Ed Brubaker meets Catwoman and then kills giant bugs in my weekly column

[six-gun]

This week (http://www.1up.com/do/blogEntry?bId=8181489&publicUserId=5580066#comments), I have a review of Ed Brubaker's first three Catwoman volumes and Earth Defense Force 2017, am happy/sad about the last Gotham Central trade's release and bemoan the possibility of a MGS4-less Christmas.

[paper]

Good work, Six.

You'll be happy to know that this Catwoman run and Gotham Central are both on my short list.

[six-gun]

Good work, Six.

You'll be happy to know that this Catwoman run and Gotham Central are both on my short list.

Thanks, I've actually ordered some of his old old comics (he did a run on Tom Strong?!?!) off Mycomicshop.com and am curious to check them out.

However, I'm not sure how vigorously I'm going to pursue my "read all of Brubaker's stuff" goal, there's just so much! However I'm going to get as much as possible under my belt (my secret desire is to be the iFanboy rev3 Brubaker expert... shhh!!!) before graduation.

[six-gun]

Next week is all quick hits by the way and will be put up Wednesday because I'm off to War College Thursday, there will be a guest column from someone the next week. Possibly Kwok.

[kwok_talk]

War college always sounds funny every time you've said it.

[six-gun]

War college always sounds funny every time you've said it.

Really? Why?

[paper]

It's just an interesting juxtaposition.

[six-gun]

It's just an interesting juxtaposition.

Yeah, I can see that.

http://www.lead-america.org/conferences/cslc/jwc.asp

[kwok_talk]

The MGS4 delay is a huge hurt, but I don't think that alone would doom the PS3 like some people are flipping out about. Earth Defense Force looks super fun in a dumb way. I like the way you phrased it as being fun but a sucky game - those are a killer b/c they don't quite justify the purchase, but give you enough reasons to want to buy it.

[six-gun]

The MGS4 delay is a huge hurt, but I don't think that alone would doom the PS3 like some people are flipping out about. Earth Defense Force looks super fun in a dumb way. I like the way you phrased it as being fun but a sucky game - those are a killer b/c they don't quite justify the purchase, but give you enough reasons to want to buy it.

I think you'd really like EDF, definitely don't buy it, but if you have access to 360 rental, then absolutely go for it.

[jgg0610]

Nice column. Particularly enjoyed the Catwoman review. I'll have to add these to the list. Gotta love that Darwyn Cooke art. Have you read Catwoman: When in Rome yet? If not, you should. Great Tim Sale art. There are a lot of similarities between Cooke and Sale.

[six-gun]

Nice column. Particularly enjoyed the Catwoman review. I'll have to add these to the list. Gotta love that Darwyn Cooke art. Have you read Catwoman: When in Rome yet? If not, you should. Great Tim Sale art. There are a lot of similarities between Cooke and Sale.

No, but it's on my list (I'm a big Loeb/Sale fan)

[jgg0610]

No, but it's on my list (I'm a big Loeb/Sale fan)
This was only the third one of their collaborations that I've read and it was incredible. Loeb's an okay writer but Sale's art is astounding. I've read that stuff that both of them have done with other people and it's never as good as when they work together.

[six-gun]

This was only the third one of their collaborations that I've read and it was incredible. Loeb's an okay writer but Sale's art is astounding. I've read that stuff that both of them have done with other people and it's never as good as when they work together.

Absolutely.

[paper]

So the Brubaker/Cooke combo really works? It's such a weird pairing. I love them both, but for different reasons.

[six-gun]

So the Brubaker/Cooke combo really works? It's such a weird pairing. I love them both, but for different reasons.

Yes, they're both excellent storytellers and they compliment each other rather than clash.

[jgg0610]

This discussion brings up an interesting question: is Cooke's art better when he's the writer or when he's working with someone else?

For me, it seems to be better when he's the writer as well for instance on Spirit and New Frontier, it was amazing.

[paper]

Yeah, that was a question I had too. I love The Spirit, but I didn't like The Batman/Spirit he did as much. He had a co-writer on that one....his name escapes me....

[jgg0610]

Yeah, that was a question I had too. I love The Spirit, but I didn't like The Batman/Spirit he did as much. He had a co-writer on that one....his name escapes me....
Jeph Loeb

10

[paper]

Haha, I thought it was Dini. But I don't like Loeb either so. Hahaha....

(I actually do like Dini, save for the one glaring exception. Countdown is dope.)

[jgg0610]

Haha, I thought it was Dini. But I don't like Loeb either so. Hahaha....

(I actually do like Dini, save for the one glaring exception. Countdown is dope.)
Have you ever seen a picture of his wife? Talk about the numbers not lining up.

[six-gun]

This discussion brings up an interesting question: is Cooke's art better when he's the writer or when he's working with someone else?

For me, it seems to be better when he's the writer as well for instance on Spirit and New Frontier, it was amazing.

I'm with you, but the Catwoman stuff is still great.

[six-gun]

Have you ever seen a picture of his wife? Talk about the numbers not lining up.

He saw a picture of her in this week's Detective. (Zatana)

[six-gun]

Maybe I should clarify that last post, Paul Dini's wife is also a magician and her look has evolved into one very similar to both Zatana and his new Top Cow character Madame Mirage.

[kwok_talk]

Have you ever seen a picture of his wife? Talk about the numbers not lining up.

Couldn’t seem to find a picture of either. So as of now, I envision Dini’s wife to look like Zatanna and Dini to look like the Penguin.

[conorkilpatrick]

Couldn’t seem to find a picture of either. So as of now, I envision Dini’s wife to look like Zatanna and Dini to look like the Penguin.

http://ronniedelcarmen.com/new_images/tiradeposts/wondercon_06c.jpg

[drwally]

Couldn’t seem to find a picture of either. So as of now, I envision Dini’s wife to look like Zatanna and Dini to look like the Penguin.

That's two top hats, His and Hers! Gotta love that!

On Catwoman (first trade)- Hmmmm, I thought the Slam Bradley portion of the first Catwoman trade was absolutely fantastic, but the first story arc of the new launch of Catwoman was kind of...by the numbers... Of course the art was fantastic.

I'm also desperate for next (and last) Gotham Central trade to come out -- argh, why must it take so long?! My thing is this - I love Brubaker, but I can only take him in a certain dosage (which is pretty high, actually). I went from binging on Brubaker to binging on Bendis. Nice change of pace, always nice to switch from one to the other, going in either direction.

[kwok_talk]

Haha, thanks Conor. JGG’s point is well-taken. Are they cos-playing?

[conorkilpatrick]

Haha, thanks Conor. JGG’s point is well-taken. Are they cos-playing?

They are not.

[six-gun]

That's two top hats, His and Hers! Gotta love that!

On Catwoman (first trade)- Hmmmm, I thought the Slam Bradley portion of the first Catwoman trade was absolutely fantastic, but the first story arc of the new launch of Catwoman was kind of...by the numbers... Of course the art was fantastic.


The Slam Bradley portion was my favorite part of the whole run, period.

[drwally]

The Slam Bradley portion was my favorite part of the whole run, period.

Absolutely agree, no question. That was really great stuff. I also kind of liked it because it was a tip of the hat to a character, Slam Bradley, that Seigel and Shuster did before Supes and the Bat came along, and I think it was in the pages of Detective Comics, between 1936-1938. I love how Brubaker really knows how to pick up good stuff from the past, homage it, but also use it really well, even better, given what's possible in comics today.

[six-gun]

Absolutely agree, no question. That was really great stuff. I also kind of liked it because it was a tip of the hat to a character, Slam Bradley, that Seigel and Shuster did before Supes and the Bat came along, and I think it was in the pages of Detective Comics, between 1936-1938. I love how Brubaker really knows how to pick up good stuff from the past, homage it, but also use it really well, even better, given what's possible in comics today.

There were some really funny parts to that story, especially the end! I got quite a few laughs out of those 40 pages

[drwally]

There were some really funny parts to that story, especially the end! I got quite a few laughs out of those 40 pages

It was, and I have to say, as someone who is not usually surprised by an ending I might have seen coming, that was quite an ending. The whole thing was straight 50s Noir, played deadpan serious, with none of the comic bits feeling forced at all. The way it moved back and forth through time effortlessly as it told the story was excellent. I guess after that, the second half of the trade (from Catwoman #1 onwards) was bound to dissapoint. And both Slam and Selina looked great. Loved his hat, loved her haircut.

I think pulling out that Slam and Selina story and really taking a close look at how it was constructed might be a good idea for us aspiring writers...

[six-gun]

It was, and I have to say, as someone who is not usually surprised by an ending I might have seen coming, that was quite an ending. The whole thing was straight 50s Noir, played deadpan serious, with none of the comic bits feeling forced at all. The way it moved back and forth through time effortlessly as it told the story was excellent. I guess after that, the second half of the trade (from Catwoman #1 onwards) was bound to dissapoint. And both Slam and Selina looked great. Loved his hat, loved her haircut.

I think pulling out that Slam and Selina story and really taking a close look at how it was constructed might be a good idea for us aspiring writers...

The way he pulled off their relationship's conclusion was brilliant as well.

[kwok_talk]

I just ordered Gotham Central from the library. I totally think of your column when I think of that book.

[six-gun]

I just ordered Gotham Central from the library. I totally think of your column when I think of that book.

I've been really wanting to go check out my library's GN section, but my mom keeps putting off taking some books back because of the late fee.

I keep telling her that it keeps piling up the longer she puts it off, but nooooOOOooo.

[jgg0610]

Haha, thanks Conor. JGG’s point is well-taken. Are they cos-playing?
I wasn't just guessing. I had also recently rewatched the San Diego comic con video podcast from last year where they are both featured prominently and it just became real obvious looking at the two of them.

[six-gun]

My favorite part of posting my column is seeing where the rabbit trails of discussion goes. I never thought that it would lead to a conversation about Paul Dini having a hot wife, but hey, it's funny and I'm glad to have fostered this particular whackiness

[jgg0610]

My favorite part of posting my column is seeing where the rabbit trails of discussion goes. I never thought that it would lead to a conversation about Paul Dini having a hot wife, but hey, it's funny and I'm glad to have fostered this particular whackiness
Isn't thread drift a wonderful thing?

[six-gun]

Isn't thread drift a wonderful thing?

paper should write a paper on it

[jgg0610]

paper should write a paper on it
LOL!

..10...