This week I read my usual titles and quite a few others. Each week I am going to try to read at least a few that I haven't reviewed before, so that I can avoid resorting to spoiler-filled issue summaries. These are all transplanted from my myspace blog.
All-Star Superman #7 (dc) *HIGHLY RECOMMENDED*
Doesn't get much crazier than Grant Morrison writing Bizarro! His take is that Bizarro World is a living planet that's trying to eat the earth. Please read the damn thing for further explanation.
This issue we get another fantastic concept, another imaginative conflict resolution, more Quitely art to die for, and for the first time in this series, a "to be continued..."! This story is actually complete like the others have been, but rather than ending with the conclusion, this issue seamlessly continues with a segue into the next adventure.
Any issue is a great time to jump into this comic. It has no ties to any other superman continuity, and your opinion of the character doesn't mean shit. You won't believe how good this comic is. The spoiler below is a large cover scan. Look.
(Morrison/ Quitely)
BPRD: Garden of Souls #2 (dark horse) *HIGHLY RECOMMENDED*
The mystery of Landon Everett Caul, aka Abe Sapien continues to unfold. This comic gives me very real creeps, and this time even a shiver, at a horrifying glimpse of a Lovecraftian apocalypse. The pacing and art are fucking perfect. In my opinion this is among the best horror comics of all time, and certainly the best modern one. Hellboy doesn't count because I won't compare it to it's spin-off. I'm a little afraid that if I did, I'd have to admit that BPRD is even better!
(Mignola & Arcudi/ G. Davis)
Conan and the Midnight God #3 (dark horse)
Editor Scott Allie does a great job of keeping the DH Conan line true to the way he was characterized in the original pulp stories by creator Robert E. Howard.
This particular issue didn't exactly blow me away, but I enjoyed it because the writing and art are both well done, and Conan is one of my favorite characters, period. Plus it has monsters, so I'm happy.
Going by my new rule of which comics to buy and which to just read, I probably should have dropped Midnight God, to be honest. In fact I actually did, as you can see by yesterday's blog entry, but then changed my mind. This the last of the Conan minis, with only two more issues to go, and I have gotten every DH Conan comic so far. Normally I am not the type of person to be bothered by a broken run, but this is a special case, since I'm a Conan fanatic.
(Dysart/ W. Conrad)
Fables #60 (vertigo/ dc) *HIGHLY RECOMMENDED*
I have said before that this comic is the next Sandman, and now I will elaborate a little. A lot of Gaiman fans consider the Sandman to be fantasy literature, unlike all other comics, which are pulp trash. Such is also the quality of Fables, that in ten years, people who don't read comics will be buying the trades for thier friends.
This is not an easy comic to jump into the middle of, and in fact I think it won't be fully appreciated unless you start at the beginning. Normally that is a major detriment to my opinion of a book, but I can't deny that this is a future classic. To quote a very accurate review I once read (sorry I don't know who I'm quoting), it "rewards loyalty and close attention to detail". Try out the trades, and for the love of god, PLEASE go on through vol.2, at least. The first story arc is by far the least interesting, but it's a necessary step to introduce you to the concept and a portion of the humongous cast of characters. The second story, Animal Farm, gets to the real story, which just gets better and better.
(Willingham/ Buckingham & Leialoha)
New Avengers #29 (marvel) *HIGHLY RECOMMENDED*
This title would not be denied a spot in my top twenty. Recently I quit buying more than half of my titles, and I prioritized this based on which comics get me really excited about a new issue. By that standard there is no denying that this is one of my favorite superhero comics, although it never really hit me til now. It probably has to do a lot with the most recent issues, which have me really juiced. Plus, it has Spider-Man.
The post-civil war New Avengers are a rogue team of all unregistered heroes, and it is one kick-ass lineup. Also, Leinil Yu is the current regular penciller, and for this book, I like his stuff more than anyone else's who's worked on it so far. Great heroes, great villains, lots of action, and witty dialogue, all together in an intense plotline. Solid-ass superteam comic.
(Bendis/ Yu)
Tales of the Unexpected #7 (dc)
This comic is a great double-feature book including:
the Spectre- a very gritty and horrific take on the character. The Spectre's current host is the ghost of dead Detective Crispus Allen from Gotham Central. Each issue stands alone quite well, but they are all part of a desperate and morally twisted murder mystery. What would you expect from the writer of Stray Bullets, the most f-ed up comic I've ever read?
(Lapham/ Battle)
Dr. 13- Holy crap, it's freaking mind-blowing. This sattirical back-up is not as easy to jump into as the stand-alone Spectre main features, but it's funny as hell, and just plain brilliant. The writing is so sharp I promise you won't catch everything in one read, and the art is absolutely gorgeous.
(Azzarello/ Chiang)
Damnit, I only got through the six comics I actually bought this week, and it's getting awfully close to sleepy time. I read a whole lot more than these this week, though, so lots more (hopefully shorter) reviews coming soon for:
Fell #8 (image) *HIGHLY RECOMMENDED*
Frank Frazetta's Death Dealer #1 (image)
Legion of Monsters: Man Thing (marvel)
Newuniversal #5 (marvel)
Punisher War Journal #6 (marvel)
Spider-Man and the Fantastic Four #1 (marvel) *HIGHLY RECOMMENDED*
Teen Titans #45 (dc)
Thunderbolts #113 (marvel)
Uncanny X-Men #485 (marvel)
Wonder Woman #7 (dc)
aaaaaand goodnight.
And if I'm not mistaken, I think the new Justice League starts the JLA/JSA crossover.
Fables is a constant buy for me and will be unless something terrible happens to Willingham. As you say that Fables is the new Sandman and would appeal to it's readers, you are dead on. I was given issues 1-3 for a christmas present a few years back and it was that very reason that they were chosen for me, my love of Sandman and Vertigo comics in general. I was not disappointed and went out and tracked down the other twenty issue. That is what brought me back into comics actually, after being a steady comic reader for years and then getting fed up with comics in the nineties, I left for several years and only came back once this book was put in my hands.