QUICK REVIEWS FOR COMICS DUE 03-19-08

QUICK REVIEWS FOR COMICS DUE 03-19-08
By John “I get paid $5500 an hour to do this!” Judy

AL CAPP’S COMPLETE SHMOO: THE COMIC BOOKS HC written and illustrated by Capp Studios. Featuring Super Shmoo, Frankenshmoo, and Fu Manshoo! If you have to ask…

ALL WE EVER DO IS TALK ABOUT WOOD GN written and illustrated by Tom Horacek. A collection of Horacek’s morbidly funny single panel cartoons. Definitely for fans of Charles Addams, Edward Gorey, and Ivan Brunetti. Recommended.

ANGEL: AFTER THE FALL #5 by Brian Lynch and Franco Urru. So he’s not a vampire anymore….?

BATMAN: THE KILLING JOKE SPECIAL EDITION by Alan Moore and Brian Bolland. A special hardcover 20th anniversary edition designed to torture Alan Moore by reminding him of how tied he remains to DC even though he refuses to cash their checks. Of course some of us are tortured by the knowledge that it’s been 20 years since we bought this book new on the stands… Also contains the story “An Innocent Guy” from BATMAN: BLACK & WHITE.

BRAVE AND BOLD #11 by Mark Waid and Jerry Ordway. Superman and Ultraman team up to save the day. Sorry manga fans, it’s a different Ultraman.

CAPTAIN AMERICA #36 by Ed Brubaker, Butch Guice, and Mike Perkins. Bucky continues making the role of Captain America his own. Hard.

EX MACHINA #5 by Brian K. Vaughan and Tony Harris. Mayor Hundred is haunted by the ghosts of African slaves. And metaphors.

GHOST RIDER #21 by Jason Aaron and Roland Boschi. Pure, out of control motorcycle madness, reminiscent of the best of Garth Ennis's PREACHER. Highly recommended, even though you hated the movie.

GRENDEL: BEHOLD THE DEVIL #5 of 8 written and illustrated by Matt Wagner. Gee fights monsters! Recommended.

IMMORTAL IRON FIST #13 by Matt Fraction, Ed Brubaker, Tonci Zonjic, and David Aja. Okay, when the "What Has Gone Before" page starts reading like a novella you may be getting a tad challenging for new readers to get on board. Just sayin'... Pretty good comic anyway.

MARVEL MASTERWORKS: CAPTAIN AMERICA VOL. 4 HC by Stan Lee, John Buscema, Gene Colan, and John Romita Sr. Collecting CAPTAIN AMERICA #114-124, featuring the Red Skull, the Falcon, MODOK, Nick Fury, AIM, and the cosmic cube! The more things change…

OVERSTREET COMIC BOOK PRICE GUIDE VOL. 38 HC & SC with your choice of covers: Marvel Villains by Mark Sparacio or Star Wars by Doug Wheatley. For some reason there also seems to be a Joe Shuster Superman cover being advertised on the net but there’s no mention of this from the publisher. Weird.

SUPER FRIENDS #1 by Sholly Fisch and Dario Brizuela. Fun for all ages, featuring smiling Batman with the yellow oval on his chest!

TANGENT: SUPERMAN’S REIGN #1 of 12 by Dan Jurgens and Friends. It’s trademark renewin’ time, kids! Alternate universe super-heroes meet their namesakes. Personally I wanna see the Just Imagine Stan Lee and Realworlds versions roll in! If you get these references you’re old.

THOR #7 J. Michael Straczynski and Marko Djurdjevic. A really great issue, among the high points for JMS and Thor in general. Setting up what will no doubt be some very interesting stories in months to come. Highly recommended.

WAR IS HELL: THE FIRST FLIGHT OF THE PHANTOM EAGLE #1 by Garth Ennis and Howard Chaykin. A heavy-hitting creative team tackles the World War I aviator’s adventures in “graphic” style. Not for kids. Highly recommended.

WOLVERINE ORIGINS #23 Daniel Way and Steve Dillon. Okay, Daniel Way is starting to win me over now that he is writing a Three Stooges comic with blood. He’s found a groove that works for him. Now let's make this non-continuity and have a ball. Not for younger kids. Seriously.

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