I was trying to come up with what I wanted to talk about in my weekly recap but then I realized I don't really have much to talk about and listing comic news just for the sake of doing so seems kinda pointless. So instead, I'll do something equally pointless by listing off what I have been or will be reading in the TPB or webcomic or novel/other books front.
On the TPB front I polished off another volume of Fables (volume 4). I'm slowly getting more and more interested in this series. I enjoyed it from the start but wasn't sure I wanted to stick with it. I'll be picking up at least volume 5 and maybe 6. It's not in my "must read" territory yet but who knows. Right now I'm reading Ex Machina, Y: The Last Man, Invincible, and the Walking Dead in TPB format but with the first two being limitted, Fables may get added to the list. I finished the first two volumes of Criminal, it was really good as well but I don't think I'll be sticking with it. As good as it is it's just not my cup of tea. Though if I'm really looking for something to read I might go back for another taste. I just started Bone, the one volume edition. I think I'm going to break it up into chunks though, read 100 or so pages and then wait a week before going back for the next 100 pages. Because at 1300+ pages it's a bit of a beast. I'm considering picking up "Black Hole" after noticing it in Chapters so if you have any opinions on it let me know.
As far as webcomics go, I'm still rather hoping Celadore wins the Zuda Competition. As far as Zuda comics go I'm only reading Bayou and High Moon regularly and Pray for Death semi-regularly so I'd like to add Celadore to that list. One of the latest DrunkDuck comics to make it to my "favorites" list is AHAB, mostly because of the distinctive art and storytelling.
And last but not least, the non-comic books I'm reading or will be reading. I'm slowly making my way through "When Science Goes Wrong" by Simon LeVay. I think the title is somewhat misleading and it's pretty weird reading stories about people who lost their lives in these tragedies, I don't know what it says about me to be doing so. But they are interesting stories. After that I have "Kirby: The King of Comics", "The Incredible Hulk" novelization (which I will be waiting until after seeing the movie before reading), and "The Children of Hurin". I haven't decided the order yet.
So much reading, so little time. :) At least my Sunday ball hockey is done for the summer (my team ended up finishing in last place) so I'll have a bit more time on my hands. Feel free to let me know what you're reading or what you think I should be.
Monday, May 26, 2008
Friday, May 23, 2008
Weekly Comic Reviews for May 23rd, 2008
A whopping two books for me this week. But that's okay because my latest batch of TPBs and such came in the mail and it included volume 4, Bone (the one volume edition), and Kirby: King of Comics. Okay, that last one isn't a TPB but anyways.
As for the reviews...
Echo #3 -- I love the characters, I love the art, every scene is well played out, and yet I'm losing interest. I just wish the main story was moving along a little quicker instead of bringing up more vague backstory stuff. The whole issue I was waiting for something to move the story of the suit along and it didn't seem to happen until the cliff hanger ending. I'm on the cusp of dropping this as a monthly purchase and just waiting for the TPBs. Hopefully then I'd feel like things were moving along a bit better.
World of Warcraft #7 -- I've been pretty hard on this series and I went into this issue expecting it to be my last one. I have to say though that this issue felt a bit better in terms of art and how it told the story even if the story felt a little forced here. In the end though, I was expecting something a bit more conclusive given that the solicitation read that this was the end of the first story arc but that may just be me. And overall, I felt it was too little too late. If you're enjoying this series then this was probably a good issue but for me, it just wasn't enough to get me back on board. So I guess this is where the story ends for me.
As an aside, I read that in the latest Maxim Shannon Elizabeth says guys don't ask her out. Hmm... okay, this is me officially asking Shannon Elizabeth out.
It's worth a try right??? :)
As for the reviews...
Echo #3 -- I love the characters, I love the art, every scene is well played out, and yet I'm losing interest. I just wish the main story was moving along a little quicker instead of bringing up more vague backstory stuff. The whole issue I was waiting for something to move the story of the suit along and it didn't seem to happen until the cliff hanger ending. I'm on the cusp of dropping this as a monthly purchase and just waiting for the TPBs. Hopefully then I'd feel like things were moving along a bit better.
World of Warcraft #7 -- I've been pretty hard on this series and I went into this issue expecting it to be my last one. I have to say though that this issue felt a bit better in terms of art and how it told the story even if the story felt a little forced here. In the end though, I was expecting something a bit more conclusive given that the solicitation read that this was the end of the first story arc but that may just be me. And overall, I felt it was too little too late. If you're enjoying this series then this was probably a good issue but for me, it just wasn't enough to get me back on board. So I guess this is where the story ends for me.
As an aside, I read that in the latest Maxim Shannon Elizabeth says guys don't ask her out. Hmm... okay, this is me officially asking Shannon Elizabeth out.
It's worth a try right??? :)
Monday, May 19, 2008
My Weekly Recap
Well, I'm trying to enjoy my day off but it hasn't gotten off to a very good start. But that's because of a personal matter that I won't rant about here so that's all I'll say about that. So let's talk comics...
Iron Man continues to thrive at the box office. I'm only mildly surprised by just how well it's doing. At first I thought the character wouldn't be able to match Spider-Man or Superman numbers but I think they went the right route by advertising the heck out of it. Even people who had no idea who Iron Man was were becoming interested in the movie. Plus, it's simply a well done movie. Great actors who really want to do the movie and a director who's passionate about the character.
And now the advertising for the Incredible Hulk is starting to get a bit more aggressive with actual TV shots popping up. You can already see that footage is still being worked on as clips from the first trailer have already been tweeked (such as the shot of the Hulk roaring before confronting the Abomination, he now has the remains of a shirt still wrapped around him). As a Hulk fan I'm really looking forward to this but I also have reservations over just how well it will be received. The first Hulk movie (which I actually enjoyed but understand what people didn't like about it) left a bad taste in many people's mouths. But at least they've given the fans one thing they wanted, a good ol' Hulk fight with another (bigger) monster.
The reviews for Indiana Jones don't seem all that promising. Many of the reviews I've seen make it out to be just a ho-hum movie. To be honest, that's all I'm expecting and I don't know why that is.
Going back to one of my previous rants about comic delays, I guess someone brought this up with Dan Didio at a convention and Didio used the audience to show that the majority of fans are against using fill in teams of artists and/or writers to keep a book monthly. I do agree to a point here. For many stories I do prefer the continuity of a writer/artist team. I'm glad that Marvel didn't throw in another artist for Civil War or for the Ultimates. But on the other hand, that doesn't really excuse the problem in my mind. It still often boils down to poor planning on their part. These major storylines should be planned out well in advance and given adequate time to finish. Then, when the schedule is set and announced you should stick to it or at least be open with fans as to why instead of quietly pushing back dates. Don't sluff it off and say "Oh, we don't want to disrupt the flow of the story" or whatever. Don't let it get that far and you won't have to worry about disrupting anything.
I guess that's all I have to rant about for this week (for now at least). Now I'm off to relax a bit more and hopefully get some more drawing done. Cheers!
Iron Man continues to thrive at the box office. I'm only mildly surprised by just how well it's doing. At first I thought the character wouldn't be able to match Spider-Man or Superman numbers but I think they went the right route by advertising the heck out of it. Even people who had no idea who Iron Man was were becoming interested in the movie. Plus, it's simply a well done movie. Great actors who really want to do the movie and a director who's passionate about the character.
And now the advertising for the Incredible Hulk is starting to get a bit more aggressive with actual TV shots popping up. You can already see that footage is still being worked on as clips from the first trailer have already been tweeked (such as the shot of the Hulk roaring before confronting the Abomination, he now has the remains of a shirt still wrapped around him). As a Hulk fan I'm really looking forward to this but I also have reservations over just how well it will be received. The first Hulk movie (which I actually enjoyed but understand what people didn't like about it) left a bad taste in many people's mouths. But at least they've given the fans one thing they wanted, a good ol' Hulk fight with another (bigger) monster.
The reviews for Indiana Jones don't seem all that promising. Many of the reviews I've seen make it out to be just a ho-hum movie. To be honest, that's all I'm expecting and I don't know why that is.
Going back to one of my previous rants about comic delays, I guess someone brought this up with Dan Didio at a convention and Didio used the audience to show that the majority of fans are against using fill in teams of artists and/or writers to keep a book monthly. I do agree to a point here. For many stories I do prefer the continuity of a writer/artist team. I'm glad that Marvel didn't throw in another artist for Civil War or for the Ultimates. But on the other hand, that doesn't really excuse the problem in my mind. It still often boils down to poor planning on their part. These major storylines should be planned out well in advance and given adequate time to finish. Then, when the schedule is set and announced you should stick to it or at least be open with fans as to why instead of quietly pushing back dates. Don't sluff it off and say "Oh, we don't want to disrupt the flow of the story" or whatever. Don't let it get that far and you won't have to worry about disrupting anything.
I guess that's all I have to rant about for this week (for now at least). Now I'm off to relax a bit more and hopefully get some more drawing done. Cheers!
Friday, May 16, 2008
Zuda May Competition Reviews
Let's get to it shall we...
"E" -- The description on this one is vague and the first 8 pages are just as vague. The art is nice and quirky, and the book seems to have some humour to it (though the last page made me groan out loud). But there wasn't really enough there to capture my attention or make me want more.
Action, Ohio -- I found the premise to this one to be sorta ho-hum but maybe that's because I just recently read Wanted. I wasn't sure if this was aiming to be serious (if it was it missed it needs to flush out the story and reasoning more) or fun (then the ending and the general mood didn't really fit). Either way, it probably wouldn't get my vote.
Captain Luck -- A somewhat more cartoony style (almost "Archie"-ish) for what seems to be a an old "hero adventure" style story that you'd see in old comic superhero serials. Unfortunately it's not quite my "thing" and I found the 8 pages didn't really flow as a story for me. I didn't really feel drawn into any of it and the abrupt ending just made me shrug and move on.
Celadore -- As much as I don't want to make the comparison it's gotta be said, with a young woman fighting vampires the first thing you're bound to think of is Buffy. But after reading it I'd have to say there's more to it than being another Buffy rip. I am curious to see where this goes, I already have an interest in the characters (though I do wonder if being a Buffy fan had something to do with that), and I do think there's some originality there that can be explored. This one is looking like it might be getting my vote.
Children of Bighand -- I have to say that this one takes the King Kong/Mighty Joe Young thing to the extreme. Personally, I felt the art, story, and narration was rather weak. It won't be getting my vote.
Colonel MacTagart -- I saw where this cartoon was going pretty much from the start and yet it took 8 pages to get there. And in the end, I just didn't find it all that funny. But perhaps that boils down somewhat to personal taste. I don't think this one deserves 10th place but it's not on the top of my list.
Golden -- Unfortunately, I just have a hard time getting into samurai stories and the like. I do think this one has decent art, an interesting idea, and some good story telling. Honestly, it ranks fairly high on my list for this month despite my own personal preferences.
Hannibal Goes to Rome -- Having a little fun with history here, it adds some humour to a story that typically wouldn't have it. This one succeeds on several fronts but probably isn't something I'd read on a regular basis. Still very good work though.
Robodeath -- Big transforming robot machinery and zombies with guns, a marriage made in heaven. Add to the mix a gun toting woman in a skirt and there you go. There does seem to be the hint at something more to this story but I really couldn't get past the machinery and zombies and such. And there was nothing in those first 7 pages to help with that.
The Mean Model -- I was expecting eight pages of Paris Hilton jokes but fortunately there was a bit more to it. Unfortunately, it didn't really seem like all that much more for me. I didn't really find it funny and it used a lot of the standard jokes. I didn't really think it was anything new. I won't be voting for this one.
So after going through that it seems Celadore is the front runner for my vote. Golden and Hannibal Goes to Rome round out the top 3 for me.
"E" -- The description on this one is vague and the first 8 pages are just as vague. The art is nice and quirky, and the book seems to have some humour to it (though the last page made me groan out loud). But there wasn't really enough there to capture my attention or make me want more.
Action, Ohio -- I found the premise to this one to be sorta ho-hum but maybe that's because I just recently read Wanted. I wasn't sure if this was aiming to be serious (if it was it missed it needs to flush out the story and reasoning more) or fun (then the ending and the general mood didn't really fit). Either way, it probably wouldn't get my vote.
Captain Luck -- A somewhat more cartoony style (almost "Archie"-ish) for what seems to be a an old "hero adventure" style story that you'd see in old comic superhero serials. Unfortunately it's not quite my "thing" and I found the 8 pages didn't really flow as a story for me. I didn't really feel drawn into any of it and the abrupt ending just made me shrug and move on.
Celadore -- As much as I don't want to make the comparison it's gotta be said, with a young woman fighting vampires the first thing you're bound to think of is Buffy. But after reading it I'd have to say there's more to it than being another Buffy rip. I am curious to see where this goes, I already have an interest in the characters (though I do wonder if being a Buffy fan had something to do with that), and I do think there's some originality there that can be explored. This one is looking like it might be getting my vote.
Children of Bighand -- I have to say that this one takes the King Kong/Mighty Joe Young thing to the extreme. Personally, I felt the art, story, and narration was rather weak. It won't be getting my vote.
Colonel MacTagart -- I saw where this cartoon was going pretty much from the start and yet it took 8 pages to get there. And in the end, I just didn't find it all that funny. But perhaps that boils down somewhat to personal taste. I don't think this one deserves 10th place but it's not on the top of my list.
Golden -- Unfortunately, I just have a hard time getting into samurai stories and the like. I do think this one has decent art, an interesting idea, and some good story telling. Honestly, it ranks fairly high on my list for this month despite my own personal preferences.
Hannibal Goes to Rome -- Having a little fun with history here, it adds some humour to a story that typically wouldn't have it. This one succeeds on several fronts but probably isn't something I'd read on a regular basis. Still very good work though.
Robodeath -- Big transforming robot machinery and zombies with guns, a marriage made in heaven. Add to the mix a gun toting woman in a skirt and there you go. There does seem to be the hint at something more to this story but I really couldn't get past the machinery and zombies and such. And there was nothing in those first 7 pages to help with that.
The Mean Model -- I was expecting eight pages of Paris Hilton jokes but fortunately there was a bit more to it. Unfortunately, it didn't really seem like all that much more for me. I didn't really find it funny and it used a lot of the standard jokes. I didn't really think it was anything new. I won't be voting for this one.
So after going through that it seems Celadore is the front runner for my vote. Golden and Hannibal Goes to Rome round out the top 3 for me.
Weekly Comic Reviews for May 16th, 2008 -- SPOILERS
I only had three books this week and no friends were moving so I was able to get them all read last night. I'll try to get my latest batch of Zuda reviews up later today. Which reminds me, don't forget to take a look at the Zuda 2008 Invitational and vote. As for this week's comic reviews, we have Serenity #3, Marvel Adventures Hulk #11, and Giant Sized Incredible Hulk #1.
Serenity #3 -- This book had a lot of pluses and minuses for me. The first minus is that it had a lot crammed in. After the relatively slow pace of the last issue it felt that too much was shoved in here. I know you want the big climax but it felt choppy as there never seemed to be time taken for scenes to develop and play out. You just had to go from panel to panel and fill in a lot of the in between as you went. The series also played out as an episode with several questions being raised and left unanswered. It also expands the Mal/Inara relationship as well as the Mal/Simon feud. It just makes me want to see more. I can see all that as a good thing but I wasn't expecting it and it kinda made the main story of this series seem so inconsequential. Heck, the resolution of it seemed rather abrupt with everyone just seemingly walking away a little too quickly. I think this series is a must-read for Serenity fans but I think it could have been worked out a little better.
Giant Sized Incredible Hulk #1 -- This was another book that made me go "meh". I like seeing characters from the Hulk's past brought back into the spotlight but this story seemed like it's already been done. The interviewing of other people who have crossed the Hulk's path, for good or for bad, didn't seem all that intriguing to me. The only interview I was interested in was the head of security on the day of the gamma bomb test as he was around during a pivotal time. The others? I don't even remember them as they were pretty much standard Hulk tales only with even less Hulk action. Ok, now that I'm thinking of it there are a few things I remember from them such as the one where he scares off a bear... and that's pretty much it, or the one where he jumps by and a guy gets into an accident while watching the Hulk and the accident eventually ruins his life... That one made me shake my head. All in all, it made for a pretty unimpressive comic. The reprint of the Hulk Annual (#7 I believe) was okay I guess. Marvel touts it as a "hard to find" book so maybe it's good that it's being reprinted but personally, I didn't really see much point to it. I like it when they include a reprint of a book that actually ties in with the current storyline (like when they reprinted an old encounter betwee Reed Richards and the Hulk just prior to World War Hulk) but this one didn't really mean much to me. So yeah, I don't think this one is worth the money. I didn't find it terrible but it's also nothing really new or anything. With the movie coming out they really need to put out some quality Hulk material and this just isn't it.
Marvel Adventures Hulk #11 -- Well at least we get plenty of Hulk action here. Bruce, Rick and monkey visit the FF but unfortunately on Ben is at home. And it just so happens that Doom decides to visit at the same time and invites his Doombots too. It was a pretty fun issue. I don't know how kids will react to it but there seems to be a little bit of everything for everyone. You get a decently long fight involving the Hulk, you get some personal moments (Ben's quest to become normal mirroring Bruce's), and some fun with monkey again. You have to kinda shrug off a few things but it's still a fun read. To be honest, I'm still just glad that Marvel is doing this line of books for young readers... Which makes it kinda sad that I'm reading them. :) My only real gripe is with the cover art again. I just don't find that style matches the book very well.
So that's it for this week. On the TPB front after finishing up American Splendor: Our Movie Year (which I enjoyed up for the most part with the musical discussions being not really up my alley), I polished off the first three volumes of Fables and I enjoyed them quite a bit and am picking up volume 4 but I'm hesitant to go gung ho just yet. I also read Wanted which I didn't really enjoy as much. Oh, and I did see Iron Man and enjoyed it. There's also a funny story behind me seeing it but I'm not sure my blog is the place for it. So I'll let your imaginations take over. :)
Now to get started on my Zuda reviews.
Serenity #3 -- This book had a lot of pluses and minuses for me. The first minus is that it had a lot crammed in. After the relatively slow pace of the last issue it felt that too much was shoved in here. I know you want the big climax but it felt choppy as there never seemed to be time taken for scenes to develop and play out. You just had to go from panel to panel and fill in a lot of the in between as you went. The series also played out as an episode with several questions being raised and left unanswered. It also expands the Mal/Inara relationship as well as the Mal/Simon feud. It just makes me want to see more. I can see all that as a good thing but I wasn't expecting it and it kinda made the main story of this series seem so inconsequential. Heck, the resolution of it seemed rather abrupt with everyone just seemingly walking away a little too quickly. I think this series is a must-read for Serenity fans but I think it could have been worked out a little better.
Giant Sized Incredible Hulk #1 -- This was another book that made me go "meh". I like seeing characters from the Hulk's past brought back into the spotlight but this story seemed like it's already been done. The interviewing of other people who have crossed the Hulk's path, for good or for bad, didn't seem all that intriguing to me. The only interview I was interested in was the head of security on the day of the gamma bomb test as he was around during a pivotal time. The others? I don't even remember them as they were pretty much standard Hulk tales only with even less Hulk action. Ok, now that I'm thinking of it there are a few things I remember from them such as the one where he scares off a bear... and that's pretty much it, or the one where he jumps by and a guy gets into an accident while watching the Hulk and the accident eventually ruins his life... That one made me shake my head. All in all, it made for a pretty unimpressive comic. The reprint of the Hulk Annual (#7 I believe) was okay I guess. Marvel touts it as a "hard to find" book so maybe it's good that it's being reprinted but personally, I didn't really see much point to it. I like it when they include a reprint of a book that actually ties in with the current storyline (like when they reprinted an old encounter betwee Reed Richards and the Hulk just prior to World War Hulk) but this one didn't really mean much to me. So yeah, I don't think this one is worth the money. I didn't find it terrible but it's also nothing really new or anything. With the movie coming out they really need to put out some quality Hulk material and this just isn't it.
Marvel Adventures Hulk #11 -- Well at least we get plenty of Hulk action here. Bruce, Rick and monkey visit the FF but unfortunately on Ben is at home. And it just so happens that Doom decides to visit at the same time and invites his Doombots too. It was a pretty fun issue. I don't know how kids will react to it but there seems to be a little bit of everything for everyone. You get a decently long fight involving the Hulk, you get some personal moments (Ben's quest to become normal mirroring Bruce's), and some fun with monkey again. You have to kinda shrug off a few things but it's still a fun read. To be honest, I'm still just glad that Marvel is doing this line of books for young readers... Which makes it kinda sad that I'm reading them. :) My only real gripe is with the cover art again. I just don't find that style matches the book very well.
So that's it for this week. On the TPB front after finishing up American Splendor: Our Movie Year (which I enjoyed up for the most part with the musical discussions being not really up my alley), I polished off the first three volumes of Fables and I enjoyed them quite a bit and am picking up volume 4 but I'm hesitant to go gung ho just yet. I also read Wanted which I didn't really enjoy as much. Oh, and I did see Iron Man and enjoyed it. There's also a funny story behind me seeing it but I'm not sure my blog is the place for it. So I'll let your imaginations take over. :)
Now to get started on my Zuda reviews.
Monday, May 12, 2008
Weekly Comic Reviews for May 7th, 2008 -- Part 2... Plus a weekly recap
Oops, I accidentally posted this with no text. My apologies to those of you who get an extra email or whatnot.
First up, my two remaining reviews which I will try to be quick with.
Dark Tower: The Long Road Home #3 (of 5) -- I felt this issue had more substance to it than the last but I still feel it's just going on a bit too long. It almost seemed to be spread out to have an excuse to have Jae Lee and Richard Isanove do up big pretty pictures and there doesn't seem to be as much going on in getting the story telling portion right. It is pretty and the story is okay but I'm losing interest in it. I'll be finishing up this series but it's mostly because that's just he way I am, I hate not finishing off a series I start to read. I highly doubt I'll be back for the next... Maybe I'll look at the TPB if/when it comes out.
House of Mystery #1 -- A rather weird and creepy book here and I'm not quite sure what I think of it just yet. For a first issue it has a lot to whet the appetite and leave you a little intrigued yet at the same time I didn't really get a connection to the characters that appear to be the main ones. I may check out issue 2 but I'm not looking to add it to my pull list just yet.
So a few extra tidbits from the week. I finally saw Iron Man on Saturday. I really enjoyed it and thought they did a fantastic job on it yet, somehow it felt "simple" to me. Mostly because I know the story already and nothing really came out of left field or surprised me (other than a few funny moments that weren't in the trailers). So I always knew where they were going with it. But perhaps I just knew too much. It didn't ruin it for me though, as I said, I still enjoyed it a lot. And I'm really interested to see what Marvel has planned with their upcoming movies: Ant-Man, Iron Man 2, Thor, Captain America, and the Avengers.
A new batch of webcomics are up for the latest Zuda competition so go check them out. I'm going to hold off on saying who my front runners are for the moment.
I saw an article posted on Newsarama about Action Comics Annual #11 and thought "Hmm, it's been a long time since I first heard about Geoff Johns, Richard Donner, and Adam Kubert doing Action, what's up with that?" and after reading the comments I see it was yet another delayed book. Now I'm not even going to try and say which company, Marvel or DC, is worse because I don't really care (and I also just read today that the next issue of Thor will be delayed). And there is also the issue of independent books being late (which I find more excusable personally but still not good) but whatever. It just seems that so many books are not hitting their scheduled release date. Typically, the readers' anger gets focused on the artist and probably a lot of the time the artist is the slow one. But other times it's the writer (I know JMS has been late on some of his Thor scripts and Mark Millar was late on some of his during the whole Civil War/Ultimates problems). And so I don't even want to single them out without knowing the details as to why. I've heard it all, companies don't want to play with the "integrity" of the story by getting fill in artists/writers. Watchmen was late when it shipped (and going so far as comparing your stories to Watchmen is, many times, laughable). It's just a comic book. It's not the end of the world. Etc, etc.
No, it's not the end of the world and I can see it happening from time to time with some books. Either an artist or writer gets sick or falls behind but really, Marvel and DC have to do a better job at this. It hurts their stories to have 2, 3, 6, or 12 months pass between issues. Readers lose the flow of the story, they stop caring, or the stories get spoiled by other books. Which also leads to the question of delaying other books to wait for the delayed book (as Marvel did with Civil War). I'm not enough of an insider to know how to fix this, whether writers and artists are just too busy doing the appearances and cons or other projects, or that comics nowadays are just too ambitious to get together in just a month (or bi-monthly if that's what they aim for). Whatever the case may be, it's becoming one of my biggest pet peeves. If you tell me the book is coming out monthly, then I'll expect a montly book. If you say bi-monthly, fine. But just silently pushing the date back again and again makes it feel like the company is saying "We'll put it out whenever we get around to finishing it." Which is another issue, inform the readers. Have the big head haunchos like Quesada step up and say "Yeah, we screwed up and this book is late." At least acknowledge to the fans that you care enough to try and meet your own schedule.
Hmm, that rant kinda had no direction to it did it? Okay, here were the points I had wanted to make at the start:
- The number of constantly delayed books is getting too high in my opinion.
- Constant delays can hurt a storyline just as a change in artist/writer can.
- It's not always the artist who's at fault.
- I think Marvel and DC (and whoever else) should look into fixing it and be more up front with their fans instead of excusing it with "Well Watchmen..."
- I have no answers and I just wanted to vent. :)
First up, my two remaining reviews which I will try to be quick with.
Dark Tower: The Long Road Home #3 (of 5) -- I felt this issue had more substance to it than the last but I still feel it's just going on a bit too long. It almost seemed to be spread out to have an excuse to have Jae Lee and Richard Isanove do up big pretty pictures and there doesn't seem to be as much going on in getting the story telling portion right. It is pretty and the story is okay but I'm losing interest in it. I'll be finishing up this series but it's mostly because that's just he way I am, I hate not finishing off a series I start to read. I highly doubt I'll be back for the next... Maybe I'll look at the TPB if/when it comes out.
House of Mystery #1 -- A rather weird and creepy book here and I'm not quite sure what I think of it just yet. For a first issue it has a lot to whet the appetite and leave you a little intrigued yet at the same time I didn't really get a connection to the characters that appear to be the main ones. I may check out issue 2 but I'm not looking to add it to my pull list just yet.
So a few extra tidbits from the week. I finally saw Iron Man on Saturday. I really enjoyed it and thought they did a fantastic job on it yet, somehow it felt "simple" to me. Mostly because I know the story already and nothing really came out of left field or surprised me (other than a few funny moments that weren't in the trailers). So I always knew where they were going with it. But perhaps I just knew too much. It didn't ruin it for me though, as I said, I still enjoyed it a lot. And I'm really interested to see what Marvel has planned with their upcoming movies: Ant-Man, Iron Man 2, Thor, Captain America, and the Avengers.
A new batch of webcomics are up for the latest Zuda competition so go check them out. I'm going to hold off on saying who my front runners are for the moment.
I saw an article posted on Newsarama about Action Comics Annual #11 and thought "Hmm, it's been a long time since I first heard about Geoff Johns, Richard Donner, and Adam Kubert doing Action, what's up with that?" and after reading the comments I see it was yet another delayed book. Now I'm not even going to try and say which company, Marvel or DC, is worse because I don't really care (and I also just read today that the next issue of Thor will be delayed). And there is also the issue of independent books being late (which I find more excusable personally but still not good) but whatever. It just seems that so many books are not hitting their scheduled release date. Typically, the readers' anger gets focused on the artist and probably a lot of the time the artist is the slow one. But other times it's the writer (I know JMS has been late on some of his Thor scripts and Mark Millar was late on some of his during the whole Civil War/Ultimates problems). And so I don't even want to single them out without knowing the details as to why. I've heard it all, companies don't want to play with the "integrity" of the story by getting fill in artists/writers. Watchmen was late when it shipped (and going so far as comparing your stories to Watchmen is, many times, laughable). It's just a comic book. It's not the end of the world. Etc, etc.
No, it's not the end of the world and I can see it happening from time to time with some books. Either an artist or writer gets sick or falls behind but really, Marvel and DC have to do a better job at this. It hurts their stories to have 2, 3, 6, or 12 months pass between issues. Readers lose the flow of the story, they stop caring, or the stories get spoiled by other books. Which also leads to the question of delaying other books to wait for the delayed book (as Marvel did with Civil War). I'm not enough of an insider to know how to fix this, whether writers and artists are just too busy doing the appearances and cons or other projects, or that comics nowadays are just too ambitious to get together in just a month (or bi-monthly if that's what they aim for). Whatever the case may be, it's becoming one of my biggest pet peeves. If you tell me the book is coming out monthly, then I'll expect a montly book. If you say bi-monthly, fine. But just silently pushing the date back again and again makes it feel like the company is saying "We'll put it out whenever we get around to finishing it." Which is another issue, inform the readers. Have the big head haunchos like Quesada step up and say "Yeah, we screwed up and this book is late." At least acknowledge to the fans that you care enough to try and meet your own schedule.
Hmm, that rant kinda had no direction to it did it? Okay, here were the points I had wanted to make at the start:
- The number of constantly delayed books is getting too high in my opinion.
- Constant delays can hurt a storyline just as a change in artist/writer can.
- It's not always the artist who's at fault.
- I think Marvel and DC (and whoever else) should look into fixing it and be more up front with their fans instead of excusing it with "Well Watchmen..."
- I have no answers and I just wanted to vent. :)
Friday, May 09, 2008
Weekly Comic Reviews for May 7th, 2008 Part 1 -- MAJOR SPOILERS
Yep, this is only part 1 of my reviews. It was a pretty big week for me comic-wise and I was a bit busy helping a friend move last night so I wasn't able to read them all just yet. So I'll be reviewing Buffy, Angel, American Splendor, and Logan now, and hopefully I'll get Dark Tower and House of Mystery reviewed on the weekend.
Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season 8 #14 -- I'm not quite sure what to make of this issue just yet. On the one hand, we have a good overall story of Buffy facing a war with a very dangerous foe. Buffy's adversaries haven't always been the smartest tools in the shed so it's interesting to see one that's staying one step ahead of her. And I'm curious to see where Buffy goes as a character as the war and the story beyond the war escalates. The Buffy/Satsu relationship is brought up rather briefly and again, I'm eager to see where it goes. But it's the book's climax that irked me suddenly. My initial reaction was a little bit of "NO" and disbelief. Looking back, I should have seen it coming. There were signs that her and Xander would actually make a go of it and that's always a sign of death in the Buffyverse. And that's the issue I have with it, it felt cheap because it's been done with these characters over and over. I know, it's war, people have to die, etc, etc. But with the initial death from last issue and the notion that these vampires could depower the slayers I felt the tension had already been mounting. Maybe I'm just disappointed because I like that character but now I just feel like "oh no, not again." And I mean that in two ways, "not again" as in a character I like is dying and "not again" because it felt briefly like we are taking the same path with these characters that we've taken before. I'm really hoping for a conclusion to the story that will turn things around for me.
Angel: After the Fall #7 -- To be honest, it took me a second to remember we were still covering the story of the first night in hell here. Oops! :) Getting past that, I guess this story just isn't meeting my expectations of it. The Wesley story was interesting and ties in to the whole "lies" theme but I felt the Connor part was pretty weak. I liked seeing Kate back though it took a little while before I knew who she was. I couldn't remember the character names so at first I thought she was either the police officer friend of Angel from the first two seasons (which she is) or Gunn's friend from the shelter turned Rambo (which she's not). But as nice as it was to see her, the whole tie in with Connor's story, appearing just when he needs her, having her impart Angel's wisdom, etc. seemed a little contrived. It's like they are trying to work in every character from the show now no matter what. And I'm still not a big fan of having different artists for each character's story. So yeah, overall, I wasn't particularly loving this issue. I was pretty intrigued by the initial glimpse of Gunn's story though and I hope this storyline has a strong conclusion with the next issue. And then I'll be happy to get back to the main storyline of the series.
Logan #3 (of 3) -- I had hoped that the conclusion to this series would turn things around for me but unfortunately, it didn't. I wouldn't classify it as a bad series but it didn't really impress me either and it felt like it's been done before. Maybe I'm missing elements such as why ripping out Logan's heart and eating it somehow made the guy whole again and Logan able to kill him, that whole part made me shake my head and go "yeah, whatever". So feel free to clue me in but on my first pass I just thought "meh". Looking back, I probably should have passed on this series as I didn't really feel it was all that strong. But hey, if you love the "Logan in Japan during WWII" stories where he meets and Asian woman who he immediately falls in love with and has her immediately fall in love with him only to have her killed shortly thereafter so he can avenge her death, knock yourself out.
American Splendor Season 2 #2 (of 4) -- I'll keep this one short, it's your standard Harvey Pekar stories drawn by an assortment of talented artists. I'm enjoying it but really, what more can I say? Either you're a Harvey Pekar/American Splendor fan or you're not.
And no, I still haven't seen Iron Man. Hopefully tomorrow.
Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season 8 #14 -- I'm not quite sure what to make of this issue just yet. On the one hand, we have a good overall story of Buffy facing a war with a very dangerous foe. Buffy's adversaries haven't always been the smartest tools in the shed so it's interesting to see one that's staying one step ahead of her. And I'm curious to see where Buffy goes as a character as the war and the story beyond the war escalates. The Buffy/Satsu relationship is brought up rather briefly and again, I'm eager to see where it goes. But it's the book's climax that irked me suddenly. My initial reaction was a little bit of "NO" and disbelief. Looking back, I should have seen it coming. There were signs that her and Xander would actually make a go of it and that's always a sign of death in the Buffyverse. And that's the issue I have with it, it felt cheap because it's been done with these characters over and over. I know, it's war, people have to die, etc, etc. But with the initial death from last issue and the notion that these vampires could depower the slayers I felt the tension had already been mounting. Maybe I'm just disappointed because I like that character but now I just feel like "oh no, not again." And I mean that in two ways, "not again" as in a character I like is dying and "not again" because it felt briefly like we are taking the same path with these characters that we've taken before. I'm really hoping for a conclusion to the story that will turn things around for me.
Angel: After the Fall #7 -- To be honest, it took me a second to remember we were still covering the story of the first night in hell here. Oops! :) Getting past that, I guess this story just isn't meeting my expectations of it. The Wesley story was interesting and ties in to the whole "lies" theme but I felt the Connor part was pretty weak. I liked seeing Kate back though it took a little while before I knew who she was. I couldn't remember the character names so at first I thought she was either the police officer friend of Angel from the first two seasons (which she is) or Gunn's friend from the shelter turned Rambo (which she's not). But as nice as it was to see her, the whole tie in with Connor's story, appearing just when he needs her, having her impart Angel's wisdom, etc. seemed a little contrived. It's like they are trying to work in every character from the show now no matter what. And I'm still not a big fan of having different artists for each character's story. So yeah, overall, I wasn't particularly loving this issue. I was pretty intrigued by the initial glimpse of Gunn's story though and I hope this storyline has a strong conclusion with the next issue. And then I'll be happy to get back to the main storyline of the series.
Logan #3 (of 3) -- I had hoped that the conclusion to this series would turn things around for me but unfortunately, it didn't. I wouldn't classify it as a bad series but it didn't really impress me either and it felt like it's been done before. Maybe I'm missing elements such as why ripping out Logan's heart and eating it somehow made the guy whole again and Logan able to kill him, that whole part made me shake my head and go "yeah, whatever". So feel free to clue me in but on my first pass I just thought "meh". Looking back, I probably should have passed on this series as I didn't really feel it was all that strong. But hey, if you love the "Logan in Japan during WWII" stories where he meets and Asian woman who he immediately falls in love with and has her immediately fall in love with him only to have her killed shortly thereafter so he can avenge her death, knock yourself out.
American Splendor Season 2 #2 (of 4) -- I'll keep this one short, it's your standard Harvey Pekar stories drawn by an assortment of talented artists. I'm enjoying it but really, what more can I say? Either you're a Harvey Pekar/American Splendor fan or you're not.
And no, I still haven't seen Iron Man. Hopefully tomorrow.
Monday, May 05, 2008
My Weekly Recap
The biggest story for the week would have to be the release of Iron Man and the big money it's bringing in. But unfortunately I haven't seen it yet so I'll have to wait to comment on it. I have heard a lot of good things about it. And make sure you wait until the end of the credits before leaving.
Saturday was Free Comic Book Day so I decided to make an extra visit to my comic shop this week. Sales seemed to be good and the store seemed to have a few extra customers visiting (I could tell they were new because they had to ask where everything was and didn't know about the store selling at US prices). I got there fairly late (about 1-ish) and there wasn't a lot of selection left with the Free Comics though they still had a big pile of Superman and Hellboy. So I grabbed those two and the Marvel Adventures Iron Man (which was running low). I think the nice thing was that there was a father there with his two children looking for books for them. I always like to see that as it was my father and brother that got me started in comics. The downside was that his daughter wanted a Wonder Woman comic but was too young for the regular title. She had to settle for some Justice League books that were aimed at kids.
I also decided to drop by two other comic shops to see what they had going on (no, I did not go in to snag more free comics though visiting the second one allowed me to quickly flip through a few of the books that my regular store didn't have). Anyhow, one store was really amped up with employees dressed in Star Wars costumes (I guess that's all they had handy or something, but the kids seemed to like it) and one guy in a Spider-Man costume. They seemed to be busier than my usual store. The other store I visited, and it's the store I used to shop at, had pretty much nothing going on. They had a whackload of the free comics but only one employee working and no real presence. And they're in a mall with families walking by constantly. That one was disappointing.
I found it interesting that an anonymous donor gave the Library of Congress the original artwork from Amazing Fantasy #15. Considering Marvel's history of losing or accidentally destroying artwork I didn't even think that these pages were still around much less in the hands of one person. And a thumbs up to the donor for donating it so it can hopefully be enjoyed by future generations.
Marvel also announced a Captain America movie as well as an Avengers movie for 2011. Hopefully it doesn't go the way of the Justice League movie. And with Captain American, Iron Man, Thor, Ant-Man, and the Hulk all having movies out by then, it should be interesting what line up they go with. I'm guessing Spider-Man will be off limits. Not sure about Wolverine though.
And the New York post spoiled a DC storyline (obviously with DC's approval). The weird thing is that they said it spoiled something for DC Universe #0 but from what I gather (I haven't read the book yet) the spoiler is for an upcoming issue as the big reveal wasn't even done in DC Universe #0. Either way, this seems to be following in Marvel's footsteps where they spoiled the unmasking of Spidey or the death of Captain America in mainstream media the day of (or before) the issue coming out. Though, to be fair, DC also did it a while back with the death of a certain character... What's his name again? ;) As a regular comic book reader it seems to be a kick in the crotch for the companies to do this but it's probably effective marketting. They're aiming at non-regular comic readers, most likely people who did at one time read comics, to come in to the local shops to pick up these books and hopefully stick around. And if they waited a week and said "Oh by the way, Spider-Man unmasked in last week's issue" then these fans would probably not go rushing to their comic shops not to mention that the issue would probably have been picked over by then anyways. But DC's big story doesn't seem to work for me. It's only effective on a small amount of potential readers, for the most part, those who read DC 20+ years ago. So I just don't see much benefit for DC.
I could ramble on about that for a while but I think it's time to get back to work. So for one last little comment, I watched the American Splendor movie on the weekend and really enjoyed it. It's really different. I also watched some of season 3 of Battlestar Galactica. I'm not a huge fan but my brother is. I'm kinda curious to see how it all ends though.
So that's it for the week. Feel free to let me know what you thought the big stories of the week were.
Saturday was Free Comic Book Day so I decided to make an extra visit to my comic shop this week. Sales seemed to be good and the store seemed to have a few extra customers visiting (I could tell they were new because they had to ask where everything was and didn't know about the store selling at US prices). I got there fairly late (about 1-ish) and there wasn't a lot of selection left with the Free Comics though they still had a big pile of Superman and Hellboy. So I grabbed those two and the Marvel Adventures Iron Man (which was running low). I think the nice thing was that there was a father there with his two children looking for books for them. I always like to see that as it was my father and brother that got me started in comics. The downside was that his daughter wanted a Wonder Woman comic but was too young for the regular title. She had to settle for some Justice League books that were aimed at kids.
I also decided to drop by two other comic shops to see what they had going on (no, I did not go in to snag more free comics though visiting the second one allowed me to quickly flip through a few of the books that my regular store didn't have). Anyhow, one store was really amped up with employees dressed in Star Wars costumes (I guess that's all they had handy or something, but the kids seemed to like it) and one guy in a Spider-Man costume. They seemed to be busier than my usual store. The other store I visited, and it's the store I used to shop at, had pretty much nothing going on. They had a whackload of the free comics but only one employee working and no real presence. And they're in a mall with families walking by constantly. That one was disappointing.
I found it interesting that an anonymous donor gave the Library of Congress the original artwork from Amazing Fantasy #15. Considering Marvel's history of losing or accidentally destroying artwork I didn't even think that these pages were still around much less in the hands of one person. And a thumbs up to the donor for donating it so it can hopefully be enjoyed by future generations.
Marvel also announced a Captain America movie as well as an Avengers movie for 2011. Hopefully it doesn't go the way of the Justice League movie. And with Captain American, Iron Man, Thor, Ant-Man, and the Hulk all having movies out by then, it should be interesting what line up they go with. I'm guessing Spider-Man will be off limits. Not sure about Wolverine though.
And the New York post spoiled a DC storyline (obviously with DC's approval). The weird thing is that they said it spoiled something for DC Universe #0 but from what I gather (I haven't read the book yet) the spoiler is for an upcoming issue as the big reveal wasn't even done in DC Universe #0. Either way, this seems to be following in Marvel's footsteps where they spoiled the unmasking of Spidey or the death of Captain America in mainstream media the day of (or before) the issue coming out. Though, to be fair, DC also did it a while back with the death of a certain character... What's his name again? ;) As a regular comic book reader it seems to be a kick in the crotch for the companies to do this but it's probably effective marketting. They're aiming at non-regular comic readers, most likely people who did at one time read comics, to come in to the local shops to pick up these books and hopefully stick around. And if they waited a week and said "Oh by the way, Spider-Man unmasked in last week's issue" then these fans would probably not go rushing to their comic shops not to mention that the issue would probably have been picked over by then anyways. But DC's big story doesn't seem to work for me. It's only effective on a small amount of potential readers, for the most part, those who read DC 20+ years ago. So I just don't see much benefit for DC.
I could ramble on about that for a while but I think it's time to get back to work. So for one last little comment, I watched the American Splendor movie on the weekend and really enjoyed it. It's really different. I also watched some of season 3 of Battlestar Galactica. I'm not a huge fan but my brother is. I'm kinda curious to see how it all ends though.
So that's it for the week. Feel free to let me know what you thought the big stories of the week were.
Friday, May 02, 2008
Oh yeah.. I almost forgot Free Comic Book Day
I almost forgot to remind you all that tomorrow is Free Comic Book Day. No, this does not mean that all comics are free. ;) So take a look at the comics that will be given out free that day and make sure you visit your local comic shop (assuming they are taking part). My local shop limits it to one or two per customer (which I understand completely) so I'll probably be torn between the Hellboy one, All Star Superman (just because I'm curious to see how good it really is), and the Marvel Adventures book. I'm also curious to see Wizard's How To Draw free comic but I'm assuming it's stuff I already have given that I bought the first few of their TPBs.
But there's also a lot of books aimed at the young ones and some of the more independant books that are worth checking out.
But there's also a lot of books aimed at the young ones and some of the more independant books that are worth checking out.
Weekly Comic Reviews for April 30th, 2008 -- SPOILERS
A pretty slow week for me with only two comics coming out plus a Wizard magazine. I really liked the first part of Wizard's 200th issue that came out a couple weeks back. I know Wizard takes some heat from some people including myself but it was still fun to look back over the years at some of the history they've witnessed. This second part wasn't quite as strong but still had some interesting parts to it. As a Hulk fan and a huge fan of the Peter David/Dale Keown run it was interesting to see that team listed as one of the top team ups. I'm actually such a fan of Keown's that I still check every now and then to see if we might still see the 4 issue Darkness/Pitt series he was supposed to do (issue 1 was supposedly done back in 2005/2006). How sad is that? :)
Anyways, on to the comics...
Ultimate Human #4 (of 4) -- Not much dialogue or story here and it's all pretty much front loaded. Not that this is a problem, I think readers had enough of the talky talky in the previous issues and wanted to see some action. And they really deliver. Maybe one of the downsides of it is that you don't get to see Iron Man physically do anything (though Tony has a few key moments). It's pretty much all Hulk. Not that I'm complaining. :) It really was a well crafted series with an interesting take on the characters (especially the Hulk). If you're looking for 616 Hulk/Iron Man, it ain't here but if you're open to a sort of "Elseworlds" that takes certain aspects of the characters and runs with it (such as the Hulk's ability to adapt) then it really is an engaging story. I thoroughly enjoyed it and I thought the art style lent itself well to it. I highly recommend the series.
Elephantmen: War Toys #3 (of 3) -- I've made no attempt to hide my love of all things Elephantmen so of course I was really looking forward to this book. And I wasn't disappointed. The depth of character that Starkings continues to bring to the table is incredible. The combination of the narration describing the Elephantmen as Mappo's "war toys" while the visual story shows one simple young woman breaking down that image works on many levels. It's a book you can simply enjoy for the story it is or spend much time examining the characters and the paths that they are on. And artistically, I felt this may have been one of the stronger issues of the series and that's saying a lot. I hate repeating myself and this is only my opinion but I really love this book and it continues to make my recommended reading list.
So that's it, two great books in my opinion. So overall, a good week despite the low numbers. On the TPB front, I've sorta been slowed down by going outside the comic medium for a bit. But I've also added the first volume of Fables to my reading list which leaves us with... American Splendor: Our Movie Year (currently ongoing), Wanted (must read before seeing movie), Criminal volumes 1 and 2, and Fables volume 1. And come June I'll be adding even more. Yeah, I'm spending way too much on comic books right now. :)
Oh yeah, congratulations go out to Ilias Kyriazis whose comic Melody won this month's Zuda Comics competition. And while you're visitting Zuda you might want to check out some of the other ongoing books (such as Bayou, High Moon, or Pray For Death) and remember that the deadline for submitting your list for the Zuda Comics 2008 Invitational is May 23rd so start assembling your list soon.
Anyways, on to the comics...
Ultimate Human #4 (of 4) -- Not much dialogue or story here and it's all pretty much front loaded. Not that this is a problem, I think readers had enough of the talky talky in the previous issues and wanted to see some action. And they really deliver. Maybe one of the downsides of it is that you don't get to see Iron Man physically do anything (though Tony has a few key moments). It's pretty much all Hulk. Not that I'm complaining. :) It really was a well crafted series with an interesting take on the characters (especially the Hulk). If you're looking for 616 Hulk/Iron Man, it ain't here but if you're open to a sort of "Elseworlds" that takes certain aspects of the characters and runs with it (such as the Hulk's ability to adapt) then it really is an engaging story. I thoroughly enjoyed it and I thought the art style lent itself well to it. I highly recommend the series.
Elephantmen: War Toys #3 (of 3) -- I've made no attempt to hide my love of all things Elephantmen so of course I was really looking forward to this book. And I wasn't disappointed. The depth of character that Starkings continues to bring to the table is incredible. The combination of the narration describing the Elephantmen as Mappo's "war toys" while the visual story shows one simple young woman breaking down that image works on many levels. It's a book you can simply enjoy for the story it is or spend much time examining the characters and the paths that they are on. And artistically, I felt this may have been one of the stronger issues of the series and that's saying a lot. I hate repeating myself and this is only my opinion but I really love this book and it continues to make my recommended reading list.
So that's it, two great books in my opinion. So overall, a good week despite the low numbers. On the TPB front, I've sorta been slowed down by going outside the comic medium for a bit. But I've also added the first volume of Fables to my reading list which leaves us with... American Splendor: Our Movie Year (currently ongoing), Wanted (must read before seeing movie), Criminal volumes 1 and 2, and Fables volume 1. And come June I'll be adding even more. Yeah, I'm spending way too much on comic books right now. :)
Oh yeah, congratulations go out to Ilias Kyriazis whose comic Melody won this month's Zuda Comics competition. And while you're visitting Zuda you might want to check out some of the other ongoing books (such as Bayou, High Moon, or Pray For Death) and remember that the deadline for submitting your list for the Zuda Comics 2008 Invitational is May 23rd so start assembling your list soon.
Monday, April 28, 2008
Weekly Recap
My ball hockey team got absolutely decimated yesterday so let's talk about other things. :)
Over on Occasional Superheroine two posts in particular caught my eye, a discussion of the new Dark Knight poster (and possible allusions to 9/11) and the new Supergirl comic for young readers. On the Dark Knight poster, I have to admit that when I saw the gaping hole in the building images from 9/11 did enter my brain. Though I don't think it was intentional on their part and I don't expect all movie makers to try and avoid anything that could possibly make anyone think of 9/11 (because lets face it, that would be impossible) I've accepted it as a fact of life that some things will remind me of it. And so long as it's not over the top I'll just live with it. As for the new Supergirl design, although I like Dean Trippe's take on the character I do like this one. I think it fits better with the style of the other DC kids books and will probably fit the stories they are going to tell better. Though if they ever do a Supergirl storybook I'd go with Dean Trippe's version. And I have to say I'm happy that they've decided to give her tights under her skirt.
Also on Occasional Superheroine, as the media blitz for Iron Man continues we see even Vogue magazine jumping in. But what actually caught my attention was this interview by USA Weekend with Gwyneth Paltrow, Liv Tyler, and Maggie Gyllenhaal and this quote in particular: "Comic books are still for boys." I know, I'm sort of taking the quote out of context (I don't expect any of them to start buying comics just because they acted in a comic book movie) but I still hate how comics are seen that way by so many people.
It's odd, I can't think of much else to say about this past week. It seems a lot of the news is still about interviews and such that went on at New York Comic Con or, of course, Secret Invasion which I'm not particularly interested in. Oh well, let me know what comic news caught your attention last week.
Over on Occasional Superheroine two posts in particular caught my eye, a discussion of the new Dark Knight poster (and possible allusions to 9/11) and the new Supergirl comic for young readers. On the Dark Knight poster, I have to admit that when I saw the gaping hole in the building images from 9/11 did enter my brain. Though I don't think it was intentional on their part and I don't expect all movie makers to try and avoid anything that could possibly make anyone think of 9/11 (because lets face it, that would be impossible) I've accepted it as a fact of life that some things will remind me of it. And so long as it's not over the top I'll just live with it. As for the new Supergirl design, although I like Dean Trippe's take on the character I do like this one. I think it fits better with the style of the other DC kids books and will probably fit the stories they are going to tell better. Though if they ever do a Supergirl storybook I'd go with Dean Trippe's version. And I have to say I'm happy that they've decided to give her tights under her skirt.
Also on Occasional Superheroine, as the media blitz for Iron Man continues we see even Vogue magazine jumping in. But what actually caught my attention was this interview by USA Weekend with Gwyneth Paltrow, Liv Tyler, and Maggie Gyllenhaal and this quote in particular: "Comic books are still for boys." I know, I'm sort of taking the quote out of context (I don't expect any of them to start buying comics just because they acted in a comic book movie) but I still hate how comics are seen that way by so many people.
It's odd, I can't think of much else to say about this past week. It seems a lot of the news is still about interviews and such that went on at New York Comic Con or, of course, Secret Invasion which I'm not particularly interested in. Oh well, let me know what comic news caught your attention last week.
Friday, April 25, 2008
Weekly Comic Reviews for April 23rd, 2008 -- SPOILERS
Before I get into the reviews I need to rant a tiny bit. The topic? Greg Land's She-Hulk cover. I really wonder why Marvel switched covers at the last minute on this one as I actually thought the Mike Deodato (who I am not a big fan of either) cover was better. To start, Land pulls out one of his stock images for her face (an image that he's already used a handful of times) and it looks like he did a rush job of it. Of course he has to add a body to this face now and it's a mess. The hands and forearms are blobs and her left shoulder seems to be coming out of her head. It doesn't match her head at all. I know he's popular and his art seems to sell books but I just can't stand it. His constant use of actors or wrestlers (Triple-H seems to be a favourite of his as everyone seems to be doing his signature pose) and re-use of images over and over again ruin books for me. As a graphic storyteller he should be drawing the characters to match the situation in emotion and body position, instead he tries to force a picture of Jessica Alba into a panel seemingly not caring about what's actually going on in the story. It's really getting to the point where I want to avoid buying anything with Greg Land's name on it. Of course that won't mean squat as I'm in the minority here but I really think comic fans deserve better than this and I wish they'd realize it.
Putting that aside, let's get to the reviews...
Hulk #3 -- I'm really getting bored of this series. I just don't care who the red Hulk is anymore. The big thing for me is that things just aren't being explained or even mentioned. The Abomination has his powers back and is walking around Russia even though the last we saw him he had the nano stuff in him and was captured by SHIELD, Stark, Samson, Ross, and She-Hulk don't say a thing about it. Rick turns into "A-Bomb" for some reason, the red Hulk (who is someone who knows Rick) doesn't react with surprise or anything even though I'm confused as hell. Banner goes from nearly destroying the world to being put in a cell where if he touches the glass he gets gassed. As he says himself, all he needs to do is hold his breath. Or turn into the Hulk without touching the glass. I could go on and on but this book continues to make no sense to me. I know what some of you are saying "Give it time, it'll be explained" or "You're being too picky" but to me, this is just lazy writing. It reminds me of Bruce Jones' run where nothing made sense and after 3 years they revealed that... it wasn't supposed to make sense as the Leader had some master plan that relied on him confusing the Hulk. It's the Hulk, he's actually not that hard to confuse. But enough about Bruce Jones and since I've ranted long enough I'll stop dissecting the story. Art wise, it's pretty and the two panel spread of the red Hulk and A-Bomb is cool looking. But I hate how Banner looks like a 20 year old nerd with Coke bottle glasses in some panels. Oh yeah, one more thing about the writing (you should have known I couldn't let it go) I hate it when someone grabs a gun that is part of something and then starts shooting it as though it was also designed for handheld use. And why the heck would the red Hulk think a machine gun could even hurt A-Bomb? And why is he surprised that he has bulletproof skin (comparing him to an armadillo)? It's not like a gun like that should have any effect on the Hulk, Abomination, or this new A-Bomb. Some things may get explained but some things just make no sense and no explanation works. Despite this being a very popular book (so again I'm in the minority) I don't recommend it.
She-Hulk 28 -- Okay, I've ranted about the cover so what about the inside of this book. We get back to the story of the bomber and now learn it's somehow connected to She-Hulk's disbarring (is that the right word?). It's got some humour, some action, and some character depth to it. Everything I've come to expect from Peter David. And for the most part I liked the art (though one panel where She-Hulk is buckled over from a punch to the gut yet still throwing an uppercut, that one looked awkward and like something you'd see back in the comics of the 60's). I think my only really downer in this issue is the "24 hours ago" trick. It's a personal thing but I'm kinda getting tired of so many stories doing this (I was watching Battlestar Galactica a while back and they had quite a few episodes in a short time do this). When Peter David took over this book we were already thrust ahead in time with the understanding that we'll eventually see how She-Hulk got where she is and this book starts off with the same thing, She-Hulk being thrown into jail and then flashback to find out how she got there. But I'm ranting about something minor that most people won't pick up on. This book is well crafted and nicely drawn. I'm intrigued by where it's going and Jazinda is one of the few Skrulls I care about in the Secret Invasion story. So it makes my recommended reading list.
Hulk VS Hercules -- I was actually a little disappointed in this one, I was expecting "Hulk VS Hercules" and it felt more like a "Incredible Hercules" special featuring the Hulk. All the character exploration centers on Hercules and Amadeus Cho and the Hulk is just a plot device used for their story. Having just dropped Incredible Herc from my pull list I felt a little deceived here. But just like the Incredible Hercules series, this book is well written and has decent art (though the multiple artists thing still bugs me even if it's not too bad in this book). You just have to know what you're getting when you pick it up. It makes my recommended reading list for Herc fans or people reading Incredible Hercules. Those looking for a Hulk fix or just a Hulk VS Herc one shot should probably move on.
Mice Templar -- I think I'm going to have to re-read this series from the beginning at some point and I'm going to have to do it with a clear head. Because by the time I get around to reading this on Thursday a lot of the myth and folklore goes right over my head. And the fact that my beloved Habs where playing the Flyers last night while I was trying to read this didn't help. Yeah, it's my own fault here. So given all that, the art is gorgeous to look at and tells the story well. The story itself is an entertaining one on the surface but also pretty complex. You'll need to invest a bit of time into it to full appreciate it (though I am still enjoying it even if I haven't invested the time just yet). I recommend checking this out but it's definitely not everyone's cup of tea.
So that's it for me for this week. I think next week will be a slow one for me as I only noticed Elephantmen: War Toys #3 on the list (though I usually miss a book or two when I look at the list). But that's good for me as I just received Wanted and the first two Criminal TPBs in the mail. And I want to track down volume 1 of Fables too. And just to make sure it's not all comics I'm also reading "When Science Goes Wrong". So I have a full plate at the moment. But feel free to offer some suggestions or let me know what you're reading.
Putting that aside, let's get to the reviews...
Hulk #3 -- I'm really getting bored of this series. I just don't care who the red Hulk is anymore. The big thing for me is that things just aren't being explained or even mentioned. The Abomination has his powers back and is walking around Russia even though the last we saw him he had the nano stuff in him and was captured by SHIELD, Stark, Samson, Ross, and She-Hulk don't say a thing about it. Rick turns into "A-Bomb" for some reason, the red Hulk (who is someone who knows Rick) doesn't react with surprise or anything even though I'm confused as hell. Banner goes from nearly destroying the world to being put in a cell where if he touches the glass he gets gassed. As he says himself, all he needs to do is hold his breath. Or turn into the Hulk without touching the glass. I could go on and on but this book continues to make no sense to me. I know what some of you are saying "Give it time, it'll be explained" or "You're being too picky" but to me, this is just lazy writing. It reminds me of Bruce Jones' run where nothing made sense and after 3 years they revealed that... it wasn't supposed to make sense as the Leader had some master plan that relied on him confusing the Hulk. It's the Hulk, he's actually not that hard to confuse. But enough about Bruce Jones and since I've ranted long enough I'll stop dissecting the story. Art wise, it's pretty and the two panel spread of the red Hulk and A-Bomb is cool looking. But I hate how Banner looks like a 20 year old nerd with Coke bottle glasses in some panels. Oh yeah, one more thing about the writing (you should have known I couldn't let it go) I hate it when someone grabs a gun that is part of something and then starts shooting it as though it was also designed for handheld use. And why the heck would the red Hulk think a machine gun could even hurt A-Bomb? And why is he surprised that he has bulletproof skin (comparing him to an armadillo)? It's not like a gun like that should have any effect on the Hulk, Abomination, or this new A-Bomb. Some things may get explained but some things just make no sense and no explanation works. Despite this being a very popular book (so again I'm in the minority) I don't recommend it.
She-Hulk 28 -- Okay, I've ranted about the cover so what about the inside of this book. We get back to the story of the bomber and now learn it's somehow connected to She-Hulk's disbarring (is that the right word?). It's got some humour, some action, and some character depth to it. Everything I've come to expect from Peter David. And for the most part I liked the art (though one panel where She-Hulk is buckled over from a punch to the gut yet still throwing an uppercut, that one looked awkward and like something you'd see back in the comics of the 60's). I think my only really downer in this issue is the "24 hours ago" trick. It's a personal thing but I'm kinda getting tired of so many stories doing this (I was watching Battlestar Galactica a while back and they had quite a few episodes in a short time do this). When Peter David took over this book we were already thrust ahead in time with the understanding that we'll eventually see how She-Hulk got where she is and this book starts off with the same thing, She-Hulk being thrown into jail and then flashback to find out how she got there. But I'm ranting about something minor that most people won't pick up on. This book is well crafted and nicely drawn. I'm intrigued by where it's going and Jazinda is one of the few Skrulls I care about in the Secret Invasion story. So it makes my recommended reading list.
Hulk VS Hercules -- I was actually a little disappointed in this one, I was expecting "Hulk VS Hercules" and it felt more like a "Incredible Hercules" special featuring the Hulk. All the character exploration centers on Hercules and Amadeus Cho and the Hulk is just a plot device used for their story. Having just dropped Incredible Herc from my pull list I felt a little deceived here. But just like the Incredible Hercules series, this book is well written and has decent art (though the multiple artists thing still bugs me even if it's not too bad in this book). You just have to know what you're getting when you pick it up. It makes my recommended reading list for Herc fans or people reading Incredible Hercules. Those looking for a Hulk fix or just a Hulk VS Herc one shot should probably move on.
Mice Templar -- I think I'm going to have to re-read this series from the beginning at some point and I'm going to have to do it with a clear head. Because by the time I get around to reading this on Thursday a lot of the myth and folklore goes right over my head. And the fact that my beloved Habs where playing the Flyers last night while I was trying to read this didn't help. Yeah, it's my own fault here. So given all that, the art is gorgeous to look at and tells the story well. The story itself is an entertaining one on the surface but also pretty complex. You'll need to invest a bit of time into it to full appreciate it (though I am still enjoying it even if I haven't invested the time just yet). I recommend checking this out but it's definitely not everyone's cup of tea.
So that's it for me for this week. I think next week will be a slow one for me as I only noticed Elephantmen: War Toys #3 on the list (though I usually miss a book or two when I look at the list). But that's good for me as I just received Wanted and the first two Criminal TPBs in the mail. And I want to track down volume 1 of Fables too. And just to make sure it's not all comics I'm also reading "When Science Goes Wrong". So I have a full plate at the moment. But feel free to offer some suggestions or let me know what you're reading.
Thursday, April 24, 2008
Zuda Comics 2008 Invitational
Just wanted to make a quick post directing all my readers (I think there has to be at least 2 out there) to the Zuda Comics 2008 Invitational. So be sure to pick your favourite 10 Zuda comics that lost out in the competitions so they have a second shot. A few you may want to consider (in my opinion and in no particular order):
Battlefield Babysitter
Raining Cats and Dogs
The Mundane Overrated Misadventures of Spudman
Araknid Kid
The Litterbox Chronicles
Sam and Lilah
Laura's Bazaar
They'll most likely be in my list. Feel free to offer your suggestions because I still have some spots to fill.
Battlefield Babysitter
Raining Cats and Dogs
The Mundane Overrated Misadventures of Spudman
Araknid Kid
The Litterbox Chronicles
Sam and Lilah
Laura's Bazaar
They'll most likely be in my list. Feel free to offer your suggestions because I still have some spots to fill.
Monday, April 21, 2008
Weekly Recap
I really do try to get these recap posts done on Sunday but life just has a way of getting in the way of things.
I guess the big news of the week is the New York Comic-Con. Valerie D'Orazio at Occasional Superheroine and David Gallaher of High Moon are just two of the many MANY people who are there and will be blogging about it. I keep talking about going to one of the big conventions but never doing anything about it. I think next year I'm going to make a point of going to the New York Comic-Con. I've never been to New York and I'm not sure who I'd go with but it really is time I stop talking and do it.
I was pretty surprised by the news of a Mortal Kombat VS DC game coming out. I'm not a big gamer but I'm curious to see how this one plays out. They say they are working in story elements to make it work (incorporating magic to weaken Superman and such) but are we really going to see someone ripping out Superman's still beating heart? Or Batman's spine?
Some more pics from the GI Joe movie got leaked out. I realize that they had to change quite a few things about the appearance of the characters, and it made sense that many of them would wear similar body armour suits (with the military, you typically don't get individually designed suits), but the newer shots of Snake Eyes bug me even more. First up, with all the characters wearing black he doesn't really stand out now. And hopefully they only wear those black suits for night time ops and such. But what seemed odd was Snake Eyes' face. Instead of it being a mask it looks like his actual face is painted black (at least around the nose and mouth). That seems very weird to me, are they saying this guy actually has jet black skin for some reason or that he takes the time to paint himself black? I know, I should wait and see.
And the last tidbit that I can think of is the new "The Spirit" teaser. Again, I'm trying not to make a final judgement on it just yet but so far, I don't particularly like everything I'm seeing. It just seems to be Frank Miller doing a "revamp" of the character and not really doing "Will Eisner's 'The Spirit'". So the fanboy in me is a little disappointed to be straying from the established characters, going so far as to describe "Silken Floss" (a character with a PhD and MD in the comic) as a "punk secretary and frigid vixen" for the film. The trouble is that I think Frank Miller's version stands a good chance of outperforming the movie I'd like to see made. And I think the narration they went with (especially describing the city as his mother and his lover) just seems a little off.
I guess that's it for now. See ya later in the week with my comic reviews.
I guess the big news of the week is the New York Comic-Con. Valerie D'Orazio at Occasional Superheroine and David Gallaher of High Moon are just two of the many MANY people who are there and will be blogging about it. I keep talking about going to one of the big conventions but never doing anything about it. I think next year I'm going to make a point of going to the New York Comic-Con. I've never been to New York and I'm not sure who I'd go with but it really is time I stop talking and do it.
I was pretty surprised by the news of a Mortal Kombat VS DC game coming out. I'm not a big gamer but I'm curious to see how this one plays out. They say they are working in story elements to make it work (incorporating magic to weaken Superman and such) but are we really going to see someone ripping out Superman's still beating heart? Or Batman's spine?
Some more pics from the GI Joe movie got leaked out. I realize that they had to change quite a few things about the appearance of the characters, and it made sense that many of them would wear similar body armour suits (with the military, you typically don't get individually designed suits), but the newer shots of Snake Eyes bug me even more. First up, with all the characters wearing black he doesn't really stand out now. And hopefully they only wear those black suits for night time ops and such. But what seemed odd was Snake Eyes' face. Instead of it being a mask it looks like his actual face is painted black (at least around the nose and mouth). That seems very weird to me, are they saying this guy actually has jet black skin for some reason or that he takes the time to paint himself black? I know, I should wait and see.
And the last tidbit that I can think of is the new "The Spirit" teaser. Again, I'm trying not to make a final judgement on it just yet but so far, I don't particularly like everything I'm seeing. It just seems to be Frank Miller doing a "revamp" of the character and not really doing "Will Eisner's 'The Spirit'". So the fanboy in me is a little disappointed to be straying from the established characters, going so far as to describe "Silken Floss" (a character with a PhD and MD in the comic) as a "punk secretary and frigid vixen" for the film. The trouble is that I think Frank Miller's version stands a good chance of outperforming the movie I'd like to see made. And I think the narration they went with (especially describing the city as his mother and his lover) just seems a little off.
I guess that's it for now. See ya later in the week with my comic reviews.
Friday, April 18, 2008
Weekly Comic Reviews for April 16th, 2008 -- SPOILERS
Let's get to it shall we...
World War Hulk: Warbound #5 (of 5) -- Well, at least the Leader is portrayed as being highly intelligent, I was a little worried when he was so easily tricked in the previous issue. Overall, it's an okay ending to a decent story. The art is solid enough though I kinda laughed at times when I thought the Leader looked more like one of those aliens from Tim Burton's "Mars Attacks". Hiroim finally meets his end but it just lacks a bit of a punch given his previous "deaths" in this series alone. I'm sure it's permanent this time (with the old power moving on and such) but it still lacked the emotion. Overall though, I enjoyed the series but it's not one I'd highly recommend, especially if you aren't a Hulk fanatic.
World of Warcraft #6 -- Pretty much the usual review for me here, I felt the story was just "meh" and the art again let me down. Whether it was the panels where I couldn't figure out what was going on or the introduction of however many female characters all with breasts falling out of their suits and butts hanging out. Maybe that second part is somewhat a product of the game but it's still pretty bad. And the gratuitous shots of the Blood Elf's backside definitely are just for the comic audience. I'll definitely be dropping this series once the first storyline is done. I'm sure some fans of the game or people who like this sort of thing are loving it, personally, I'm just not.
Marvel Adventures Hulk #9 -- I was able to track down this issue I missed last month. I didn't really feel that this was the strongest issue. I thought the art was a bit hit or miss for me. In some panels it was like the artist wanted to add too much shadowing for who the book is aimed at. It made it tougher to read (especially in one panel where I couldn't tell if it was Rick or Betty talking, the dialogue seemed to be Betty but the small figure seemed to be Rick while Betty was entirely blacked out). I'd also be curious to see if the story actually connected with younger readers. Though there was also plenty of smashing to make them happy. Overall, I'm still thinking this is an admirable attempt at re-introducing the Hulk to a younger audience with simpler stories and less baggage.
Comic Book Comics #1 -- An interesting history lesson about comics where they obviously did their homework. There's quite a few little tidbits and stories in here that are very interesting for the comic book aficionado. I had a bit of a problem with the way things were laid out in the beginning but either I settled in or they improved, I'm not sure which, because I didn't notice it later in the book. Anyways, it's a very interesting and entertaining look at the beginnings of the industry and probably worth checking out if you are into that sort of thing.
I also picked up volume 14 of Naoki Urasawa's Monster but I've only read the first 2 chapters of it. I think once I'm done the series I'll post a quick review of it in its entirety.
World War Hulk: Warbound #5 (of 5) -- Well, at least the Leader is portrayed as being highly intelligent, I was a little worried when he was so easily tricked in the previous issue. Overall, it's an okay ending to a decent story. The art is solid enough though I kinda laughed at times when I thought the Leader looked more like one of those aliens from Tim Burton's "Mars Attacks". Hiroim finally meets his end but it just lacks a bit of a punch given his previous "deaths" in this series alone. I'm sure it's permanent this time (with the old power moving on and such) but it still lacked the emotion. Overall though, I enjoyed the series but it's not one I'd highly recommend, especially if you aren't a Hulk fanatic.
World of Warcraft #6 -- Pretty much the usual review for me here, I felt the story was just "meh" and the art again let me down. Whether it was the panels where I couldn't figure out what was going on or the introduction of however many female characters all with breasts falling out of their suits and butts hanging out. Maybe that second part is somewhat a product of the game but it's still pretty bad. And the gratuitous shots of the Blood Elf's backside definitely are just for the comic audience. I'll definitely be dropping this series once the first storyline is done. I'm sure some fans of the game or people who like this sort of thing are loving it, personally, I'm just not.
Marvel Adventures Hulk #9 -- I was able to track down this issue I missed last month. I didn't really feel that this was the strongest issue. I thought the art was a bit hit or miss for me. In some panels it was like the artist wanted to add too much shadowing for who the book is aimed at. It made it tougher to read (especially in one panel where I couldn't tell if it was Rick or Betty talking, the dialogue seemed to be Betty but the small figure seemed to be Rick while Betty was entirely blacked out). I'd also be curious to see if the story actually connected with younger readers. Though there was also plenty of smashing to make them happy. Overall, I'm still thinking this is an admirable attempt at re-introducing the Hulk to a younger audience with simpler stories and less baggage.
Comic Book Comics #1 -- An interesting history lesson about comics where they obviously did their homework. There's quite a few little tidbits and stories in here that are very interesting for the comic book aficionado. I had a bit of a problem with the way things were laid out in the beginning but either I settled in or they improved, I'm not sure which, because I didn't notice it later in the book. Anyways, it's a very interesting and entertaining look at the beginnings of the industry and probably worth checking out if you are into that sort of thing.
I also picked up volume 14 of Naoki Urasawa's Monster but I've only read the first 2 chapters of it. I think once I'm done the series I'll post a quick review of it in its entirety.
Monday, April 14, 2008
Zuda Reviews for April
I'll have to try to keep these somewhat short so here goes:
Agent Happydeath -- Looking at the overall story on this one I find it kinda humorous and somewhat interesting. I just thought the execution was off. The art seemed to be lacking in the storytelling department and the dialogue was a bit clunky for me.
Brave Ulysses -- I kinda felt that I was being over told the story here. You had the narrative (the storyteller), the pictures, and the dialogue all together and I didn't find it flowed well. Not to mention the acronyms being list at the top of the page, I can't say I liked that very much. The art has an interesting "old-style" to it but I'm not sure I liked it all that much. And I didn't really feel that into the story or characters or see them as all that engaging.
Feverkind -- I actually thought this was an interesting, quirky story with some cute dialogue and story ideas. The character designs were simple and fun. Then the last panel hit and I suddenly lost a lot of interest in the book. For some reason the knife wielding masked maniac just didn't seem like a good idea to me.
Melody -- The current leader (as I type this at least). Visually, I see this as the most solid and appealing of this month's books (at least for me). It's very solid graphic storytelling. And it's written well. But for me, the overall story just doesn't seem all that appealing. It just doesn't seem to be something I'd want to read as the whole idea of this "greatest song of all time" just has me having flashbacks to the Tenacious D song "Tribute".
Punchboys -- Though there seems to be some artistic talent here, I just get the feeling that the art is too sketchy and "unfinished" looking. It almost looks more like quick storyboard sketches. And there are too many splash pages so there isn't much story or characters built up. It needs more meat added to it.
Re-Evolution -- An interesting premise with some decent storytelling but what actually "bugs" me about this one is the art. A few things that sent off warning bells for me is the range of character designs from cartoon looking animals to real life looking animals, I just didn't feel like it had a consistent look. And every time you see a gorilla's face it looks swiped from Planet of the Apes, they look just like Michael Clarke Duncan's character. And as interesting as the premise is, I just didn't feel it was strong enough.
Streetpunx -- This one has some pretty amazing visuals to it but it seems to rely solely on them. The story seems pretty week, at least from reading these first 8 pages. I don't think the art is enough to sell me on this book as it's pretty, but overall needs more story to it.
Suckerpunch -- An interesting art style with decent storytelling to it but this one didn't really blow me away. The story seems overdone whether it's the Matrix or Equilibrium or whatever. The write up also gave a bit more story to it (which sounds even more like Equilibrium) that these 8 pages didn't even get into. I think it needed a better intro to catch my attention and something more that makes it different story wise.
Super Seed -- This story has some interesting aspects to it and the characters seem different and possibly interesting. I say "possibly" because it doesn't seem like you get enough time with any of them to say for sure. There's no connection to the reader. The art is hit or miss. Some panels (mainly the ones of just hands or such) are nice and some are well laid out but often the character's head or face looks squished or off, or their appearance is inconsistent from panel to panel.
The Erebus Effect -- For the most part I like this one visually. There was one instance where I wondered if he was throwing up onto his someone's head (a clearer divide between those images would have helped) and the style might not be for everyone but I thought it fit well. I did find I wanted more from the first 8 pages to sell the story. The talking toy ninja was somewhat intriguing but other than that I didn't really find it "new" for me. I wanted something more.
So I'm still not exactly sure who I will be voting for this month. Going over them again for these reviews I may actually end up going with Feverkind.
And since we're talking about Zuda comics, one news item of note that I just learned (though many probably already know) is that former competitor "Sam & Lilah" has moved to Acti-I-Vate. Congratulations to the creators who put together an interesting comic.
Agent Happydeath -- Looking at the overall story on this one I find it kinda humorous and somewhat interesting. I just thought the execution was off. The art seemed to be lacking in the storytelling department and the dialogue was a bit clunky for me.
Brave Ulysses -- I kinda felt that I was being over told the story here. You had the narrative (the storyteller), the pictures, and the dialogue all together and I didn't find it flowed well. Not to mention the acronyms being list at the top of the page, I can't say I liked that very much. The art has an interesting "old-style" to it but I'm not sure I liked it all that much. And I didn't really feel that into the story or characters or see them as all that engaging.
Feverkind -- I actually thought this was an interesting, quirky story with some cute dialogue and story ideas. The character designs were simple and fun. Then the last panel hit and I suddenly lost a lot of interest in the book. For some reason the knife wielding masked maniac just didn't seem like a good idea to me.
Melody -- The current leader (as I type this at least). Visually, I see this as the most solid and appealing of this month's books (at least for me). It's very solid graphic storytelling. And it's written well. But for me, the overall story just doesn't seem all that appealing. It just doesn't seem to be something I'd want to read as the whole idea of this "greatest song of all time" just has me having flashbacks to the Tenacious D song "Tribute".
Punchboys -- Though there seems to be some artistic talent here, I just get the feeling that the art is too sketchy and "unfinished" looking. It almost looks more like quick storyboard sketches. And there are too many splash pages so there isn't much story or characters built up. It needs more meat added to it.
Re-Evolution -- An interesting premise with some decent storytelling but what actually "bugs" me about this one is the art. A few things that sent off warning bells for me is the range of character designs from cartoon looking animals to real life looking animals, I just didn't feel like it had a consistent look. And every time you see a gorilla's face it looks swiped from Planet of the Apes, they look just like Michael Clarke Duncan's character. And as interesting as the premise is, I just didn't feel it was strong enough.
Streetpunx -- This one has some pretty amazing visuals to it but it seems to rely solely on them. The story seems pretty week, at least from reading these first 8 pages. I don't think the art is enough to sell me on this book as it's pretty, but overall needs more story to it.
Suckerpunch -- An interesting art style with decent storytelling to it but this one didn't really blow me away. The story seems overdone whether it's the Matrix or Equilibrium or whatever. The write up also gave a bit more story to it (which sounds even more like Equilibrium) that these 8 pages didn't even get into. I think it needed a better intro to catch my attention and something more that makes it different story wise.
Super Seed -- This story has some interesting aspects to it and the characters seem different and possibly interesting. I say "possibly" because it doesn't seem like you get enough time with any of them to say for sure. There's no connection to the reader. The art is hit or miss. Some panels (mainly the ones of just hands or such) are nice and some are well laid out but often the character's head or face looks squished or off, or their appearance is inconsistent from panel to panel.
The Erebus Effect -- For the most part I like this one visually. There was one instance where I wondered if he was throwing up onto his someone's head (a clearer divide between those images would have helped) and the style might not be for everyone but I thought it fit well. I did find I wanted more from the first 8 pages to sell the story. The talking toy ninja was somewhat intriguing but other than that I didn't really find it "new" for me. I wanted something more.
So I'm still not exactly sure who I will be voting for this month. Going over them again for these reviews I may actually end up going with Feverkind.
And since we're talking about Zuda comics, one news item of note that I just learned (though many probably already know) is that former competitor "Sam & Lilah" has moved to Acti-I-Vate. Congratulations to the creators who put together an interesting comic.
Weekly Recap
Yeah, I'm a day late again. I was pretty beat from yesterday's hockey game and I'm nursing a sore wrist (again, from the hockey) so that's my excuse and I'm sticking to it. Oh, and we lost again.
The fury over the Superman legal fight has diminished somewhat and I'm done with it for now.
The latest Zuda Comics competitors are up. I know, I still have to do my reviews for those but I think Erebus Effect may be my pick this month. Also, quite a few of the creators behind some of the books on Zuda will be at New York Comic-Con. So if you're fortunate enough to be going you should drop by to say 'hi'.
I was checking out the DC solicits on newsarama and something I find funny is pictures of Superman, Wonder Woman, and Batman fighting a character. On the covers to Trinity 5-9, here's a character that appears to be giving Superman a struggle with one arm while also dealing with grappling with Wonder Woman. So what exactly is Batman hoping to achieve by wrapping up his other arm with a batarang??? Physically, Bats just isn't in their league. Oh well, I guess it makes for a cool image and all that.
Wizard magazine is hitting 200 issues this month and they're celebrating with an issue so big it had to be split into two magazines. I have to say I enjoyed the first half. As someone who really threw himself back into comics around the same time (actually, just a few years before) Wizard started it was a nice nostalgic look back. I was really taken aback by the huge drawing they tried to assemble by a whole lot of artists (with George Perez providing the initial outline of character placements). I didn't necessarily agree with their lists (I wouldn't have put Y: The Last Man as the top book) but it was still interesting to read. And speaking of their top 200 books, I was rather disappointed in some ways that #1's were often so high not because they were good issues but because the rest of the series was good.
I'm sure there was more going on last week but I probably should get back to work. :)
The fury over the Superman legal fight has diminished somewhat and I'm done with it for now.
The latest Zuda Comics competitors are up. I know, I still have to do my reviews for those but I think Erebus Effect may be my pick this month. Also, quite a few of the creators behind some of the books on Zuda will be at New York Comic-Con. So if you're fortunate enough to be going you should drop by to say 'hi'.
I was checking out the DC solicits on newsarama and something I find funny is pictures of Superman, Wonder Woman, and Batman fighting a character. On the covers to Trinity 5-9, here's a character that appears to be giving Superman a struggle with one arm while also dealing with grappling with Wonder Woman. So what exactly is Batman hoping to achieve by wrapping up his other arm with a batarang??? Physically, Bats just isn't in their league. Oh well, I guess it makes for a cool image and all that.
Wizard magazine is hitting 200 issues this month and they're celebrating with an issue so big it had to be split into two magazines. I have to say I enjoyed the first half. As someone who really threw himself back into comics around the same time (actually, just a few years before) Wizard started it was a nice nostalgic look back. I was really taken aback by the huge drawing they tried to assemble by a whole lot of artists (with George Perez providing the initial outline of character placements). I didn't necessarily agree with their lists (I wouldn't have put Y: The Last Man as the top book) but it was still interesting to read. And speaking of their top 200 books, I was rather disappointed in some ways that #1's were often so high not because they were good issues but because the rest of the series was good.
I'm sure there was more going on last week but I probably should get back to work. :)
Friday, April 11, 2008
Weekly Comic Reviews for April 9th, 2008 -- SPOILERS
Jumping right into it...
Serenity #2 (of 3) -- This book seemed to be a bit of a let down for me. Or perhaps I was just expecting too much. Although the art wasn't bad, I didn't find it quite as consistent with the likenesses as the first issue. And there were parts that left me wondering "huh" (like when Wash shut off the lights somehow or what was going on with those guys looking at Kaylee through a magnifying glass). But all in all, I felt this issue fell into the pitfall that many middle books do, having not really much meat to it as you bridge the gap from the first issue to the big climax in the third. And in the end, you feel like so much could be cut. The big splash pages and such of their dreams of what to do with their money for instance. After having said that, it wasn't a terrible issue but it's only part of the story and a pretty small and routine part at that. I'm hoping for something better with the big finale of the next issue. Overall, the series is worth checking out for Firefly/Serenity fans but it may be best to read it all at once.
Marvel Adventures Hulk #10 -- That's odd, I somehow missed issue 9. >:( Anywho, fortunately for me this book doesn't really have much of an ongoing story to it. In this one we get the Hulk meeting up with Juggernaut (not really important how). There's the required fight and such. All in all, it's still a good book for the younger audience or for Hulk fans just wanting a simple story. As such, you have to take things with a grain of salt. Yes, the Hulk doesn't put up that great a showing against Juggernaut but it's just part of the story. My only real problem with this issue was the cover, it just didn't sell what was on the inside. It was a little too "stylized" for my liking. On the regular Hulk book it would be one thing, with this book aimed at a younger audience (and having a slightly cartoony interior art style to it) I just didn't think it was the right way to go. Other than that, I'm happy to see a quality Hulk book aimed at kids.
Terry Moore's Echo #2 -- Talk about decompression, it almost felt like we weren't much further along after issue 2 than when we started. There were baby steps to furthering the story but a lot of the book is dedicated to filling in a bit more of Julie's life (such as a bit more on her relationship with her husband and the whole divorce thing going on). I really enjoyed Terry's work on Strangers in Paradise and he's an amazing storyteller but you have to be ready for a long term investment as some things are pretty spread out. I'm enjoying it so far but I can definitely understand waiting for a TPB on this one.
Also, the April Zuda competition is a go. I've read the candidates and I'm letting them sink in before reviewing them or voting. Hopefully I'll post some reviews soon. There is some interesting stuff this month but I think last month's selection was a bit stronger for me.
Serenity #2 (of 3) -- This book seemed to be a bit of a let down for me. Or perhaps I was just expecting too much. Although the art wasn't bad, I didn't find it quite as consistent with the likenesses as the first issue. And there were parts that left me wondering "huh" (like when Wash shut off the lights somehow or what was going on with those guys looking at Kaylee through a magnifying glass). But all in all, I felt this issue fell into the pitfall that many middle books do, having not really much meat to it as you bridge the gap from the first issue to the big climax in the third. And in the end, you feel like so much could be cut. The big splash pages and such of their dreams of what to do with their money for instance. After having said that, it wasn't a terrible issue but it's only part of the story and a pretty small and routine part at that. I'm hoping for something better with the big finale of the next issue. Overall, the series is worth checking out for Firefly/Serenity fans but it may be best to read it all at once.
Marvel Adventures Hulk #10 -- That's odd, I somehow missed issue 9. >:( Anywho, fortunately for me this book doesn't really have much of an ongoing story to it. In this one we get the Hulk meeting up with Juggernaut (not really important how). There's the required fight and such. All in all, it's still a good book for the younger audience or for Hulk fans just wanting a simple story. As such, you have to take things with a grain of salt. Yes, the Hulk doesn't put up that great a showing against Juggernaut but it's just part of the story. My only real problem with this issue was the cover, it just didn't sell what was on the inside. It was a little too "stylized" for my liking. On the regular Hulk book it would be one thing, with this book aimed at a younger audience (and having a slightly cartoony interior art style to it) I just didn't think it was the right way to go. Other than that, I'm happy to see a quality Hulk book aimed at kids.
Terry Moore's Echo #2 -- Talk about decompression, it almost felt like we weren't much further along after issue 2 than when we started. There were baby steps to furthering the story but a lot of the book is dedicated to filling in a bit more of Julie's life (such as a bit more on her relationship with her husband and the whole divorce thing going on). I really enjoyed Terry's work on Strangers in Paradise and he's an amazing storyteller but you have to be ready for a long term investment as some things are pretty spread out. I'm enjoying it so far but I can definitely understand waiting for a TPB on this one.
Also, the April Zuda competition is a go. I've read the candidates and I'm letting them sink in before reviewing them or voting. Hopefully I'll post some reviews soon. There is some interesting stuff this month but I think last month's selection was a bit stronger for me.
Monday, April 07, 2008
Weekly Recap
It seems posting on the weekends just isn't working for me. After my usual Sunday ball hockey game (which we lost again) I had so many errands to do that I didn't get home until about 5ish. But enough about me, what's been going on this week that caught my attention.
Obvious the first thing would be Secret Invasion #1. I'm not picking it up because I'm just not that interested to invest the time and money into it. But I am reading the spoilers so I know what's going on in the Marvel universe. I was pretty surprised that issue 1 led with as much as a bang as it did.
The Time/Warner vs Siegel family dispute is still a hot topic. I'm shaking my head at people trashing the Siegel family without reading the facts of the case. I've read up a bit more and they're well within their rights to take this legal action and all this talk about breaking promises or just being greedy is a load of BS in my opinion. Time/Warner has benefitted from being allowed to extend their copyrights beyond the original 56 years, it's only right that the creators (or their families) be compensated for that extension as well.
I'm really eager for quite a few comic book movies coming out this summer. I can't even remember all the ones that are coming out but the new Hellboy 2 trailer came out this week and I'm liking it. I really liked the first movie, even more so than the comic actually. And every time I see more clips from Iron Man I'm blown away. The Dark Knight's viral campaigns are entertaining to read about but I'm eager to see a new trailer for this one now. And pictures of the Spirit hit the web (yeah, I know it's not out this summer but oh well). I have mixed feelings about this one, especially with Frank Miller directing. It may turn out to be an entertaining movie to watch but I'm not sure it'll be capturing Will Eisner's the Spirit, or at least how I see the character.
Well, I'm sure there was more to talk about but it's back to work for me. If I think of something maybe I'll add an addendum or something. :)
Obvious the first thing would be Secret Invasion #1. I'm not picking it up because I'm just not that interested to invest the time and money into it. But I am reading the spoilers so I know what's going on in the Marvel universe. I was pretty surprised that issue 1 led with as much as a bang as it did.
The Time/Warner vs Siegel family dispute is still a hot topic. I'm shaking my head at people trashing the Siegel family without reading the facts of the case. I've read up a bit more and they're well within their rights to take this legal action and all this talk about breaking promises or just being greedy is a load of BS in my opinion. Time/Warner has benefitted from being allowed to extend their copyrights beyond the original 56 years, it's only right that the creators (or their families) be compensated for that extension as well.
I'm really eager for quite a few comic book movies coming out this summer. I can't even remember all the ones that are coming out but the new Hellboy 2 trailer came out this week and I'm liking it. I really liked the first movie, even more so than the comic actually. And every time I see more clips from Iron Man I'm blown away. The Dark Knight's viral campaigns are entertaining to read about but I'm eager to see a new trailer for this one now. And pictures of the Spirit hit the web (yeah, I know it's not out this summer but oh well). I have mixed feelings about this one, especially with Frank Miller directing. It may turn out to be an entertaining movie to watch but I'm not sure it'll be capturing Will Eisner's the Spirit, or at least how I see the character.
Well, I'm sure there was more to talk about but it's back to work for me. If I think of something maybe I'll add an addendum or something. :)
Friday, April 04, 2008
Weekly Comic Reviews for April 2nd, 2008 -- SPOILERS
With my cutting back on Marvel titles I was a little surprised to have 5 books this week. But then I remembered that all 5 were either limited series or, as in the case of the Buffy series, a finite series. So let's get to it shall we...
Buffy Season Eight #13 -- This one was a weird one for me. Perhaps I just generate too much hype in my head but after reading this book I felt like "that's it???" Yet thinking back now it's hitting me that "yes, and it was good." There may not have been the "holy crap!!" moments that other issues had but it had a lot. It had the Dracula/Xander comedy (which may or may not have gone on a page too long for me), a touch of the Buffy/Satsu drama, and a "Oh crud!" moment as pretty important tidbit of the plans of the villains is revealed. The art was pretty solid though I didn't like some shots of Buffy, she just didn't look right at time. Maybe it was her looking too young or the hair being tied up like it was. Despite my initial reactions to it I think the issue was solid and I still eagerly await the next issue to see what happens next. So I still recommend it.
Angel: After the Fall #6 -- My feelings haven't changed since I first read this one, I remain somewhat disappointed in it. It just felt like there was no meat to it. The breaking up of the story into the individual characters' sub-stories seemed to limit what could be told and left me thinking "that's it, that's their reaction to this?" The only real story I felt was worth it was Connor's and that's only because of his flashbacks (which weren't all that necessary for those of us who've watched the show). And the take on Lorne's story just seemed out of place to me and took me out of the book. On the plus side, I felt the art was slightly stronger in this, even with the various artists, than previous issues. But it's not really an issue I could recommend.
Logan #2 (of 3) -- I was hoping this issue would be where things get turned around for me. Unfortunately, it still feels like a "been there, done that" kind of Wolverine story. Some of the small elements may be different (this guy who it seems you can't kill) and it's well written and drawn (you feel Logan's emotion as he opens up with the Japanese woman) but overall I'm not really feeling that much from this book. Knowing what I know now, I probably would have skipped this series. Not a bad pickup for the Wolverine fans out there but not a recommended read in my opinion.
Dark Tower: The Long Road Home #2 (of 5) -- This series is losing its luster for me already. It definitely has a different feel and tempo from the first series. The art is lovely and all in this issue (though some panels I had no clue what it was showing) but I didn't need that many pages of them crossing that bridge. As a completist I'll probably finish out this series but unless something clicks soon I'll probably be dropping it after that. Another book I wouldn't put on my recommended reading list.
American Splendor Season Two #1 (of 4) -- It's odd for me that the book that probably had the least excitement happening in it seemed to have the most while I was reading it. I don't know how Peckar does it but he makes the most simple life story seem like an adventure. Of course, I don't think it would work nearly as well if it wasn't for his personality and quirks. It's definitely not for everyone but I really enjoy reading it. It makes my recommended reading list with the caveat that there's a good chance you'll wonder what the heck I was thinking when I recommended it.
I felt a little let down with this week's books but oh well, life goes on. Now I hope that the Invincible TPBs I ordered come in the mail today so I have something to read this weekend (on top of the crapload of other books I have that I want to read).
Buffy Season Eight #13 -- This one was a weird one for me. Perhaps I just generate too much hype in my head but after reading this book I felt like "that's it???" Yet thinking back now it's hitting me that "yes, and it was good." There may not have been the "holy crap!!" moments that other issues had but it had a lot. It had the Dracula/Xander comedy (which may or may not have gone on a page too long for me), a touch of the Buffy/Satsu drama, and a "Oh crud!" moment as pretty important tidbit of the plans of the villains is revealed. The art was pretty solid though I didn't like some shots of Buffy, she just didn't look right at time. Maybe it was her looking too young or the hair being tied up like it was. Despite my initial reactions to it I think the issue was solid and I still eagerly await the next issue to see what happens next. So I still recommend it.
Angel: After the Fall #6 -- My feelings haven't changed since I first read this one, I remain somewhat disappointed in it. It just felt like there was no meat to it. The breaking up of the story into the individual characters' sub-stories seemed to limit what could be told and left me thinking "that's it, that's their reaction to this?" The only real story I felt was worth it was Connor's and that's only because of his flashbacks (which weren't all that necessary for those of us who've watched the show). And the take on Lorne's story just seemed out of place to me and took me out of the book. On the plus side, I felt the art was slightly stronger in this, even with the various artists, than previous issues. But it's not really an issue I could recommend.
Logan #2 (of 3) -- I was hoping this issue would be where things get turned around for me. Unfortunately, it still feels like a "been there, done that" kind of Wolverine story. Some of the small elements may be different (this guy who it seems you can't kill) and it's well written and drawn (you feel Logan's emotion as he opens up with the Japanese woman) but overall I'm not really feeling that much from this book. Knowing what I know now, I probably would have skipped this series. Not a bad pickup for the Wolverine fans out there but not a recommended read in my opinion.
Dark Tower: The Long Road Home #2 (of 5) -- This series is losing its luster for me already. It definitely has a different feel and tempo from the first series. The art is lovely and all in this issue (though some panels I had no clue what it was showing) but I didn't need that many pages of them crossing that bridge. As a completist I'll probably finish out this series but unless something clicks soon I'll probably be dropping it after that. Another book I wouldn't put on my recommended reading list.
American Splendor Season Two #1 (of 4) -- It's odd for me that the book that probably had the least excitement happening in it seemed to have the most while I was reading it. I don't know how Peckar does it but he makes the most simple life story seem like an adventure. Of course, I don't think it would work nearly as well if it wasn't for his personality and quirks. It's definitely not for everyone but I really enjoy reading it. It makes my recommended reading list with the caveat that there's a good chance you'll wonder what the heck I was thinking when I recommended it.
I felt a little let down with this week's books but oh well, life goes on. Now I hope that the Invincible TPBs I ordered come in the mail today so I have something to read this weekend (on top of the crapload of other books I have that I want to read).
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