Whatcha Reading? 10-3-04
Oct. 3rd, 2004 08:10 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
jkcarrier
ASTONISHING X-MEN #5: So refreshing. Not trying to "redefine" or "deconstruct" or "revolutionize" anything, just solid, entertaining stories. Brilliant dialogue, sharp characterization, great art. And a colorist who's way too fond of red, but you can't have everything.
"And every time you hear the words 'parsley', 'intractable' or 'longitude', you will vomit uncontrollably for forty-eight hours."
KABUKI #2: Mack continues the high level of writing and art that we've come to expect. Weaving visual and verbal metaphors together in a beautiful mix. Very little physically "happens", but the way he explores the characters' thoughts and feelings is gripping stuff. It was also fascinating to read the letters page, where he talks about some of his real-life experiences that were worked into the story. It's great to have this book back.
"I cut myself shaving."
BLACK WIDOW #1: A fairly conventional set-up: someone (or several someones) is killing off ex-KGB agents, and Natasha is next on the list. Lots of scenes of the Widow being a bad-ass. But the Sienkiewicz artwork is fantastic, and the plot will hopefully take some interesting twists and turns along the way. I like the byplay between Natasha and the ex-SHIELD guy -- hopefully they won't take the predictable route and have them end up in bed together.
"The last time we had a drink, I spent the next month picking Chechen shrapnel out of my ass."
HERO #20: Looks like I missed an issue... the psycho H-Dial user (who I thought was dead) is back, and he and Robbie Reed are racing to see who can recruit the other ex-Dial-users first. It's kind of cool to see all these characters from previous issues turn up again. I dug the brutal fight scene at the end -- quick, simple, but intense. Sadly, the very funny cover scene does not actually occur.
"I screwed things up, didn't I, Reed?"
DC COMICS PRESENTS SUPERMAN: The Lee/Cooke story is a lot of fun. Stan's cheerful, self-effacing Superman is really charming, and I wouldn't mind seeing him do more with the character. The Levitz/Giffen piece is kind of blah -- no real clever bits or outstanding moments.
"I'll have to penalize you for that."
DC COMICS PRESENTS GREEN LANTERN: Weakest of the bunch so far. Azzarello's story has some cute moments, but then veers off on some tangent at the end that made no sense to me. Pasko's story has an interesting conceit -- that Hal has to carefully compartmentalize his mind, lest his every stray thought and wish become reality. But the heavy-handed, angst-filled story doesn't do much with the concept. Art on both stories is pretty yuck.
"You forgot to pick him up again, didn't you?"
DC COMICS PRESENTS JUSTICE LEAGUE OF AMERICA: Ellison & David's story is a hoot, and the dialogue they give to Julie is priceless. Wolfman delivers a nice Silver Age-y "gimmick" in his piece, although you can see the explanation coming a mile away. Garcia-Lopez's cover is sweet.
"Now put an egg in your shoe and beat it. I've got to try and save you from looking stupid in the next issue."
SIX: This new book by Oeming & co. was an impulse buy -- I hadn't heard anything about this until I saw it on the shelf. It turned out to be pretty cool... reminiscent of everything from The Prisoner to Blade Runner to the Matrix. As soon as you see the setup -- mysterious alien spy tracking down other spies who have "gone native", you pretty much know how it's going to play out, but I really enjoyed the whole psychedelic '60s vibe going on.
"What's more important, the dreamer or the dream?"
SEAMONSTERS & SUPERHEROES #6: I can't even begin to explain Scott Mills' humor... it's so bizarre and deadpan. But I love it.
"You may want to remove the anomaly from his head now, TriBolt. He's convulsing quite violently."
PALOOKAVILLE #17: Son of a bitch, this is gorgeous. Now THIS is how you use limited color. Let's see, a middle-aged man, spending his days obsessing over obscure kitsch and slowly losing his mind... yeah, that doesn't hit too close to home. Thanks a heap, Seth.
"Honestly, it's utterly fascinating."
FOLLOWING CEREBUS #1: Pretty much what I expected... lots of fannish speculation about what this or that sequence "really means", which can be fun if you're in the mood for it. The fact that Sim is actively participating in the mag is a plus -- I was struck by his candid admission that the various promotional tours and other marketing schemes he tried during the course of Cerebus did basically fuck-all to improve sales. I haven't read the Gerhard interview yet, but I'm looking forward to it. The biggest drawback here is the really crappy art reproduction.
"I remember Joe Matt being worried about a fan at one point a few years back, and I said, 'Joe, you aren't famous enough to shoot'."
"And every time you hear the words 'parsley', 'intractable' or 'longitude', you will vomit uncontrollably for forty-eight hours."
KABUKI #2: Mack continues the high level of writing and art that we've come to expect. Weaving visual and verbal metaphors together in a beautiful mix. Very little physically "happens", but the way he explores the characters' thoughts and feelings is gripping stuff. It was also fascinating to read the letters page, where he talks about some of his real-life experiences that were worked into the story. It's great to have this book back.
"I cut myself shaving."
BLACK WIDOW #1: A fairly conventional set-up: someone (or several someones) is killing off ex-KGB agents, and Natasha is next on the list. Lots of scenes of the Widow being a bad-ass. But the Sienkiewicz artwork is fantastic, and the plot will hopefully take some interesting twists and turns along the way. I like the byplay between Natasha and the ex-SHIELD guy -- hopefully they won't take the predictable route and have them end up in bed together.
"The last time we had a drink, I spent the next month picking Chechen shrapnel out of my ass."
HERO #20: Looks like I missed an issue... the psycho H-Dial user (who I thought was dead) is back, and he and Robbie Reed are racing to see who can recruit the other ex-Dial-users first. It's kind of cool to see all these characters from previous issues turn up again. I dug the brutal fight scene at the end -- quick, simple, but intense. Sadly, the very funny cover scene does not actually occur.
"I screwed things up, didn't I, Reed?"
DC COMICS PRESENTS SUPERMAN: The Lee/Cooke story is a lot of fun. Stan's cheerful, self-effacing Superman is really charming, and I wouldn't mind seeing him do more with the character. The Levitz/Giffen piece is kind of blah -- no real clever bits or outstanding moments.
"I'll have to penalize you for that."
DC COMICS PRESENTS GREEN LANTERN: Weakest of the bunch so far. Azzarello's story has some cute moments, but then veers off on some tangent at the end that made no sense to me. Pasko's story has an interesting conceit -- that Hal has to carefully compartmentalize his mind, lest his every stray thought and wish become reality. But the heavy-handed, angst-filled story doesn't do much with the concept. Art on both stories is pretty yuck.
"You forgot to pick him up again, didn't you?"
DC COMICS PRESENTS JUSTICE LEAGUE OF AMERICA: Ellison & David's story is a hoot, and the dialogue they give to Julie is priceless. Wolfman delivers a nice Silver Age-y "gimmick" in his piece, although you can see the explanation coming a mile away. Garcia-Lopez's cover is sweet.
"Now put an egg in your shoe and beat it. I've got to try and save you from looking stupid in the next issue."
SIX: This new book by Oeming & co. was an impulse buy -- I hadn't heard anything about this until I saw it on the shelf. It turned out to be pretty cool... reminiscent of everything from The Prisoner to Blade Runner to the Matrix. As soon as you see the setup -- mysterious alien spy tracking down other spies who have "gone native", you pretty much know how it's going to play out, but I really enjoyed the whole psychedelic '60s vibe going on.
"What's more important, the dreamer or the dream?"
SEAMONSTERS & SUPERHEROES #6: I can't even begin to explain Scott Mills' humor... it's so bizarre and deadpan. But I love it.
"You may want to remove the anomaly from his head now, TriBolt. He's convulsing quite violently."
PALOOKAVILLE #17: Son of a bitch, this is gorgeous. Now THIS is how you use limited color. Let's see, a middle-aged man, spending his days obsessing over obscure kitsch and slowly losing his mind... yeah, that doesn't hit too close to home. Thanks a heap, Seth.
"Honestly, it's utterly fascinating."
FOLLOWING CEREBUS #1: Pretty much what I expected... lots of fannish speculation about what this or that sequence "really means", which can be fun if you're in the mood for it. The fact that Sim is actively participating in the mag is a plus -- I was struck by his candid admission that the various promotional tours and other marketing schemes he tried during the course of Cerebus did basically fuck-all to improve sales. I haven't read the Gerhard interview yet, but I'm looking forward to it. The biggest drawback here is the really crappy art reproduction.
"I remember Joe Matt being worried about a fan at one point a few years back, and I said, 'Joe, you aren't famous enough to shoot'."
