well?
FREAK BROTHERS OMNIBUS SC by Gilbert Shelton. Just like you remember them! Although if you can remember them you were probably doing something wrong… Wait, what was I saying...? Recommended.
GOON #28 written and drawn by Eric Powell. “He ain’t been right in the head since his brother got an axe planted in his.” God, this series is great! Recommended.
SECRET INVASION #6 of 8 by Brian Michael Bendis and Leinil Francis Yu. The lying, fascist, religious maniac Skrull invaders are urging Earth to “Embrace change” and some of us are buying it. Perhaps because the Skrulls nominated Sarah Palin for Veep…
THE STAND: CAPTAIN TRIPS #1 of 5 by Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa and Mike Perkins. The first chapter in this adaptation of Stephen King’s end of the world story. A fulfilling week for King fans.
STAR WARS: CLONE WARS #1 of 6 by Henry Gilroy and Scott Hepburn. As someone how sat through the movie I can personally assure you that this comic will be much better.
ULTIMATE ORIGINS #4 of 5 by Brian Michael Bendis and Butch Guice. In which we learn that, in any universe, Hank Pym is the Levi Johnston of science heroes. Sorry Hank.
ULTIMATE X-MEN/FANTASTIC FOUR ANNUAL #1 by Lotsa People. There’s some fightin’ and some time-travelin’ and some crazy misunderstandings. And how!
WELCOME TO HOXFORD #2 written and drawn by Ben “Mommy, I’m Scared” Templesmith. At The Hoxford Home for the Profoundly Twinked-Out they believe the way to a man’s heart is through his stomach. Just don’t ask how they get to the stomach. Recommended. Not for kids.
WONDER WOMAN #24 by Gail Simone and Bernard Chang. Hollywood comes calling to pitch “Wonder Woman: The Movie!” But is Robert Downey Jr. available?
YOUNG LIARS #7 written and drawn by David Lapham. In which we learn how you follow the castration of your male lead and the possible death of your female lead. How about a psychedelic cover?!
www.johnjudy.net
By John Judy
ALL-STAR BATMAN AND ROBIN #10 by Frank Miller and Jim Lee. Brace yourself. This issue Miller’s writing his “All-Star” versions of the females of Gotham City. Like those “Spirit” billboards except you have to pay three bucks to look at ‘em. “Must…! Find…! Aspirin….!”
AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #571 by Dan Slot and John Romita Jr. Could we just change this book to “The Amazing Norman Osborn?” Because I’m loving this character more and more. I’d like to see him and Lex Luthor in a sneer-off. Recommended.
AMERICAN WIDOW HC by Alissa Torres and Sungyoon Choi. A non-fiction account of a woman who lost her husband and father of her unborn son in the attacks of 9-11. About as far from escapist fantasy as you’re going to get this week. Recommended but too intense for younger readers.
BIG HERO 6 #1 of 5 by Chris Claremont and David Nakayama. Superheroes in Japan! Watch out, Gojira!
BOOSTER GOLD #12 by Chuck Dixon and Dan Jurgens. A Batgirl cover that makes you realize how much you miss the real Batgirl. What a great costume…
CRIMINAL 2 #5 by Ed Brubaker and Sean Phillips. A doll with a gun on the cover and a hard-luck cartoonist/forger inside. If you’re not reading this series you are part of The Problem. Highly recommended. Not for kids or wusses.
DARK TOWER: TREACHERY #1 of 6 by Robin Furth, Peter David and Jae Lee. For them what likes their Stephen King comic book adaptations and how!
EX MACHINA #38 by Brian K. Vaughan and Tony Harris. The George Bush-hating villainess “Trouble” continues her reign of Total Awesomeness! Spin-Off Series! Now!
FINAL CRISIS: REVELATIONS #2 of 5 by Greg Rucka and Philip Tan. Gotham Central’s Renee Montoya and Crispus Allen are reunited the hard way as the Spectre must pass judgment on the Question. And how often does that end well?
FREAK BROTHERS OMNIBUS SC by Gilbert Shelton. Just like you remember them! Although if you can remember them you were probably doing something wrong… Wait, what was I saying...? Recommended.
GOON #28 written and drawn by Eric Powell. “He ain’t been right in the head since his brother got an axe planted in his.” God, this series is great! Recommended.
SECRET INVASION #6 of 8 by Brian Michael Bendis and Leinil Francis Yu. The lying, fascist, religious maniac Skrull invaders are urging Earth to “Embrace change” and some of us are buying it. Perhaps because the Skrulls nominated Sarah Palin for Veep…
THE STAND: CAPTAIN TRIPS #1 of 5 by Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa and Mike Perkins. The first chapter in this adaptation of Stephen King’s end of the world story. A fulfilling week for King fans.
STAR WARS: CLONE WARS #1 of 6 by Henry Gilroy and Scott Hepburn. As someone how sat through the movie I can personally assure you that this comic will be much better.
ULTIMATE ORIGINS #4 of 5 by Brian Michael Bendis and Butch Guice. In which we learn that, in any universe, Hank Pym is the Levi Johnston of science heroes. Sorry Hank.
ULTIMATE X-MEN/FANTASTIC FOUR ANNUAL #1 by Lotsa People. There’s some fightin’ and some time-travelin’ and some crazy misunderstandings. And how!
WELCOME TO HOXFORD #2 written and drawn by Ben “Mommy, I’m Scared” Templesmith. At The Hoxford Home for the Profoundly Twinked-Out they believe the way to a man’s heart is through his stomach. Just don’t ask how they get to the stomach. Recommended. Not for kids.
WONDER WOMAN #24 by Gail Simone and Bernard Chang. Hollywood comes calling to pitch “Wonder Woman: The Movie!” But is Robert Downey Jr. available?
YOUNG LIARS #7 written and drawn by David Lapham. In which we learn how you follow the castration of your male lead and the possible death of your female lead. How about a psychedelic cover?!
www.johnjudy.net
Sunday, August 31, 2008
QUICK REVIEWS FOR COMICS DUE THURSDAY 09-04-08
QUICK REVIEWS FOR COMICS DUE THURSDAY 09-04-08
By John Judy
(Note: Long weekends mean late comics but only by a day.)
AL JAFFE TALL TALES HC by Al Jaffe. Collecting 120 installments of the world’s first and last vertical newspaper comic-strip from the veteran MAD artist who gave us “Snappy Answers to Stupid Questions” and the folding back-cover gags of about a million issues of MAD. Very cool stuff. Recommended.
AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #570 by Dan Slott and John Romita Jr. Big fights between Spidey, Venom and “Anti-Venom” so help me. Where’s a Skrull when you need one? But it’s Dan Slott so of course he makes it all sing.
ANGEL: AFTER THE FALL #12 by Brian Lynch and Nick Runge. The incomprehensibility continues! Contains vaguely humanoid shapes and words!
BOYS #22 by Garth Ennis and Darick Robertson. The Legend wraps it up, the Homelander throws a hissy, and Butcher learns something. Featuring a variant glow-in-the-dark cover and lots of perversion. Not for kids. Recommended.
BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER #18 by Joss Whedon and Karl Moline. Buffy’s in the future and Dawn’s a centaur. A really hot centaur… Hey Michelle Trachtenberg’s like 32 years old now so it’s okay! Oh man, it’s never gonna be okay….
GREEN LANTERN #34 by Geoff Johns and Ivan Reis. Hal Jordan and Sinestro take on Abin Sur’s killer. It’s like Anakin and Obi-Wan if George Lucas knew how to write. Recommended.
MARVEL APES #1 of 4 by Karl Kesel and Ramon Bachs. An alternate universe where the Marvel heroes are all monkeys. Hey, it was this or more zombies… Oh wait, they’re doing that too. I don’t care! It’s monkeys as heroes! I’m reading it! Ook-ook!
SECRET SIX #1 by Gail Simone and Nicola Scott. The always awesome Gail Simone returns to chronicle the on-going adventures of DC’s favorite anti-heroes. Strong, character-driven stories of triple-crosses, desperation, out-and-out psychosis and other stuff straight out of the GOP National Convention! Highly recommended.
STORMING PARADISE #3 of 6 by Chuck Dixon and Butch Guice. It’s game-on as the allies invade the Japanese mainland in this alternate-world history in which there was no Fat Man or Little Boy to end WWII. Weird, wild stuff. Recommended.
SUB-MARINER: DEPTHS #1 of 5 by Peter Milligan and Esad Ribic. The Marvel Knights version of Namor the Sub-Mariner which means it’s out of continuity and probably incredibly sexy, vulgar and violent. And other stuff straight out of the GOP National Convention! (Call-back! Yes!) Gotta look. Unless you’re a kid.
TWELVE ½ by Various Creators, including Stan Lee, Joe Simon and Basil Wolverton. Collecting early golden-age appearances of the stars of the hit series THE TWELVE. This issue includes the Fiery Mask, Rockman and Mister E. For those of us who love such stuff but can’t afford the big-buck back issue prices. Cool.
X-MEN: MANIFEST DESTINY #1 of 4 by Mike Carey, Michael Ryan and Others. A series of stories laying out the latest status quo of all things “X.”
www.johnjudy.net
By John Judy
(Note: Long weekends mean late comics but only by a day.)
AL JAFFE TALL TALES HC by Al Jaffe. Collecting 120 installments of the world’s first and last vertical newspaper comic-strip from the veteran MAD artist who gave us “Snappy Answers to Stupid Questions” and the folding back-cover gags of about a million issues of MAD. Very cool stuff. Recommended.
AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #570 by Dan Slott and John Romita Jr. Big fights between Spidey, Venom and “Anti-Venom” so help me. Where’s a Skrull when you need one? But it’s Dan Slott so of course he makes it all sing.
ANGEL: AFTER THE FALL #12 by Brian Lynch and Nick Runge. The incomprehensibility continues! Contains vaguely humanoid shapes and words!
BOYS #22 by Garth Ennis and Darick Robertson. The Legend wraps it up, the Homelander throws a hissy, and Butcher learns something. Featuring a variant glow-in-the-dark cover and lots of perversion. Not for kids. Recommended.
BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER #18 by Joss Whedon and Karl Moline. Buffy’s in the future and Dawn’s a centaur. A really hot centaur… Hey Michelle Trachtenberg’s like 32 years old now so it’s okay! Oh man, it’s never gonna be okay….
GREEN LANTERN #34 by Geoff Johns and Ivan Reis. Hal Jordan and Sinestro take on Abin Sur’s killer. It’s like Anakin and Obi-Wan if George Lucas knew how to write. Recommended.
MARVEL APES #1 of 4 by Karl Kesel and Ramon Bachs. An alternate universe where the Marvel heroes are all monkeys. Hey, it was this or more zombies… Oh wait, they’re doing that too. I don’t care! It’s monkeys as heroes! I’m reading it! Ook-ook!
SECRET SIX #1 by Gail Simone and Nicola Scott. The always awesome Gail Simone returns to chronicle the on-going adventures of DC’s favorite anti-heroes. Strong, character-driven stories of triple-crosses, desperation, out-and-out psychosis and other stuff straight out of the GOP National Convention! Highly recommended.
STORMING PARADISE #3 of 6 by Chuck Dixon and Butch Guice. It’s game-on as the allies invade the Japanese mainland in this alternate-world history in which there was no Fat Man or Little Boy to end WWII. Weird, wild stuff. Recommended.
SUB-MARINER: DEPTHS #1 of 5 by Peter Milligan and Esad Ribic. The Marvel Knights version of Namor the Sub-Mariner which means it’s out of continuity and probably incredibly sexy, vulgar and violent. And other stuff straight out of the GOP National Convention! (Call-back! Yes!) Gotta look. Unless you’re a kid.
TWELVE ½ by Various Creators, including Stan Lee, Joe Simon and Basil Wolverton. Collecting early golden-age appearances of the stars of the hit series THE TWELVE. This issue includes the Fiery Mask, Rockman and Mister E. For those of us who love such stuff but can’t afford the big-buck back issue prices. Cool.
X-MEN: MANIFEST DESTINY #1 of 4 by Mike Carey, Michael Ryan and Others. A series of stories laying out the latest status quo of all things “X.”
www.johnjudy.net
Saturday, August 23, 2008
QUICK REVIEWS FOR COMICS DUE 08-27-08
QUICK REVIEWS FOR COMICS DUE 08-27-08
By John Judy
ALL-STAR SUPERMAN VOL.1 SC by Grant Morrison and Frank Quitely. Collecting the first six issues of Morrison’s best work lately. A series of strong stand-alone stories that string together well and look great. Recommended for all ages.
AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #569 by Dan Slott and John Romita Jr. Norman Osborn and his Thunderbolts have broken into Spidey’s apartment! Bunk-check! Plus Venom.
AMERICA’S BEST COMICS PRIMER SC by Alan Moore and His Band of Yore. A bunch of first issues from back when Moore was still writing this stuff. Clever, entertaining, mostly pre-psychotic. Recommended for newbies to His Mooreness.
ASTOUNDING WOLF-MAN VOL.1 SC by Robert Kirkman and Jason Howard. Collecting issues #1-7 of this lycanthropian lollapalooza! Fun stuff but too violent for the little ones.
AVENGERS INITIATIVE #16 by Dan Slott and Stefano Caselli. The Skrull Kill Krew is back! How timely!
BLACK PANTHER #40 by Jason Aaron and Jefte Palo. Undefeated Wakanda versus the quite often defeated Skrulls. Great stuff from the creator of SCALPED. Recommended.
DAREDEVIL #110 by Ed Brubaker, Greg Rucka and Michael Lark. DD wraps up the mystery of the death-row inmate who wants to die. Yes, prison food is that bad.
DC UNIVERSE: LAST WILL AND TESTAMENT #1 by Brad Meltzer and Adam Kubert. Every hero in the DCU prepares to die. They should never have killed Inigo’s dad….
EC ARCHIVES: TALES FROM THE CRYPT VOL.3 HC by The Best of The Best of The Best! Issues #13-18 with a forward by Robert Overstreet. Yeah, THAT Robert Overstreet! Save yourself around $11,000.00 in back issues and get this instead.
FINAL CRISIS: ROGUE’S REVENGE #2 of 3 by Geoff Johns and Scott Kolins. In which Captain Cold and the boys realize how badly they have screwed themselves. Another example of a spin-off series being much better and easier to follow than the core title. Recommended.
FINAL CRISIS: SUPERMAN BEYOND #1 of 2 by Grant Morrison and Doug Mahnke. Will this be Good Focused Grant or Bad All-Over-the-Place Grant? Hint: This issue involves parallel Earths and comes with 3-D glasses included. “Mommy!” Gotta look!
GRAVEL #4 by Warren Ellis, Mike Wolfer and Oscar Jimenez. Warren Ellis has hidden all information on this comic in a site designed by the CIA, the Mossad, and Willy Wonka’s Oompa-Loompa Death Squad to keep any mention of its existence from pesky, prying fan-folk with their curious ways and desire to spend money on his products. I refer of course to the Avatar Press website. Ssshhh…. Mum’s the word…
IMMORTAL IRON FIST #18 by Duane Swierczynski, Travel Foreman and The Great Russ Heath. His fist may be iron but his ribs, face and ‘nads? Not so much. Featuring a dude getting his heart punched out by a kung-fu demon. Good times!
JUSTICE SOCIETY OF AMERICA #18 by Geoff Johns, Alex Ross and Dale Eaglesham. Okay, on the one hand this story is taking forever to tell. On the other hand we’re getting all these Alex Ross covers out of it and, golly, it’s like there’s a new super-hero’s great-grandchild introduced every few pages, so… Maybe it’ll really fly by in trade?
KICK-ASS #4 by Mark Millar and John Romita Jr. If you need more graphic violence and sado-masochistic kink in your life than the current administration can provide, this one’s for you! Featuring a nine year-old girl with a sword. Not for kids.
MIGHTY AVENGERS #17 by Brian Michael Bendis and Khoi Pham. Skrulls! Fights!
MARVEL MASTERWORKS: GOLDEN-AGE MARVEL COMICS VOL.3 HC by Various Creators. Collecting MARVEL MYSTERY COMICS #9-12, featuring Electro (from THE TWELVE), the Angel, and the Sub Mariner duking it out with the Human Torch! All for a lot less than the $60,000.00 retail the back-issues would cost on E-Bay! Flame on, True Believer!
NEW AVENGERS #44 by Brian Michael Bendis and Billy Tan. Fights! Skrulls!
NEWUNIVERSAL: CONQUEROR by Simon Spurrier and Eric Nguyen. A new NEWUNIVERSAL title from a creator “hand-picked” by Warren Ellis to write all the NEWUNIVERSAL stuff he doesn’t want to!
NORTHLANDERS #9 by Brian Wood and Dean Ormston. An all-new story begins here as young Saxon boy encounters a Viking invasion. Oh dear, this is certainly NOT for kids. Still a great series. Recommended.
PREVIEWS by Marvel and Diamond Comics. For the forward-looking fan.
ROY ROGERS ARCHIVES VOL.1 HC by Various Talents. From Dark Horse, collecting Dell’s ROY ROGERS COMICS (FOUR COLOR) #38, 63, 86, 95 and 109. Whatever they’re smoking up at Dark Horse Comics I want a Hefty-Bag. These five comics would run you $7,000.00 at a convention, but for you: A Lot Less! “Yippee-ki-yay!”
RUNAWAYS 3 #1 by Terry Moore and Humberto Ramos. The kids are goin’ back to Cali and there are a bunch of space-baddies who hate Karolina Dean so much that they keep repeating her full name over and over and over. It would make me run away too, so I guess there’s a point.
SHE-HULK #32 by Peter David and Vincenzo Cucca. Skrulls fighting Skrulls in a big Skrull-fight!
SUPERMAN #679 by James Robinson and Renato Guedes. For some reason Superman is still having trouble with this Atlas clown. Maybe if someone gives him a shirt he’ll go away.
THUNDERBOLTS #123 by Christos Gage and Fernando Blanco. The post-Ellis era continues on this title and it ain’t half-bad. Skrulls!
ULTIMATE SPIDER-MAN #125 by Brian Michael Bendis and Stuart Immonen. No Skrulls, ultimate or otherwise, but there is Venom. He eats a horse.
WOLVERINE #68 by Mark Millar and Steve McNiven. “Old Man Logan” says he’d rather die than pop those claws again. And yet….
www.johnjudy.net
By John Judy
ALL-STAR SUPERMAN VOL.1 SC by Grant Morrison and Frank Quitely. Collecting the first six issues of Morrison’s best work lately. A series of strong stand-alone stories that string together well and look great. Recommended for all ages.
AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #569 by Dan Slott and John Romita Jr. Norman Osborn and his Thunderbolts have broken into Spidey’s apartment! Bunk-check! Plus Venom.
AMERICA’S BEST COMICS PRIMER SC by Alan Moore and His Band of Yore. A bunch of first issues from back when Moore was still writing this stuff. Clever, entertaining, mostly pre-psychotic. Recommended for newbies to His Mooreness.
ASTOUNDING WOLF-MAN VOL.1 SC by Robert Kirkman and Jason Howard. Collecting issues #1-7 of this lycanthropian lollapalooza! Fun stuff but too violent for the little ones.
AVENGERS INITIATIVE #16 by Dan Slott and Stefano Caselli. The Skrull Kill Krew is back! How timely!
BLACK PANTHER #40 by Jason Aaron and Jefte Palo. Undefeated Wakanda versus the quite often defeated Skrulls. Great stuff from the creator of SCALPED. Recommended.
DAREDEVIL #110 by Ed Brubaker, Greg Rucka and Michael Lark. DD wraps up the mystery of the death-row inmate who wants to die. Yes, prison food is that bad.
DC UNIVERSE: LAST WILL AND TESTAMENT #1 by Brad Meltzer and Adam Kubert. Every hero in the DCU prepares to die. They should never have killed Inigo’s dad….
EC ARCHIVES: TALES FROM THE CRYPT VOL.3 HC by The Best of The Best of The Best! Issues #13-18 with a forward by Robert Overstreet. Yeah, THAT Robert Overstreet! Save yourself around $11,000.00 in back issues and get this instead.
FINAL CRISIS: ROGUE’S REVENGE #2 of 3 by Geoff Johns and Scott Kolins. In which Captain Cold and the boys realize how badly they have screwed themselves. Another example of a spin-off series being much better and easier to follow than the core title. Recommended.
FINAL CRISIS: SUPERMAN BEYOND #1 of 2 by Grant Morrison and Doug Mahnke. Will this be Good Focused Grant or Bad All-Over-the-Place Grant? Hint: This issue involves parallel Earths and comes with 3-D glasses included. “Mommy!” Gotta look!
GRAVEL #4 by Warren Ellis, Mike Wolfer and Oscar Jimenez. Warren Ellis has hidden all information on this comic in a site designed by the CIA, the Mossad, and Willy Wonka’s Oompa-Loompa Death Squad to keep any mention of its existence from pesky, prying fan-folk with their curious ways and desire to spend money on his products. I refer of course to the Avatar Press website. Ssshhh…. Mum’s the word…
IMMORTAL IRON FIST #18 by Duane Swierczynski, Travel Foreman and The Great Russ Heath. His fist may be iron but his ribs, face and ‘nads? Not so much. Featuring a dude getting his heart punched out by a kung-fu demon. Good times!
JUSTICE SOCIETY OF AMERICA #18 by Geoff Johns, Alex Ross and Dale Eaglesham. Okay, on the one hand this story is taking forever to tell. On the other hand we’re getting all these Alex Ross covers out of it and, golly, it’s like there’s a new super-hero’s great-grandchild introduced every few pages, so… Maybe it’ll really fly by in trade?
KICK-ASS #4 by Mark Millar and John Romita Jr. If you need more graphic violence and sado-masochistic kink in your life than the current administration can provide, this one’s for you! Featuring a nine year-old girl with a sword. Not for kids.
MIGHTY AVENGERS #17 by Brian Michael Bendis and Khoi Pham. Skrulls! Fights!
MARVEL MASTERWORKS: GOLDEN-AGE MARVEL COMICS VOL.3 HC by Various Creators. Collecting MARVEL MYSTERY COMICS #9-12, featuring Electro (from THE TWELVE), the Angel, and the Sub Mariner duking it out with the Human Torch! All for a lot less than the $60,000.00 retail the back-issues would cost on E-Bay! Flame on, True Believer!
NEW AVENGERS #44 by Brian Michael Bendis and Billy Tan. Fights! Skrulls!
NEWUNIVERSAL: CONQUEROR by Simon Spurrier and Eric Nguyen. A new NEWUNIVERSAL title from a creator “hand-picked” by Warren Ellis to write all the NEWUNIVERSAL stuff he doesn’t want to!
NORTHLANDERS #9 by Brian Wood and Dean Ormston. An all-new story begins here as young Saxon boy encounters a Viking invasion. Oh dear, this is certainly NOT for kids. Still a great series. Recommended.
PREVIEWS by Marvel and Diamond Comics. For the forward-looking fan.
ROY ROGERS ARCHIVES VOL.1 HC by Various Talents. From Dark Horse, collecting Dell’s ROY ROGERS COMICS (FOUR COLOR) #38, 63, 86, 95 and 109. Whatever they’re smoking up at Dark Horse Comics I want a Hefty-Bag. These five comics would run you $7,000.00 at a convention, but for you: A Lot Less! “Yippee-ki-yay!”
RUNAWAYS 3 #1 by Terry Moore and Humberto Ramos. The kids are goin’ back to Cali and there are a bunch of space-baddies who hate Karolina Dean so much that they keep repeating her full name over and over and over. It would make me run away too, so I guess there’s a point.
SHE-HULK #32 by Peter David and Vincenzo Cucca. Skrulls fighting Skrulls in a big Skrull-fight!
SUPERMAN #679 by James Robinson and Renato Guedes. For some reason Superman is still having trouble with this Atlas clown. Maybe if someone gives him a shirt he’ll go away.
THUNDERBOLTS #123 by Christos Gage and Fernando Blanco. The post-Ellis era continues on this title and it ain’t half-bad. Skrulls!
ULTIMATE SPIDER-MAN #125 by Brian Michael Bendis and Stuart Immonen. No Skrulls, ultimate or otherwise, but there is Venom. He eats a horse.
WOLVERINE #68 by Mark Millar and Steve McNiven. “Old Man Logan” says he’d rather die than pop those claws again. And yet….
www.johnjudy.net
Tuesday, August 19, 2008
QUICK REVIEWS FOR COMICS DUE 08-20-08
QUICK REVIEWS FOR COMICS DUE 08-20-08
By John Judy
AIR #1 by G. Willow Wilson and M.K. Perker. Something about air travel, terrorism and countries that don’t exist. Okay. Sure looks pretty though. Not for kids.
AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #568 by Dan Slott and John Romita R with a back-up by Mark Waid and Adi Granov. Ominous doings with the Osborn boys and the man once known as Venom gets reflective. Pretty darn good issue.
BRAVE AND THE BOLD #16 by Mark Waid and Scott Kolins. Superman and Catwoman! They’re just trying to make Batman jealous…
CAPTAIN AMERICA #41 by Ed Brubaker and Steve Epting. Cap may be “dead” but his villains have never been more interesting. Sucks to be Sharon Carter though…
FINAL CRISIS: LEGION OF THREE WORLDS #1 of 5 by Geoff Johns and George Perez. Time-Trapper, Superboy-Prime, Huge Fights! It’s Perez so you know it’ll look great and Johns so you know it’ll make sense! Recommended!
GHOST RIDER #26 by Jason Aaron and Tan Eng Huat. Danny Ketch is back, no doubt to get his flaming skull handed to him by the real Ghost Rider. From the author of SCALPED! Recommended!
HERBIE ARCHIVES VOL.1 HC by Shane O’Shea (Richard Hughes) and Ogden Whitney. Collecting the earliest adventures of The Fat Fury and his magic lollipops. Hey, it was the sixties and he went after Castro! Did you ever go after Castro? Weird stuff for them that likes it. Go Herbie!
IRON FIST: ORIGIN OF DANNY RAND by Lotsa People including Matt Fraction and Kano. He knows kung-fu!
JUSTICE LEAGUE OF AMERICA #24 by Dwayne McDuffie and Ed Benes. Okay, normally I wouldn’t care who had control of the Tantu Totem but this story has actually maintained my interest. Fun stuff! Tantus all around!
PUNISHER #61 by Greg Hurwitz and Laurence Campbell. The post-Ennis era starts here and it ain’t half-bad. Let’s give these plucky lads their fair shake, eh? Recommended.
SANDMAN PRESENTS: DEAD BOY DETECTIVES SC by Ed Brubaker, Bryan Talbot and Steve Leialoha. Collecting the first bunch of stories from back before everyone knew how awesome Brubaker was. Gotta look!
SCALPED #20 by Jason Aaron and Davide Furno. More revelations from the twisted past of Dash’s crackhead significant other, Carol. Everyone should be reading this series, except for kids. Highly recommended.
SHOWCASE PRESENTS: THE ATOM VOL. 2 SC by Gardner Fox, Dennis O’Neil, Gil Kane, Murphy Anderson and Others. Collecting the Silver-Age adventures of the Mighty Mite from ATOM #18-38 and ATOM AND HAWKMAN #39-45. Expensive comics found cheaply here!
UNCANNY X-MEN #501 by Ed Brubaker, Matt Fraction and Greg Land. I tried reading this but was blinded by the rows of white teeth Greg Land traced from fashion magazines and various soft-core websites. The new drinking game is: Every time you recognize a starlet Land traced for an Emma Frost pose you have to drink. Hide your car keys before playing.
X-FACTOR #34 by Peter David and Larry Stroman. She-Hulk! Long-Shot! Skrulls! Hijinks galore!
X-FACTOR SPECIAL: LAYLA MILLER #1 by Peter David and Valentine DeLandro. A one-shot based upon a character who is clearly one of PAD’s favorites. Really good stuff even though I usually hate dystopian alternate future stories. Worth a read.
www.johnjudy.net
By John Judy
AIR #1 by G. Willow Wilson and M.K. Perker. Something about air travel, terrorism and countries that don’t exist. Okay. Sure looks pretty though. Not for kids.
AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #568 by Dan Slott and John Romita R with a back-up by Mark Waid and Adi Granov. Ominous doings with the Osborn boys and the man once known as Venom gets reflective. Pretty darn good issue.
BRAVE AND THE BOLD #16 by Mark Waid and Scott Kolins. Superman and Catwoman! They’re just trying to make Batman jealous…
CAPTAIN AMERICA #41 by Ed Brubaker and Steve Epting. Cap may be “dead” but his villains have never been more interesting. Sucks to be Sharon Carter though…
FINAL CRISIS: LEGION OF THREE WORLDS #1 of 5 by Geoff Johns and George Perez. Time-Trapper, Superboy-Prime, Huge Fights! It’s Perez so you know it’ll look great and Johns so you know it’ll make sense! Recommended!
GHOST RIDER #26 by Jason Aaron and Tan Eng Huat. Danny Ketch is back, no doubt to get his flaming skull handed to him by the real Ghost Rider. From the author of SCALPED! Recommended!
HERBIE ARCHIVES VOL.1 HC by Shane O’Shea (Richard Hughes) and Ogden Whitney. Collecting the earliest adventures of The Fat Fury and his magic lollipops. Hey, it was the sixties and he went after Castro! Did you ever go after Castro? Weird stuff for them that likes it. Go Herbie!
IRON FIST: ORIGIN OF DANNY RAND by Lotsa People including Matt Fraction and Kano. He knows kung-fu!
JUSTICE LEAGUE OF AMERICA #24 by Dwayne McDuffie and Ed Benes. Okay, normally I wouldn’t care who had control of the Tantu Totem but this story has actually maintained my interest. Fun stuff! Tantus all around!
PUNISHER #61 by Greg Hurwitz and Laurence Campbell. The post-Ennis era starts here and it ain’t half-bad. Let’s give these plucky lads their fair shake, eh? Recommended.
SANDMAN PRESENTS: DEAD BOY DETECTIVES SC by Ed Brubaker, Bryan Talbot and Steve Leialoha. Collecting the first bunch of stories from back before everyone knew how awesome Brubaker was. Gotta look!
SCALPED #20 by Jason Aaron and Davide Furno. More revelations from the twisted past of Dash’s crackhead significant other, Carol. Everyone should be reading this series, except for kids. Highly recommended.
SHOWCASE PRESENTS: THE ATOM VOL. 2 SC by Gardner Fox, Dennis O’Neil, Gil Kane, Murphy Anderson and Others. Collecting the Silver-Age adventures of the Mighty Mite from ATOM #18-38 and ATOM AND HAWKMAN #39-45. Expensive comics found cheaply here!
UNCANNY X-MEN #501 by Ed Brubaker, Matt Fraction and Greg Land. I tried reading this but was blinded by the rows of white teeth Greg Land traced from fashion magazines and various soft-core websites. The new drinking game is: Every time you recognize a starlet Land traced for an Emma Frost pose you have to drink. Hide your car keys before playing.
X-FACTOR #34 by Peter David and Larry Stroman. She-Hulk! Long-Shot! Skrulls! Hijinks galore!
X-FACTOR SPECIAL: LAYLA MILLER #1 by Peter David and Valentine DeLandro. A one-shot based upon a character who is clearly one of PAD’s favorites. Really good stuff even though I usually hate dystopian alternate future stories. Worth a read.
www.johnjudy.net
Saturday, August 16, 2008
Quick Reviews comment
John Judy would like to make a priority claim for his Quick Reviews:
Did I call this one first?
Yes.
Yes I did.
Okay, it's Colbert rather than Fox.
Give 'em time.
Did I call this one first?
Yes.
Yes I did.
Okay, it's Colbert rather than Fox.
Give 'em time.
Monday, August 04, 2008
QUICK REVIEWS FOR COMICS DUE 08-06-08
QUICK REVIEWS FOR COMICS DUE 08-06-08
By John Judy
AVENGERS INVADERS #4 of 12 by Alex Ross, Jim Krueger and Steve Sadowski. Only eight more issues for theses crazy kids to realize they should be working TOGETHER! It’s all a misunderstanding, you see…
BOYS #21 by Garth Ennis and Darick Robertson. Hot on the heels of their hilarious, trademark-maiming cameo in LIBERTY COMICS, the Boys are back to their old mischief. Not for kids. Recommended.
BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER #17 by Joss Whedon and Karl Moline. Back to the future with Fray and cars that fly!
COMIC BOOK COMICS #2 by Fred Van Lente and Ryan Dunlavey. “Our Artists at War” featuring the early WWII adventures of Siegel and Shuster, Simon and Kirby, Stan Lee and Walt Disney! From EvilTwin Comics, the geniuses behind ACTION PHILOSOPHERS! Highly recommended!
CRIMINAL 2 #4 by Ed Brubaker and Sean Phillips. A new 4-parter starts here! Let us bow our unworthy heads and give thanks for this series. Highly recommended.
DMZ VOL. 5: THE HIDDEN WAR SC by Brian Wood and Riccardo Burchielli. Collecting issues #23-28 of a series that’s half “Heart of Darkness” and half Woodward & Bernstein. Recommended.
ESSENTIAL MAN-THING, VOL. 2 SC by Everyone Who Was Available in the Mid-70s. For those who like their Man-Things “Giant-Size” or not at all!
FINAL CRISIS #3 of 7 by Grant Morrison and J.G. Jones. Crazed Morrisonian action where un-dead is this year’s Black. Best of all? It ain’t TRINITY!
GRENDEL: GOD AND THE DEVIL SC by Matt Wagner and John K. Snyder III. A future Grendel tale in which he goes after the Pope. Gotta look!
HELLBLAZER PRESENTS: CHAS THE KNOWLEDGE #2 of 5 by Simon Oliver and Goran Sudzuka. The fate of London rests in the hands of John Constantine’s cabbie. Finally! TEEN TITANS done right!.
HOW TO LOVE HC by Actus Independent Comics. A collection of stories exploring some of the more unconventional facts of love. And it ain’t porn!
HULK #5 by Jeph Loeb and Ed McGuinness. In which the Red Hulk who can jump to the moon fights the Thor who still speaks Shakespearean English and who can do so in the vacuum of space. Must… suspend… disbelief….ARGH!!!!
STORMING PARADISE #2 of 6 by Chuck Dixon and Butch Guice. Part two of this alternate history in which the bomb failed and the US had to invade Japan to end WWII. Part one showed a lot of promise. Worth a look if history and war comics are your thing. Teens and up.
THE TWELVE #7 of 12 by J. Michael Straczynski and Chris Weston. This issue focuses on Captain Wonder and his old pal Tim. Also, the Blue Blade finally makes it big! Recommended!
ULTIMATE ORIGINS #3 of 5 by Brian Michael Bendis and Butch Guice. How Charles and Magneto opened their first franchise in the Savage Land.
VENOM: DARK ORIGIN #1 of 5 by Zeb Wells and Angel Medina. A creepy-looking story of how Eddie Brock has always been pretty creepy even before his tongue got ten feet long. A must for Venom fans.
www.johnjudy.net
By John Judy
AVENGERS INVADERS #4 of 12 by Alex Ross, Jim Krueger and Steve Sadowski. Only eight more issues for theses crazy kids to realize they should be working TOGETHER! It’s all a misunderstanding, you see…
BOYS #21 by Garth Ennis and Darick Robertson. Hot on the heels of their hilarious, trademark-maiming cameo in LIBERTY COMICS, the Boys are back to their old mischief. Not for kids. Recommended.
BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER #17 by Joss Whedon and Karl Moline. Back to the future with Fray and cars that fly!
COMIC BOOK COMICS #2 by Fred Van Lente and Ryan Dunlavey. “Our Artists at War” featuring the early WWII adventures of Siegel and Shuster, Simon and Kirby, Stan Lee and Walt Disney! From EvilTwin Comics, the geniuses behind ACTION PHILOSOPHERS! Highly recommended!
CRIMINAL 2 #4 by Ed Brubaker and Sean Phillips. A new 4-parter starts here! Let us bow our unworthy heads and give thanks for this series. Highly recommended.
DMZ VOL. 5: THE HIDDEN WAR SC by Brian Wood and Riccardo Burchielli. Collecting issues #23-28 of a series that’s half “Heart of Darkness” and half Woodward & Bernstein. Recommended.
ESSENTIAL MAN-THING, VOL. 2 SC by Everyone Who Was Available in the Mid-70s. For those who like their Man-Things “Giant-Size” or not at all!
FINAL CRISIS #3 of 7 by Grant Morrison and J.G. Jones. Crazed Morrisonian action where un-dead is this year’s Black. Best of all? It ain’t TRINITY!
GRENDEL: GOD AND THE DEVIL SC by Matt Wagner and John K. Snyder III. A future Grendel tale in which he goes after the Pope. Gotta look!
HELLBLAZER PRESENTS: CHAS THE KNOWLEDGE #2 of 5 by Simon Oliver and Goran Sudzuka. The fate of London rests in the hands of John Constantine’s cabbie. Finally! TEEN TITANS done right!.
HOW TO LOVE HC by Actus Independent Comics. A collection of stories exploring some of the more unconventional facts of love. And it ain’t porn!
HULK #5 by Jeph Loeb and Ed McGuinness. In which the Red Hulk who can jump to the moon fights the Thor who still speaks Shakespearean English and who can do so in the vacuum of space. Must… suspend… disbelief….ARGH!!!!
STORMING PARADISE #2 of 6 by Chuck Dixon and Butch Guice. Part two of this alternate history in which the bomb failed and the US had to invade Japan to end WWII. Part one showed a lot of promise. Worth a look if history and war comics are your thing. Teens and up.
THE TWELVE #7 of 12 by J. Michael Straczynski and Chris Weston. This issue focuses on Captain Wonder and his old pal Tim. Also, the Blue Blade finally makes it big! Recommended!
ULTIMATE ORIGINS #3 of 5 by Brian Michael Bendis and Butch Guice. How Charles and Magneto opened their first franchise in the Savage Land.
VENOM: DARK ORIGIN #1 of 5 by Zeb Wells and Angel Medina. A creepy-looking story of how Eddie Brock has always been pretty creepy even before his tongue got ten feet long. A must for Venom fans.
www.johnjudy.net
Monday, July 28, 2008
QUICK REVIEWS FOR COMICS DUE 07-30-08
QUICK REVIEWS FOR COMICS DUE 07-30-08
By John Judy
BLACK PANTHER #39 by Jason Aaron and Jefte Palo. Okay, much as I like regular PANTHER scribe Reginald Hudlin, the thought of Jason Aaron, the creator of SCALPED, writing the issue in which the Panther and his kingdom throw down with the Skrull army… Let’s just say it was a “Ledger as Joker Moment.” Highly Recommended.
DOOM PATROL ARCHIVES, VOL. 5 HC by Arnold Drake and Bruno Premiani. The final adventures of the Silver-Age’s strangest team. Collecting issues #114-121. Six-hundred bucks in Near-Mint. A lot cheaper here. Highly Recommended.
ELEPHANTMEN VOL. 1: WOUNDED ANIMALS SC by Richard Starkings and Moritat. Collecting the first seven issues of what Publisher’s Weekly calls a “superior dystopian sci-fi tale” and “a lightning-fast but addictive read.” Recommended.
ESSENTIAL FANTASTIC FOUR VOL. 7 SC by The Guys Who Did FF When I Was a Kid. Collecting issues #138-159, plus two Annuals and more. This one has the first appearance of Madrox the Multiple Man and the wedding of Quicksilver and Crystal. Fun stuff, hours of entertainment, dirt cheap!
GREEN LANTERN #33 by Geoff Johns and Ivan Reis. The adventures of Hal Jordan and his good buddy Sinestro continue. For realz.
JUSTICE SOCIETY OF AMERICA ANNUAL #1 by Geoff Johns and Jerry Ordway. Power Girl gets her dream come true: Earth-2 lives again! Works for me.
MARVEL MASTERWORKS: DEFENDERS VOL. 1 HC by Roy Thomas, Steve Englehart, Ross Andru and Sal Buscema. Collecting SUB MARINER #34 & 35, MARVEL FEATURE #1-3, and DEFENDERS #1-6. These comics would set you back almost 800 bucks if you bought them from the back issue bin. Cheaper here. Featuring Doc Strange, Sub-Mariner, the Hulk and the Silver Surfer! Evil don’t stand a chance! Recommended.
NEWUNIVERSAL: 1959 by Kieron Gillen and Greg Scott. Warren Ellis’s “hand-picked” protégé writer takes on the history of the New New Universe, making it, in theory, the New New Universe of Old. Anyway, if you can still remember the last issue of NEWUNIVERSAL (early May 2008), there was a guy named Philip Voight who killed superpeople back in the 50s. This is his story.
NORTHLANDERS #8 by Brian Wood and Davide Gianfelice. No Skrulls! No Mutants! Just good old fashioned Vikings and Violence! Highly recommended!
PREVIEWS by Marvel and Diamond Comics. Start making your holiday wish lists!
PROJECT SUPERPOWERS # 5 of 7 by Alex Ross and Company. Souring people on the Golden Age of Comics one issue at a time.
REIGN IN HELL #1 of 8 by Keith Giffen and Matt Clark. It’s a battle for the rulership of Hell in the DC Universe. I nominate whoever thought it would be a good idea to keep doing year-long weeklies after “52.”
SKRULLS VS POWER PACK #1 of 4 by Fred Van Lente and Cory Hamscher. Wow. Who do you root for here? I root for Van Lente because he did ACTION PHILOSOPHERS!
THOR #10 by J. Michael Straczynski and Olivier Coipel. If the pay-off to this story is not something along the lines of “Loki, how stupid do you think we are?” I for one am going to feel let down. Good stuff. Also out this week is the first trade collection featuring issues #1-6. Enjoy!
TRINITY #9 by Various Creators. Okay, I hate to say this because some of the creators involved are very talented and/or nice people, but this series is Not Good. DC is asking fans for a total of $155.48 plus local sales taxes over the course of a year for this book and …. No. “52” was worth it. COUNTDOWN and now TRINITY are not. Take the three bucks a week and try a new series, kids. Or save up for a trade collection. SCALPED, NORTHLANDERS, CRIMINAL or (heck, if it has to be capes) why not ASTRO CITY? These are all great books that deserve more support. DC should wrap up TRINITY ten months early and blame the Time-Trapper or something. Un-Recommended.
TRUE BELIEVERS #1 of 5 by Cary Bates and Paul Gulacy. A veteran creative team brings us a super-team for the Information Age, a crazy bunch of kids who expose evil on the internets, kind of like MoveOn.Org but with skimpier outfits. There’s a preview on Marvel’s website. Worth a look, but not for younger kids.
ULTIMATE SPIDER-MAN #124 by Brian Michael Bendis and Stuart Immonen. Ultimate Beetle, I swear to god…. Plus Ultimate Venom is naked.
WOLVERINE #67 by Mark Millar and Steve McNiven. The imaginary story “Old Man Logan” continues as Hawkeye and Logan head East and Logan tries not to kill people. It’s very entertaining but I still want my money back for “Wanted”, Mr. Millar. Recommended.
WOLVERINE ORIGINS #27 by Daniel Way and Stephen Segovia. Balancing out the quality of the main Wolverine title is the transcendent suckiness of this one. Like Yin and Yang, for every Wolverine story employing subtlety and nuance in his character, there is another which invents tranny clones and long-lost sons who are able to have tattoos despite an inherited healing factor which would make tattoos impossible. What is the sound of one hand ripping a bad comic to pieces? Cleansing breaths now. Ommm….
www.johnjudy.net
By John Judy
BLACK PANTHER #39 by Jason Aaron and Jefte Palo. Okay, much as I like regular PANTHER scribe Reginald Hudlin, the thought of Jason Aaron, the creator of SCALPED, writing the issue in which the Panther and his kingdom throw down with the Skrull army… Let’s just say it was a “Ledger as Joker Moment.” Highly Recommended.
DOOM PATROL ARCHIVES, VOL. 5 HC by Arnold Drake and Bruno Premiani. The final adventures of the Silver-Age’s strangest team. Collecting issues #114-121. Six-hundred bucks in Near-Mint. A lot cheaper here. Highly Recommended.
ELEPHANTMEN VOL. 1: WOUNDED ANIMALS SC by Richard Starkings and Moritat. Collecting the first seven issues of what Publisher’s Weekly calls a “superior dystopian sci-fi tale” and “a lightning-fast but addictive read.” Recommended.
ESSENTIAL FANTASTIC FOUR VOL. 7 SC by The Guys Who Did FF When I Was a Kid. Collecting issues #138-159, plus two Annuals and more. This one has the first appearance of Madrox the Multiple Man and the wedding of Quicksilver and Crystal. Fun stuff, hours of entertainment, dirt cheap!
GREEN LANTERN #33 by Geoff Johns and Ivan Reis. The adventures of Hal Jordan and his good buddy Sinestro continue. For realz.
JUSTICE SOCIETY OF AMERICA ANNUAL #1 by Geoff Johns and Jerry Ordway. Power Girl gets her dream come true: Earth-2 lives again! Works for me.
MARVEL MASTERWORKS: DEFENDERS VOL. 1 HC by Roy Thomas, Steve Englehart, Ross Andru and Sal Buscema. Collecting SUB MARINER #34 & 35, MARVEL FEATURE #1-3, and DEFENDERS #1-6. These comics would set you back almost 800 bucks if you bought them from the back issue bin. Cheaper here. Featuring Doc Strange, Sub-Mariner, the Hulk and the Silver Surfer! Evil don’t stand a chance! Recommended.
NEWUNIVERSAL: 1959 by Kieron Gillen and Greg Scott. Warren Ellis’s “hand-picked” protégé writer takes on the history of the New New Universe, making it, in theory, the New New Universe of Old. Anyway, if you can still remember the last issue of NEWUNIVERSAL (early May 2008), there was a guy named Philip Voight who killed superpeople back in the 50s. This is his story.
NORTHLANDERS #8 by Brian Wood and Davide Gianfelice. No Skrulls! No Mutants! Just good old fashioned Vikings and Violence! Highly recommended!
PREVIEWS by Marvel and Diamond Comics. Start making your holiday wish lists!
PROJECT SUPERPOWERS # 5 of 7 by Alex Ross and Company. Souring people on the Golden Age of Comics one issue at a time.
REIGN IN HELL #1 of 8 by Keith Giffen and Matt Clark. It’s a battle for the rulership of Hell in the DC Universe. I nominate whoever thought it would be a good idea to keep doing year-long weeklies after “52.”
SKRULLS VS POWER PACK #1 of 4 by Fred Van Lente and Cory Hamscher. Wow. Who do you root for here? I root for Van Lente because he did ACTION PHILOSOPHERS!
THOR #10 by J. Michael Straczynski and Olivier Coipel. If the pay-off to this story is not something along the lines of “Loki, how stupid do you think we are?” I for one am going to feel let down. Good stuff. Also out this week is the first trade collection featuring issues #1-6. Enjoy!
TRINITY #9 by Various Creators. Okay, I hate to say this because some of the creators involved are very talented and/or nice people, but this series is Not Good. DC is asking fans for a total of $155.48 plus local sales taxes over the course of a year for this book and …. No. “52” was worth it. COUNTDOWN and now TRINITY are not. Take the three bucks a week and try a new series, kids. Or save up for a trade collection. SCALPED, NORTHLANDERS, CRIMINAL or (heck, if it has to be capes) why not ASTRO CITY? These are all great books that deserve more support. DC should wrap up TRINITY ten months early and blame the Time-Trapper or something. Un-Recommended.
TRUE BELIEVERS #1 of 5 by Cary Bates and Paul Gulacy. A veteran creative team brings us a super-team for the Information Age, a crazy bunch of kids who expose evil on the internets, kind of like MoveOn.Org but with skimpier outfits. There’s a preview on Marvel’s website. Worth a look, but not for younger kids.
ULTIMATE SPIDER-MAN #124 by Brian Michael Bendis and Stuart Immonen. Ultimate Beetle, I swear to god…. Plus Ultimate Venom is naked.
WOLVERINE #67 by Mark Millar and Steve McNiven. The imaginary story “Old Man Logan” continues as Hawkeye and Logan head East and Logan tries not to kill people. It’s very entertaining but I still want my money back for “Wanted”, Mr. Millar. Recommended.
WOLVERINE ORIGINS #27 by Daniel Way and Stephen Segovia. Balancing out the quality of the main Wolverine title is the transcendent suckiness of this one. Like Yin and Yang, for every Wolverine story employing subtlety and nuance in his character, there is another which invents tranny clones and long-lost sons who are able to have tattoos despite an inherited healing factor which would make tattoos impossible. What is the sound of one hand ripping a bad comic to pieces? Cleansing breaths now. Ommm….
www.johnjudy.net
Sunday, July 20, 2008
QUICK REVIEWS FOR COMICS DUE 07-23-08
QUICK REVIEWS FOR COMICS DUE 07-23-08
By John Judy
AMBUSH BUG: YEAR NONE #1 of 6 by Keith Giffen, Robert Loren Fleming and Al Milgrom. Remember how we all laughed back in the 1980s? We had these funny Presidents who never knew what they were talking about and one of them liked jelly beans an awful lot, maybe too much and… Well, if you’d like to relive those days at roughly ten times the price then this book is for you!
AMERICAN FLAGG DEFINITIVE COLLECTION VOL. 1 HC written and illustrated by Howard Chaykin. Collecting the legendary first 14 issues of the series that put Howard Chaykin on the map. Twenty-five years in the making this one’s finally coming out from Image. Recommended.
AVENGERS INITIATIVE #15 by Dan Slott, Christos Gage and Harvey Tolibao. Skrull-kickings galore! What more could anyone ask?
BLACK PANTHER #38 by Reginald Hudlin and Francis Portela. T’Challa vs. Killmonger, the final round. Look whose name is on the comic, kids. Good stuff.
BLACK SUMMER #7 of 7 by Warren Ellis and Juan Jose Ryp. It’s crazy John Horus vs. Everyone in the mushroom cloudy finale! To take the edge off Ellis dumping THUNDERBOLTS. Not for kids.
BRAVE AND BOLD #15 by Mark Waid and Scott Kolins. Okay, would ya believe Nightwing and Hawkman? I think Frank Miller should make money every time a superhero jumps through a hail of ninja arrows in a comic book. Just puttin’ it out there…
BROKEN TRINITY #1 of 3 by Ron Marz and Stjepan Sejic. At first I thought this was some sort of a confession from DC but then I looked and saw it was from Top Cow and involved Witchblade, The Darkness and an Angelus that had nothing to do with Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Okay.
DAN DARE #7 of 7 by Garth Ennis, Gary Erskine, and Gary Leach. The double-sized final issue as Dan and the Mekon throw down hard. Stiff upper lips all around! Think of England! Recommended!
DAREDEVIL #109 by Greg Rucka, Ed Brubaker and Michael Lark. Matt starts using his head to figure out why the feds want the wrong man executed. This has to involve Cheney…
FLASH COMPANION SC by Keith Dallas. If you’re a fan of any of the four men to wear the lightning then you’ll want this collection of interviews, articles and never before seen artwork from Two Morrows Publishing. Recommended.
GRAVEL #3 by Warren Ellis, Mike Wolfer and Oscar Jimenez. Quick! An issue of GRAVEL has escaped from Avatar Press! Somebody catch it!
IMAGE MONSTER PILE-UP #1 by Many People. A sampler pack of Image monster characters, including the Astounding Wolf-Man, Firebreather, Perhapanauts, and Proof. Four new stories for the curious and the obsessive. Dirt-cheap!
IMMORTAL IRON FIST #17 by Duane Swierczynski, Russ Heath and Travel Foreman. The first issue by the new creative team, but is it the last for Danny Rand? All-new adventures of the toughest guy ever to wear yellow slippers.
JUSTICE LEAGUE OF AMERICA #23 by Dwayne McDuffie and Ed Benes. Wonder Woman fights Amazo. See if I’m lying.
LIBERTY COMICS: A CBLDF BENEFIT BOOK by Various Creators including Brubaker, Ennis, Cooke, Evanier, Phillips and Millar. Featuring all-new stories from the worlds of CRIMINAL and THE BOYS with lots of other goodies from today’s top creators. Not for kids but essential reading. If you love comics and hate censorship this is your book! Highly Recommended x Infinity.
MARVEL MASTERWORKS: GOLDEN-AGE CAPTAIN AMERICA VOL. 2 HC by Joe Simon and Jack Kirby. Collecting CAPTAIN AMERICA COMICS #5-8. If you don’t have $46,000 on you for the original books give this a read. Classic stuff.
NEW AVENGERS #43 by Brian Michael Bendis and Billy Tan. Further explorations of the Skrull-kickings motif.
SCRAMBLED INK HC by A Bunch of Dreamworks Animators. A collection of stories illustrated by the folks who brought you “Shrek” among other things. There’s a preview over on the Dark Horse website and it looks beautiful. Gotta look!
SCUD THE DISPOSABLE ASSASSIN: THE WHOLE SHEBANG SC by Rob Schrab, Dan Harmon, Mondy Carter, and Jack Grey. Collecting SCUD #1-24, the whole magilla right here in one book. “If ya have to ask….”
SEVEN SOLDIERS OF VICTORY ARCHIVES, VOL. 3 HC by Joe Samachson and Arthur Cazeneuve. The final volume collecting LEADING COMICS #9-14 from the closing years of WWII. In original form these comics would cost you around $6,000. This book is cheaper.
SHE-HULK #31 by Peter David and Vincenzo Cucca. Guest-starring X-Factor and lots of Skrulls, who I daresay shall experience the kickings.
SKRULLS ONE-SHOT by John Rhett Thomas and Alan Smithee. Who are these Skrull people anyway and why do they merit the kickings?
SPIRIT #19 by Sergio Aragones, Mark Evanier and Paul Smith. More adventures of Eisner’s classic gumshoe, almost certainly better than the upcoming movie.
SUPERMAN #678 by James Robinson and Renato Guedes. Superman dukes it out with Atlas. Place yer bets!
TRINITY #8 by Kurt Busiek and Everybody. New drinking game: Every time the word “trinity” appears in this comic you have to drink. If tarot cards appear you have to drink. If the pictures on the tarot cards change to Superman, Batman and/or Wonder Woman you have to put down the comic and go for a walk (not a drive!). If you’re DC editorial and you’re running this title every week for a year while simultaneously trying to re-launch Madam Xanadu you have to stop drinking forever.
TWO-FACE: YEAR ONE #1 of 2 by Mark Sable and Jeses Saiz. The origin of the coolest, scariest Bat-villain EVER!
UNCANNY X-MEN #500 by Ed Brubaker, Matt Fraction, Greg Land and Terry Dodson. Okay, how about this: Every time Greg Land draws a character smiling really broadly you have to drink. If you can see both rows of teeth you have to drink twice. Don’t play this game if you’re pregnant or want to get more than five pages into the comic.
WAR HEROES #1 of 6 by Mark Millar and Tony Harris. Let us consider this book Millar’s apology for the movie “Wanted.” As long-time collaborator Bryan Hitch says: “Millar, you fool. We should have done this as ULTIMATES 3!” (Anyone who has read ULTIMATES 3 would have to agree.) With art by the wonderful Tony Harris of STARMAN and EX MACHINA fame. Recommended.
X-FILES SPECIAL #0 by Frank Spotnitz and Brian Denham. I’m told this used to be on that box with the little people in it.
X-MEN LEGACY #214 by Mike Carey and Scot Eaton. Wrapping up the battle between Professor X and the X-villain with the name so stupid I can’t bring myself to type it. Rhymes with “Sister Minister” which is actually a much better name for an X-villain.
(Enjoy Comic-Con, everybody! If you see Jerry Robinson in Artists Alley be sure to thank him for co-creating the Joker!)
www.johnjudy.net
By John Judy
AMBUSH BUG: YEAR NONE #1 of 6 by Keith Giffen, Robert Loren Fleming and Al Milgrom. Remember how we all laughed back in the 1980s? We had these funny Presidents who never knew what they were talking about and one of them liked jelly beans an awful lot, maybe too much and… Well, if you’d like to relive those days at roughly ten times the price then this book is for you!
AMERICAN FLAGG DEFINITIVE COLLECTION VOL. 1 HC written and illustrated by Howard Chaykin. Collecting the legendary first 14 issues of the series that put Howard Chaykin on the map. Twenty-five years in the making this one’s finally coming out from Image. Recommended.
AVENGERS INITIATIVE #15 by Dan Slott, Christos Gage and Harvey Tolibao. Skrull-kickings galore! What more could anyone ask?
BLACK PANTHER #38 by Reginald Hudlin and Francis Portela. T’Challa vs. Killmonger, the final round. Look whose name is on the comic, kids. Good stuff.
BLACK SUMMER #7 of 7 by Warren Ellis and Juan Jose Ryp. It’s crazy John Horus vs. Everyone in the mushroom cloudy finale! To take the edge off Ellis dumping THUNDERBOLTS. Not for kids.
BRAVE AND BOLD #15 by Mark Waid and Scott Kolins. Okay, would ya believe Nightwing and Hawkman? I think Frank Miller should make money every time a superhero jumps through a hail of ninja arrows in a comic book. Just puttin’ it out there…
BROKEN TRINITY #1 of 3 by Ron Marz and Stjepan Sejic. At first I thought this was some sort of a confession from DC but then I looked and saw it was from Top Cow and involved Witchblade, The Darkness and an Angelus that had nothing to do with Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Okay.
DAN DARE #7 of 7 by Garth Ennis, Gary Erskine, and Gary Leach. The double-sized final issue as Dan and the Mekon throw down hard. Stiff upper lips all around! Think of England! Recommended!
DAREDEVIL #109 by Greg Rucka, Ed Brubaker and Michael Lark. Matt starts using his head to figure out why the feds want the wrong man executed. This has to involve Cheney…
FLASH COMPANION SC by Keith Dallas. If you’re a fan of any of the four men to wear the lightning then you’ll want this collection of interviews, articles and never before seen artwork from Two Morrows Publishing. Recommended.
GRAVEL #3 by Warren Ellis, Mike Wolfer and Oscar Jimenez. Quick! An issue of GRAVEL has escaped from Avatar Press! Somebody catch it!
IMAGE MONSTER PILE-UP #1 by Many People. A sampler pack of Image monster characters, including the Astounding Wolf-Man, Firebreather, Perhapanauts, and Proof. Four new stories for the curious and the obsessive. Dirt-cheap!
IMMORTAL IRON FIST #17 by Duane Swierczynski, Russ Heath and Travel Foreman. The first issue by the new creative team, but is it the last for Danny Rand? All-new adventures of the toughest guy ever to wear yellow slippers.
JUSTICE LEAGUE OF AMERICA #23 by Dwayne McDuffie and Ed Benes. Wonder Woman fights Amazo. See if I’m lying.
LIBERTY COMICS: A CBLDF BENEFIT BOOK by Various Creators including Brubaker, Ennis, Cooke, Evanier, Phillips and Millar. Featuring all-new stories from the worlds of CRIMINAL and THE BOYS with lots of other goodies from today’s top creators. Not for kids but essential reading. If you love comics and hate censorship this is your book! Highly Recommended x Infinity.
MARVEL MASTERWORKS: GOLDEN-AGE CAPTAIN AMERICA VOL. 2 HC by Joe Simon and Jack Kirby. Collecting CAPTAIN AMERICA COMICS #5-8. If you don’t have $46,000 on you for the original books give this a read. Classic stuff.
NEW AVENGERS #43 by Brian Michael Bendis and Billy Tan. Further explorations of the Skrull-kickings motif.
SCRAMBLED INK HC by A Bunch of Dreamworks Animators. A collection of stories illustrated by the folks who brought you “Shrek” among other things. There’s a preview over on the Dark Horse website and it looks beautiful. Gotta look!
SCUD THE DISPOSABLE ASSASSIN: THE WHOLE SHEBANG SC by Rob Schrab, Dan Harmon, Mondy Carter, and Jack Grey. Collecting SCUD #1-24, the whole magilla right here in one book. “If ya have to ask….”
SEVEN SOLDIERS OF VICTORY ARCHIVES, VOL. 3 HC by Joe Samachson and Arthur Cazeneuve. The final volume collecting LEADING COMICS #9-14 from the closing years of WWII. In original form these comics would cost you around $6,000. This book is cheaper.
SHE-HULK #31 by Peter David and Vincenzo Cucca. Guest-starring X-Factor and lots of Skrulls, who I daresay shall experience the kickings.
SKRULLS ONE-SHOT by John Rhett Thomas and Alan Smithee. Who are these Skrull people anyway and why do they merit the kickings?
SPIRIT #19 by Sergio Aragones, Mark Evanier and Paul Smith. More adventures of Eisner’s classic gumshoe, almost certainly better than the upcoming movie.
SUPERMAN #678 by James Robinson and Renato Guedes. Superman dukes it out with Atlas. Place yer bets!
TRINITY #8 by Kurt Busiek and Everybody. New drinking game: Every time the word “trinity” appears in this comic you have to drink. If tarot cards appear you have to drink. If the pictures on the tarot cards change to Superman, Batman and/or Wonder Woman you have to put down the comic and go for a walk (not a drive!). If you’re DC editorial and you’re running this title every week for a year while simultaneously trying to re-launch Madam Xanadu you have to stop drinking forever.
TWO-FACE: YEAR ONE #1 of 2 by Mark Sable and Jeses Saiz. The origin of the coolest, scariest Bat-villain EVER!
UNCANNY X-MEN #500 by Ed Brubaker, Matt Fraction, Greg Land and Terry Dodson. Okay, how about this: Every time Greg Land draws a character smiling really broadly you have to drink. If you can see both rows of teeth you have to drink twice. Don’t play this game if you’re pregnant or want to get more than five pages into the comic.
WAR HEROES #1 of 6 by Mark Millar and Tony Harris. Let us consider this book Millar’s apology for the movie “Wanted.” As long-time collaborator Bryan Hitch says: “Millar, you fool. We should have done this as ULTIMATES 3!” (Anyone who has read ULTIMATES 3 would have to agree.) With art by the wonderful Tony Harris of STARMAN and EX MACHINA fame. Recommended.
X-FILES SPECIAL #0 by Frank Spotnitz and Brian Denham. I’m told this used to be on that box with the little people in it.
X-MEN LEGACY #214 by Mike Carey and Scot Eaton. Wrapping up the battle between Professor X and the X-villain with the name so stupid I can’t bring myself to type it. Rhymes with “Sister Minister” which is actually a much better name for an X-villain.
(Enjoy Comic-Con, everybody! If you see Jerry Robinson in Artists Alley be sure to thank him for co-creating the Joker!)
www.johnjudy.net
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