comic — page 2

Hey Scott, are you going to continue your comic reviews at all?

Ah, right to the point.  My kind of question. Yes, but I’m trying to find a new format for them.  There’s only so many times that I can say “Batwoman is a wonderfully illustrated comic” every month before I get bored of writing it, so I’m thinking of just doing a couple of rotating series or something.  It was starting to feel like work the way I was doing it and that’s totally not what I wanted out of it.  For those who want a quick fix of my thoughts, here’s what I’ve been reading as of late:– Really enjoyed the two-part time travel story in Amazing Spider-Man.  I picked it up on a whim because I’m enjoying Avenging Spider-Man so much, and I might keep on with the main title and see how it goes now.  The fake-out with the AM/PM thing was kind of a cheat, but all the little nuances and digs (like even the writer talking about how no one cares about what the villain’s name stands for) were tremendous fun.  – Deadpool: The Musical was total dogshit.  It was supposed to be a “catchup” issue for new readers, but it started the recap way back at Civil War and didn’t even bring you up to the past 3 months of storyline.  It felt like something that was produced months ago and left in the can until now.  Plus the jokes weren’t funny at all and the central conceit with Deadpool singing new lyrics over popular tunes didn’t work.  Hugely disappointing. – Justice League #5 was kind of weird and sloppy.  Definitely didn’t like it as much as the rest of the series thus far, and they’re really dragging their heels on getting the team together and bringing it to the present.  The whole thing with Batman revealing his identity to Green Lantern felt like something to fill space and seemed totally out of character to me.  I dunno, could just be a misfire. – Justice League Dark #5 was a solid comic, but this was the end of the first arc and they’re still nowhere close to being a team.  Another reviewer called it a perfect jumping-off point, and it’s true.  The story was wrapped up, there’s no real loose ends to come back for, and they’re all just kind of doing their own thing now.  I liked it well enough, but where’s the hook to keep readers coming back?  – Aquaman continues to so much better than it has any right to be.  Aquaman trapped in the desert is kind of a punchline, but it WORKS.  The flashbacks are interesting and Arthur continues to be pretty badass.  – Batman #5 was a fascinating case for me because I felt like I was missing something initially, and it turns out I was because the digital version doesn’t have the freaky upside-down and twisted pages that the print version does.  Or at least my reader renders them all the “right” way.  So that was kind of lacking for me, but I’ve read this issue 6 or 7 times now because I can’t stop going back to it for some reason.  It’s just so DARK and creepy and wonderful.  – I won’t say I LOVED Winter Soldier, but I did enjoy it enough to keep it on the pull list.  I’m not a huge fan of the dark and muddled art style, but the idea of Bucky and Black Widow as secret assassins tracking down the former Russian sleeper agents is such a blast.  I was also enjoying Cap & Bucky now that it’s the adventures of the 50s Captain and Bucky, because there’s years of unmined storylines there as well. 

Hey Scott, are you going to continue your comic reviews at all?

Ah, right to the point.  My kind of question. Yes, but I’m trying to find a new format for them.  There’s only so many times that I can say “Batwoman is a wonderfully illustrated comic” every month before I get bored of writing it, so I’m thinking of just doing a couple of rotating series or something.  It was starting to feel like work the way I was doing it and that’s totally not what I wanted out of it.  For those who want a quick fix of my thoughts, here’s what I’ve been reading as of late:– Really enjoyed the two-part time travel story in Amazing Spider-Man.  I picked it up on a whim because I’m enjoying Avenging Spider-Man so much, and I might keep on with the main title and see how it goes now.  The fake-out with the AM/PM thing was kind of a cheat, but all the little nuances and digs (like even the writer talking about how no one cares about what the villain’s name stands for) were tremendous fun.  – Deadpool: The Musical was total dogshit.  It was supposed to be a “catchup” issue for new readers, but it started the recap way back at Civil War and didn’t even bring you up to the past 3 months of storyline.  It felt like something that was produced months ago and left in the can until now.  Plus the jokes weren’t funny at all and the central conceit with Deadpool singing new lyrics over popular tunes didn’t work.  Hugely disappointing. – Justice League #5 was kind of weird and sloppy.  Definitely didn’t like it as much as the rest of the series thus far, and they’re really dragging their heels on getting the team together and bringing it to the present.  The whole thing with Batman revealing his identity to Green Lantern felt like something to fill space and seemed totally out of character to me.  I dunno, could just be a misfire. – Justice League Dark #5 was a solid comic, but this was the end of the first arc and they’re still nowhere close to being a team.  Another reviewer called it a perfect jumping-off point, and it’s true.  The story was wrapped up, there’s no real loose ends to come back for, and they’re all just kind of doing their own thing now.  I liked it well enough, but where’s the hook to keep readers coming back?  – Aquaman continues to so much better than it has any right to be.  Aquaman trapped in the desert is kind of a punchline, but it WORKS.  The flashbacks are interesting and Arthur continues to be pretty badass.  – Batman #5 was a fascinating case for me because I felt like I was missing something initially, and it turns out I was because the digital version doesn’t have the freaky upside-down and twisted pages that the print version does.  Or at least my reader renders them all the “right” way.  So that was kind of lacking for me, but I’ve read this issue 6 or 7 times now because I can’t stop going back to it for some reason.  It’s just so DARK and creepy and wonderful.  – I won’t say I LOVED Winter Soldier, but I did enjoy it enough to keep it on the pull list.  I’m not a huge fan of the dark and muddled art style, but the idea of Bucky and Black Widow as secret assassins tracking down the former Russian sleeper agents is such a blast.  I was also enjoying Cap & Bucky now that it’s the adventures of the 50s Captain and Bucky, because there’s years of unmined storylines there as well. 

Hi Scott,
I’m new to the comics game, I’ve just finished Marvels Civil War Saga. What are your favorite comic book series/runs? Which ones should I definitely look for?
All the best from Holland,

Well, it’s not much to go on, plus I’m not a Marvel guy to begin with.  I’m an old-school DC guy, so most of my favorite stuff tends to gravitate to that.  But for the record, here’s the ones I’ve always loved (most of which are available in trade paperback): – Crisis On Infinite Earths.  The first and best universe-resettingest George Perez-Marv Wolfman nerdgasm.  People and universes got slaughtered wholesale, Superman got so pissed off that he punched out a living sun and saved the universe, Wally West got to be the Flash.  I read it over and over all the time. – The Man of Steel.  John Byrne flushed away all the debris of the “moves planets with a shrug” version of Superman and recreated him as the musclebound Kansas farmboy we all know and love today.  The first issue, with Superman putting on his new costume for the first time and flying into the sky, is probably one of the most iconic panels ever done.  – Watchmen.  I know, it’s the obvious choice, but you need to have it in your collection.  It’s dense and challenging (there’s entire other books written about dissecting it panel-by-panel) but if you watch the movie and want to see the story in even more detail, you gotta have it. – 100 Bullets.  As I noted before, this was the only time I’ve ever run through an entire 100-issue series in one weekend.  Brian Azzarello creates an entire world in one issue, where a mysterious agent offers a young women a briefcase filled with an untraceable gun and 100 bullets to seek revenge with.  From there it builds its own mythology with crazy twists and turns and a series of seemingly unconnected people who turn out to be anything but.  I DARE someone to read the first volume and not obsessively finish the rest of it.  I’m sure others have tons of other stuff to add to this.  Especially Marvel-related if that’s where you’re at. 

Hi Scott,
I’m new to the comics game, I’ve just finished Marvels Civil War Saga. What are your favorite comic book series/runs? Which ones should I definitely look for?
All the best from Holland,

Well, it’s not much to go on, plus I’m not a Marvel guy to begin with.  I’m an old-school DC guy, so most of my favorite stuff tends to gravitate to that.  But for the record, here’s the ones I’ve always loved (most of which are available in trade paperback): – Crisis On Infinite Earths.  The first and best universe-resettingest George Perez-Marv Wolfman nerdgasm.  People and universes got slaughtered wholesale, Superman got so pissed off that he punched out a living sun and saved the universe, Wally West got to be the Flash.  I read it over and over all the time. – The Man of Steel.  John Byrne flushed away all the debris of the “moves planets with a shrug” version of Superman and recreated him as the musclebound Kansas farmboy we all know and love today.  The first issue, with Superman putting on his new costume for the first time and flying into the sky, is probably one of the most iconic panels ever done.  – Watchmen.  I know, it’s the obvious choice, but you need to have it in your collection.  It’s dense and challenging (there’s entire other books written about dissecting it panel-by-panel) but if you watch the movie and want to see the story in even more detail, you gotta have it. – 100 Bullets.  As I noted before, this was the only time I’ve ever run through an entire 100-issue series in one weekend.  Brian Azzarello creates an entire world in one issue, where a mysterious agent offers a young women a briefcase filled with an untraceable gun and 100 bullets to seek revenge with.  From there it builds its own mythology with crazy twists and turns and a series of seemingly unconnected people who turn out to be anything but.  I DARE someone to read the first volume and not obsessively finish the rest of it.  I’m sure others have tons of other stuff to add to this.  Especially Marvel-related if that’s where you’re at.