Whatcha Readin'? 3/24/06
Mar. 24th, 2006 11:27 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
jkcarrier
Eek, mostly Marvel and DC this time out!
ASTONISHING X-MEN
by Joss Whedon & John Cassaday
Marvel
It's the first issue of a new story-arc, but this issue basically just reiterates what we already knew: Kitty is having trouble adjusting to Colossus' return. Beast is depressed. Agent Brand is a bitch. Emma is a mole for the Hellfire Club. This series started out so strong, but it's starting to spin its wheels a bit. I'll give it a couple more issues at least, since there's certainly the potential for some cool stuff to happen. It just needs to start actually happening!
"I'm totally calm, and I'm totally cool. My calm is exceeded only by my cool. Which is total."
BLACK WIDOW 2 #6
by Richard H. Morgan, Sean Phillips & Bill Sienkiewicz
Marvel
A solid wrap-up to this tense spy thriller. Natasha survives, and ultimate prevails, mainly by virtue of being too stubborn to die. For all the politics and double-crosses in this series, the point comes home that friendship and loyalty matter most. Natasha risks everything for Sally Anne, and in turn a couple of old friends take big chances on her behalf as well. All's well that ends well, more or less... but there's enough loose threads still hanging that they could easily spin it into another sequel. I hope they do.
"It's time to finish this. Time to give him what he wants."
BOMB QUEEN #2
by Jimmie Robinson
Image
This one's an odd mix of superhero parody and social satire. Bomb Queen is a psychotic supervillain who has basically taken control of a large city. Everyone, from the local government to the man on the street, is either too complacent or too scared to oppose her. Plus, she's sexy, funny, and kind of cool, so some people actually like her (from a safe distance). But an aspiring mayoral candidate, backed up by a new superhero, has decided that it's time to overthrow Bomb Queen's regime. It's funny; even though she has no redeeming qualities whatsoever, the Queen is our protagonist and point-of-view character, so I ended up kind of rooting for her despite myself. It helps that the "good guys" seem to be motivated entirely by political advantage, rather than any real desire for justice, so it's easy to dismiss them. I wonder how far Robinson can push her "wacky" acts of mayhem before she loses the reader's sympathy? (He seems willing to push things pretty damn far -- the collateral damage in this issue alone is considerable) I also wonder how this will all end up -- having Bomb Queen triumph and maintain the status quo would be an anti-climax, but I can't see her going quietly off to jail, either. Either way, I predicts lots more explosions. And ass shots.
"If Bomb Queen can blow up schools wherever she wants, then I can anal rape old women where I want, too."
BULLETEER #4
by Grant Morrison, Yanick Paquette & Serge LaPointe
DC
A very interesting twist on the notion of the "reluctant superhero". Instead of finally coming around to "embrace her destiny", Alix decides to hell with it, and refuses to play along any more. Small wonder, since the series is largely a commentary on how weird and creepy and fetishistic the superhero genre has become. The story of Sally Sonic, an eternally-young heroine who ends up abused, assaulted, and eventually driven mad, is heartbreaking (The art works against the story a bit here -- Sally's tragedy is that she's an old woman in a young teen's body, but the girl Paquette draws could easily be in her 20s). It'll be interesting to see what (if any) role Alix plays in the SEVEN SOLDIERS finale.
"Girl on girl fight scenes. Bullets bouncing off your chest. Men pay for that stuff. You'll see."
DAUGHTERS OF THE DRAGON #2
by Justin Gray, Jimmy Palmiotti, Khary Evans & Christina Strain
Marvel
The two bail bondswomen continue to track down a gang of supervillains who skipped out on them, unaware that the crooks are also being hunted by a mysterious, well-connected crime lord. Nothing deep or pretentious here, just lots of sword fights, gun fights, car chases, smartass dialogue and (compared to some of the other books on this list) completely un-ironic use of cheesecake. It's a lot of fun. I really like this new character, Otis the secretary -- he's completely unflappable, even when Orka the Killer Whale storms into the office. Looking forward to more.
"You are fast."
"And you like the sound of your own voice. Which one is more useful in a fight?"
FELL #4
by Warren Ellis & Ben Templesmith
Image
Stuck in the hellish neighborhood of Snowtown, cop Richard Fell struggles to keep some kind of integrity while everyone around him has pretty much given up caring. Dead bodies turn up in the harbor with such frequency that the police don't even pretend to try and investigate anymore. But Fell is determined to see that, at least once, one of these victims will get some justice. He runs into one dead end after another until finally he comes up with a sort of "Gordian Knot" solution that's downright inspired (if ethically questionable). In the end, I was left wondering if Fell had "beaten" Snowtown by closing the case, or if, because of the way he did it, the city won by ever-so-slightly corrupting him? It's amazing how much Ellis manages to pack into one small issue without it ever seeming rushed or crowded. Lots to think about.
"They're all important, Mayko. We can't just say, 'Oh, it's Snowtown' all the damn time."
FLAMING CARROT SPECIAL #1
by Bob Burden & Sam Gaffin
Dark Horse
The long-awaited photo-comic issue! Flaming Carrot and various other low-rent superheroes team up to track down an alien stealing people's pockets at a comic book convention. The costumes, Photoshop effects, and so on are appropriately cheesy, and the story is full of Burden's usual good-natured surrealism. The cameos by Forrest J. Ackerman and Jim Steranko are very funny, and everyone involved is clearing having a ball. It may not revolutionize the medium, but it's good for a laugh.
"Uh oh! Kaufman's throwing another fit."
FRANKENSTEIN #3
by Grant Morrison & Doug Mahnke
DC
This reminds me a lot of early Moore SWAMP THING -- the heroic monster, the disturbing small-town horror, the secret government agencies (plus a guy who's a dead ringer for "Big Ben" in MIRACLEMAN). I'm not sure even Moore ever came up with anything quite as odd as an army of killer bunnies, squirrels, and cows, though. Toss in the four-armed Bride of Frankenstein, an old METAL MEN villain, a decapitation or two, and you've got a strange-but-thrilling read. (Heh. I just now noticed that Frank uses a steam-powered pistol. A neat little detail. And somewhat ironic, since the "villain" is essentially living water.) Most of these SEVEN SOLDIERS series have had an overall theme -- not sure what it is yet in the case of FRANKENSTEIN, but I suspect all will become clear next issue.
"Everything is different in the 21st century, Frankie. And everything is much the same."
HELLBOY: MAKOMA #2
by Mike Mignola & Richard Corben
Dark Horse
Remember Conan in the '70s? He was so popular that, once they'd reprinted everything Robert E. Howard wrote about him, there was still a market for more. So they'd take other Howard stories that had nothing to do with Conan, and re-write them to turn them into Conan adventures. That's kind of what this feels like -- it's basically an old African folktale, with Hellboy swapped in for the hero. I can't complain, though, because it's really pretty great. It reads like an extended fever dream -- highly surreal, but with a sort of dream-logic that holds it together. Plus lots of freaky bug-people and monster-smashin' action. Corben's art is the perfect finishing touch -- I swear, that guy just gets better and better every year. So what if it's not a "real" Hellboy story? I'll take "fakes" like this any day of the week.
"Uhh. I needed that."
KABUKI: THE ALCHEMY #6
by David Mack
Icon/Marvel
Ukiko continues to build a new life and identity for herself, as an old acquaintance from her espionage days turns up on her doorstep. As the two immerse themselves in their respective creative/scientific work, they expound (I'm assuming) David Mack's own philosophy towards productivity, creativity, and life. This runs the risk of getting too pedantic (as Alan Moore's PROMETHEA was often accused of), but it's all relevant to Ukiko's voyage of self-discovery. And it's so compellingly told and gorgeously illustrated, that the "lecture" aspect of it didn't bother me at all. The elusive Akemi (the "Valerie" to Ukiko's "Evey", so to speak) continues to be an alternately intriguing and disturbing offstage presence -- just what the heck is she up to, and is her "master plan" as altruistic as she makes it out to be?
"Chinese generals put their soldiers in situations where retreat is impossible. This insures motivation."
MISTER MIRACLE #4
by Grant Morrison & Freddie E. Williams II
DC
As I'd hoped, last issue's brutal beat-down is counterbalanced by this issue's cathartic triumph. Zapped by the Dark Side, Shilo is trapped in a never-ending loop, living one miserable virtual reality after another. Finally, he realizes that he has to overcome the darkness in his own heart before he can be free. It's a powerful and uplifting story. Shilo escaping the trap by making friends with it is a brilliant twist. The best compliment I can give it is -- I think Kirby would approve.
"I don't care what you say. You're never gonna get out of that."
"You watch."
NEXTWAVE #1 DIRECTOR'S CUT
by Warren Ellis & Stuart Immonen
Marvel
I missed this the first time around, so I was glad to see a second printing. Ellis' script is reproduced in the back, which is interesting but doesn't really tell you anything that isn't obvious in the finished story: It's all a big goof. I've always thought Ellis was a funny guy, and most of his work has humorous elements in it, but it's nice to see him cut loose with a full-blown comedy. A band of lesser-known superheroes (including the black female Captain Marvel and Kirby's Machine Man) are recruited to join an anti-terrorist group. But they find out that it's really just a front for developing weapons of mass destruction to sell to the highest bidder, so they rebel. And the first WMD they have to defuse is the venerable Marvel monster Fin Fang Foom (aka, The Giant Green Lizard in Purple Underpants). Meanwhile, the team is being hunted by the Highest Anti Terrorism Effort (H.A.T.E.) and their psychotic, Nick Fury-esque leader. What makes the whole thing work is that, despite the tongue-in-cheek self-awareness, the story actually does hang together as an interesting and action-packed adventure. You're laughing at it, but you still want to see how they're going to defeat Mr. Purple Underpants. Immonen's stylish art likewise comfortably straddles the line between serious and humorous. I'm not sure how long something this unique (and silly) can last in the current marketplace, but I'm keeping my fingers crossed.
"When her mother died, she went to Hell, and is used as a bucket by giant weasels dressed as cheerleaders. And that's what happens when you tell your kids to get a proper job."
PLASTIC MAN #20
by Kyle Baker
DC
Speaking of unique and silly books doomed to die, this is the last issue of this wonderful series. And it goes out with a bang, taking the piss out of DC's own INFINITE CRISIS and similar grim 'n gritty "events". And this is no good-natured spoof -- Baker clearly has an axe to grind, particularly when he has Mary Marvel lecture about the importance of superheroes as role models for children, while the "camera" lingers on the scantily-clad likes of Supergirl and Huntress. Another hilarious sequence shows Wonder Woman repeatedly killing Ra's Al Ghul (since killing villains is apparently what WW does these days), only to have him keep falling into the "Lazarus Pit" and get right back up. And of course, Superman and Batman fight each other for no discernable reason. Oh, and Plastic Man's here too, with an epic fight scene that has to be seen to be believed. Man, I'm going to miss this series.
"By the moons of Krypton! You and Bruce never vlidate my feelings! And that hurts me!"
X-STATIX PRESENTS DEAD GIRL #2
by Peter Milligan, Nick Dragotta & Mike Allred
Marvel
This one's weird, even by Milligan's standards. I missed the first issue, but the set-up is simple enough: A villain called "The Pitiful One" is carrying out some evil scheme involving bringing the dead back to life. Doctor Strange, in turn, recruits Dead Girl to help him enter the afterlife and stop him. There's lots of cameos by dead Marvel characters, most of whom have been driven a bit bonkers from dwelling in limbo. There's also some flirting between Dead Girl and Doc, which would be cute if she weren't inhabiting a makeshift body made out of raw meat (complete with giant drumsticks for arms). It's all very odd and laced with black humor, not exactly the glorious X-Statix reunion we might have hoped for. But then, rosy nostalgia would've been totally against the style of the original series, so in that sense it's quite fitting.
"Besides, when I do business with a man, I like to be able to kick him in the nuts."
ASTONISHING X-MEN
by Joss Whedon & John Cassaday
Marvel
It's the first issue of a new story-arc, but this issue basically just reiterates what we already knew: Kitty is having trouble adjusting to Colossus' return. Beast is depressed. Agent Brand is a bitch. Emma is a mole for the Hellfire Club. This series started out so strong, but it's starting to spin its wheels a bit. I'll give it a couple more issues at least, since there's certainly the potential for some cool stuff to happen. It just needs to start actually happening!
"I'm totally calm, and I'm totally cool. My calm is exceeded only by my cool. Which is total."
BLACK WIDOW 2 #6
by Richard H. Morgan, Sean Phillips & Bill Sienkiewicz
Marvel
A solid wrap-up to this tense spy thriller. Natasha survives, and ultimate prevails, mainly by virtue of being too stubborn to die. For all the politics and double-crosses in this series, the point comes home that friendship and loyalty matter most. Natasha risks everything for Sally Anne, and in turn a couple of old friends take big chances on her behalf as well. All's well that ends well, more or less... but there's enough loose threads still hanging that they could easily spin it into another sequel. I hope they do.
"It's time to finish this. Time to give him what he wants."
BOMB QUEEN #2
by Jimmie Robinson
Image
This one's an odd mix of superhero parody and social satire. Bomb Queen is a psychotic supervillain who has basically taken control of a large city. Everyone, from the local government to the man on the street, is either too complacent or too scared to oppose her. Plus, she's sexy, funny, and kind of cool, so some people actually like her (from a safe distance). But an aspiring mayoral candidate, backed up by a new superhero, has decided that it's time to overthrow Bomb Queen's regime. It's funny; even though she has no redeeming qualities whatsoever, the Queen is our protagonist and point-of-view character, so I ended up kind of rooting for her despite myself. It helps that the "good guys" seem to be motivated entirely by political advantage, rather than any real desire for justice, so it's easy to dismiss them. I wonder how far Robinson can push her "wacky" acts of mayhem before she loses the reader's sympathy? (He seems willing to push things pretty damn far -- the collateral damage in this issue alone is considerable) I also wonder how this will all end up -- having Bomb Queen triumph and maintain the status quo would be an anti-climax, but I can't see her going quietly off to jail, either. Either way, I predicts lots more explosions. And ass shots.
"If Bomb Queen can blow up schools wherever she wants, then I can anal rape old women where I want, too."
BULLETEER #4
by Grant Morrison, Yanick Paquette & Serge LaPointe
DC
A very interesting twist on the notion of the "reluctant superhero". Instead of finally coming around to "embrace her destiny", Alix decides to hell with it, and refuses to play along any more. Small wonder, since the series is largely a commentary on how weird and creepy and fetishistic the superhero genre has become. The story of Sally Sonic, an eternally-young heroine who ends up abused, assaulted, and eventually driven mad, is heartbreaking (The art works against the story a bit here -- Sally's tragedy is that she's an old woman in a young teen's body, but the girl Paquette draws could easily be in her 20s). It'll be interesting to see what (if any) role Alix plays in the SEVEN SOLDIERS finale.
"Girl on girl fight scenes. Bullets bouncing off your chest. Men pay for that stuff. You'll see."
DAUGHTERS OF THE DRAGON #2
by Justin Gray, Jimmy Palmiotti, Khary Evans & Christina Strain
Marvel
The two bail bondswomen continue to track down a gang of supervillains who skipped out on them, unaware that the crooks are also being hunted by a mysterious, well-connected crime lord. Nothing deep or pretentious here, just lots of sword fights, gun fights, car chases, smartass dialogue and (compared to some of the other books on this list) completely un-ironic use of cheesecake. It's a lot of fun. I really like this new character, Otis the secretary -- he's completely unflappable, even when Orka the Killer Whale storms into the office. Looking forward to more.
"You are fast."
"And you like the sound of your own voice. Which one is more useful in a fight?"
FELL #4
by Warren Ellis & Ben Templesmith
Image
Stuck in the hellish neighborhood of Snowtown, cop Richard Fell struggles to keep some kind of integrity while everyone around him has pretty much given up caring. Dead bodies turn up in the harbor with such frequency that the police don't even pretend to try and investigate anymore. But Fell is determined to see that, at least once, one of these victims will get some justice. He runs into one dead end after another until finally he comes up with a sort of "Gordian Knot" solution that's downright inspired (if ethically questionable). In the end, I was left wondering if Fell had "beaten" Snowtown by closing the case, or if, because of the way he did it, the city won by ever-so-slightly corrupting him? It's amazing how much Ellis manages to pack into one small issue without it ever seeming rushed or crowded. Lots to think about.
"They're all important, Mayko. We can't just say, 'Oh, it's Snowtown' all the damn time."
FLAMING CARROT SPECIAL #1
by Bob Burden & Sam Gaffin
Dark Horse
The long-awaited photo-comic issue! Flaming Carrot and various other low-rent superheroes team up to track down an alien stealing people's pockets at a comic book convention. The costumes, Photoshop effects, and so on are appropriately cheesy, and the story is full of Burden's usual good-natured surrealism. The cameos by Forrest J. Ackerman and Jim Steranko are very funny, and everyone involved is clearing having a ball. It may not revolutionize the medium, but it's good for a laugh.
"Uh oh! Kaufman's throwing another fit."
FRANKENSTEIN #3
by Grant Morrison & Doug Mahnke
DC
This reminds me a lot of early Moore SWAMP THING -- the heroic monster, the disturbing small-town horror, the secret government agencies (plus a guy who's a dead ringer for "Big Ben" in MIRACLEMAN). I'm not sure even Moore ever came up with anything quite as odd as an army of killer bunnies, squirrels, and cows, though. Toss in the four-armed Bride of Frankenstein, an old METAL MEN villain, a decapitation or two, and you've got a strange-but-thrilling read. (Heh. I just now noticed that Frank uses a steam-powered pistol. A neat little detail. And somewhat ironic, since the "villain" is essentially living water.) Most of these SEVEN SOLDIERS series have had an overall theme -- not sure what it is yet in the case of FRANKENSTEIN, but I suspect all will become clear next issue.
"Everything is different in the 21st century, Frankie. And everything is much the same."
HELLBOY: MAKOMA #2
by Mike Mignola & Richard Corben
Dark Horse
Remember Conan in the '70s? He was so popular that, once they'd reprinted everything Robert E. Howard wrote about him, there was still a market for more. So they'd take other Howard stories that had nothing to do with Conan, and re-write them to turn them into Conan adventures. That's kind of what this feels like -- it's basically an old African folktale, with Hellboy swapped in for the hero. I can't complain, though, because it's really pretty great. It reads like an extended fever dream -- highly surreal, but with a sort of dream-logic that holds it together. Plus lots of freaky bug-people and monster-smashin' action. Corben's art is the perfect finishing touch -- I swear, that guy just gets better and better every year. So what if it's not a "real" Hellboy story? I'll take "fakes" like this any day of the week.
"Uhh. I needed that."
KABUKI: THE ALCHEMY #6
by David Mack
Icon/Marvel
Ukiko continues to build a new life and identity for herself, as an old acquaintance from her espionage days turns up on her doorstep. As the two immerse themselves in their respective creative/scientific work, they expound (I'm assuming) David Mack's own philosophy towards productivity, creativity, and life. This runs the risk of getting too pedantic (as Alan Moore's PROMETHEA was often accused of), but it's all relevant to Ukiko's voyage of self-discovery. And it's so compellingly told and gorgeously illustrated, that the "lecture" aspect of it didn't bother me at all. The elusive Akemi (the "Valerie" to Ukiko's "Evey", so to speak) continues to be an alternately intriguing and disturbing offstage presence -- just what the heck is she up to, and is her "master plan" as altruistic as she makes it out to be?
"Chinese generals put their soldiers in situations where retreat is impossible. This insures motivation."
MISTER MIRACLE #4
by Grant Morrison & Freddie E. Williams II
DC
As I'd hoped, last issue's brutal beat-down is counterbalanced by this issue's cathartic triumph. Zapped by the Dark Side, Shilo is trapped in a never-ending loop, living one miserable virtual reality after another. Finally, he realizes that he has to overcome the darkness in his own heart before he can be free. It's a powerful and uplifting story. Shilo escaping the trap by making friends with it is a brilliant twist. The best compliment I can give it is -- I think Kirby would approve.
"I don't care what you say. You're never gonna get out of that."
"You watch."
NEXTWAVE #1 DIRECTOR'S CUT
by Warren Ellis & Stuart Immonen
Marvel
I missed this the first time around, so I was glad to see a second printing. Ellis' script is reproduced in the back, which is interesting but doesn't really tell you anything that isn't obvious in the finished story: It's all a big goof. I've always thought Ellis was a funny guy, and most of his work has humorous elements in it, but it's nice to see him cut loose with a full-blown comedy. A band of lesser-known superheroes (including the black female Captain Marvel and Kirby's Machine Man) are recruited to join an anti-terrorist group. But they find out that it's really just a front for developing weapons of mass destruction to sell to the highest bidder, so they rebel. And the first WMD they have to defuse is the venerable Marvel monster Fin Fang Foom (aka, The Giant Green Lizard in Purple Underpants). Meanwhile, the team is being hunted by the Highest Anti Terrorism Effort (H.A.T.E.) and their psychotic, Nick Fury-esque leader. What makes the whole thing work is that, despite the tongue-in-cheek self-awareness, the story actually does hang together as an interesting and action-packed adventure. You're laughing at it, but you still want to see how they're going to defeat Mr. Purple Underpants. Immonen's stylish art likewise comfortably straddles the line between serious and humorous. I'm not sure how long something this unique (and silly) can last in the current marketplace, but I'm keeping my fingers crossed.
"When her mother died, she went to Hell, and is used as a bucket by giant weasels dressed as cheerleaders. And that's what happens when you tell your kids to get a proper job."
PLASTIC MAN #20
by Kyle Baker
DC
Speaking of unique and silly books doomed to die, this is the last issue of this wonderful series. And it goes out with a bang, taking the piss out of DC's own INFINITE CRISIS and similar grim 'n gritty "events". And this is no good-natured spoof -- Baker clearly has an axe to grind, particularly when he has Mary Marvel lecture about the importance of superheroes as role models for children, while the "camera" lingers on the scantily-clad likes of Supergirl and Huntress. Another hilarious sequence shows Wonder Woman repeatedly killing Ra's Al Ghul (since killing villains is apparently what WW does these days), only to have him keep falling into the "Lazarus Pit" and get right back up. And of course, Superman and Batman fight each other for no discernable reason. Oh, and Plastic Man's here too, with an epic fight scene that has to be seen to be believed. Man, I'm going to miss this series.
"By the moons of Krypton! You and Bruce never vlidate my feelings! And that hurts me!"
X-STATIX PRESENTS DEAD GIRL #2
by Peter Milligan, Nick Dragotta & Mike Allred
Marvel
This one's weird, even by Milligan's standards. I missed the first issue, but the set-up is simple enough: A villain called "The Pitiful One" is carrying out some evil scheme involving bringing the dead back to life. Doctor Strange, in turn, recruits Dead Girl to help him enter the afterlife and stop him. There's lots of cameos by dead Marvel characters, most of whom have been driven a bit bonkers from dwelling in limbo. There's also some flirting between Dead Girl and Doc, which would be cute if she weren't inhabiting a makeshift body made out of raw meat (complete with giant drumsticks for arms). It's all very odd and laced with black humor, not exactly the glorious X-Statix reunion we might have hoped for. But then, rosy nostalgia would've been totally against the style of the original series, so in that sense it's quite fitting.
"Besides, when I do business with a man, I like to be able to kick him in the nuts."
