• The Big Picture
  • Here’s ScottNerd…
  • Here’s DerekNerd…

Images and Nerds

~ We're turning pages–and writing about them!

Images and Nerds

Tag Archives: Roger Langridge

What’s I&N Store (3/25)

24 Tuesday Mar 2015

Posted by ScottNerd in What's I&N Store?

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

Abigail and the Snowman, Archie Comics, Black Mask, BOOM!, Brian Hurtt, Brian Michael Bendis, Chris Bachalo, Chris Samnee, Cullen Bunn, Daredevil, Dark Horse, DC, Dean Motter, Doug Mahnke, Duane Swierczynski, Eric Stephenson, Grant Morrison, Hit: 1957, Image, James Asmus, Jamie McKelvie, Jeff Lemire, Joshua Hale Fialkov, Kieron Gillen, Kurt Busiek, Lee Bermejo, Mark Waid, Marvel, Matt Kindt, Michael Gaydos, Mister X: Razed, Mono, My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic, Oni Press, Paolo Rivera, PastAways, Quantum and Woody Must Die, Roger Langridge, Suiciders, The Autumnlands: Tooth & Claw, The Black Hood, The Bunker, The Multiversity, The Sixth Gun, The Twilight Zone: Shadow & Substance, The Valiant, The Wicked & The Divine, They're Not Like Us, Titan, Uncanny X-Men, Vanesa Del Rey, Vertigo, We Can Never Go Home

Last week had me Wow-ing more per book than any week in the recent past.  Here’s the near future:

  • Mister X: Razed #2 (Dark Horse) I&N Demand No surprise here: we loved #1.  It easily fell into our Top 5 Books of February, the result of the tasty termites and the hungry peregrine pigeons, which, of course, is Christmas come a bit late, you know, in the perfectly-wrapped gift of Dean Motter’s icicle-sharp storytelling.  (Deep breath.)  It’s everything we loved about Mr. X: Eviction, which was just as easily our #1 Book of 2013.  Don’t remember why?  Remind yourself.
Mister X: Razed #2

Mister X: Razed #2

  • PastAways #1 (Dark Horse) Just I&N With his nonpareil Mind MGMT in its stretch run, main man Matt Kindt takes aim–along with artist Scott Kolins–at a fresh future with PastAways, the latest–and most assuredly not the last–entry in the suddenly supersaturated–and not-so-fresh–time-traveling-team market.  Yeah, but it doesn’t matter if it’s good, right?
PastAways #1

PastAways #1

  • The Multiversity: Ultra Comics #1 (DC): Re: Mastermen: Morrison and Lee bowled me over with their opening “splash” page–light a match, Adolph!  I mean, c’mon: Hitler on the can, reading Superman?  Hey, why Nazi?  They played it for a laugh–and got it!–and forged a connection between the Führer and me.  I was like, that’s what I look like when I’m reading during “Daddy Time,” you know, just without the mustache and the swastika.  Yeah, otherwise, pretty spot on.  After that, the rest of the book played out well–despite Lee’s pin-up-per-panel approach, which robs the story–artistically, anyway–of any momentum.  Not the best single Multiversity issue, but still plenty metafun.  This month, Morrison and Mahnke promise to make me “an integral part of the resistance.”  Can’t resist that!
  • Suiciders #2 (DC/Vertigo): Figured it’d be a one-and-done.  Clearly wasn’t–especially thanks to the end.
  • The Autumnlands: Tooth & Claw #5 (Image) I&N Demand Pretty great all around.  Sure, while Busiek’s been busy building this remarkably engaging world, Astro City‘s suffered a bit.  (The Quarrel arc is arguably the weakest multi-issue story since our return to the City.)  But that’s all right–especially now that the game is a(Good)foot.
The Autumnlands: Tooth & Claw #5

The Autumnlands: Tooth & Claw #5

  • They’re Not Like Us #4 (Image): They may not be like them, but concerns are rising: we’re three issues in and some of what’s going on is a lot like some of what’s already gone on.  Still love the design, though; love getting right to it!  And still hanging on the promise made at the end of #1.
  • The Wicked & The Divine #9 (Image) I&N Demand With #8, Gillen, McKelvie, and Wilson deliver a brand new Beat Generation of dance hall deities.  The rhythm–the rolling1-2-3-4, page after page–got me good, pulsing past simple gimmick right quick into pop magic, an hypnotizing rave that’s all about that base–YOLO, indeed!–no trouble.  OK.  Trouble.
The Wicked & The Divine #9

The Wicked & The Divine #9

  • Daredevil #14 (Marvel): Ooh, ooh!  A Shroud of secrecy!  Yeah, that pretty much made it all worth it.  As Waid and Samnee are making their way to the end of their run, I can’t help but think about Matt’s exes and wonder: what’s gonna happen to Kirsten?  I’m leaning toward this one breaking the mold.
  • Uncanny X-Men #32 (Marvel): Eva’s conversation with Scott left me feeling like I did after Snyder’s Harper Row lit into Batman (in the regrettable Batman #18).  That’s not a good thing.  Oh, and so, as it all works out, it’s like nothing ever happened, which is always gratifying.  Love that.  Oh, oh, and maybe the once and future leader of the X-Men isn’t so far from his grand return.  Ugh!  I hate all the secrets and the wars that rage as a result of them!
  • The Black Hood #2 (Archie): I was surprised by how much I liked the first one. What sold it: the last page.  As cheesy as it was, it felt authentic, heroic.  I needed that.  Great stuff from Gaydos.
  • The Bunker #10 (Oni): I’m feeling somewhat disconnected from The Bunker at this point.  If it were released on a more regular basis…
  • Hit: 1957 #1 (BOOM!): I was surprised that Hit earned a Harvey nomination because it wasn’t great.  Sure, it hit the right notes at the start–and at its soul was something to celebrate; but it didn’t come together well, as evidenced by the unremarkable end.  I’ll thumb through to see if Del Rey’s art is enough of a draw to warrant a try.  Otherwise, I’m going to pass.
  • Mono #4 (Titan): Through three now, I’m kinda feeling like I did after the summer after I graduated from high school–you know, after saying hi and goodbye to four different girls before leaving for college, and after learning that I had a case of mono, one bad enough to keep me home for what would’ve been my first semester at Penn State.  Just like that, actually.
  • Quantum and Woody Must Die #3 (Valiant): Funny, funny, funny!
  • The Sixth Gun #47 (Oni): The stack grows.
  • The Valiant #4 (Valiant): #3 didn’t hit me like #2 did.  Resulted in a bit of a letdown, especially as the entirety of the Valiant Universe gets further mired in Lemire’s return to Rotworld.
  • The Twilight Zone: Shadow and Substance #3 (Dynamite): The first two-issue arc didn’t live up to Straczynski’s standard–but how could it?  I’m probably going to pass.
  • We Can Never Go Home #1 (Black Mask): I haven’t like much of what I’ve tried from Black Mask.  This one sounds interesting enough.  I’ll thumb through to be fair.

Avery’s Picks of the Week

  • My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic #29 (IDW): My wife just came home from Stop & Shop with eight more Pony blind bags.  Thanks a lot DCTC!  We’re drowning in Ponies over here–new ones and duplicates!  I think we have three Pursey Pinks, for crying out loud!
  • Abigail and The Snowman #4 (BOOM!): My daughter’s dug it plenty–even if the Snowman is more Bumble than Olaf.
Abigail and The Snowman #4

Abigail and The Snowman #4

What are you looking forward to this week?

Turning pages,

Scott

Share this:

  • Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Tumblr (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window)
  • Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window)

Like this:

Like Loading...

What’s I&N Store (2/25)

24 Tuesday Feb 2015

Posted by ScottNerd in What's I&N Store?

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

Abigail and the Snowman, All-New X-Men, Archie Comics, Bodies, BOOM!, Brian Michael Bendis, Chris Samnee, Colder: The Bad Seed, comics, Daredevil, Dark Horse, Darth Vader, DC Comics, Dean Motter, Duane Swierczynski, Dynamite, Edu Menna, Eric Stephenson, Evil Empire, Greg Tocchini, IDW, Image, Jamie McKelvie, Jason Aaron, Jay Shaw, Juan Ferreyra, Kevin Eastman, Kieron Gillen, Lee Bermejo, Low, Mark Rahner, Mark Waid, Marvel, Matt Fraction, Max Bemis, Men of Wrath, Michael Gaydos, Mister X: Razed, NCBD, ODY-C, Paul Tobin, Quantum and Woody Must Die, Rasputin, Rick Remender, Riley Rossmo, Roger Langridge, Salvatore Larocca, Simon Gane, Spider-Gwen, Suiciders, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, The Black Hood, The Odyssey, The Twilight Zone, The Twilight Zone: Shadow & Substance, The Wicked & The Divine, They're Not Like Us, Thor, Tom Waltz, Valiant, Vertigo, Victor Santos

This week offers up some big books–none bigger than Dean Motter’s Mister X: Razed.

Wait.  What?

You did a double-take, didn’t you?  You were expecting to read Spider-Gwen at the end of that superlative statement, weren’t you?

Ugh.

  • Colder: Bad Seed #5 (Dark Horse): Nimble Jack is back, baby!  Maybe that’ll add a little oomph to an otherwise lethargic exercise.  Tobin and Ferreyra cultivated a creepy tone early on but kind of got stuck in one place.  Man, I’d give the finger to this series, but I’d be worried about getting it back.
  • Mister X: Razed #1 (Dark Horse) Just I&N and I&N Demand It’s the first time a book has earned both enviable distinctions!  Oh, yeah, baby!  Mister X is back, and we couldn’t be any more excited!  One reason–and it’s a good one: back in 2013, Dean Motter delivered the brilliant Mr. X: Eviction, which earned the coveted #1 spot on our highly respected Top Ten list, beating out the likes of Mind MGMT, Six-Gun Gorilla, and Saga.  Now that’s gotta tell you something.  Can’t wait to see what Mr. Motter has to tell us this time around.
Mister X: Raze #1

Mister X: Razed #1

  • Bodies #8 (DC/Vertigo): Gosh.  #1 hit the shelves with such promise.  Unfortunately, the damn thing collapsed under its own weight and, as a result, has been a four-pronged slog ever since.  Glad it’s over.
  • Suiciders #1 (DC/Vertigo): Lee Bermejo’s doing his own thing.  Would be silly not to try it.
  • Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #43 (IDW): Reptilicious fun!  All sorts of backstabbing going on.  Good thing our favorite turtles have shells–and madd ninja skills.
  • Low #6 (Image): I’m still pretty high on Low.  Remender’s not ringing my bell anywhere else; but this diving bell of a book is tintinnabulous!
  • ODY-C #3 (Image): This gender-bending blitz on Homer’s epic is a damn siren’s song; it’s a party with the local lotophagi.  Didn’t dig it so much after the first issue.  Good thing I stuck around.
  • Rasputin #5 (Image): I’m riding it out ’til the end of the arc.  There isn’t much here that’s keeping my interest.
  • They’re Not Like Us #3 (Image) I&N Demand Deadly Class only wishes it was this good.  How would you act if you had superpowers?  Eric Stephenson’s got the answer.  Heck, it’s like a team full of feisty and rather petty Ozymandiases.  What’s going to happen when the stakes get raised?  Can’t wait to find out.
They're Not Like Us #3

They’re Not Like Us #3

  • The Wicked & The Divine #8 (Image) I&N Demand The book’s got attitude.  Yeah, this book’s a real bitch–a beautiful, effing bitch–one you’ve just desperate to have.  But even when you have it, you don’t really have it; it has you.
The Wicked & The Divine #8

The Wicked & The Divine #8

  • All-New X-Men #38 (Marvel): Chapter 4 of “The Black Vortex” crossover.  Yeah, I’m out of that loop.  Probably going to leave it on the shelf.  Hindsight is 22/22: should’ve done the same with the Ultimate waste of an arc.
  • Daredevil #13 (Marvel): Despite some strong work from Chris Samnee, the Stunt-Master arc wasn’t particularly exciting.  Reminds that Waid’s missed the mark some since making the move to the Left Coast.  This issue kicks off the final chapter of Waid and Samnee’s run.  I say perfect timing.  Speaking of perfect: how about Samnee’s cover:
Daredevil #13

Daredevil #13

  • Darth Vader #2 (Marvel): #1 was fine.  Was the Force with it?  Not so sure about that.  Got to give Gillen another go-round to see just how dark his helmet gets.
  • Men Of Wrath #5 (Marvel/Icon): I’ve enjoyed it enough.  Father-son stories always hit me where it hurts.  It’s like “Cat’s in the Cradle” but the cat’s been blown to furry bits by a blast of buckshot.  “When you comin’ home son, I don’t know when, but I’ll fill you full of lead, dad, you know I’ll shoot you in the head…”
  • Spider-Gwen #1: Ha!  Made you look!
  • Thor Annual #1 (Marvel): I’m leaning toward passing.  Annuals rarely offer anything of worth–and are rarely worth the inflated price.
  • The Black Hood #1 (Archie): Duane Swierczynski and Michael Gaydos (who took a great turn on Zero) go all X-rated for Archie Comics?  That’s right: the images, the synopsis–I’m thinking X, Swierczynski’s violent vigilante haunt over at Dark Horse.  I mean, right?
  • Evil Empire #11 (BOOM!) I&N Demand I love Evil Empire!  This month’s not-so-sheepish cover from Jay Shaw:
Evil Empire #11

Evil Empire #11

  • Quantum & Woody Must Die #2 (Valiant): As much as I wanted to not want to want to play this game of life and death with the Valiant brain trust, #1 wasn’t bad.
  • The Twilight Zone: Shadow & Substance #2 (Dynamite): Mark Rahner and Edu Menna have huge shoes to fill, mostly because the recently–and brilliantly–wrapped-up The Twilight Zone‘s Straczynski and Vilanova have big-ass feet.

 Avery’s Pick of the Week

  • Abigail and the Snowman #3 (BOOM!): My daughter’s kind of scared of the Snowman.  She has to convince herself that it’s just a cartoon–the same way she talks herself down when Marshmallow shows up in Frozen.  Still she’s made it her pick of the week.
Abigail and the Snowman #3

Abigail and the Snowman #3

What are you looking forward to this week?

Turning pages,

Scott

Share this:

  • Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Tumblr (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window)
  • Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window)

Like this:

Like Loading...

In Scott’s Bag (5/8)

10 Friday May 2013

Posted by ScottNerd in I&N Scott's Bag

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

Ales Kot, Archer & Armstrong, Avatar, Batman, Batman and Red Hood, Battlefields: The Fall and Rise of Anna Kharkova, Caanan White, Chin Music, Clayton Henry, Danny Miki, Dark Horse, David Finch, DC Comics, Duane Swierczynski, Eric Nguyen, Fred Van Lente, Garth Ennis, Geoff Johns, Greg Capullo, Harbinger, IDW, Image, J. Bone, Joshua Dysart, Justice League of America, Khari Evans, Kieron Gillen, Patrick Zircher, Peter Tomasi, Roger Langridge, Russ Braun, Scott Snyder, Steve Niles, Suicide Squad, The Rocketeer: Hollywood Horror, Tony Harris, Uber, Valiant, X

If I’m…using this…stupid abacus correctly…it seems…I’ve purchased…Gosh darn it!  I’ve purchased eleven books.

  • Uber #1 (Read it!  Soaked from the opening splash!  Memorable, for sure.  [Tell me you weren’t like, “Pull it, you Nazi bastard!  Pull it!]”  Then comes the twistory upon which the story is built.  After that, some obnoxious Nazi name dropping, followed by, as one might expect, violence worthy of the Avatar brand.  What I didn’t expect: Gillen’s got the Reich stuff!  He’s already made Hitler and his Nazi posse a more interesting lot than the post-Schism, pre-NOW! X-Men he so painfully mishandled.  Looks like I’m down for #2!)
Uber #1

Uber #1

  • X #1 (Read it!  Not bad.  Nguyen’s art is fine, never really spectacular.  So’s the story.  It is what it is: a #1.  Willing to give Swierczynski more time: I mean, Bloodshot‘s bangin’ and–at its core–this isn’t so different.)
X #1

X #1

  • Chin Music #1 (Read it!  Story’s sort of all over the place.  But, like Swierczynski, Niles has earned my precious patience.  [I’m not handing it out as freely as I had, say, when I first came back to comics and tried to stick with too many New 52 books because I loved the characters and the stories just had to get good at some point, right?]  Harris’s work, as expected, is fantastic.  Lovelovelove the layouts.)
  • Suicide Squad #20 (Read it!  Change is here!  And Ales Kot lets us know two panels in–just in time to support the upcoming release of the collected Change, Kot’s crazy little mini for Image that only recently reached its own form of flatulent enlightenment.  Blatant self-promotion aside, in this first issue from Kot and Patrick Zircher, we’re treated to a kick-ass Suicide Squad circa Adam Glass’s New 52 nod–before SS shattered to boring bits with some awful pacing and the relentlessly regrettable Regulus claptrap.  Man, I wanted to take the shards to my wrists and–I thought better of it and simply dropped the darned thing from my pull-list.  Safer.  Now, I’m back on board, and so is the sexy storytelling–the spirit of spontaneity–that sucked me in from the get-go.)
Suicide Squad #20

Suicide Squad #20

  • Batman #20 (Read it!  Convoluted.  Irrelevant.  Everything we’ve come to expect from the keystone Batbook.  I hate myself for having bought it because, at this point, I know better.)
  • The Rocketeer: Hollywood Horror #4 (Never excited to see a good mini go–for a few reasons, actually.)
  • Justice League of America #3 (I really want to like it.  We’ll see.)
  • Batman and Red Hood #20 (Thanks to Peter Tomasi, I may have found a way to satisfy my need for a monthly Batbook.  Would make dropping Snyder’s  that much easier.)
Batman and Red Hood #20

Batman and Red Hood #20

  • Archer & Armstrong #0 (Still hate dinosaurs.)
  • Harbinger #12 (As solid a monthly series as your bound to find.)
  • Battlefields: The Fall and Rise of Anna Kharkova #6 (End of an arc–an Ennis arc.  The mourning period begins now.)
Battlefields #6

Battlefields #6

That’s what’s in my bag.  What’s in yours?

Turning pages,

Scott

Share this:

  • Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Tumblr (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window)
  • Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window)

Like this:

Like Loading...

Top 5 Books of March 2013 – The Best of Times?

14 Sunday Apr 2013

Posted by dmainhart in 5 Comics You Should Be Reading

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

Adventure Time with Fionna & Cake, Animal Man, Battlefields, Brian K. Vaughan, Buddy Cops, Dark Horse, DC, Ed Brubaker, Eric Stephenson, Evan Shaner, Fatale, Fiona Staples, Fonografiks, Garth Ennis, IDW, Image, J. Bone, kaboom!, My?tery Society, Natasha Allegri, Nate Bellegarde, Nate Cosby, New 52, Nowhere Men, Roger Langridge, Saga, The Answer, The Rocketeer: Hollywood Horror

Folks, if you don’t already know, it’s a great time to be reading comics. Take this month’s list for example: when stalwarts like Garth Ennis’s Battlefields and Ed Brubaker’s Fatale don’t even crack the top five (not to mention such left field surprises as My?tery Society and The Answer!) you know it’s been some good readin’. Dare I suggest we’re witnessing a second Golden Age?

5. Adventure Time with Fionna and Cake #3 (kaboom!): Natasha Allegri’s delectable delight is not exactly subversive, like a dessert laden with liquor, but it is a multi-layered cake. It can be gulped down, with childlike ravenousness, as the super-fun fairy tale that is. Or it can be slowly digested as a knowing commentary on gender roles. Or better yet, both. Bon Appetit. (DM)

4. Buddy Cops (Dark Horse): To kinda quote the Clan: “[Nate Cosby] be tossin’, enforcin’, [his] style is awesome/[Evan Shaner’s] causin’ more Family Feuds than Richard Dawson/And the survey said–[if ya didn’t think Buddy Cops was friggin’ hilarious,] ya [must be] dead.” (SC–with a little help from RZA)

3. The Rocketeer: Hollywood Horror #2 (IDW): Pulp heroes tearing it up in the golden age of Hollywood? Really, what more could you ask for? Roger Langridge and J Bone’s ode to nostalgia earns the label “classic” on every level. A dream for comics fans and movie fans. (DM)

2. Nowhere Men #4 (Image): Complex storytelling, beautiful art and sophisticated design: Eric Stephenson, Nate Bellegarde and Fonografiks’ tale of science gone awry in a retro-mod near future is a sleek, finely-tuned, precision vehicle. If “science is the new rock n’ roll” then this is the coolest book on the stands. (DM)

1. Saga #11 (Image): A stunning piece of storytelling from Brian K. Vaughn and Fiona Staples.  Over the course of eleven issues, they’ve managed to assemble the most relatable cast of characters in comics; and that unparalleled ensemble is put to the test in this emotionally charged issue of sex, love, sacrifice, and death.  There isn’t another book being published that can touch it.  I thank God I get to–every four weeks or so.  (SC)

The Biggest Dis(appointment): Animal Man #18 (DC) –  “The most tragic day in the life of Buddy Baker”?  OK.  If you say so.  In fact, you had to say so because, as the story unfolded, I felt absolutely nothing of tragedy–except maybe the very tragic pangs of disappointment.  In the end, my expectations for this title–which had been on life support after #17–were killed along with Cliff, himself a mini Animal Man, playing the role of the simply unnecessary sacrificial lamb. (SC)

But let’s accentuate the positive: this month’s Top 5 represent a wild variety of storytelling, genre and art that affirms and re-affirms our love of the medium. We share these books because they are the ones that excited us this month. So what’s your Top 5?  Share it with us. Or spread the word and tell a friend. Like we said, it’s a great time to be reading comics.

Turning pages,

Scott & Derek

Share this:

  • Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Tumblr (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window)
  • Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window)

Like this:

Like Loading...

Back & Forth: Hail the Future Heroes of Yesteryear!

26 Tuesday Mar 2013

Posted by dmainhart in Back and Forth

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

2001: A Space Odyssey, 48 Hours, Adventure Time, Archer & Armstrong, Betty Page, Bravest Warriors, Buddy Cops, Chris Samnee, Cliff Secord, Dark Horse Comics, Darwyn Cooke, Dave Stevens, Dirty Money, Emanuela Lupacchino, Eric Stephenson, Evan Shaner, Fab Four, Fantastic Four, Fonografiks, Fred the Clown, Fred Van Lente, Guillermo Ortego, IDW, Indiana Jones, J. Bone, Jack Kirby, Jeff Smith, Joey Comeau, Jonathan Hickman, Jordie Bellaire, kaboom!, Lethal Weapon, Lisa Moore, Mark Waid, Michael Caine, Mike Holmes, Nate Bellegarde, Nate Crosby, Nick & Nora, Nowhere Men, Robert Osborne, Roger Langridge, Rush Hour, Ryan Pequin, Snarked, Stan Lee, Stanley Kubrick, Starsky and Hutch, TCM, Terry Pratchett, The Beatles, The British Invasion, The Da Vinci Code, The Rocketeer, The Rocketeer: Hollywood Horror, The Rocketeer: The Cargo of Doom, The Thin Man, The Thing, Uranus, Valiant, Wu-Tang Clan

Derek Mainhart: Friends, mutants and aliens, lend me your ears! Join us as we travel back to the future, to a time when heroes roamed the sky and science paved the way for a better tomorrow! A time of ancient robots and futuristic gladiators! Atomic monkeys and electric guitars! Beckoned by the spark of a holographic welder’s torch, we hurtle forward into history to meet our retro-destiny! Like sands through the hourglass, so are the Days of Our Future Past…

A 1930s pulp hero created in the 1980s and revived in the 2000s? Who better to exemplify nostalgia for an innocent era that never was than The Rocketeer? Like his contemporary Depression-era adventurer, Indiana Jones, Dave Stevens’ legendary creation peddled in, and paid homage to, the wanton exuberance of classic B-movie serials. Stevens’ buoyant, uncynical cliffhangers (hell, the lead character’s name is Cliff) combined with his lush illustration (its classic draftsmenship itself like a relic from a bygone era) to inspire a devoted cult following. And let’s not forget his masterstroke; making pin-up queen, Betty Page, Cliff’s girlfriend. Stevens’ work was so accomplished, it seemed superfluous for anyone else to try their hand at the character, even after his untimely death in 2008.

Some characters however, are simply too good to fade away. Happily IDW has relaunched The Rocketeer, giving the hero his due: first in an anthology series featuring top-flight creators, then in a four-issue mini by creative team par excellence, Mark Waid and Chris Samnee. Now we have Roger Langridge and J Bone on The Rocketeer: Hollywood Horror. Folks, this may be the best new Rocketeer yarn yet. The previous stories tried (and succeeded to various degrees) to recapture the inherent nostalgia of the character via an innocent, never-say-die tone indicative of 1930s and ’40s Americana, perhaps casting it against a major historical backdrop like, say, WWII. Well Langridge goes five steps further and fully immerses him in the era. This should perhaps come as no surprise from a writer whose past work has encompassed everything from the slapstick of early cinema (Fred the Clown, hysterical) to Carrollian nonsense (Snarked!, inspired) to his current work, the vaudevillian, high-seas adventures of Popeye (a gift to anyone with an appreciation for the history of the medium). For The Rocketeer, he’s not satisfied to present his tale in a typical one-size-fits-all B-movie slang; rather he seems conversant in a variety of era-specific patois and idiom. Further, he entangles our hero with fictional characters specific to that time: first, the minions of Doc Savage (that greatest of pulp heroes), and then, seemingly apropos of nothing, Nick and Nora (and Asta!) from the venerated Thin Man film series. Between this and the multitude of references to old movies and forgotten actors (the narrator himself seems to be one), this book is a dream for lovers of pulp and classic Hollywood. It would be right at home being introduced by Robert Osborne on TCM. And let’s not forget J Bone’s pitch-perfect art. His bold, cartoony rendering immediately cues dirigibles, De Soto’s and dames. His work stands well with Darwyn Cooke and Jeff Smith (one wishes he was handling the covers as well; nothing against the legendary Walt Simonson, but his style, all harsh angles and frenetic line, is simply a poor fit – my one quibble). All in all Langridge and Bone are crafting a Rocketeer comic that is not only worthy of its legacy, but builds on it. Somewhere, I daresay, Dave Stevens is smiling.

Scott Carney: Geez, yeah, all that and–  OK, who am I kidding?  I’m not as tuned  into the history of The Rocketeer as you are.  (Is anyone?)  In fact, my first experience with the character was The Cargo of Doom.

DM: Oh, trust me; there are people who know way more about The Rocketeer than I do. What about the movie? Ring a bell?

SC: There was a movie?

DM: I can’t even.

SC: No, really, I liked what Waid and Samnee did in their mini.  If I’m being honest, I bought the series for them; and for the most part, I wasn’t disappointed; but I wasn’t all of a sudden a Rocketeer fan.  As far as I was concerned, it was an act of loyalty–to the creators; and if they were to take on the character again, I’d be there.  Wasn’t planning on ever following the further adventures of Cliff Secord.  In fact, I passed on this one–initially, anyway.  You recommended it–emphatically, if I’m remembering correctly–so I picked it up.  Dude, you were so right.  What a good time!  Through two, I’m thinking, like you, that Hollywood Horror is at a whole other level, thanks to Langridge’s vision and Bone’s fleshing it all out.

DM: Next up in our Canyon of Heroes is Archer and Armstrong #8 (Valiant). Their centuries-spanning pseudo-epic is rich in taste but refreshingly light in calories. Part buddy-story, part sibling-rivalry, part worldwide-conspiracy, this frothy fable features improbable adventure and high satire. It’s like The Da Vicni Code as written by Terry Pratchett. Writer Fred Van Lente (with solid art by Emanuela Lupacchino and Guillermo Ortego) garnishes the high-octane action with Big Ideas and comedic flourish, never failing to entertain. His one misstep here though; in an attempt to counter the usual lighthearted tone with some emotional heft, he has the villain speak of his role in an event that is very like a recent national tragedy. My immediate reaction, for what it’s worth, was a discomfiting “too soon.”  Again, this is a quibble, lasting as it does for all of one panel. Month in, month out, we write about the pleasures delivered by Van Lente & Co.’s work on this book. So pick the damn thing up, if you haven’t already.

Scott Carney: I know you’re glad I picked up Buddy Cops (Dark Horse) for you after your initial pass.

Buddy Cops #1

Buddy Cops #1

DM: Yeah it was all right I guess…

SC: “All right”?  That’s quite an understatement, my friend!  Sure, Buddy Cops–an hilarious one-shot from a publisher that has been making its name seem more and more ironic with each passing week–seemed to come out of nowhere.  In fact, it was an “Oh, and by the way” recommendation from one of my shop guys.  (That’s right: I have more than one.)  There was room enough in my bag and a few bucks still smoldering in my pocket, so I went for it; and I was not disappointed.  As promised, Nate Crosby and Evan Shaner deliver “da muthaf***in’ ruckus” in this crack-a-panel homage-slash-send up of the buddy cop genre.  The ready-to-rumble, Wu-Tang spoutin’ Uranus and the electrode-in-the-mud T.A.Z.E.R. are on the case–three of ’em, in fact–and take on outrageous creatures (including, a ninety-foot-tall orangutan in a monk’s robe, who professes precariously, “da lord iss my sligshot,” while sitting atop a church) and social issues (Gay marriage!  Arbortion!) in one giant “monsterswat!”  They are Riggs and Murtaugh from Lethal Weapon; they are Carter and Lee from Rush Hour; they are Hammond and Cates from 48 Hours; they are Starsky and Hutch from, well, Starsky & Hutch–the T.V. show, dammit!  But despite their being so obviously and so proudly derivative, they’re the freshest pair to hit the funny pages in recent memory.  I laughed out loud and profess my love for this book even louder!  And, borrowing from George Costanza, I say this with an unblemished record of staunch heterosexuality: I hope this isn’t the last I’ll get to see of Uranus.

DM: Ok, ok, it was funny. Yeesh!  Even so, it wasn’t even the funniest book this week, at least for my money.

SC: Keep your dirty money!

DM: Would that I could. But the biggest barrel o’ laffs this week was Bravest Warriors #6 (kaboom!). This time out, our future science heroes are knee-deep in bazookas, beauty pageants and brain transplants; and that doesn’t even scratch the surface. Joey Comeau’s story takes beloved sci-fi tropes and makes mincemeat out of them. And having his hysterically depraved scenarios drawn by Mike Holmes in the faux-naive, child-friendly style of Adventure Time (saturated in pretty, pretty colors by Lisa Moore)  just makes the whole thing seem so, so wrong. (Ditto Ryan Pequin’s giggle-inducing back-up story). The absurdity in this book is so ridiculous, it’s almost profound.

Of course the book that did more than any to bring science adventurers to the modern era was Jack Kirby and Stan Lee’s Fantastic Four. Emphasis on mod. After fifty-plus years of history, it’s easy to forget that these staples of the spinner rack were once downright cutting edge. As Pop Art was breaking the boundaries between ‘fine’ and ‘low’ art, Kirby was exploding the restrictive design of the comics page. In the midst of the Space Race, the costumed quartet were frequent fliers. And at the height of the British Invasion, Lee and Kirby gave comics its own Fab Four. Those early issues still crackle with energy and freshness. As the years wore on however, FF inevitably transitioned from zeitgeist to nostalgia, revolutionary to venerable.

Now Eric Stephenson and Nate Bellegarde have dusted off the elements that made FF great and reconfigured them (along with a whole bunch of other stuff) to create Nowhere Men (Image), a decidedly 21st century comic. The story (with the tagline ‘Science is the New Rock-N-Roll’) concerns four celebrity scientists (bearing more than a passing resemblance to The Beatles) who banded together in the ’60s, forming a mega-conglomerate called World Corp dedicated to the betterment of mankind. In the present however, they’ve long since gone their separate ways, due to ego clashes, differing visions, (sound familiar?) as well as mysterious circumstances that haven’t been fully revealed yet. One or all of them are also somehow involved in the fate of a space crew whose mission has somehow gone seriously awry.

Here the comparison to FF is particularly instructive: where Kirby and Lee, reflective of their age, presented a utopian faith in scientific progress, Stephenson and Bellegarde present a view that is, not cynical exactly, but knowing, tempered by an awareness of human weakness and fallibility. The innocence of scientific discovery for its own sake has been replaced by the reality of serving corporate profit. Technological advancement is understood as at least as destructive as it is creative. For example, in FF the group is testing an experimental rocket when they are struck by ‘cosmic rays’ endowing them with superpowers, which they promptly use to protect humanity (with the monstrous Thing serving as tragic, though still noble, counterpoint). In Nowhere Men, we have a group of scientists quarantined in a space station due to a ‘sickness’ they’ve contracted under mysterious circumstances. The effects of the sickness affect each individual randomly, even capriciously, as some are granted ‘abilities’ (as opposed to ‘superpowers’) while others undergo grotesque transformations that make the Thing look like Michael Caine in comparison. And some are in between (one of the more appealing characters seems to combine the brute strength and appearance of the Thing with the intellectual remove of Mr. Fantastic). Where one offered limitless promise, the other deals in disillusionment; even the title seems to suggest it.

This is far from a hopeless affair however. For one, the sheer inventiveness of the storytelling will not allow it. In addition to alternating between the past and present, Stephenson’s elliptical narrative is fragmented amongst various viewpoints. Only now, in this fourth issue, are its non-linear elements beginning to coalesce (I didn’t even feel comfortable reviewing the thing ’til now). But that’s not all. The very presentation of information is unorthodox. In the current issue for example, Stephenson thinks nothing of inserting three pages of prose – an excerpted ‘chapter’ from a tell-all history of World Corp – right in the middle of the action. This not only serves as a clever transition, but adds visual depth to the story, as the chapter is presented in a specific graphic style that convincingly suggests the late ’70s / early ’80s. Where FF‘s brash, boundary-breaking style was in keeping with the modern sensibilities of its era, Nowhere Men‘s approach is distinctly postmodern, befitting our own fractured time.

Which brings us to perhaps the most notable aspect of the book: its design. FF had the kinetic genius of Kirby’s art. Nowhere Men instead employs the principles of sophisticated modern graphic presentation. The clean, cold concision of Bellegarde’s art is impressive enough. But it is packaged, along with the aforementioned textual pieces, faux ads and information graphics, in a carefully considered manner that takes into account the comic book as an object. The refined aesthetic has been compared, aptly, to Stanley Kubrick’s 1968 masterpiece, 2001: A Space Odessey.  Fonografiks, the company responsible for the look of the book, is really to be commended; I only wish the name of the specific designer was credited. The inside covers, the selection of fonts, the credits; all act in concert to create a visually immersive experience that reinforces the incidents of the story. When was the last time the design of a comic played such a concerted, integral role in the narrative?

FF has had any number of interesting runs over the years (Jonathan Hickman just finished up a pretty good one at that). But the true successor to Kirby and Lee’s vision, innovation and cultural relevance is Nowhere Men.  Book of the Week.

 Turning pages,

Derek & Scott

Share this:

  • Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Tumblr (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window)
  • Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window)

Like this:

Like Loading...

In Scott’s Bag (3/13)

13 Wednesday Mar 2013

Posted by ScottNerd in I&N Scott's Bag

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

Ales Kot, Archer & Armstrong, Batman, Bloodshot, Buddy Cops, Change, Dark Horse, Dave Stewart, Duane Swierczynski, Emanuela Lupacchino, Emily and the Strangers, Emily Ivie, Eric Stephenson, Evan Shaner, Fred Van Lente, J. Bone, Jason Latour, John Arcudi, Jordie Bellaire, Ken Kristensen, luke Ross, M.K. Perker, Manuel Garcia, Mariah Huehner, Mike Mignola, Morgan Jeske, Nate Bellegarde, Nate Cosby, Nick Spencer, Nowhere Men, Rob Reger, Roger Langridge, Scott Snyder, Secret Avengers, Sledgehammer 44, Sloane Leong, The Rocketeer: Hollywood Horror, Todd the Ugliest Kid on Earth, Uncanny X-Men

No time to dilly-dally.  Well, maybe just some dilly.

Bag in the Saddle Again

  • Uncanny X-Men #3: This isn’t Bachalo’s best.  Ugh, indeed.
  • Emily and the Strangers #2: Cute.
  • Nowhere Men #4: Layers a la Mind MGMT.  Nice.
  • Sledgehammer #1: Mike Mignola’s latest, recommended by the shop guy.
Sledgehammer 44 #1

Sledgehammer 44 #1

  • Buddy Cops #1: Another rec from the shop guy.  Worth the one-shot.
Buddy Cops #1

Buddy Cops #1

  • Todd, the Ugliest Kid on Earth #3: Still strikes me as trying too hard to be clever.
  • Change #4: I’m not ready to say goodbye.  Flip tells me there’s gonna be plenty of sweet sorrow.
  • The Rocketeer: Hollywood Horror #2: May actually like this more than the Waid/Samnee collab.
  • Secret Avengers #2: This may run the same track as Thunderbolts and Avengers Arena: no more than four.
  • Bloodshot #9: Been crushin’ on Gamma.  Looks like she’s doin’ some crushin’, too–just not on me.  So jealous!
Bloodshot #9

Bloodshot #9

  • Archer & Armstrong #8: A whole lotta nothing!  No, that’s a good thing.
  • Batman #18: I still can’t get over it: “Fan favorite.”  Someone please tell me why.

And lucky me: I got my copy of The Sixth Gun Vol. 1 in the mail today!

It’s a good day.

What did you get in your bag today?

Turning pages,

Scott

Share this:

  • Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Tumblr (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window)
  • Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window)

Like this:

Like Loading...

Back and Forth: Warriors and Witches

23 Saturday Feb 2013

Posted by ScottNerd in Back and Forth

≈ 2 Comments

Tags

Alan Moore, Archer & Armstrong, Archimedes, AvX, Batman, Battlefields, Before Watchmen, Brian Azzarello, Brian Michael Bendis, Chris Bachalo, Comedian, Cyclops, DC Comics, Dynamite Entertainment, Ed Brubaker, Emanuela Lupacchino, Fatale, Fred Van Lente, Fury: My War Gone By, Garth Ennis, Gene Luen Yang, Goran Parlov, Grant Morrison, Greg Capullo, Guillermo Ortego, Harper Row, Heart of Darkness, IDW, Image, J.G. Jones, Jack Kirby, Joe Sacco, Joker, Josephine Baker, Larry Gonick, Mad Magazine, Marvel, Matrix, New Gods, Olive Oil, Popeye, Punisher, Rambo, Roger Langridge, Russ Braun, Samuel Jackson, Scott Snyder, Sean Phillips, Uncanny X-Men, Vince Musacchia, Watchmen, we, white man?

Scott Carney: The year’s most highly anticipated book–Batman #17–danced its way onto shop shelves, into our bags, and into our hands; and with every page turn, the story stumbles, trips and tumbles, and falls–along with the intolerably loquacious and ultimately uninspired Joker–from that lofty height of over-hyped expectations into a chasm of mediocrity–into a downright forgettable yawn. You know exactly what I mean. This stunningly inconsequential storyline–with a title that serves only to describe metaphorically what has befallen the Batfamily–delivers a punchline so impotent that I’m left wondering whether or not I will bother with the next arc; and, to be honest, the decision may not be very hard at all: the promise of more Harper Row has me thinking, No. What is it about this issue, in particular, that has left me even less than lukewarm about where’s Scott Snyder’s headed with Gotham’s grim guardian? Well, let’s start at the beginning. Snyder kicks things off by sloughing subtlety–because the Joker ain’t subtle, son–and serving up an overly vomitous villain, which may be a simple send-up of the blathering bad guy or may be a misstep, allowing the Joker’s words to speak much louder than his actions, which amount to pretty much nothing–unless, of course, you count the Joker’s failed attempts to kill the Batfamily as a success because the Batkids, after recovering from their harrowing ordeal (during a real gassy meal!), make transparent excuses not to meet with Batdad. Ugh! That’s right: in the end–which is also where it seems the Joker wanted it the whole time, if we’re to buy the unnecessary homoerotic insinuations, anyway, all implying, and insultingly so, that the psychotic killer’s insanity is somehow tied to his crush on the Caped Crusader–what’s the big change that was promised from the beginning? When all is said and, well, said, is the Joker any different? I guess we’ll find out when he makes his inevitable return, eh? Is Batman any different? Was he tested anew? Not really. Did he have to solve a mystery or do anything clever to overcome insurmountable odds? No. But one thing–one thing!–is different: Dick, Tim, Jason, and Barbara have been infected with an acute case of moroseness, perhaps a side effect of–ahem–hahnium poisoning. Yeah. Hilarious. Sure, the last page is cute, but it’s also pretty telling: as the story laughs its way to the final panel, it’s clear that the joke, friends, is on us.

Batman #17

Batman #17

Derek Mainhart: That’s a bold statement. My reaction was perhaps both less visceral and more at the same time. Less, because I didn’t hate this conclusion. This issue certainly had any number of cop-outs: after the Joker spent the previous few issues amping up the atrocities to truly absurd levels, why in the world wouldn’t he go the distance now? Twice? And good lord, how many times is this character going to fall off a high ledge? Having said that, even with the eventual cop-out, in those first few pages Snyder builds up a palpable tension. And then he delivers a genuine jolt. In a mainstream superhero comic, chronicling a multimillion dollar franchise no less, that’s no small thing. It was enough to remind me why I like Snyder to begin with. And enough to hope that he’ll rekindle the ol’ Bat-magic soon.

SC: All that said, I can’t wait for my American Vampire trades!

DM: Right. There actually were some good books this week so let’s get the rest of the dreck out of the way. My Book of the Weak: Uncanny X-Men #1 (Marvel NOW!). The plot: there’s a group of mutants with unheard of power levels posing a threat to humanity. Cyclops, a messianic zealot, is their leader. Someone very close to Cyclops is set to betray him. Sound familiar? It should. I’ve just described the plot of Avengers Vs. X-Men, easily the worst book of 2012. Looks like the powers that be aren’t done abusing Cyclops yet. But wait! Maybe this is about his redemption! Doubtful. And considering how Bendis and Co. have woefully mishandled the character up until now, I’m not sticking around to find out. Chris Bachalo’s art is great tho’.

Uncanny X-Men #1

Uncanny X-Men #1

SC: I’m not as down on it as you are. But that’s not saying much. I understand–and agree–with your point about its parallel to the abysmal AvX and Bendis’s epic mishandling of Cyclops. I also didn’t care for the fact that the first issue’s framed by this rather sudden betrayal angle. Why not build toward it a bit, for goodness sake? And the reveal at the end? That was an Ugh moment for me, not unlike–but not as apocalyptic as–the end of Superior Spider-Man #1. Hmm. An ironic turncoat? Whatever. That being said, I’m going to ignore all of that and pick up number two. Why? I don’t know. Well, I guess I know: I think, it’s, in part, because I can’t conceive of a world in which I’m not picking up a single X-book. (As it is, I’m already living in a world in which I’m picking up one–only one of the billion Avengers books; and it’s one without Captain America, for crying out loud!) Another part: this is called my not learning my lesson: I’m giving into the siren song that is Bachalo’s artwork. Yes, I remember what happened with Wolverine and the X-Men. He fell off the book after I got hooked; and it took me twenty-plus issues to realize I had been rooked. We’ll see what happens. But for now, I’m calling this a trial run.

DM: While we’re on the topic of “dangerous undesirables,” there is a book out this week that skillfully tackles one of our country’s most hot-button issues: illegal immigration. The threat of deportation, onerous paths to citizenship, official corruption, placing a greater value on certain immigrants over others; all these are handled with a deft hand therein. What’s that you say? Joe Sacco must have a new book? Or perhaps Gene Luen Yang? Nope, it’s Popeye #10 (IDW):

-Popeye #10

That’s right; Popeye. Here’s the scoop: Toar, a behemoth of a man and good friend of our favorite sailor-man, is being threatened by an unnamed government agency that strongly suggests the Dept. of Homeland Security. In order to stay in the good ol’ U.S. of A. Toar must prove he possesses a valuable skill that no other American has. Panicked, and none too bright, he blurts out “TOAR ONLY FELLA WHO KIN BEAT POPEYE IN FIGHT!!”. A rare gift indeed. The government agent in charge of his case fairly salivates over “the potential military applications” of Toar’s boast. Sound a little too heavy-handed (pun intended) for a Popeye comic? Fear not! Writer Roger Langridge has been working wonders with this title, and this installment has all the jokes, antics, roughhousing and romantic misunderstandings (via Olive Oyl) any Popeye fan could want, all in a scant fifteen pages. His light touch seamlessly interweaves the social with the shenanigans. And Vince Musacchia’s retro stylings keep the tone at a safe, 1930’s remove. Most satisfyingly, although Toar is clearly the sympathetic character here, Langridge refuses to be one-sided in the debate. In fact, it is ultimately the viewpoint of the government agent, unsavory though he most certainly is, that carries the day. There are some forces, it seems, even Popeye can’t vanquish.

A bunch of ruffians fighting against menacing global powers though they’re desperately outmatched? That’s Archer and Armstrong‘s bag baby!

Archer & Armstrong #7

Archer & Armstrong #7

Archer, a recently un-brainwashed religious militant, and Armstrong, an immortal lout, have teamed up to save the world from…nothing. That is, an ancient secret sect (aren’t they all) called the Null that has been working for centuries to return reality to the mathematical purity of nothingness. Issue 7 (Valiant) finds that our heroes have been joined (or thrown together more like) by the Eternal Warrior, who happens to be Armstrong’s straight-arrow (pun intended) killing machine of a brother, who’s also a bit of a pill. These two take sibling rivalry to mythic proportions. Rounding out our group is a Geomancer, a sort of earth-goddess-wizard-type. In a delicious twist, the latest incarnation of the Geomancer is a young corporate shill, the type that would be at home as a talking head on Fox News, who’s chosen by Mother Nature (a monkey, natch) for her excellent P.R. skills. Fred Van Lente’s whip-smart writing riffs on a wide swath of sources, both pop cultural and historical: the Anti-Life Equation from Jack Kirby’s New Gods, the Matrix films, ancient Roman history, Archimedean mathematics and World War II espionage, among others. For all its erudite underpinnings, the book maintains a breezy tone, ably abetted by the crisp artwork of Emanuela Lupacchino and Guillermo Ortego. Van Lente’s writing is the star here though, equal parts Grant Morrison, Larry Gonick and Mad Magazine, as he gleefully skirts the line between high adventure and high satire.

SC: Umm, I liked it, too. And, wouldn’t you know, for all of those exact same reasons.

DM: Interesting Factoid Dept.: Both Archer and Armstrong #7 and Comedian #5 make use of the old “We, white man?” joke in the same week.

But there the similarities end. If you want to talk similarities however, it has been fascinating to concurrently read Comedian (DC) and Fury: My War Gone By (Marvel Max). Both books take firmly established characters and place them in the cross-hairs of war and the realpolitik considerations thereof. Comedian would seem the better fit, given Alan Moore’s deliberate infusion of 20th century history into Watchmen (does it need to be said that this was a watershed series at this point?). Nick Fury, on the other hand, carries decades of comic book baggage. And while his origins are tried-and-true war comics, his character has become so diluted and utilitarian over the years that I can’t even tell what he looks like in the Marvel U anymore (classic cigar-chomper or head-shaven Samuel Jackson?). Well, trust Garth Ennis to remedy that. Ennis, simply put, is the best writer of war comics around. (Hey there’s a reason this book was #9 on our Top Ten of 2012). This series, with appropriately visceral visuals by Goran Parlov, puts Nick right in the middle of some of the most nefarious military imbroglios of the last sixty-some years, from the Bay of Pigs to Vietnam. The intrigue abounds as Nick is placed in situation after impossible situation due to sordid behind-the-scenes machinations that he knows all too well, but has little influence over. As such, an appropriate fatalistic air hangs over the series. In fact in the latest issue, (in which our suspension of disbelief is unfortunately tested by the inclusion of the Punisher doing his best Rambo impression) Ennis suggests that Fury wouldn’t change things even if he could. As he descends upon his target, a Vietnamese commander, we’re left wondering who the “bad guy” really is. And if, in Fury’s world, such questions aren’t strictly academic.

SC: Wasn’t my favorite issue of Fury, probably because it was more of a shoot-’em-up this time around. Oh, and because of one of the more awkward time-collapse transitions–signaled more arrogantly than cleverly by Fury’s “No time to f___ around”–I’ve experienced of late. (Sneaky suspicion: a page or two had to be lost in the final edit, and chopping this scene seemed the safest bet.) I do appreciate, however, the fact that Ennis drives home the point–especially in the two scenes with the smug Pug McCuskey–that Fury’s true nemesis isn’t to be found on foreign shores at all. In those scenes specifically, the real war–a war of words reminiscent of Othello–is waged; and, for now, anyway, Shirley DeFabio and Fury are left on the losing side. No matter: as long as Ennis forges ahead with this book, we’re all winners.

DM: For the Comedian, questions of morality don’t even exist. In issue 5 Brian Azzarello and J.G. Jones go straight into the Heart of Darkness. Again, the setting is the Vietnam War. As events spiral out of control, the Comedian takes matters into his own deadly hands. As he does, he bluntly explains the rationale behind his actions. It is a belief system that will support any violence, excuse any atrocity done in its name. It’s easy to imagine something similar going through the minds of soldiers of any stripe, in any conflict, as they perpetrate acts of gross inhumanity. It is simple and it is chilling. And the Comedian makes the Punisher look like a saint.

The whole Before Watchmen franchise has been largely, and justly, maligned. The titles suffer most from a quivering fealty to the source material (much as the movie did) that results in highlighting the most superficial aspects of the original, thus rendering the unique, cliche. But Comedian is the exception. Azzarello and Jones have crafted a book that can stand on its own. And a damn good one at that.

But the best war comic being produced these days is undoubtedly Battlefields (Dynamite)– again, by Garth Ennis (surprise!). Issue 4 begins a new arc entitled The Fall and Rise of Anna Kharkova, in which Ennis returns to the title character, a WWII female Russian fighter pilot (from a previous arc, The Night Witches) and one of his most winning creations. This issue presents the Fall as Anna’s plane is brought down behind German lines. She is taken prisoner, but due to circumstances that Ennis skillfully explains, she is being cared for by Chris Cohen, a medic, a British officer, and a Jew. This issue is largely a character study of the two, taking place in a single room during Anna’s long convalescence. Ennis’ writing is wonderful as the characters get to know each other; one could almost imagine this as a one-act play. He suggests the passage of time merely through tonal shifts in the dialogue. His immense knowledge of history is on full display, but never overwhelms. And then there is the dialogue itself: natural, revealing, funny, angry, human. The tragic Russian and the reserved Brit do occasionally talk like avatars of their respective cultures and historical circumstance. But wouldn’t war naturally engender such conversations amongst its combatants? (Kudos must also be given to Russ Braun: no harder task in comics than drawing pages and pages of two characters talking to each other in the same room.) Given the ending, I suspect we’re going to see a bit more Fall for Anna next issue before her Rise.

Battlefields #4

Battlefields #4

Dare I Hope? Dept.: With Ennis, along with Azzarello, producing such stellar work, could we be witnessing a Renaissance of that classic genre, the war comic?

From Night Witches to real witches: Fatale #12 (Image). I’ve simply run out of superlatives to describe this book. Would you care to take a shot?

SC: A shot? Heh. You motif monger! In this case, how about a stab?

Fatale #12

Fatale #12

Of all the books this week, nothing stands out more than Fatale #12–and not just because of Sean Phillips’ gorgeous cover. Yeah, it’s becoming a bit of a routine now: read Fatale, write about Fatale and name Fatale Book of the Week and then, eventually, Book of the Month. You’d think we’ve been paid to praise it! (Disclaimer: we haven’t been paid to praise it–not that we’d be against such an arrangement.) This time around, Ed Brubaker and the aforementioned Mr. Phillips cement their status as the hands-down Masters of the One Shot. I mean, it’s no secret: #11 was our Book of the Month for January and a stunning example of single-issue storytelling. While that storytelling skill is on full display in this issue as well, the creators take a bit of a risk here: they break from Josephine’s journey and jump across the ocean and back in time to 1286 A.D. Our heroine, Mathilda’s got what Josephine’s got: a mojo she can’t quite explain and that men can’t resist. Bearing this cross, she’s branded a witch and suffers for it–suffers but never dies. She meets Ganix, a kindly old cyclops–one actually worth caring about!–who cares for her, who fights for her, and who ends up suffering for her. Mathilda races to save Ganix and embraces her power over men as she descends upon those who have “come to drag the demon witch away.” Sure, she takes them all down–just as we expected her to; but Brubaker’s better than that: he knows what we’re expecting–because he’s made us expect it! Instead, we’re left with a Wow!, which is exactly what we want to walk away with after the final panel–which is exactly what we expect from Brubaker, a writer at the very top of his game. So, to make it official: Book of the Week.

Turning pages,

Derek & Scott

Share this:

  • Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Tumblr (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window)
  • Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window)

Like this:

Like Loading...

MARVEL: NO!

24 Saturday Nov 2012

Posted by dmainhart in Uncategorized

≈ 8 Comments

Tags

Adventure Time, Al Ewing, Alison Bechdel, All-New X-Men, Asgard, Avengers Vs. X-Men, AvX, AvX #11, Baltimore, Barnaby, Battlefields, BOOM!, Brendan McCarthy, Brian Azzarello, Brian K. Vaughan, Brian Michael Bendis, Bush administration, Captain America, China Mieville, Chris Claremont, Chris Ware, Civil War, Courtney Crumrin, Cyclops, Daniel Indiro, Daredevil, Dark Horse, Dark Reign, DC, Dial H, Donald Rumsfeld, Douglas Wolk, Dynamite Entertainment, Ed Brubaker, Eric Trautmann, Fantagraphics, Fatale, Fear Itself, FF, Fiona Staples, Flash Gordon: Zeitgeist, Garth Ennis, graphic novel, Green Lantern, Greg Rucka, Hawkeye, Hellboy, House of M, Hulk, IDW, Image Comics, Iron Man, Iron Man 2, Jack Kirby, Jason Lutes, Jean Grey, Jeremy Renner, kaboom!, Mark Waid, Marvel, Marvel Bullpen, Marvel NOW!, Marvel Super Heroes Secret Wars, Marvel Universe, Matt Fraction, Matthew Southworth, Michael Kupperman, Mike Allred, Mike Mignola, Miles Morales, New 52, Norman Osborn, Oni Press, Peanuts, Phoenix, Popeye, Professor X, Robert Downey Jr., Roger Langridge, Saga, Scarlet Witch, Scott Summers, Sean Phillips, Secret Invasion, Sentry, Siege, Skrulls, Snarked, Spider-Man, Stan Lee, Storm, Stumptown, Superman, Tales Designed to Thrizzle, Ted Naifeh, The Avengers, The Zaucer of Zilk, Thor, Tony Stark, Ultimate Spider-Man, Universal Studios, Void, Watchmen, Wolverine, Wolverine and the X-Men, Wonder Woman, X-Men, Zero Hour

“I’m worried about what’s going to happen next. I’m worried that the power they are holding is more than they can handle. In fact I know it is…What happens when they aren’t able to hold it any longer?” – Captain America, AVsX #11

Captain America is right to be worried. The Marvel Universe is facing a dire threat to its very fabric. It’s not from Thanos, Galactus or even Scott Summers, but from an unexpected quarter. The people in charge.

Every comics fan has one – that comic book that hooked them, that opened their mind to the nigh-limitless possibilities offered within its four-colored, dog-eared pages. For me, as I suspect it was for many boys of my generation, that book was Marvel Super Heroes Secret Wars. Here it was, an entire, well-defined universe, brimming with larger-than-life heroes and villains with a shared history, tackling a new, unimaginable threat.  This was my entry point into the master-narrative (a term used by Douglas Wolk, as good a writer on comics as you will find) into the Marvel Universe. And as a primer, it did its job beautifully. My ten-year-old mind was set a-buzz: gods, super-soldiers, mutants, and especially Spider-Man. For the next ten years or so, I would eagerly devour their exploits, breathlessly anticipating each month’s installment, as the previous ones were carefully bagged and filed, to be revisited easily and often.

And then, like many comcis fans, I drifted away. I was in college, reading, creating and experiencing things that made those larger-than-life characters seem more and more inconsequential. This was also a period (the early-mid nineties) that saw some headline-grabbing shake-ups of some of comics’ most iconic characters: Superman was killed! (and then came back), Batman was crippled! (and then came back, like in the movie), and Peter Parker was “revealed” to be a clone! (until he wasn’t). Whatever the merits of these stories, they did, to my mind, have the whiff of desperation. And once the status quo was (inevitably) re-established, there seemed to be no place new for these characters to go. Like never before in my comics-reading experience, a sense of “spinning their wheels” set in. And so I moved on.

I never completely dropped my comic habit, picking up the odd graphic novel or trade paperback (there is a distinction, which I’ll get to later). But for years, I gave up my Wednesday habit (if you don’t know what that is, I both pity and envy you.)

The comic that brought me back into the (stapled) fold was Civil War. Here at last was a super-hero story that had captured the zeitgeist. In the midst of the second term of the Bush administration, we had a story involving heroes fighting passionately over the central debate of the era: To what extent were we willing to sacrifice our rights in the name of security? Like the country, it split the costumed community down the middle. On one hand we had Captain America and his followers, on the side, not surprisingly, of preserving our freedoms. On the other, somewhat more surprisingly, was Iron Man (not yet a movie star) and company taking the security side as a practical manner, with the resources of the U.S. government behind them. Cap and crew, presented as underdogs, were perhaps more sympathetic. But the creators, to their credit, took pains not to take sides; each view was presented as legitimate. Echoes of the real world abounded: people were branded traitors, paranoia reigned, inhumane detention centers were quickly established and filled. Spider-Man, the eternal Everyman, was caught in the middle; he first sided with Iron Man, then switched over to Cap’s team. It was an even bolder move then, when Marvel had Iron Man’s side ultimately claim victory. Iron Man was placed in charge of the country’s security, with all grey ethical dilemmas that implied.

The ending was unconvincing (after seven issues of vicious fighting, Cap, on the brink of victory, surrenders because he’s suddenly worried about losing the moral high ground). But I was thrilled by events (current events, no less!) that truly seemed to shake the good ol’  Marvel U down to its core. That, and (youthful power fantasies aside) there’s just something cool about watching all these super-types get together and throw down. (There’s a reason The Avengers movie made a hundred-gajillion dollars). And so I resumed my Wednesday habit.

With said resumption I quickly learned some things about the Marvel U that had occurred in my absence. It seems the powers that be had, at some point, decided to shift the focus away from the X-Men franchise and toward the Avengers. To speed this along, the X-men’s most popular character, Wolverine, was now an Avenger, as well as the company’s flagship hero, Spider-Man.  All well and good. But at the same time there was a conscious effort to de-emphasize the X-Men.

Now the X-Men had long been fan favorites. Much of their popularity stemmed from their role as perennial underdogs. As mutants, they were heroes who were born different, forced to deal with a world that feared and hated them. This was a simple, brilliant paradigm (especially during Chris Claremont’s unparalleled run) that could encompass any number of themes on a societal or personal level; civil rights, sexual orientation (as seen in the X-Men movies) or just the onset of adolescence. Many was the comics fan who could identify with such feelings of alienation. Well, in the X-Men’s world, the Xavier School for Gifted Youngsters was a learning institution filled with such outcasts.  And the X-Men, more than being just super-heroes, were their role models, what they could aspire to be. This mixture of melodrama, family dynamic (often dysfunctional), social consciousness, and of course all-out action enthralled fans and kept the X-Men at the top of the sales chart, virtually unchallenged, for twenty years.  The decision by the powers that be to give a major push to the Avengers at the expense of the powerhouse X-Men seemed curious. But that’s just what they did in House of M.

House of M was the epic event prior to Civil War; the previous chapter in the Marvel master-narrative, if you will. It centered around the Scarlet Witch, a mutant B – lister who was previously best known for being married to a robot (now that was a comic with potential!) In HoM, her ill-defined hex power was suddenly and without explanation boosted exponentially. Mentally unbalanced at this point in her life, she first creates an entire alternate universe to escape her torment. When that doesn’t work she famously (and somewhat bafflingly) utters the phrase “No more mutants.” And – poof! – 99% of the world’s mutants instantly lose their powers. X-Men de-emphasized. This was actually the first manifestation of the Scarlet Witch’s most advantageous superpower: what I like to call the power of editorial dictum. In other words, why was she able to accomplish these great feats? Because the story needed her to.

Anyway, in the aftermath of Civil War a couple of things happened. Captain America was killed (very temporarily). And Spider-Man (I still can’t believe this, even as I type the words) sold his marriage to the devil. Why? Because it was suddenly decided that it was uncool for him to be saddled with a wife. So instead of having him get a divorce like a normal person, they had their flagship character, Marvel’s most selfless, noble hero, make a deal with the devil to erase his marriage (the devil has always, in literature, had the power of editorial dictum). In what warped view is a Faustian bargain a more palatable option than just ending a marriage? In any case, the result? The adventures his readers had been following for twenty years? Irrevocably altered. A disastrous decision from which Marvel’s most beloved character still hasn’t recovered.

Returning to the overarching master narrative, Civil War was followed by Secret Invasion, a series in which shape-shifting aliens, called Skrulls, had meticulously planted themselves in all levels of society in order to conquer humanity from within. This series was undeniably entertaining for a number of reasons. The Marvel writers (most notably Brian Michael Bendis) had been peppering their stories for years with clues that something was seriously amiss. This story was the culmination of all that impressive, meticulous planning; part of the fun was going back and finding the clues, and being rewarded for your patient detection. Like Civil War, this story pit hero against hero, but this time not because of ideology, but because of paranoia; anyone could be a Skrull. While this was all a lot of fun, it was difficult, in light of Civil War, not to see this in the parameters of society at large. The enemy was among us. It was not much of a leap to replace “Skrull” with “Terrorist” (indeed the Skrulls’ mission was recast in extremist, quasi-religious language). By the logic of the story then, the infringement of rights to ensure security was entirely justified. In fact it didn’t go far enough, since the Skrulls were so successful. In short, the master narrative of the Marvel U had taken a hard turn to the right.

Secret Invasion resulted in a couple of developments. First, Iron Man was fired as head of US security. The reason given in the comic was that the Skrull invasion had happened on his watch. The real reason of course was that Marvel had an unexpected blockbuster on its hands in the first Iron Man movie (largely due to Robert Downey Jr.’s magnetic performance; so magnetic that Marvel gave Tony Stark’s personality and appearance a subtle makeover in the comics to try to match it). With Iron Man suddenly a hot property it wouldn’t do to have him in the unpopular, compromising position of being The Man. But apparently removing him from power didn’t go far enough in redeeming his character. No, Marvel actually took the extraordinary step of having Tony Stark erase his memory (in a story by Matt Fraction, that was actually pretty compelling in an old-movie-serial kind of way). He then rebooted his brain (he’d been saving it on a hard drive. No, really.) But, conveniently, his rebooted memories stopped just before the events of Civil War. Character instantly absolved of all guilt and messy moral quandary! Ready for Iron Man 2! Here we have another disturbing example (along with Spidey’s erased marriage) of selective retcon-ing in order to free a character (and lucrative property) of being dragged down by any undesirable story lines (you know, the stories the fans have been following for years).

The second development was Iron Man being replaced in his national security position by Norman Osborn (aka The Green Goblin). The narrative rationale for handing control of our national security apparatus to a proven maniac was wholly unconvincing (he took the shot that killed the Skrull Queen), though, I must admit, Norman Osborn was certainly a better approximation of Donald Rumsfeld than Tony Stark was.  In any case, this had the sum effect of removing all the grey areas of the previous couple of years. Moral complexity be damned! It was Good Vs. Bad. And the bad guys were in charge. The story title? Dark Reign. The heroes were once again the underdogs.

This was certainly safer from a narrative standpoint. And it did set up a compelling showdown between the forces of Norman Osborn and the newly resurrected Captain America (he’d managed to stay dead for eighteen months!) And that’s what was promised in the next Big Event in the master narrative: Siege. But that’s not what we got.

The conflict in Siege is fairly preposterous: Osborn decides to attack Thor’s home of Asgard (which is floating over Oklahoma for some reason) on the pretext that it’s an incursion on U.S. soil. Whatever, it gets the action going. Osborn’s vaunted forces are fairly quickly (and anti-climatically) dispatched by Cap’s crew (the whole thing lasts just four issues), but Osborn has an ace in the hole; a character called the Sentry.

The Sentry was a fairly new character, whose history had been ret-conned (don’t ask) to establish that he had at one point been the greatest hero of the Marvel Universe, and certainly the most powerful. Someone they all looked up to and admired; sort of their Superman. But he had a dark side/nemesis called the Void, which threatened to take over his psyche. Hence he was highly unstable and easily manipulated by Osborn. Siege culminates with the Sentry losing control, and becoming the Void. The Sentry briefly regains control and begs the Avengers to kill him. Thor obliges, striking him down with a lightning bolt (it appears Thor, too, can wield the power of editorial dictum).

So Siege ends with the Avengers killing one of their own. Not just that, but supposedly their greatest hero. Perfectly understandable right? Had to be done. There was no other way.

Except…isn’t that why we admire these characters? The best of them, like Superman and Captain America, no matter the odds, no matter how hopeless things get, always find a way. Isn’t that why they inspire?

Siege then, seems like a means to an end. Like the decision to kill the Sentry, it was expedient; driven by the need to get from Point A to Point B in a way that was cold, calculated, and dare I say, corporate? This seems to be the new mindset of the Marvel offices and sadly, the Marvel Universe. Now Marvel is, of course, a business. Like any other major publisher, they have to make decisions based, at least partially, on their bottom line; it would be naive to imagine otherwise. But never before has this attitude manifested itself so baldly in the stories, even in the characters themselves. It seems we are a long way from the legendary, free-wheeling Bullpen days of Stan Lee and Jack Kirby.

(The next big event after Siege was something called Fear Itself, a story so bereft of purpose, cohesion and narrative logic, that it made Siege seem like Watchmen.)

Which brings us to the latest chapter in the Marvel master-narrative: Avengers Vs. X-Men. (Deep breath) Like Civil War, AvX features an old-fashioned throw-down between two groups of Marvel heroes. Unlike Civil War, one of the groups is clearly presented as being in the right. The Avengers, having been re-positioned over the previous few years to the center of the Marvel U (and newly-christened as box-office champs) are The Good Guys. The X-Men, overlooked for years, are repaid by being re-introduced into the master narrative not simply as mistaken or misunderstood, but as a threat to the earth’s very existence. And at the center of this folly stands the abused figure of Cyclops.

Now Cyclops is, of course, the X-Man. Central to their mythos, their alpha dog, their leader, their best (not that you’d know it from the movies.) He is their Captain America,  the man with the plan, the one who will always, as I have said, find a way. Destroy his character and you delegitimize the worldview that the X-Men have represented over the last 30 years.

Let us skip the preliminaries and head straight to the nadir of the story (and indeed of the master-narrative in general): AvX #11. This particular issue is worth special consideration, emblematic as it is of the current state of the Marvel Universe. Cyclops has been infused with the power of the Phoenix, an unpredictable cosmic force capable of destroying existence (and which, years ago, caused the death of his true love Jean Grey – but not to worry! No compassion here.) Our issue begins with Captain America making an entreaty for help in the fight against Cyclops from an unknown source (the quote that began this unwieldy diatribe is taken from this plea.) Here are some choice nuggets from Cap’s opening address:

“…I am at the end of my rope.”

“…We just cannot win the fight in front of us.”

“We can’t win it.”

Again, this is Captain America. The man who never lost hope in the depths of World War II. (The fact that he’s supplicating himself to the Hulk, whose strength would be negligible against a force that could destroy the universe, is beside the point.) He may be wearing the flag, the big “A” and the little wingtips on his head, but I do not know who this character is.

To the ignominious climax. The Avengers have Cyclops surrounded, alone and raving, like some rabid dog (spittle, literally flying from his mouth). So I suppose it should come as no surprise when one of them, Hawkeye (y’know, Jeremy Renner in the movie) shoots him in the neck. Another Avenger callously observes, “Nice shot.” I’m sorry, since when do the Avengers resort to attempted murder to solve their problems? Much less the killing of a hero? (Oh that’s right. Since Siege.)

When this fails, Cyclops yells, “You see that?…They’re trying to assassinate us!!” If this is some kind of meta moment, where the character becomes aware of his creators’ intentions, then it is brilliant. Yes, Cyclops, they are trying to assassinate you, or worse, your character.

Storm, Cyclops’ former teammate (and at this point, like Wolverine, an Avenger, I guess?) pleads “Stay down Scott. I beg you.” Good ol’ Captain America adds “I don’t.”, in a misguided attempt to sound, I don’t know, bad-ass? (Maybe he’s a leftover Skrull…)

Cyclops, of course, doesn’t stay down. He is confronted by Professor X, who is, in every way that counts, his father. And then the moment that set the internet a-buzz, (and is possibly the lowest point in Marvel history): Cyclops kills Professor X.

X-Men destroyed. In one fell swoop.

Let’s be clear: it is not the death of Professor X that rankles; this is a character, after all, that has died and come back a lot, even by comic book standards. No, what is galling is the act of Cyclops murdering his father. There are some things even a comic book character can’t recover from. (DC tried a similar tack with Green Lantern nearly two decades ago in a story called Zero Hour. It took the character years to recover, and all he tried to do was destroy the space/time continuum; fairly standard super villain operating procedure. Killing Dad? Not so much.)

So take heed all you outcasts and undesirables! Professor X had a dream. And now it’s over. Society was right to fear and hate you. It turns out you were a menace after all.

(Want further proof that the X-Men worldview has been vanquished? The one holdover X-book, Wolverine and the X-Men, whatever its merits, is virtually a parody of everything they have stood for over the last thirty years. Comic books, too, repeat themselves, first as tragedy, then as farce.)

In the wake of AvX (oh yeah, Cyclops is finally put down when a mutant named – I would argue ironically – Hope, and again, the Scarlet Witch [ah that all-purpose power of Editorial Dictum] double-punch him. Game over!) we have been promised a shiny, sorta-newish Marvel Universe. It is being called Marvel NOW! and its coming has been foretold by months of advertisements which prominently feature Cap, arrogantly posed and smugly staring out at the viewer (who is this dick?) surrounded by various cohorts. These ads are further festooned with thick red-borders and imperative statements in bold, block lettering and resemble nothing so much as poorly-designed Soviet propaganda posters. Some coming highlights: Lot of Avengers books (featuring a bunch of former X-Men – I mean, where else were they gonna go?), a new, darker Spider-Man (oy vey) and, for the beleagured mutants, something called All-New X-Men. The concept: with the current X-Men in disarray, the original X-Men, still teenagers, are zapped to the present (y’know, bypassing all that messy civil rights stuff) as a way to hit the refresh button. The conceit: they are horrified by the current state of the Marvel Universe (well on that we can agree).

Which brings me to a Helpful Suggestion. The Marvel Now! initiative was done largely as a response to DC’s hugely successful New 52! relaunch of last year, in which they wiped the narrative slate clean and rebooted their entire universe from scratch. DC has a habit of doing this sort of thing every so often. A point of pride at Marvel is that they have never taken this approach. The stories you’re reading today are, ostensibly, a continuation of the stories begun by Stan and Jack over fifty years ago. Marvel has taken great pains to explain that Marvel Now! is…um…well, I’m not sure, but it is emphatically not a DC-style reboot. My question is, given the above snapshot of the Marvel Universe, why the hell not? Instead of just playing musical chairs with your established cadre of creators and using that as an excuse to haphazardly introduce some new #1 issues, why not just start the whole damn thing over? You don’t have to abandon your veteran creators, but bring in some fresh blood! Put them on your major books! The ship is sinking! History be damned!

Now. The above should not be interpreted as so much inchoate Marvel-bashing. (Just the fact that I’ve read these comics should tell you something.) They do, in fact, produce a number of very good books (just scroll down and see!) This is meant to suggest however, in the view of this lifelong fan and observer, that the master narrative (last time I’ll use the term, I promise) has been heading in an untenable overall direction for quite some time, and that those in charge (are they still called architects?) are ill-suited keepers of the flame.

So, does this mean that, once again, I’ve been disillusioned? That I’m about to give up my Wednesday habit a second time? Of course not. Having been reintroduced into the four-colored realm, I have surveyed the landscape. And I am excited by what I see. More than that; I’m convinced. The comic book medium has always had the same potential as any other narrative form (films, novels, television, etc.); that is to say, limitless. A casual glance will show that the sheer breadth of talent, diversity, subject matter (of which super heroes are an ever shrinking genre) and experimentation happening now (right NOW!) proves beyond any doubt that they are finally fulfilling that potential. It is my argument, my thesis, my conviction, that there has never been a better time to read comics. Saying you don’t like comics is like saying you don’t like movies. If you think they aren’t for you, you aren’t looking hard enough. A small sample of evidence:

Image Comics: currently the most exciting publisher around. Initially a boutique for a handful of superstars, their current mixture of established names and active scouring for new talent makes them comics’ equivalent of that cool indy music label (back when there were music labels) that is trend-setting by virtue of being fearless. Standout titles include the rollicking, sci-fi space opera, Saga by Brian K. Vaughan and Fiona Staples, and the neo-noir terror of Fatale by Ed Brubaker and Sean Phillips.

Not far behind is Oni Press, with its line of intriguing creator-owned work, such as Ted Naifeh’s moody, supernatural coming-of-age tale, Courtney Crumrin, and the laid-back, funky detective work found in Stumptown by Greg Rucka and Matthew Southworth.

Like a modern-day incarnation of Universal Studios from the 1930’s, Dark Horse Comics has a wide-ranging catalog, but their specialty is horror. And nobody does it better. The cornerstone of their house of horrors is Mike Mignola’s line of books (Hellboy, Baltimore, etc.) that combine a healthy respect for the history of the genre with the cold, unblinking eye of an auteur. They manage to feel classic and edgy at the same time.

The “ID” in IDW might well stand for “idiosyncratic”, as their eclectic range of titles include Roger Langridge’s retro, thoroughly excellent Popeye series as well as the Carrollian psychedelia of The Zaucer of Zilk by Brendan McCarthy and Al Ewing.

Dynamite Entertainment does some wonderful things with the heroes of yesteryear, whether they be of the pulp variety (the exuberant fun of Flash Gordon: Zeitgeist by Eric Trautmann and Daniel Indiro) or more historical in nature (Garth Ennis’ superlative Battlefields series; not only one of the best war comics ever, but also one of the best comics being produced right now, period.)

Speaking of history, Fantagraphics does truly commendable work reprinting the classics of funny pages past (Peanuts, Barnaby, etc). They also publish the funniest comic book on the planet, Michael Kupperman’s Tales Designed to Thrizzle.

How about something for the kiddies? kaboom! (BOOM!’s all-ages imprint) provides a healthy does of childlike wonder with the comic version of Adventure Time! as well as Roger Langridge’s (him again) inspired nonsense in Snarked!.

I haven’t even mentioned the rich world of graphic novels – not trade paperback collections of ongoing titles, but singular, literary works expressly conceived in the comic book medium. There just isn’t enough space to even scratch the surface of the wide array of practitioners of – oh, here’s three: Chris Ware, Alison Bechdel, and Jason Lutes. Go discover.

And, not to leave out the so-called Big Two: DC publishes some fine work, such as Brian Azzarello’s revisionist take on Wonder Woman and especially China Mieville’s nigh-undefinable Dial H. And finally, bringing things full circle, over at Marvel: Mark Waid’s award-winning run on Daredevil justly deserves the accolades it’s been receiving. And Brian Michael Bendis’ bold, risky choices on Ultimate Spider-Man have led to the introduction one of the most engaging new heroes in years, in young Miles Morales. (Hell, I’ll even cop to my excitement over one of the Marvel NOW! titles – Mike Allred drawing a goofy cast of B-listers in FF? Yes please.)

Marvel Comics will always hold a special place in my heart for igniting my love for the medium in the first place, and then again for bringing me back into the fold when I had strayed. And who knows? Perhaps their new initiative will produce some fun comics. But now, given the state of things as I continue to indulge my Wednesday habit, and peruse the embarrassment of riches that today’s comics have to offer (of which the above is only the smallest fraction), I am more likely than ever to say, “Marvel? Nah…”

Share this:

  • Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Tumblr (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window)
  • Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window)

Like this:

Like Loading...

Back and Forth: The Long Goodbye

26 Wednesday Sep 2012

Posted by dmainhart in Back and Forth, Microviews

≈ 2 Comments

Tags

Alexis E. Farjado, Animal Man, Batman, Batwoman, Bob Scott, Brian Azzarello, Brian Bolland, Brian Michael Bendis, Charles Schulz, Charlie Brown, Charlie Chaplin, Chris Samnee, Cliff Chiang, Courtney Crumrin, Daredevil, David Marquez, David Mazzucchelli, DC, E.C. Segar, Eisner Award, Evey Hammond, Flash Gordon, Fleischer Brothers, Fred the Clown, Grant Morrison, Greg Rucka, IDW, J.H. Williams III, Jeff Lemire, Kevin Maguire, Kevin Nowlan, Laurel and Hardy, Lewis Carroll, Mark Waid, Marvel, Merciless: The Rise of Ming, Mike DeCarlo, Monty Python, Neil Gaiman, P. Craig Russell, Paige Braddock, Peanuts, Popeye, Rocket: Cargo of Doom, Roger Langridge, Ron Adrian, Sandman, Sara Pichelli, Scott Beatty, Shane Houghton, Snarked, Spider-Men, Superman, Ted Naifeh, The Shade, Ultimate Spider-Man, United We Stand, V for Vendetta, Vicki Scott, W. Haden Blackman, W.C. Fields, Wonder Woman

Derek Mainhart: So this week was marked by the end of three series I enjoyed (in addition to The Shade from last week – sniff!) Let’s start with the one I liked in spite of myself:

Spider-Men #5: I was all set to not like this series. It seemed pointless – why kill Peter Parker if you’re going to introduce Miles Morales to…Peter Parker? (The fact that he’s from an alternate reality just seemed like splitting hairs.) The only reason I picked it up was that Brian Michael Bendis has created a compelling character in young Miles. And then, about midway through, I found myself getting caught up in it. One of the things that make for a good story are memorable moments. And this series, especially in the last two issues, was full of them. The scenes with Peter “reuniting” (for the first time?) with Aunt May and Gwen Stacy were touching and understated, the reactions of all involved perfectly calibrated. Mysterio almost willing himself to be defeated was wry and knowing. (By pointing out the cliche, Bendis milks it for humor turning a potential weakness into a strength.) And it ended on a wonderful note: a cliffhanger that was organic, inevitable and completely earned. The art by Sara Pichelli was knockout; a touch of Kevin Maguire in the facial expressions, some Brian Bolland in the refined linework. (Yes, she’s keeping that kind of company.) I was still left with a slight, nagging feeling of “having your cake and eating it too” by the whole concept. But when that concept gives rise to a series this good, my reservations (unlike this book, as it turned out) were pointless.

Spider-Men #5 Cover

Scott Carney: Yeah: I agree.  I, too, was lulled into a sense of “Who shoots a web?” about this series.  I jumped into it for a pair of reasons: the creative team–as you’ve said–is top-notch; and wouldn’t you know, I’m kind of caught up in Miles, clearly the most compelling character kicking around any of the Marvel universes.  After the first couple of issues, I wasn’t very impressed.  To be honest, I stuck with it only because it was a five-issue run.  And I’m glad I did: as I’ve described at length in a “Scottlight on” post, I absolutely loved #4.  Oh, I could’ve called it quits there, at the highest of highs, but there was only one chapter left; so I picked up #5 with amazingly low expectations.  And, as one might–and as I did–imagine, those expectations were met–until the end, of course.  What a final page!  Peter’s searching for Miles on the–ahem–World Wide Web–is pitch perfect and honest.  Plus, I think Bendis is making the ultimate statement here: that even Peter Parker–the Marvel hero–is interested, just as much as we are, in Miles Morales, the spiderling who would replace him, more or less.

DM: Which brings us to Miles’ regular book Ultimate Spider-Man #15. As mentioned above, Bendis has more than justified the decision to kill off Ultimate Peter by crafting such a refreshing character in Miles. This book shines when it concentrates on its young protagonist’s private life; his interactions with his best friend (the irrepressible Ganke), his chilling interactions with his murderous uncle (quite a change from Ben!) and especially the ever-growing complexity of his relationship with his father. In Miles’ Dad, Bendis has created a character that is completely decent, full of integrity, and utterly fallible. (It’s a shame that Mom is still a bit of a cipher). The interactions between father and son have been the highlights of the series. Methinks tragedy lies ahead, and not the simple kind caused by burglar’s bullet. Paradoxically, the least compelling scenes are the ones with Spider-Man. The wisecracks seem to have come too easily to Miles and make it difficult to discern any difference between him and Peter Parker, at least when he’s in costume. So if I have on a quibble here, it’s that developments from the “UNITED WE STAND” crossover (there it is, stamped right on the cover, see?!) seem to be pushing the book in a direction of less Miles, more Spider-Man. Hopefully I’m wrong. (Crossovers. Ugh.)

SC: I feel your pain when it comes to crossovers.  I think it’s time to look at any “stamp” or banner or threat of a crossover or tie-in as a sign–a desperate warning sign, like, I don’t know, Bridge Out.

In terms of USM #15, I couldn’t have said it any better.  The book itself is better when Miles is just plain Miles–and when he bands together with his super-free coterie–Ganke and the family–to take on the wicked, and infinitely patient, antagonist Adolescence.  I mean, come on: Ganke’s premature discharge (art by the solid David Marquez)–with Peter’s web shooters in hand–is a all-too-relatable teenage tragedy that calls down the comedy with every web cast toward the ceiling.  With a chunk of ceiling dangling from a strand in his hand, Miles admits, “I gotta have my webs”; but he’s had plenty from the get-go, including the stickiest one–how his dad feels about Spider-Man–which plays out here some, but to no great effect.  Speaking of no great effect: if Spider-Men #5 has a perfect ending, this one has, well, not that.

DM: As good as USM has been, Marvel’s best book (with the Eisners to prove it!) has been Daredevil. Mark Waid has infused, not only the character, but the entire series with personality and style to spare. In this he’s been abetted by some stellar artists including Chris Samnee this issue (Waid and Samnee are quickly becoming the new team supreme – check out Rocketeer: Cargo of Doom). Issue 18 though, is a bit of a letdown. What bothers me, I think, is the shift in tone. Waid’s run has distinguished itself (mostly) from DD’s usual morose proceedings by injecting a good dose of healthy, swashbuckling fun. The somewhat forced conflict between Matt and Foggy in this issue, and now the re-introduction of a tragic character from the ol’ gloom-and-doom, pre-Waid days, is threatening to let the air out, sending DD back into the deep, dank basement from which he so recently escaped. Ah well, Samnee’s art, as I said, is fantastic, with the best bits having to do with DD riding up and down an elevator.

SC: OK, so, I think I know what you’re saying without your saying it outright.  Hidden there in your pristine prose is exactly how I felt about this issue, too: it’s boring.  Like you, I didn’t buy the B.S. rift between Matt and Foggy as it was “developed” in #17, and I certainly am not reaching into my pocket this time around–except, obviously, to pay for the book.  I will say that my spirit was lifted as I turned to page 8, which is where I found Matt and Kirsten, thank God, outside of Matt’s apartment.  Their conversation–two panels’ worth, anyway—whisked me back to the wonderful DD #12; unfortunately, I wasn’t left there very long.  I’m blindly banking on the fact that this issue is a transition into something decidedly more daring and devilish.  If it’s not, I’m going to be darned disappointed.  Despite my display of displeasure, I assure you that I’m not down on the artwork.  Samnee is one of my favorites right now, and I’m happy to see him back here, no matter how dank this month’s delivery may be.

DM: Speaking of dank places: Batwoman #0. The story by J.H. Williams III and W. Haden Blackman is wildly uneven. It further explores our hero’s origin and begins with some quite insightful, sensitive reminiscences of her sister and especially her father. This section fleshes out her character’s past motivations while exploring her bond with her father (lots of Daddy issues – get it? issues? – this week!) We then get an extended Kate-in-training montage. Here the writing goes from heartfelt and specific to numbing and cliche’.  This is followed by an elaborate exercise in cruelty that, it turns out, was a final test of her readiness set up by – SPOILER ALERT! – her father. First problem – this reads like a second-rate version of Evey Hammond’s transformation in V for Vendetta (right down to Guy Fawkes-like devil mask that dad is sporting). If this reference is intentional, it’s a mistake. You shouldn’t highlight a work that is superior to yours; it can only suffer by comparison. (Do you hear me Jeff Lemire on Animal Man? Leave Grant Morrison’s run alone! – ahem.) The second, and larger problem, as far as this book goes – the premeditated masochism of the plan not only runs counter to what we’ve seen earlier in this very issue, it defies everything we know about her father’s character dating back to Greg Rucka’s original, excellent conception. To say his actions are out of character is an understatement. It reads like a friggin’ supervillain origin. The ending however, is a partial return to sanity, and William’s art, it must always be said, is just gorgeous. He employs the same David Mazzucchelli-inspired style he used for the flashbacks during Rucka’s run, and he nails it. He can pretty much just do anything, art-wise. Take page 13 – he utilizes both the simpler flashback style and his more lush, rendered technique in the same splash page. The visual tension between the two is a show-stopper.

SC: Without question: Williams III’s art is the thing here.  But even though his shift in style provides an unexpected and equally as stunning anchor for the pieces of the past, I found myself still somewhat lost in the origin story–and not in a good way.  I may as well have been blindfolded like Kate when she first became involved with the “Murder of Crows.”  What I was reading, for the most part, meant nothing to me.  Could’ve been the Perez-esque (circa New 52 Superman) wordiness of the captions, or the layout of the captions, which was unnecessarily awkward at times; in fact, the gorgeous splash to which you referred is marred only by an almost unreadable caption–red writing on a gray background–to the left of the beautifully rendered Batman.  I had to tilt and turn the book; I had to move into the light and out of it again in order to follow the damn narration!  That’s unacceptable!  It’s something I’d expect from a Marvel book, for goodness sake!  I don’t know.  It could’ve been–as you stated–that the story of how she came to be a hero is an all too familiar one.  Hey, it happens–unless, of course, you’re Azzarello on Wonder Woman #0.

DM: You hit the nail on the head.  With Wonder Woman #0, we have a writer in full command of his craft; not surprising when that writer is Brian Azzarello. Check out how he effortlessly establishes theme and tone on just the first page: We see a pubescent Diana climbing to reach a giant egg while the accompanying caption box announces: “The monthly monster strikes again!” This ostensibly refers to comic book deadlines (wink, wink) but offers, of course delicious counterpoint to the image. We are then informed of the conceit that this is a reprint of that classic (apocryphal) series, “All-Girl Adventure Tales for Men”! So there you have it: a tongue-in-cheek, coming of age tale tackling gender issues through the retro paternalistic tone of a comic of yesteryear. Again, that’s just the first page! This is simply writing on another level. (Cliff Chiang’s art complements the tone with bombastic panel compositions, though perhaps not the retro style that the story seems to call for. Oh well, we can’t all be J.H. Williams.) So, young Diana manages to steal the egg from a shrieking harpy (‘natch!) in order bake a cake (‘natch!) for her birthday. After an altercation with one of her Amazon sisters, she runs off feeling misunderstood and isolated (that common teenage malady) She even asks, weeping, (in a panel worthy of Lichtenstein) “Why must I be different?” A god suddenly appears proclaiming in most manly fashion “I be blood! I be iron! I be guts! I be WAR!” (That he does so while wearing what appears to be an outfit from an S&M flick just adds to the fun.) He offers to train her to be the world’s greatest warrior, once a month, under the full moon (‘NATCH!) By now you may be thinking, “Gender issues? Old-fashioned dialogue? S&M outfits?! Maybe I’ll steer clear of this one…” But NO! Here there be battle! Here there be the Minotaur! And despite the inherent irony in the writing, here there be…pathos. As Diana, in the end, must defy her bloodthirsty trainer, Azzarello defines, with utmost sincerity, the essence of his rendition of Wonder Woman: not her strength, not her prowess in battle, but her compassion, her mercy, her love. That he ties this in implicitly with her womanhood might seem, itself, paternalistic, even condescending. I call it revelatory.

SC: I found Wonder Woman #0 to be a clever combination of a writing style that is clearly aware of itself and a retro art style that proudly profits from its roots.  Overall, I liked it a lot, perhaps more than USM.  I particularly liked the relationship between Diana and Ares, despite its being one we’ve seen a thousand times.  Every panel in which we find them together reflects their powerful connection–until, of course, on page 27, when Ares lets Diana have it after she defies him.  That connection, however, is never actually severed: the Minotaur is obviously a doppelganger for Ares.  (Check out the final panel of page 21 and the first panel of page 26.  How about the last two panels of page 27?  Accidents?  I think not.)  And, in that, it’s clear that Diana, in being merciful, has passed Ares’ test after all.  Ah, the “Merry Men” have done it again–even if it is for the first time.

DM: Another book conjuring impressive literary tricks is Courtney Crumrin #5. This issue takes some time to explore the Crumrin ancestral tree. It does this by employing a story-within-a-story-within-a-story; no mean feat and Ted Naifeh pulls it off with aplomb. With its mixture of folklore and personal history, it put me in the mind of some of Neil Gaiman’s  work, especially the great Sandman (though less subtle, and perhaps not quite as precious). The atmospheric artwork; some Kevin Nowlan influence I think, with just a dash of P. Craig Russell (though I hate the way Naifeh draws hands). If the writing lacks some of its usual irreverent buoyancy, it’s only because the title character takes a necessary back seat this issue. So all in all, another impressive effort in a title that is YA in name only.

Moving further down the age bracket, we have Peanuts #2 from kaboom!, BOOM’s excellent all-kids imprint. I have mixed feelings about the existence of this series. Should the exploits of Charlie Brown et al., be understood as highly individual vehicles of personal expression for their creator, the master, Charles Schulz? Or do they, like Disney characters, now belong to the world, necessitating new stories for a new generation of readers? It’s a matter for legitimate debate. But it makes it harder to complain when the stories (by Alexis E. Farjado, Shane Houghton, Vicki Scott, Bob Scott, Mike DeCarlo and Paige Braddock) are as charming as they are in this issue.

And now, returning to the aforementioned goodbyes, Merciless: The Rise of Ming #4 (by Scott Beatty and Ron Adrian) brings the Flash Gordon spinoff to a close (sidebar – I get annoyed when limited series like this aren’t explicitly advertised as such. I had no idea this was the last issue. Maybe it was mentioned in Previews or elsewhere, but it should be right on the front cover. Perhaps not listing it allows for some editorial wiggle room if something is a hit, or not, but as a customer I like to know what I’m getting into (grumbled the old man)). While I do think more of his depraved rise to the top could have been explored, it was still great fun watching Ming go from backstabbing prince to Despot of the Universe through sheer ambition, callousness and relentless force of will. A true Randian hero.

And finally Snarked! #12 (another unexpected last issue, grumble grumble!). This well-deserved Eisner-Award winning series represents comics at their most exciting; idiosyncratic work by a cartoonist (the inimitable Roger Langridge) at the height of his powers, putting them in the service of a singular, fantastic vision. In this case that vision is a heady brew of Lewis Carroll, W.C Fields, Laurel and Hardy, the Fleischer Bros., Segar’s Popeye, and…and I don’t know what else. This book had it all: high adventure, slapstick comedy, classic art and undeniable heart. If, over the course of twelve issues, some of the comedic bits fell a little flat, it’s only because Langridge’s previous work set the bar so high (What? You haven’t read Fred the Clown, equal parts Charlie Chaplin and Monty Python? One of the funniest comics ever. Get it. Get it now. And while you’re at it, pick up his current Popeye series by IDW. And, oh, just get anything with his name on it!) The final issue of this crown jewel of the aforementioned kaboom! imprint provides a fitting close to the yarn, full of suspense, laughs and a lump in the throat (who knew the sentence “I like bananas.” could be so touching?) In a comic strip afterword, the lead character Wilburforce J. Walrus states that you should always leave them wanting more. Mission accomplished. Book of the Week. Well done sir, and good night.

Share this:

  • Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Tumblr (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window)
  • Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window)

Like this:

Like Loading...

The Kids Are Alright…

07 Friday Sep 2012

Posted by dmainhart in Uncategorized

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

Adventure Time, Art Baltazar, Axe Cop, Bud Sagendorf, Chuck Dixon, Clizia Gussoni, Craig Yoe, Drama, Dynamite, E.C. Segar, Esteve Polls, Flash Gordon, Franco, IDW, Lone Ranger, Ming the Merciless, Popeye, Raina Telgemeier, Roger Langridge, Snarked, Superman Family Adventures, Ted Adams, The Muppet Show, Tom Neely, Vince Musacchia

Still a little behind, but I wanted to highlight some books from last week.

My Top Three Picks (as always, in reverse order, Bizarro –style!)

3. The Lone Ranger: Snake of Iron #2 – Dynamite really does a nice job with a lot of the old pulp heroes.  Their Flash Gordon: Zeitgeist, and its spin-off Merciless: The Rise of Ming have been good popcorn fun. Here, veteran writer Chuck Dixon combines historical detail with character-driven plot to craft a tale that satisfies modern sensibilities without sacrificing any of the elements that make the characters great to begin with. Similarly, Esteve Polls’ art displays a nice period feel without seeming old-fashioned. Any nostalgia arises honestly, from seeing classic characters well handled. Should appeal to both old fans an new.  

2. Popeye #4 – Similar accolades can be given to Roger Langridge’s superlative work on everyone’s favorite one-eyed sailor (published by IDW). Langridge and artists Vince Musacchia and Tom Neely, have done a remarkable job capturing the rollicking spirit of E.C. Segar’s original comic strip. Edited by designer and all-around Popeye expert Craig Yoe (and co-edited by Ted Adams and Clizia Gussoni), this book stays true to the source material (and the work of subsequent Popeye great Bud Sagendorf) with kinetic art, bright colors straight out of the Sunday funnies, and even the bold, seemingly hand-lettered words and sound effects. Langridge has a great feel for Popeye’s particular vernacular (“I yam prepared not ta kill ya on account of I yam magnanimisk!”), as well as the personalities of his supporting cast, who happily, do not get short shrift (this tale turns out to be as much Wimpy’s as Popeye’s).  He throws in Easter Eggs for hardcore geeks (like me), such as making a joke out of the ever-changing name of an imaginary foreign land (which in Segar’s original was unfortunately called Nazilia – this was in 1930, before such a moniker would have been in poor taste, to say the least). The story does perhaps get a tad wordy in spots. But with all of that, this heartfelt homage never manages to be less than FUN. (Even the backup – also a Segar creation – is funny). This is book that can be enjoyed by both die-hards and little kids alike. Bravo.

…and speaking of little kids –

1. Superman Family Adventures #4 – Art Baltazar and Franco are simply producing the best Superman book out there.

A last observation: The previous two titles are examples of a current trend of excellent comics geared for children. They are joined by a list that includes Snarked and The Muppet Show (both by Langridge – man’s on some kind of roll), Adventure Time, Axe Cop and a host of others, not to mention a slew of kids’ graphic novels (read Raina Telgemeier’s Drama now!) This is a heartening development. Cultivating the sense of wonder that comics gave each of us when we were kids (as we clutched them in our sticky little fingers) is a worthy goal that should be pursued by publishers and creators everywhere. It represents the future of comics.

Derek

Share this:

  • Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Tumblr (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window)
  • Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window)

Like this:

Like Loading...

The Nerds

  • dmainhart
  • ScottNerd

Enter your email address to follow this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.

Join 1,149 other followers

An Amazing Comic Shop

Wiggle Room

It's just the beginning...

Tag Salad!

Ales Kot All-New X-Men Animal Man Archer & Armstrong Avatar Batman Batwoman Bloodshot BOOM! Brian Azzarello Brian K. Vaughan Brian Michael Bendis Brian Wood China Mieville Chris Bachalo Chris Samnee Clone comics Cullen Bunn Daredevil Dark Horse DC DC Comics Dial H Dynamite Dynamite Entertainment Ed Brubaker Fatale Fiona Staples Fred Van Lente Garth Ennis Goran Parlov Grant Morrison Greg Rucka Harbinger IDW Image Image Comics J.H. Williams III J. Michael Straczynski Jason Aaron Jeff Lemire Jonathan Hickman Jordie Bellaire Joshua Dysart Kevin Eastman Kieron Gillen Kurt Busiek Lazarus Mark Waid Marvel Matt Fraction Matt Kindt Mike Allred Mind MGMT Nick Spencer Oni Press Rachel Rising Robert Venditti Saga Scott Snyder Sean Phillips Swamp Thing Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Terry Moore The Massive Titan Uber Ultimate Spider-Man Uncanny X-Men Valiant Vertigo Wonder Woman X-O Manowar zero

Archives

  • March 2022
  • February 2022
  • December 2021
  • August 2020
  • November 2018
  • October 2018
  • September 2018
  • August 2018
  • July 2018
  • August 2017
  • September 2016
  • August 2016
  • July 2016
  • September 2015
  • August 2015
  • July 2015
  • June 2015
  • May 2015
  • April 2015
  • March 2015
  • February 2015
  • January 2015
  • December 2014
  • November 2014
  • October 2014
  • September 2014
  • August 2014
  • July 2014
  • June 2014
  • May 2014
  • April 2014
  • March 2014
  • February 2014
  • January 2014
  • December 2013
  • November 2013
  • October 2013
  • September 2013
  • August 2013
  • July 2013
  • June 2013
  • May 2013
  • April 2013
  • March 2013
  • February 2013
  • January 2013
  • December 2012
  • November 2012
  • October 2012
  • September 2012
  • August 2012

Features

  • 22 I&N 22
  • 5 Comics You Should Be Reading
  • Back and Forth
  • Derekommendations
  • I&N Print
  • I&N Review
  • I&N Scott's Bag
  • I&N Store
  • I&N the Gutter…
  • I&N's Top Ten
  • I&Nsight
  • I&Nterview
  • Innie Awards
  • Microviews
  • Scottlight on…
  • Superhero Friday!
  • Top 5 Books of the Month
  • Uncategorized
  • What's I&N Store?

Recent Posts

  • The Best Comics You’re Not Reading
  • Pick of the Week
  • Best Comics of 2021
  • Worth Your Time
  • I&N Store 11/7

Real Nerdy Stuff

  • Register
  • Log in
  • Entries feed
  • Comments feed
  • WordPress.com

Twitter Updates

  • Derek opens the Vault: comics you should be reading: #RadioApocalypse, #DarkInterlude, & #TheRush! @thevaultcomics… twitter.com/i/web/status/1… 3 months ago
Follow @imagesandnerds

Top 3 Posts & Pages

  • The Best Comics You're Not Reading

Finders Keepers

Create a free website or blog at WordPress.com.

Privacy & Cookies: This site uses cookies. By continuing to use this website, you agree to their use.
To find out more, including how to control cookies, see here: Cookie Policy
  • Follow Following
    • Images and Nerds
    • Join 1,149 other followers
    • Already have a WordPress.com account? Log in now.
    • Images and Nerds
    • Customize
    • Follow Following
    • Sign up
    • Log in
    • Report this content
    • View site in Reader
    • Manage subscriptions
    • Collapse this bar
 

Loading Comments...
 

    %d bloggers like this: