Wipe your groggy eyes, it's time for comic book reviews and discussion for 01/30/08!

[conorkilpatrick]

Tell us what you thought of the books of the week!

If you want to see what's on the iFanboys' pull list, check it out here (http://www.ifanboy.com/archive/weblog/january_29th_20.html).

This week's Pick of the Week:

http://www.ifanboy.com/images/pickoftheweek013008-thumb.jpg

Watch out for SPOILERS because from here on out people are talking about the books of the week.

[mikegraham6]

This is going to be one helluva week, i don't envy the person who has the pick tonight

[six-gun]

This is going to be one helluva week, i don't envy the person who has the pick tonight

It's Conor

[mikegraham6]

I've only read one book, but whew boy, it's sure going to be hard to top Y: The Last Man #60

[luthor]

RE: Countdown.

I think some people aren't gonna dig this one as much as the others lately but I LOVED IT! I love this book and I've started to realize, it doesn't feel like comic day until after I read Countdown. Which is unfortunate considering that there's only a few weeks left.

Monarch goes boom = great disaster? Hmmm.

[labor_days]

I thought Countdown was good too. But there is a point where for no reason, Donna goes back to her old costume. It pulled me out off the story completely. To such a degree I was wondering if it was a mistake or a forgotten power or...I don't know.

Last week was that incorrectly colored Red Robin/Bats scene and I just don't know what the hell happened.

But holy hell, how about Earth-51's Bats' death?

Does anyone think that was the last of Prime or Monarch though?

[luthor]

The Pick's up already? Wow...on vacation again Conor? Do I smell giant cupcake?

Does anyone think that was the last of Prime or Monarch though?

Ummm no. Prime is just this side of the biggest villain DC's created in the modern age and it would be incredibly stupid and wasteful to get ride of such an awesome character. Monarch might take a little bit of a hiatus, but he'll be back before the end of Countdown.

[jimski]

I think some people aren't gonna dig this one as much as the others lately but I LOVED IT! I love this book and I've started to realize, it doesn't feel like comic day until after I read Countdown.

Spider-Man is my first "weekly" book, and I am already starting to feel this same way. Are you excited at all about the next big thing, the rumored weekly project with Mark "tha Machine" Bagley?

The PoW up at midday? What is happening??

[labor_days]

Conor usually puts up the POW review in a timely manner. Good reviews too.

(No, offense to Ron and Josh. They do a great job as well.)

[luthor]

Are you excited at all about the next big thing, the rumored weekly project with Mark "tha Machine" Bagley?
Curious more then excited. I'm very bi-polar when it comes to Kurt Busiek and it's been his DC stuff that falls on the negative end of that.

[aaron-j-scott]

(THIS IS FOR JOSH)
I haven't read any of my books yet, but when I picked up my stack today, they hadn't pulled me a copy of Action Comics. I went to the rack to see if they had forgotten to pull one for me, but there was nothing.

So I asked my comics guy if he had gotten any Action in this week and he said they were shorted by Diamond. Instead of getting 14 extra copies of Action like he ordered, "They sent me FOURTEEN copies of JACK OF FABLES."

I guess I found this really funny to begin with, but with it all typed out, I dunno ... guess you had to be there.


ALSO,<<<< no one told me that last week's Superman Confidential #11 was the wrap-up of the initial Cooke/Sale story. Thanks a lot, jerks. Luckily they had several extra copies.

[luthor]

And speaking of Action...that book kicks some major ass. This is like the best week ever. I've yet to read something I didn't like or even thought was meh. Everything has just been very good to great.

[dave-accampo]

I've only read two books for far, Cap and Y: The Last Man -- and they both have their own threads.

Oh wait -- I also read Trials of Shazam #11. This is a fun book. Great least page.

And this new artist that replaced Porter? If DC is smart, they're already negotiating exclusive contracts with this guy. He's gonna be huuuuuuge.

[labor_days]

Luthor, is otm here. Very strong week of very good to great comic books.

Action was good. Though I did feel it was the weakest of the Legion arc. The revelation of what Brainy was up to was fun to see play out. I liked the opening moments with the various citizens of the UP deciding to go to war. The stuff with the villains, though brief, was good character building. Tight pacing on this arc.

Trials of Shazam was a blast to read. Likewise, I agree with Dave that the new guy taking over for Porter is aces. I dig the art work and am enjoying Winick's somewhat long winded tale.

Only Batman was the weak book in my stack so far. I did enjoy it though.

SubGlam and Countdown To Adventure coming up next!

[itsbecca]

Only Batman was the weak book in my stack so far. I did enjoy it though.

Odd I thought you'd like it, as you've spoken warmly about where Morrison's going. Everything aside, I found the read more enjoyable than last issue. And it completley creeped me out.


USM - it was very strange reading such a light book after the last issue. I loved the inner monologues (awww Kenny) and then the remainder of the book was a little lackluster.

[labor_days]

I enjoyed this week's Batman. Comparatively speaking, it was the only weak book I had read so far.


edit: THAT was Black Adam's word(s)? What. The. Hell.

[kahunablair]

edit: THAT was Black Adam's word(s)? What. The. Hell.
I was just about to post that myself, haha.
I enjoyed the ending, all in all, a good series.

[fred]

grades are up: http://thisweekincomics.com/thisweekstatistics.php

[gungadin]

What was the word? I wanna know.

And didn't they reveal it in Countdown?

[labor_days]

I was just about to post that myself, haha.
I enjoyed the ending, all in all, a good series.
I enjoyed it too. Fun read.

Even like that the word was a child's treat. That's totally Billy!

(great panel when he changes too, ha!)

What was the word? I wanna know.
Chocolate Egg Creams.

And didn't they reveal it in Countdown?
Nope.

[gungadin]

Chocolate Egg Creams.

And I thought they were going to make it something to do with his character... Silly me...

That is a stupid series of words... Sounds like something out of a comedy series which, I assume, Black Adam was not...

[labor_days]

The word speaks to Bily's character.

Marvel is very childlike despite his power and status. Billy changed the word(s) to a soda fountain treat he enjoyed as a boy and something he thought Adam would never take the time to enjoy. Being so simple and colloquial.

It was a good scene.

[neb]

This week was so freaking good!! Oh my gosh, I'm so happy right now, I wish I had more to read. I bought like 11 books, and as much as I would love to gush about all of them, I shall spare you and comment on just a few:

The Brubaker Two Pack Daredevil and Captain America:

Captain America was definitely my book of the week. At the end of the book, I just stared at the last panel and breathed, "No f***ing way." This book knocked me on my ass, and Bucky's inner dialogue was just so, so good. His introspective thoughts about Steve brought a lot of emotion to the action scenes. The art was great as always. I really wish they would put this book out, like, daily.

Daredevil was really solid this week, and I enjoyed the hell out of it. I guess The Hood is going to be the premier villain of Marvel U, and it's interesting to see him come into Matt's world. I can't wait to see this conclusion where, hopefully, Matt finds Mr. Fear and beats the holy hell out of him. If not, Fear is a really great villain and I've had lots of fun with this arc.

Action Comics: Gary Frank, marry me. Tomorrow. Seriously.

Avengers Bonanza! Avengers: The Initiative and New Avengers Annual:

Avengers: The Initiative was interesting this week in that, I think, everyone in the Initiative died. Maybe. I'm curious to see where Slott's taking this, and this whole thing with alien weapons could be cool. And Mr. Slott, could we please have some more of the Irredeemable Ant-Man? That guy cracks me up.

New Avengers Annual was really awesome. The final panel is gut wrenching, and one of those, "Oh man, who knew it would go there?" kind of things. I had a blast reading this issue, and it finally moved some things along that seemed to be meandering in the monthly book. I'm really looking forward to next month's issue.

Is it possible? Even more Spider-Man? Ultimate Spider-Man and Spider-Man: With Great Power

Ultimate Spider-Man was great this month. I haven't bought this regularly for some time, but caught up in trades (well, sort of...I made it to the Deadpool trade). I feel like I haven't missed much and that's a good thing. This was a great book with lots of fun dialogue, and I'm really excited to see where this is going. And I love Immomen's art. He's a dandy.

Spider-Man: With Great Power...: Tony Harris, marry me. After I divorce Gary Frank. Seriously.

And that's about it. Of course, I have other books, but this is too long already. Oh, one last thought, how awesome was Green Lantern?

Neb, out!

[itsbecca]

Spider-Man: With Great Power...: Tony Harris, marry me. After I divorce Gary Frank. Seriously.


I loved looking at Harris' work in this book, but David Lapham... wowy wow wow. What the hell is writing? It's certainly not Spider-man. I don't understand what he's even trying to accomplish, it was absolutley horrendous.

[paper]

I can almost guarantee that you will not be able to figure out my personal Pick of the Week in less than 3 guesses.

(Now that I said that, maybe you will.)

Here's what I read:

Captain America
Daredevil
New Avengers Annual
Ultimate Spider-Man
The Spirit
JSA: Classified
Y: The Last Man
Suburban Glamour

[jimski]

grades are up: http://thisweekincomics.com/thisweekstatistics.php

Oh, I love the weeks when there's no SBOW. here's to good comics.

[paper]

Brubaker sure has a thing for women under mind control...

[fred]

ha! I hadn't thought of that.

[labor_days]

I can almost guarantee that you will not be able to figure out my personal Pick of the Week in less than 3 guesses.

Y:The Last Man?

(How are you reading Cap anyway? I don't understand. You claimed to not like the serious tone of the book when you jumped on in the middle of the whole Death Of Cap thing.)

[itsbecca]

I'm guessing Ultimate Spider-Man

[paper]

Nope (not Y).

I did stop reading Cap. Partly because I don't dig the tone so much (I like Daredevil though, so go fig). Main reason's the art I think. I really don't like it. Coloring too. It's that weird jewel tone color scheme Runaways has. It's like a Marvel thing I guess. This issue was good though (the writing I mean).

But not my pick.

[paper]

I'm guessing Ultimate Spider-Man

We have a winner.

[fred]

green lantern?

[labor_days]

Ultimate Spider-Man?

Ugh, Paper. Ugh.

[itsbecca]

We have a winner.

I knew it! What do I win?



green lantern?

You know I just started reading GL post-sinestro war. It's very enjoyable. I just makes me gleeful seeing all the alien races. "Look! LOOK! It's Green Lantern Golf Ball!"

[paper]

Ultimate Spider-Man is my pick this week (I feel like a student council nominee giving a speech) because it reminded me that I like Bendis. I haven't been enjoying New Avengers or Mighty Avengers lately, but this was a return to form. The timing is pitch perfect. I love the first two pages (Peter reading and Kenny doing push-ups). Pete wiping his hands on his hips while reading the book, the repeated last panel where Kenny wonders if Peter and Kitty ever "did it." I dunno, I could go on and on about details I liked, but simply put, I thought it was a well-executed book and it made me smile. This is the Bendis I prefer. Not that the other stuff is bad. I just like the character stuff.

Oh, and weird sort of theatre thing. It was cool how every character had a definite "want" or "need" in the ensemble scenes, and you could track the individual subplots throughout.

[paper]

Ultimate Spider-Man?

Ugh, Paper. Ugh.

In comparison to Y or Cap? Or you didn't like USM this week?

Y's a close second. Without saying too much in this thread, I had problems with the exposition. A-

[labor_days]

In comparison to Y or Cap? Or you didn't like USM this week?

Y's a close second. Without saying too much in this thread, I had problems with the exposition. A-
No judgment on your pick, Papes. Just poking you a bit. ;p

It feels a bit like someone asking what your favorite film of the year is, No Country Or TWbB; then you choose Juno.

Wait. Hold on. =D

[paper]

In fairness I still haven't seen No Country and TWbB.

I wasn't as affected by Y as a lot of people were. And I'm trying to figure out why. Because i wanted to be.

[paper]

I'm serious. Brubaker. Women under mind control. What's the deal?

[labor_days]

I really can't compare Y to USM. I wouldn't read the latter if you paid me. But I'll take your word for it that you enjoyed it.

Out of my stack, Y was the best book this week. And certainly the most important of the week.

[labor_days]

Just to get back to Batman for a second...

I thought it pretty snazzy for Morrison to give a call-out to Bill Finger in the credits. Along with all the old elements of early Batman; the cowl, helicopter, hard-boiled dialogue, the old Batmobile. Then you get the elements Morrison introduced in Batman & Son and 52.

More I think on it, the better Batman was this week. G-Mo is clever like a fox.

[luthor]

Just finished with Project: Superpowers. It's worth a look at. The art is pretty, the writing isn't stellar, but it's solid and the concept is fantastic. Some of the execution leaves a little to be desired but it's still good..and the first issue is a buck, what have you got to lose?

[racemccloud]

I loved looking at Harris' work in this book, but David Lapham... wowy wow wow. What the hell is writing? It's certainly not Spider-man. I don't understand what he's even trying to accomplish, it was absolutley horrendous.

I'll second that. Yeesh.

[racemccloud]

Ultimate Spider-Man is my pick this week (I feel like a student council nominee giving a speech) because it reminded me that I like Bendis. I haven't been enjoying New Avengers or Mighty Avengers lately, but this was a return to form. The timing is pitch perfect. I love the first two pages (Peter reading and Kenny doing push-ups). Pete wiping his hands on his hips while reading the book, the repeated last panel where Kenny wonders if Peter and Kitty ever "did it." I dunno, I could go on and on about details I liked, but simply put, I thought it was a well-executed book and it made me smile. This is the Bendis I prefer. Not that the other stuff is bad. I just like the character stuff.

Oh, and weird sort of theatre thing. It was cool how every character had a definite "want" or "need" in the ensemble scenes, and you could track the individual subplots throughout.

The scene where everyone keeps showing up at the high school is freakin' hilarious. I really enjoyed the light tone, even if you could see the last page reveal from page one on.

[lucero]

Random thoughts.

Avengers books-I don't know about anyone else but I'm kinda getting tired of the whole who's a skrull thing already. I was really excited about it initially but now I just want them to get on with it. I guess the hype machine got me.

Green Lantern- My first impression is that I'm not crazy about the Alpha Lanterns or their design but it does work in the story. And what's that "cosmic surgery" all about?:eek:

Black Adam-This whole series has been a suprise hit for me and I like the way it wrapped up. They could have chosen a better word but all in all it was a good series.

Action Comics-I really love the color on this book.

[paper]

Random thoughts.

Avengers books-I don't know about anyone else but I'm kinda getting tired of the whole who's a skrull thing already. I was really excited about it initially but now I just want them to get on with it. I guess the hype machine got me.



Yeah, I'm over it too. And I gave up on Countdown months ago. I'm just enjoying the stuff not touching the events so much (Astonishing, JSA, Daredevil) and other universes (USM, Buffy, SubGlam, Hellblazer).

[paper]

So.....Daredevil had an Oceanic Airline ad in it. What.....the...fuck?

Six, you've read everything Brubaker's ever written; any more instances of women under mind control?

This could be a thesis...

[lucero]

Yeah, I'm over it too. And I gave up on Countdown months ago. I'm just enjoying the stuff not touching the events so much (Astonishing, JSA, Daredevil) and other universes (USM, Buffy, SubGlam, Hellblazer).

I'm headed that way. I got sucked into the Messiah Complex and was left unsatisfied. Countdown has been better as of late but once it's over no more weekly books for me.

[labor_days]

Avengers books-I don't know about anyone else but I'm kinda getting tired of the whole who's a skrull thing already. I was really excited about it initially but now I just want them to get on with it. I guess the hype machine got me.
Nah. You're not alone in that feeling.

I got tired of the Skrull thing after 2 issues. I don't even read any Avengers books anymore. So uninteresting and forced. Major ugh.

[racemccloud]

Hey, guys! I thought this was a solid week, but not a stellar week. Eight books in total. Some quick hits:

Puke of the Week - Spider-Man: Power and Responsibility #1 - I really wanted to like this, and I really didn't. If you people thought Spidey was out of character in OMD... also, I feel like USM and the movies did a Spidey origin retelling that was better than what I read in this issue; I don't need to do that again. I'm probably not on on board for #2. And what in the hell was up with Uncle Ben's mustache? And since when does Uncle Ben have a mustache? I didn't know Peter's uncle was an emaciated Cliff Claven. You know. From "Cheers".

What If?: Spider-Man Vs. Wolverine - A "What If?" one shot that was fun, if not real deep. Spidey, Wolverine and some blonde chick working as black ops mercenaries from a point of divergence in some random Spidey/Wolvie team-up in the... mid eighties, I'm guessing? I actually enjoyed this, and it featured a hella sweet Spidey mercenary costume design.

Green Lantern #27 - Thank God John Stewart didn't join the Alpha Corps. He's too cool as is, and those Alpha Corps Lanterns are freaky as hell. Johns is setting up nicely the downspiral of the Lanterns leading to "Blackest Night". BTW, nice cameo by Johnny Crane.

Fantastic Four #553 - Future old people FF vs. current not-that-old FF, with Dr. Doom in the middle. I really enjoyed this issue, EVEN THOUGH it's a time travel issue (who would have thought?) The thoughts by Reed that timestreams are actually pretty hard to alter is a really neat time travel concept, and is explained in a way that makes sense, so hard for time travel stories. Plus, Doom is in it, and his reveals about the future are shocking in their own right, even if they're not true canon (although they could be.) Even though I'm looking foward to Hitch and Millar, I enjoyed this latest McDuffie/Pelletier arc.

Avengers: The Initiative #9 - I'm quickly becoming a huge Dan Slott fan, even moreso. This book is increasingly fascinating, and seems to be borrowing the New X-Men atmosphere of "nobody's safe". KIA seems like he could be a legitimate, new, scary villain for a long time to come, and I never thought I'd want so badly to see a Taskmaster/Irredeemable Ant-Man team-up. But now I do. ALMOST my POTW.

Ultimate Spider-Man #118 - Also almost my POTW. So much fun in the high school with the students, and when this book goes for long strectches without that element, I really feel the absence. Bringing Kitty on not just for a few issues but as a legitimate part of the supporting cast was a master-stroke, and the more Johnny Storm hangs around, the better. Here's a question, though... where's Flash Thompson? Oh, yeah... Spider-Man's in this book, too. But USM at its best has never needed Peter to put on the mask. I like Immomen, but thought his last arc seemed stronger than this one. Or maybe I just miss Bagley drawing the USM high school crew. Oh, well... (I'll assume the actual Super-Friending will commence next issue.)

The Mighty Avengers #8 - This book is so obviously in "hurry the hell up and catch up for Secret Invasion" mode it's not even funny. I read this immediately after NA Annual, and it took my brain a minute to comprehend that the newly established status quo of the NA Annual... hasn't happened yet in this book. Also, I love Bagley, and I've made that clear, but his work here is so rushed and choppy, it's really distracting. I can NOT blame him for that; you get the impression somebody shoved these six scripts on his desk and said, "Frank Cho screwed up. Please draw these issues in two weeks." The Tony inner monologue was good (and symbiote birds were funny), but it seems redundant, already having read the end of "Illuminati". Bendis must secretly hate Cho for messing all this up, because if all these books were being released concurrently, it would be amazing. Although I am very excited to read Bendis writing Doom next month.

New Avengers Annual #2 - Did not enjoy this as much as I hoped. First of all, it feels almost exactly like the NA Hood arc that just ended. It's like that fight was just repeated. Too much of the book seemed focused on addressing what happened to Dr. Strange during WW Hulk and how it effects the NA, like Bendis was trying to tie full Marvel continuity together all on his own. Hey, the fight was cool, and Spidey was awesome in the book, and I'm gonna give it a second read to make sure I got it all. Great twist at the end. And I like The Hood and all the second-tier villains getting their moments. Still, I think I'm just geared up for Secret Invasion and I'm having trouble getting into this story. I was hoping to be blown away, and it was just a solid read.

Pick of the Week - Captain America #34 - The single page Cap reveal alone makes this book the best I've read this week. The rest of the art and the story culminating as it did is icing on the cake. Spidey may be the Marvel flagship character, but Cap is Cap. He's the rock. Seeing him in action, in real action, brings on the goosebumps. And I've only been reading the book since Steve Roger's death. I really wish I had been on this ride since the beginning now; I need to go back for the trades. Great issue. Iconic imagery. Cap is back.

Drop of the Week: Batman - I've had enough of Grant Morrison's Bat-sanity. I'll take Paul Dini and Detective and that will be all, thank you very much.

[racemccloud]

Random thoughts.

Avengers books-I don't know about anyone else but I'm kinda getting tired of the whole who's a skrull thing already. I was really excited about it initially but now I just want them to get on with it. I guess the hype machine got me.




Not at all. I think, perhaps, they teased it a bit too early, and then went on with The Hood storyline in NA when they should have gone straight to the Skrulls and "Secret Invasion". It also doesn't help that Cho make a cluster you-know-what of the timing of the whole thing, and "Mighty" is so far behind everything.

I'm still huge excited for "Secret Invasion", far more than I am for "Final Crisis" or "Ultimatum". I am completely "Crisis'd" out. Bring on "Darkest Night", DC! (Or is it "Blackest Night"? Either way... bring it on!)

[racemccloud]

Nah. You're not alone in that feeling.

I got tired of the Skrull thing after 2 issues. I don't even read any Avengers books anymore. So uninteresting and forced. Major ugh.

Just how I feel about Countdown and JLA.

[dave-accampo]

Dammit, I just realized that I missed Ultimate Spider-man at my store. Argh. OK, I've been sans pull list for about a month, and I think I've decided that that's enough of the single life for me. Maybe it's time to get hitched to a retailer again!

[acomicbookgirl]

Dammit, I just realized that I missed Ultimate Spider-man at my store. Argh. OK, I've been sans pull list for about a month, and I think I've decided that that's enough of the single life for me. Maybe it's time to get hitched to a retailer again!

Tired of being single are you? ;)

[mikegraham6]

i liked that the S.H.I.E.L.D agent staked out in front of the New Avengers place were in an Oceanic Airlines fan. Cute touch

[fred]

So.....Daredevil had an Oceanic Airline ad in it. What.....the...fuck?



This week's Cap and last week's ASM had hidden Lost messages in them too.

[mikegraham6]

i liked that the S.H.I.E.L.D agent staked out in front of the New Avengers place were in an Oceanic Airlines fan. Cute touch

my bad, wrong comic:o

[mikegraham6]

This week's Cap and last week's ASM had hidden Lost messages in them too.

c'est quoi?

what were they?

[fred]

In Cap, Tony and the Secretary are talking on a platform. The tv behind them is on a news station. The crawl says: "Dr. Jack Shephard. The Lost ... Are Found. Details can be found at find815.com."

There's actually a bunch of them. Most of them are stupid. For example, Mighty Avengers #8 has a truck that says Oceanic on it.

A list:
Amazing Spider-Man 548
Avengers The Initiative #9
Cable & deadpool #49
Captain America #34
Captain America The Chosen #6
Daredevil #104
Fantastic Four #553
House of M Avengers #4
Incredible Hercules #113
Mighty Avengers #8
New Avengers Annual #2
New X-Men #46
She Hulk #25
Spider-Man Swing Director's Cut
Spider-Man With Great Power #1
Thunderbolts #118
Ultimate Iron Man 2 #2
Ultimate Spider-Man #118
Ultimate X-Men #90
Uncanny X-Men #494
What if Spider-Man vs. wolverine
Wolverine Origins #21
WWH Aftersmash Damage Control #1
WWH Aftersmash Warbound #2
X-Men Emperor Vulcan #5

[six-gun]

Six, you've read everything Brubaker's ever written; any more instances of women under mind control?


Scene of the Crime has aspects of brain-washing (specifically directed towards a female character) and volume three of Gotham Central has a Mad Hatter case in it that you could apply towards your thesis.

[mikegraham6]

I haven't read Green Lantern yet but i did flip through it. I really think DC has to stop giving sinestro rings to known villains....well not so much stop as slow down. The first introductions, in the Sinestro Corps Special, was an amazing surprise. Then when Mongul got one in GL: Corps was pretty bad ass as well, but giving one to the Scarecrow this week, while it made sense, seems like they are milking the concept for shock value. I don't have a problem with Crane having a ring, it could be a great concept, but really DC, slow down with this or it won't mean a thing next time you do it.

[neb]

I loved looking at Harris' work in this book, but David Lapham... wowy wow wow. What the hell is writing? It's certainly not Spider-man. I don't understand what he's even trying to accomplish, it was absolutley horrendous.

I thought about this last night, and realized that I think it seems little out of line with the regular Spider-Man because it's a Marvel Knights title. I mean, isn't that the whole point of Marvel Knights? It's supposed to give the character a little bit of a spin and tell a pseudo-Elseworlds tale.

[kahunablair]

I haven't read Green Lantern yet but i did flip through it. I really think DC has to stop giving sinestro rings to known villains....well not so much stop as slow down. The first introductions, in the Sinestro Corps Special, was an amazing surprise. Then when Mongul got one in GL: Corps was pretty bad ass as well, but giving one to the Scarecrow this week, while it made sense, seems like they are milking the concept for shock value. I don't have a problem with Crane having a ring, it could be a great concept, but really DC, slow down with this or it won't mean a thing next time you do it.

It didn't actually go down that way. They got the ring before Crane put it on. I don't really think it was anything other then a plot peice. They needed a reason for Jordan and Stewart to go to Oa, and that was what they came up with.
I doubt that it will keep heading in that same direction though, at least I hope!

[euchre0]

Just to get back to Batman for a second...

I thought it pretty snazzy for Morrison to give a call-out to Bill Finger in the credits. Along with all the old elements of early Batman; the cowl, helicopter, hard-boiled dialogue, the old Batmobile. Then you get the elements Morrison introduced in Batman & Son and 52.

More I think on it, the better Batman was this week. G-Mo is clever like a fox.

Can you explain some of it to me? Sometimes I like Morrison, sometimes I don't get it. This issue is one I definitely don't get. I did read through it very quickly, but it just seemed weird to me and had no place in the story until the last couple of pages.

I didn't dislike it, I just found myself saying "Huh?" several times.

[ryan79]

Apparently, this was 'Big-Ass Brawl Week' in my comic books because there was a big throw down in just about every one. Therefore....it was an awesome week.

-New Avengers Annual-Anytime a bunch of second and third tier bad guys get together for a huge Pier 6-er, then I'm in. I mean...Dr. Demonicus? Brother Grimm?? Cutthroat??? Yes, please.

-Avengers: The Initiative- Big-ass brawl? Check. Taskmaster being a total douchebag badass? Double check. I enjoyed the hell out of this book.

-The Spirit: Holiday Special- If this is what we can expect post-Darwyn Cooke, then sign me up. Except for the second story, I thought this was great. I have no fears for this series. Except for that whole cancellation thing that may happen sooner or later.

-Captain America: The Chosen- Well...that happened. Did we all feel warm and fuzzy after reading this? Nah...didn't think so.

-Countdown- The big-ass brawl bandwagon battles on. The dialog was painful at times, though. "You're a boy!" "No, I'm not!" "This is my world!" "It's my world now!" "You're stupid!" "No, you're stupid!"

-Captain America- I see there's a whole other thread for this, so I won't go into it other than say I give it a thumbs up.

[dave-accampo]

Read a few more:

Fantastic Four - This, I believe, marks the end of McDuffie's short run. This book was a lot of fun, and I'm sorry to see it end in order to bring on Millar and Hitch. This final chapter was very talky, but it was a smart, very simple time travel story with some nice little bits about the Four as a family.

New Avengers Annual - You know, I actually liked this more than I thought I would. Things I liked:

- New Avengers can't catch a break...they've got no status quo, and it's really starting to feel like there's just no rest for them.

- Spider-man taking the baby.

- The climax with Dr. Strange. I like showing the cost of magic.

- The bits with with Ms. Marvel and the SHIELD agents.

- The end with Jessica going to Stark Tower.


Those last two elements really showed movement in the story. Certainly not the best Bendis ever, but I thought this was decent.

Mighty Avengers, on the other hand, was pretty "meh." I think someone else posted this, but it really does feel like we're rushing to get to the story he really wants to tell, which is Secret Invasion. Didn't hate the issue, but it didn't do much for me.

[labor_days]

Can you explain some of it to me? Sometimes I like Morrison, sometimes I don't get it. This issue is one I definitely don't get. I did read through it very quickly, but it just seemed weird to me and had no place in the story until the last couple of pages.

I didn't dislike it, I just found myself saying "Huh?" several times.

Sure, be more specific though. What did you not understand exactly?

[mikegraham6]

best scenes in Mighty Avengers:
Hawkeye/Tony exchange
Tony's inner monologue when he creates the antidote

other than that, im VERY grateful the fight only lasted this one issue. I'm not too excited for the Doom stuff though, i kinda wish they'd get the ball moving on this Secret Invasion stuff, let New Avengers focus on the street threat (The Hood) and have Mighty launch a pre-emptive strike against the skrulls

[dave-accampo]

best scenes in Mighty Avengers:
Hawkeye/Tony exchange
Tony's inner monologue when he creates the antidote

other than that, im VERY grateful the fight only lasted this one issue. I'm not too excited for the Doom stuff though, i kinda wish they'd get the ball moving on this Secret Invasion stuff, let New Avengers focus on the street threat (The Hood) and have Mighty launch a pre-emptive strike against the skrulls

You know it's weird -- I kinda suspect (and this is just based on listening to Bendis in interviews, etc.) that he's purposely throwing stuff like the Symbiote invasion in there and then quickly dispatching it BECAUSE it's not his main focus.

What I mean is: whether successful or not, Bendis has often tried to subvert a lot of the formulas of classic super-hero stories. Often the big battle is all for naught. Victories are pyrrhic . I suspect that perhaps he's sort of taking what would NORMALLY be an "epic" story and just throwing it in there to say "oh, well, the Avengers are always fighting this sort of stuff -- it's just another day at the office for them. But while you think THAT's my main aim, I've actually got another card up my sleeve right here..."

Well, maybe that's just what i'm hoping it is.But when I see stuff the like Symbiote infestation shoe-horned in there, I have to wonder if that's intentional...

[kahunablair]

Well, maybe that's just what i'm hoping it is.But when I see stuff the like Symbiote infestation shoe-horned in there, I have to wonder if that's intentional...

I think you're right, Dave. Thats the same vibe I'm getting when I read either Avengers.

[euchre0]

Sure, be more specific though. What did you not understand exactly?

Don't try to get me to do the work myself!

:)

Basically, from page one, I was thinking, "This is all coma/dream induced, right?" So is that the case?

Second, the whole thing with the guy who was supposed to have killed the Waynes, what's the significance of that? Was it all in Bruce's head? Basically, I felt lost the entire time, but like I said, I kinda rushed through it. Do you think this specific issue has any influence on the rest of the story, or was this just a story to tell in Bruce's head? Sorry if that is too vague, but I just thought, "Uh, what?" throughout the issue.

Also, is Joe Chill in current continuity as the guy who killed the Waynes, or was that wiped out at some point?

[six-gun]

I always read a Morrison Batman very, very slowly

[gungadin]

Also, is Joe Chill in current continuity as the guy who killed the Waynes, or was that wiped out at some point?

Last I checked, Joe Chill as of the end of Infinite Crisis is in current continuity as the murderer of Bruce's parents.

[euchre0]

I always read a Morrison Batman very, very slowly

Good point. I'll read it slower and more deliberately tonight.


Last I checked, Joe Chill as of the end of Infinite Crisis is in current continuity as the murderer of Bruce's parents.
Well, then that confuses me even more.

[cormano]

New Avengers Annual #2 - This is my POW. It was a huge fight that still managed to move the story forward quite a bit. The New Avengers are out of a place to stay, Dr. Strange, who has been their big hitter lately, is out of commission and Jessica is turning herself in. The art itself was okay, but the page layouts were really good and added to the excitement of what was happening. I loved this book all around.

Avengers Initiative #9 - I'm still having trouble keeping track of who some of these characters are and if I knew and cared about them, KIA taking people out would probably have a bigger impact, but this was still a lot of fun and I'm hoping to see KIA move on to bigger targets in other books hopefully.

Spider-Man: Swing Shift - I missed this on FCBD. It was a decent little story, much better than the average FCBD giveaway, but not great for having to pay $4 for it. The backmatter was pretty interesting, though. On the editor's page, the last page of the book, he says he lied somewhere on the page… I'm hoping it's the where he said "Jackpot may be someone with a close relationship to Peter." I really REALLY don't what that to be MJ even though it's so obvious it is…

Spider-Man: With Great Responsibility #1 - Retelling the origin was totally unnecessary and annoying. Once it was past that, about halfway through the issue, it good though. I don't think it was that out of character for a 16 year old kid to do this, Peter Parker or not. The whole point of the story is that he's mad a bad decision, basically and I think this could be really interesting going forward, even if this was too much of an unnecessary setup issue.

Black Summer #5 - This is still good. The revelation that Tom Noir took control of the tank to commit suicide in an attempt to make the rest of the Guns go apeshit on the public is great. The whole scene of the two officers talking was really good and showed Ryp can do that kind of quiet, talking heads scene, which I honestly wouldn't have thought he could pull off. I can't wait to see how this series ends, two more issues. If you guys aren't reading it, definitely pick up the trade.

Wormwood: Calamari Rising #1 - The art in this was really pretty. That's about all I can say about it so far. Not much happens. It's basically 22 pages of the cast standing outside, looking at the sky going "THUMP" and saying "some shits about to go down!" It was worth it for the art and I think it will get good once the shit actually starts to go down.

Didn't read: Mighty Avengers (still haven't gotten the last issue), House of M: Avengers (I'm just going to wait for the rest of the series to come out), Narcopolis (shop didn't get me a copy)

[darkknightjrk]

Don't try to get me to do the work myself!

:)

Basically, from page one, I was thinking, "This is all coma/dream induced, right?" So is that the case?

Second, the whole thing with the guy who was supposed to have killed the Waynes, what's the significance of that? Was it all in Bruce's head? Basically, I felt lost the entire time, but like I said, I kinda rushed through it. Do you think this specific issue has any influence on the rest of the story, or was this just a story to tell in Bruce's head? Sorry if that is too vague, but I just thought, "Uh, what?" throughout the issue.

Also, is Joe Chill in current continuity as the guy who killed the Waynes, or was that wiped out at some point?

From what I understand, all the stuff in his mind was taken from actual memories, and all the big stories (like Joe Chill and him isolated in the machine) were taken from other comic stories from the late 40s/early 50s.

[labor_days]

Don't try to get me to do the work myself!

:)

Basically, from page one, I was thinking, "This is all coma/dream induced, right?" So is that the case?

Second, the whole thing with the guy who was supposed to have killed the Waynes, what's the significance of that? Was it all in Bruce's head? Basically, I felt lost the entire time, but like I said, I kinda rushed through it. Do you think this specific issue has any influence on the rest of the story, or was this just a story to tell in Bruce's head? Sorry if that is too vague, but I just thought, "Uh, what?" throughout the issue.

Also, is Joe Chill in current continuity as the guy who killed the Waynes, or was that wiped out at some point?

Ok, I don't have my copy with me now. If I am off on something, please forgive me.

The visions and memories were induced by Batman's near death experience. He had a heart attack on the rooftop last issue. During this time Bats is recalling various aspects of his current and historical continuity.

This experience is contrasted with his recent death-like ritual in 52 and his historical attempts with sensory isolation.

Joe Chill is the murderer of Bat's parents.

The scenes with Joe Chill being paranoid were meant to mirror the varying stages of Batman's historical obsession with vengeance. From the times when Bats killed people way back in the silver/golden age, his more demonic appearance in early comics/history (as seen in New Frontier), the affected "noir" dialogue, etc.

Batman even ruminates that a such a creature as himself had never been before (which is true, historically). What we see in between panels is the fragmented psyche of Batman, almost on a conceptual level. And the method by which he built this persona as we the readers know it on a meta level.

[euchre0]

thanks, fellas! I'll read it again tonight with your points in mind.

I couldn't even tell if that was Joe Chill or not.

[itsbecca]

I thought about this last night, and realized that I think it seems little out of line with the regular Spider-Man because it's a Marvel Knights title. I mean, isn't that the whole point of Marvel Knights? It's supposed to give the character a little bit of a spin and tell a pseudo-Elseworlds tale.

I assume that's what was going through their heads. Maybe. Hopefully, but still I don't know, that's a fishy explanation. Play with him, play with his circumstances... but making him a dick? I don't know. Besides, I feel like the entire concept of going back to his roots is completley superfluous with all that's going on with BND.

[six-gun]

I thought Power and Responsibility was a major ugh. Harris' art was fantastic but the writing was crap. That's even if you take away the Spider-dick aspect

[mikegraham6]

so i really really want to drop Ultimate X-Men but they keep throwing reasons to keep me on. Ultimate Apocalypse? im there.....

i wonder though, how can Kirkman write something two AMAZING books like Invincible and The Walking Dead yet suck it up so bad on UXM? I can understand a dip in quality, but it's like I'm reading two different writers...

[muady]

I totally dug Batman this week.

I don't understand why people can't stomach Morrison's Batman. . .

Dini's Detective is sure easier to read but. . . I'm hard pressed to name a comic book out there right now, other than Batman, that I would consider challenging to read. Challenge=good in my book.

Stream of consciousness in a comic book? I'm all over that. And truth be told, its not really that difficult to read; it is a rather dumbed down kind of modernism but it is definitely taking steps towards becoming more literate than monthly penny-dreadfuls.

[labor_days]

I don't understand why people can't stomach Morrison's Batman. . . I went on about this earlier today.

I think it stems from Morrison's arcane reference material and an atypical approach to what is a very mainstream book. G-Mo is tossing out ideas like confetti. It can be too much at times for some folks.

Totally eating it up myself and even I'm not sure what is happening at times. I enjoy the challenge and mindfuck of it all.

[humphrey-lee]

So far I'm only halfway through my stack, and except for Y nothing is more than average, but HOLY FUCK! I've been seeing nothing but goddamn excellent art.

Harris on "...with Great Power"
Cascioli on Trials of Shazam
McKelvie in Suburban Glamour
and hell, even Jeremy Rock's work on Narcopolis blew me away, and my previous exposure to his stuff was that it was pretty average.

Sadly, I doubt half the comic buying public even knows who the hell these guys are, and they should all be stars.

[labor_days]

Should be getting Necropolis, Wormwood and a few others over the weekend. Liked what I saw of Rock's work.

[itsbecca]

I totally dug Batman this week.

I don't understand why people can't stomach Morrison's Batman. . .

Dini's Detective is sure easier to read but. . . I'm hard pressed to name a comic book out there right now, other than Batman, that I would consider challenging to read. Challenge=good in my book.

Stream of consciousness in a comic book? I'm all over that. And truth be told, its not really that difficult to read; it is a rather dumbed down kind of modernism but it is definitely taking steps towards becoming more literate than monthly penny-dreadfuls.

You have to let go of convention a little. This weeks issue was much less about content and more about creating a mood and feeling, getting into that frame of mind. So I can see why it would be difficult for some to stomach. But I'm with you. I liked it.

[euchre0]

I went on about this earlier today.

I think it stems from Morrison's arcane reference material and an atypical approach to what is a very mainstream book. G-Mo is tossing out ideas like confetti. It can be too much at times for some folks.

Totally eating it up myself and even I'm not sure what is happening at times. I enjoy the challenge and mindfuck of it all.

i re-read it a while ago and it made much more sense. I think the key was slowing it down. Or it could be that smarter people explained it to me.

[cammyknoxville]

Captain America #34- I've bee following this book since the end of Civil War, and I gotta say I really enjoyed this issue. Bucky knows he'll never replace Steve as Captain America, but the shield needs to be helmed to keep the baddies away. The one move he did with the shield (using it as a distraction, then hitting them when they weren't looking) is a move I always used to do in Dodgeball.

Suburban Glamour #3- As much as I'm ga-ga for the art, it just seems that this book should be six issues long instead of four. It feels like the ending is going to be very rushed.

Black Adam #6- Kinda disappointed on what the word was. Kinda disappointed that he gave his powers to Mary in Countdown. However, I know I won't be disappointed when he finds out what Faust did, and get his rather bloody and brutal revenge.

Narcopolis #1- Was getting annoyed with all the text LikeThis. This being issue one though, I'll give it a few more issues before I decide whether to drop it or not.

Black Summer #5- Kinda seemed like Ellis went on a little political rant at the end. Other than that, I'm really digging this book, and simply cannot wait for the beautiful HC to come out.

The Spirit #13- Three stories for the price of one?? THAT is what I call a fun comic book. I especially enjoyed Simone's story at the end with no words, just pictures. Reminded me of Sergio Aragones' A MAD Look At... features with no words, just pictures in the word bubbles.

Green Lantern #27- I have a bad feeling about the Alpha Lanterns. I worry that they'll malfunction like the Manhunters. Those who don't study their history, are doomed to repeat it.

Proof #4- Not a whole lot of action this issue. Judging by the summary for the next issue in the back of the book though, it looks like I'll be rewarded next issue.

[humphrey-lee]

Narcopolis #1- Was getting annoyed with all the text LikeThis. This being issue one though, I'll give it a few more issues before I decide whether to drop it or not.



It's only four issues actually, so might as well stick around.

[cormano]

I don't see what Peter did that was so dickish in With Great Power. He argued to get the other wrestlers more pay. Yeah, he sold the car and raced Flash… for a 16 year old that just got super powers and a wad of cash and is trying to impress a girl… seems like a pretty reasonable course of actions.

[euchre0]

I don't see what Peter did that was so dickish in With Great Power. He argued to get the other wrestlers more pay. Yeah, he sold the car and raced Flash… for a 16 year old that just got super powers and a wad of cash and is trying to impress a girl… seems like a pretty reasonable course of actions.

It didn't seem like Peter was a dick to me either. However, I didn't really like the issue, but I can't put my finger on the reason. Maybe it was because I just read some old issues of "Untold Tales of Spider-Man," which is GREAT stuff from early in Spider-Man lore. In any case, it wasn't too great.

I don't usually nitpick with stuff like "Why does Uncle Ben have a mustache!" because it doesn't affect the story and the story isn't exactly "canon" (what is, really?) But still...why add a mustache? Maybe he'll shave it and Peter and May get mad at him for that, so when he gets shot, they feel even worse because the last time they talked to him, the argued over a mustache.:rolleyes:

[six-gun]

I somehow missed Gotham Underground #3 and then when last week's #4 came in the mail I couldn't read it. SO yesterday I went to my shop to get #3 and they were sold out :mad:

[six-gun]

I don't see what Peter did that was so dickish in With Great Power. He argued to get the other wrestlers more pay. Yeah, he sold the car and raced Flash… for a 16 year old that just got super powers and a wad of cash and is trying to impress a girl… seems like a pretty reasonable course of actions.

That aside, I just thought the writing was bad and the story uninteresting

[itsbecca]

I don't see what Peter did that was so dickish in With Great Power. He argued to get the other wrestlers more pay. Yeah, he sold the car and raced Flash… for a 16 year old that just got super powers and a wad of cash and is trying to impress a girl… seems like a pretty reasonable course of actions.

Dick wasn't the best description. I just hated it so much that I didn't want to spend much time explaining why. But, for example, the getting more pay thing felt just entirely tacked on. I had no reason to beleive that statement and it was a complete throwaway line. It just feels like Lapham is trying to write Spider-man into the Stray Bullets universe. It's just such a poor poor trap to fall into as a writer.

[six-gun]

Gary Frank! :eek:

the guy can draw

[muady]

The Alpha Lanterns creeped the hell out of me this week. . .

Geoff Johns has never made me uncomfortable before, but something about that "cosmic surgery". . .

[dave-accampo]

Read a few more books today. Most were good.

Daredevil #104 - Wow, this was a really good issue. I'm digging this storyline. Brubaker's on fire with this and Cap in the same week. Makes up for the "meh" Young Avengers from last week. :D

House of M Avengers #4 - I know not many are reading this, but this is a damn fun book. I'm enjoying it waaaaay more than I thought I would. I would probably buy this if it were an ongoing. It's got a bunch of oddball characters in mixes that you wouldn't necessarily expect. I do think the end of this issue was a little rushed. You've got a face off with Kingpin and his crew that should have had a little more weight to it. I think this should have been a 6 issue series, and it would have been perfect.

Suburban Glamour #3 - The book looks amazing, but i have to admit that I'm finding the story just OK. I know it's a popular book here, but...the second issue had a big bunch o' exposition, and this issue just feels very familiar. It's the Matrix with Faeries, right down to the line of dialogue about "bending the rules" of the world. It also reminds me of a much more hipster version of Books of Magic. None of this is to say that it's bad -- I'm just a tad underwhelmed by the story. The visuals, as always, are fantastic.

Salem: Queen of Thorns #0 - There's a text piece from -- well, someone at Boom! Studios -- on their editorial page that talks about how they don't like screenwriters bringing in their unproduced screenplays to turn them into comics, because that's not what they're about. I find this a bit ironic since that's EXACTLY what this book feels like (and hey, don't get me wrong, I love the Boom! guys, and they're very nice, but I just gotta call this one). Maybe the writers really do love comic books, but...their craft here just isn't up to par. This is the type of concept that I'd really groove on, but the combination of art and writing just fails next to some of the other, more expertly crafted books I've read this week. They rely solely on dialogue and action, but the scenes are too short and confusing. They lack proper impact. And the art, while not terrible, does not do justice to the complicated actions called for in the script. You really get the sense that this was imagined as a movie or TV show first. Too bad.

Ultimate Spider-man #118 - I can see why Paper picked this as his book of the week. This was some damn fine comics. This reminds me exactly of how good Bendis can be. And in contrast to the aforementioned Salem book, Bendis knows how to craft a truly satisfying comic book. The single page with Kenny doing push-ups is probably one of my favorite single-page comic book scenes ever. This comic just WORKS on every level.

[kahunablair]

Suburban Glamour #3 - The book looks amazing, but i have to admit that I'm finding the story just OK. I know it's a popular book here, but...the second issue had a big bunch o' exposition, and this issue just feels very familiar. It's the Matrix with Faeries, right down to the line of dialogue about "bending the rules" of the world. It also reminds me of a much more hipster version of Books of Magic. None of this is to say that it's bad -- I'm just a tad underwhelmed by the story. The visuals, as always, are fantastic.
Dave, I feel exactly the same way.


Ultimate Spider-man #118 - I can see why Paper picked this as his book of the week. This was some damn fine comics. This reminds me exactly of how good Bendis can be. And in contrast to the aforementioned Salem book, Bendis knows how to craft a truly satisfying comic book. The single page with Kenny doing push-ups is probably one of my favorite single-page comic book scenes ever. This comic just WORKS on every level.
That Kenny push-up page was fantastic. I think he's becoming one of my favorite characters of that whole series.

[optimus187prime]

Dick wasn't the best description. I just hated it so much that I didn't want to spend much time explaining why. But, for example, the getting more pay thing felt just entirely tacked on. I had no reason to beleive that statement and it was a complete throwaway line. It just feels like Lapham is trying to write Spider-man into the Stray Bullets universe. It's just such a poor poor trap to fall into as a writer.

I didnt care for this book (except the art). I just came away saying "thats not peter parker". It just felt like a different person was in Peter's skin and circumstances(Hmmmm... Maybe he is a Skrull). Have you ever had a friend who had a big life defining moment (near death, close loss, etc.) and after that they were never the same ? I think that may be what they are getting at with this series, but I guess I just dont care who Peter was in this period of his life (or I dont like it). Either way I will not continue this series in trade nor floppies. On a side note the art of course is perfect and in fact is the only reason I picked this book up (I dont normally buy floppies).

[idave]

I have to say, so far I think my POW is green Lantern #27. Its just so good in an epic space type of way. I havent finished Action or Superpowers yet though, so I don't know.

[jasontodd]

I have to say, so far I think my POW is green Lantern #27. Its just so good in an epic space type of way. I havent finished Action or Superpowers yet though, so I don't know.

I agree, GL #27 was fantastic, but because Sinestro War was so good, the next year or so of issues may be forgotten.

[labor_days]

Just read Death Of The New Gods #5. So, Genesis (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Genesis_(DC_Comics)) is back in continuity?

What a dense read Death Of The New Gods is every month. I hope those people not reading Death Of The New Gods are able to follow the events of Countdown and the upcoming Final Crisis. This shit seems pretty damn important at the moment.

Could it be that Darkseid figures out a way to destroy The Source of Creation, where Zeus and the other old Gods could not?

[racemccloud]

Dave, I feel exactly the same way.


That Kenny push-up page was fantastic. I think he's becoming one of my favorite characters of that whole series.

I really want to see him interacting with Flash sometime soon. Now that Kong has grown a pair, it should be a fun scene.

[racemccloud]

I totally dug Batman this week.

I don't understand why people can't stomach Morrison's Batman. . .

Dini's Detective is sure easier to read but. . . I'm hard pressed to name a comic book out there right now, other than Batman, that I would consider challenging to read. Challenge=good in my book.

Stream of consciousness in a comic book? I'm all over that. And truth be told, its not really that difficult to read; it is a rather dumbed down kind of modernism but it is definitely taking steps towards becoming more literate than monthly penny-dreadfuls.

Not a fan of Morrison's interpretation. But I found my ideal Batman about 15 years ago, and it's Dini's.

However, I'm also loving Frank Miller's All-Star Bats. Who knew?

[labor_days]

I totally dug Batman this week.

I don't understand why people can't stomach Morrison's Batman. . .

Dini's Detective is sure easier to read but. . . I'm hard pressed to name a comic book out there right now, other than Batman, that I would consider challenging to read. Challenge=good in my book.

Stream of consciousness in a comic book? I'm all over that. And truth be told, its not really that difficult to read; it is a rather dumbed down kind of modernism but it is definitely taking steps towards becoming more literate than monthly penny-dreadfuls.
So on the mark, bro.

Morrison's Batman so frequently shames other comics in concept alone.

Real talk.

[racemccloud]

So on the mark, bro.

Morrison's Batman so frequently shames other comics in concept alone.

Real talk.

I don't know. To me, it reads a bit overwritten. It's almost like he's trying to hard to think outside the box. Batman, as a concept, works. Why go so far away from that? (Of course, I'm really enjoying "ASB&R", as I said, which makes me a bit of a hypocrite). Morrison's "Batman" has kind of made me lose any interest I may have had in "Final Crisis".

[mastap]

His recent issues have been the average metatextual type of fare I expext from Morrison. It's not bad, but like a lot of Morrison works, it comes off as just a little too incoherent. That being said, it's not bad, and "Club of Heroes" was one of the best Batman stories in years, so I have faith.

[labor_days]

I don't know. To me, it reads a bit overwritten. It's almost like he's trying to hard to think outside the box. Batman, as a concept, works. Why go so far away from that?Morrison actually hasn't messed with the concept of Batman that much. He's still Batman and still punches people in the face.

Only it's less rote and straight forward compared to your Dini or such.

Morrison has delved deeper into Batman's history, psyche and persona than anyone in recent years. Which I find rather refreshing from Batman kicking in windshields.

Definitely, not for everyone. Which is a good thing.

That being said, it's not bad, and "Club of Heroes" was one of the best Batman stories in years, so I have faith.Oh man, the International Batmen arc was amazing.

Those issues.

Yeah.

[gungadin]

Oh man, the International Batmen arc was amazing.

Those issues.

Yeah.

I need to read those again...

[labor_days]

I would seriously buy an Absolute HC Omnibus of just those issues from the Club Of Heroes arc. Just to see William's art and that gorgeous coloring on a larger scale.

Make it happen, DC. I swear I'll buy two copies...

[humphrey-lee]

I would seriously buy an Absolute HC Omnibus of just those issues from the Club Of Heroes arc. Just to see William's art and that gorgeous coloring on a larger scale.

Make it happen, DC. I swear I'll buy two copies...

If that's the case I say Absolute Promethea. That and Desolation Jones are still the prime cases for his work. Hrms... I think I might know what's going on the reread pile next.

[humphrey-lee]

I just submitted my Y: TLM review for the week, somewhere in the realm of 900 words or so. Issue of the year until something else comes along and makes a strong case otherwise. There looks to be a ton of good projects coming though, so it could have some competition. WALKING DEAD #50 comes to mind...

[six-gun]

I would seriously buy an Absolute HC Omnibus of just those issues from the Club Of Heroes arc. Just to see William's art and that gorgeous coloring on a larger scale.

Make it happen, DC. I swear I'll buy two copies...

three issues? really?

[six-gun]

I really loved Batman, second only to Captain America. Sometimes it's nice to be able to parce-apart a mainstream superhero comic the way you would a book in Freshman English

[labor_days]

three issues? really?
Yessssss!

I absolutely loved what Morrison/Williams did in that arc. A page by page breakdown, writer notes to parse out what ideas were Morrison and which were Williams, lovely large art to look at and dissect; I would pour such a hard cover into a glass and drink it.

(Of course, this is all completely implausible. No one is going to Absolute 3 issues. But a man can dream, no?)

[mikegraham6]

im 100 % with you labor. I can't really add anything more to this conversation without repeating all your points ;)