It never fails- have a quiet week at the comic shop, and the next week will come on like gangbusters. To top it off, this week offered a diverse selection of all my favorite kinds of comics, and it's these kinds of weeks that make obsession worthwhile.
Viking #1 (Image): If nothing else, you should know that it takes very little for me to become interested in vikings. But even given that, I've been really hotly anticipating this book. And that was before all the “retailers got one look at this book and bought the shit out of it,” stuff started going down, and it was sent back to the printer, and held off from shipping. Seriously, this is a wicked smart idea, because there would be value lost in having a first printing ship, and then having a delayed second printing that some parts of readership might frown upon. Instead, by exercising a little patience, these guys poised themselves for success. Nevermind the fact that Nic Klein is some sort of super-artist, and that Ivan Brandon seems fatefully poised for a big year of comics-makery. This book is exactly the sort of thing that makes me excited about reading and talking about new comics. It also makes me profoundly jealous. Moving on...
Thor #601 (Marvel): So, yeah. Norse stuff. When JMS relaunched this title with Coipel I was impatient to shit. Thor had been off the map so long, all I wanted was for him to be reintroduced to the forefront of the Marvel U. I couldn't deny that the world-building approach taken to Asgard's relocation into Oklahoma was a better way to fully realize the character's world, but I still wanted Thor to, like, get into shit with the Avengers. 'Cause he's Thor. Instead, Marvel wisely waited until Secret Invasion to fully unveil the god of thunder to his peers, and immediately sat Loki at the table of Marvel's most dastardly douchebags. Now, finally, what happens to Thor matters to the MU at large, and vice-versa. Marko Djurdjevic is a great alternate for this book, and it is evident that his skill grows with each issue.
Detective Comics #853 (DC Comics): There's a pretty good chance I'm going to buy any book Andy Kubert draws, so when Neil Gaiman is playing type-master for that same title, I might as well buy it twice. As a fan, I've been disappointed by the lack of output by both Kubert brothers during their time as DC exclusives, just because it feels like so many missed opportunities. On the other hand, the two have both been afforded high-visibility, generally high-quality projects, on iconic characters, and one can't ask for much more than the most literate writer in comics directing your pencils. I thought the first part of this Whatever Happened to the Caped Crusader? two-parter was a little dense, but this one tied it all up nicely, and was totally satisfying. Gaiman tells stories about big ideas, and Kubert conveys crystal-clear story, so it is a complimentary match. Plus, these days you've gotta take the stories you can get about the real Batman where you fan find 'em.
Invincible #61(Image): I think Kirkman has given himself a real challenge to outdo any and all superhero comic competition each and every month within his single superhero title. Mark is somberly dealing with the bloody Aftermath of last issue's Invincible War, and the costs are steep. I don't know how Ottley and Kirkman manage to make this the most awesome book of superhero drama and fighting on the shelves every month, but they do. It simply keeps getting better and better.
Amazing Spider-Man #592 (Marvel): Mike McKone illustrates, and I cheer. Mark Waid is an almost obvious addition to the Spider-team, and fits right in while telling a story that is clearly of his own creative mind. Waid has a good handle on J. Jonah Jameson's combative nature, and Spidey's playful one. Also- the last page? Eww.
John Constantine: Hellblazer #254 (Vertigo): Milligan writes a good Constantine, and has shown a knack for horror with the Scab arc. Next up- the Bubonic Plague. What the hell could be scarier than that?
X-Force #14 (Marvel): Messiah War continues to make an X-nerd out of me. There was a time when I took pride in my stature above the squabble and fray of frivolous comics like X-Men crossover books, or even worse, X-Men spinoff crossover books, but the creative team behind this Cable/ X-Force team-up has my number. I give up. You win. I'll buy it. Just promise to not have a shitty ending. Oh, who cares, I'll still want to check out the follow up. I suck.
Booster Gold #19 (DC Comics): Dan Jurgens just draws comics the way I think they should look. He kind of defines “convention,” to me, in that he is a clear, basically literal artist. And really, if anyone should be the one still drawing the 90's head-sock, hair-out-the-top look, it is Jurgens with Booster Gold. I'm not sure how long this title will last without a “name” writer like Geoff Johns onboard, but I honestly don't think the title has slipped with Dan Jurgens at the helm. I think Jurgens, Johns, and Jeff Katz really built this book into a machine that works, and that uses the character to his fullest, and I'm not bored yet. So here's to the semi-forgotten characters of yesteryear.
Elektra #2 of 5 (Marvel): I liked the first issue of this series more than I thought I would. I might've liked this one more. Judging from the last page, I think I'll like the next one even more.
Marvels: Eye of the Camera #5 of 6 (Marvel): Kurt Busiek has a great intuition when it comes to really tying superheroes and zeitgeist, and this series is no exception. I was against doing this sequel without painter extraordinaire Alex Ross, but Jay Anacleto has really made this project his own, with a different sort of realism in his work.
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