Review: Green Lantern #40

(****)

Whew! For a minute there, I thought Green Lantern was entering the realm of New Avengers, when it was taken over by Skrulls. You see, those issues felt like Wiki entries, with pictures. Green Lantern’s last arc, “Rage of the Red Lanterns,” felt a lot like that, too. But with this issue, and the last one, Geoff Johns is back on track. Which is great, because this book makes me happy.

This issue is packed with info, and yet it still manages to move the plot forward, establish some villains, and service some subplots.  The issue begins with some Fatality background, something that is informative and foreshadows some events that take place later. Some of those events occur in this issue, like the addition of another new law. With that law, marks the return of the police-like actions of the corps. After all, this book could be titled “Space Cops.” Hal Jordan and John Stewart assume the role of buddy cops. Remember, Hal has a blue ring now, too. He’s trying to think of his “happy thought.” Did anybody get that Hook reference? Then, things go bad. We learn the secret of Agent Orange, here. Questions like: “What are those ghost-like constructs?” are answered. I’m pleased with the explanation. It certainly makes Agent Orange a force to be reckoned with, but hey, there’s only one Orange Lantern, so he has to be powerful, right? We’re also treated to a brief, backup story. I can’t tell you what it’s about because I’m doing everything I can not to spoil things. I can, however, inform you that the backup is not drawn by Philip Tan.

Speaking of Philip Tan, what do you guys and gals (I hope) think of his art? He’s one of the big rising stars of DC, right now. He’s supposed to even be part of Grant Morrison’s Batman and Robin, along with Frank Quitely and Doug Mahnke. I’m surprisingly pleased with his art. It’s not really my style. It looks a little too 90′s, and I hate 90′s comics. But I’m fond of Tan. His work was perfectly suited for his previous high-profile project, Final Crisis: Revelations. He’s definitely got that post-Jim Lee look going on, which seems to fit well with the streets. Now, he’s drawing aliens in space, and I’m still happy. He designed most, if not all, of the Orange Lanterns, and they look pretty badass.

There’s definitely some good stuff, here. I know we’re all jumping at the bit for Blackest Night to arrive already, but “Agent Orange” is enough to keep me satisfied, until then.

Blackest Night Rant

Let me start by saying that everything I have seen associated with Blackest Night so far looks pretty damn stupid.  Johns has been building up all of these different corps for a while now.  In some form or another, he’s been laying the groundwork for this story since Rebirth.  But lately, he’s been working double time to establish a Skittles-colored rainbow of emotional corps.

I know a lot of GL fans have been swallowing this stuff whole.  But for me, it just looks silly.  A bunch of weird aliens in color-coded spandex with matching auras.  Whenever they meet, it looks like a Pink Floyd laser show. 

And when you look closer at these different corps, it can be hard to see the difference.  Green Lanterns power their rings with their willpower.  That’s simple enough.  But then you throw in the Sinestro Corps and things start to get complicated. 

Supposedly, the Sinestro Corps derives its power from the ability to cause fear.  So, if a Sinestro Corps member faces off against Daredevil (the man without fear) does their ring work?  Why would it work in the vacuum of space?  Is it because they have the potential to cause fear if there was someone around to scare?

Am I thinking about this too much?  Yep.  And I was willing to suspend my disbelief when it was just the two corps facing off in the entertaining Sinestro Corps War story.

But with the addition of each new corps, the questions become more relevant.  The Star Sapphires are powered by love.  Why are they all women?  Don’t men have the capacity for love?  Why are they so pissed off?  It seems to me like they have been portrayed more like the Glen Close Corps than beings who are fueled by love.

The Red Lanterns puke up acid-like blood.  Their super power is puke.  And they have an angry kitty cat on their team.  Sometimes, there’s a thin line between cool and lame.  For me, this falls on the lame side of that line.

And of course, front and center in all of this is Hal Jordan.  Hal’s a rebel.  He’ll sucker punch anyone for any reason.  (Especially Batman.)  He’s so cool, every corps out there has to have him as a member.  I fully expect that before the end of Blackest Night, we’ll see Hal in a thong as he leads the Star Sapphires to victory (and then beds them all in a big, glowy orgy).

Sometimes, it feels like Johns’ entire purpose in life is to convince every man, woman and child that Hal Jordan is cool.  But by trying so hard, Johns often convinces me of the opposite.  Hal Jordan is the kid in school who kept telling everyone how cool he was until everyone realized he was a wannabe.

And don’t get me started on the zombies.  Dude, that has been so overdone.  I don’t really want to see Aquazombie.  Just give me back Aquaman, okay.  (If you need to, you can take back Barry Allen in exchange.)

“The dead will rise”.  Is that really what the DC Universe needs right now?  More dead characters coming back to life.  If you really want to get my attention, try this for a tag line: “The dead will stay dead.”  I’ll buy that book.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m going to buy this book.  I like Johns even if he tries too hard whenever Hal Jordan or Barry Allen is involved.  And I liked the Sinestro Corps War.  I think it’s over-rated.  But when you compare it to most of the other “event” stories out there, SCW is one of the better reads in recent years.

Because of that, I’m giving Blackest Night the benefit of the doubt.  I thought Sinestro Corp War sounded pretty stupid in concept and it ended up being an entertaining ride.  Hopefully, Blackest Night will be a pleasant surprise as well.

But in the meanwhile, it seems like DC is working overtime to lower my expectations…

DC’s Blackest Night

How am I not sick of this crap yet? All of the colors, t-shirts, and the fact that this is basically DC’s version of zombies, haven’t really worn me down yet. I’m actually looking forward to the event. I am a bit upset that we’ll receive a gang of tie-ins. I was quite pleased with the Final Crisis situation, but conversely, there was a lot of negative feedback for that series in general, so I suppose DC saw that as a reason to give us more tie-ins! So, I’ll probably just stick to GL and the main mini. Though a bit silly, this is undeniably the best time to be a Green Lantern fan.

Oh, and good for DC for offering Blackest Night #0 for free. That was a class move.

Edit: We got this now, too.

Who’s hands are those?

Aquaman? No, he came back in Final Crisis, silly.

Should I Read Power Girl?

I’m torn. I love Amanda Conner’s art, but I’ve never been one to buy comics solely on art. I haven’t read much from Palmiotti & Grey. I read Claws, which I, um…bought for the art, and it was just fun fluff. Other books, like Hulk, give me enough fun fluff. I didn’t read Terra. I thought about buying that in trade, but no trade has come out. So, I wonder if one big trade containing: Terra, the first Power Girl arc, and that Supergirl issue will come out someday. I don’t read enough books starring females, but, then again, Power Girl isn’t really the book to get a dose of feminine power, is it? Oh well, at least this has been a half-assed excuse to post some chessecake Power Girl covers, right?

Review: Daredevil #118

(****)

I’ve complained about Brubaker’s run. It wasn’t bad, but after Bendis wrote some of the best Daredevil stories ever, Brubaker just didn’t impress. However, ever since he wrote that arc with Greg Rucka, Brubaker has finally hit his stride. What? Now he’s going to leave the book? Well, that sucks, but what doesn’t suck is this arc. We’re on part three of Return of the King. The first two installments were my favorite books of the week. Thanks to Neil Gaiman (Close-up of Daredevil in the rain as he shakes his fist at the heavens yelling: “Damn you, Gaiman!”), that’s not the case this week, but DD would probably be my second pick of the week.

The same praise for improvement should also go to Michael Lark. Don’t get me wrong. I like the man’s art, but now, with David Aja around (Doing nothing, apparently), Lark can’t really compare. Aja captures the same look, rendering things better. This issue, however, I was quite happy with the look. The characters, the expressions, and the setting were handled beautifully. New York is a prominent character, as she should be.

Kingpin puts a villain on the board. Matt might actually end up with Dakota. Foggy has some harsh words.

Review: Detective Comics #853

I admit to being a few days behind the time on this one.  I read it the day it came out – I devoured it, in fact.  However, I was unsure of what to make of it.  As I read it, I was struck by the extreme anti-climax of it all.  I put it down, disappointed, and moved on to the next book in my read stack.

As the day and then week wore on, however, I found my thoughts often returning to Whatever Happened to the Caped Crusader?  This second part featured some of the best work Andy Kubert has ever done, I recognized that right away.  I also appreciated the continuation of the stories from issue 1, as they remained skillfully handled.  Though the full stories are no longer shown, the snippets we do get are emotionally powerful – from the Mad Hatter being haunted by Batman’s last words, to the redemption of Clayface – and through them, Gaiman mines the mythology of the character to find its hidden heart, the vast, powerful supporting cast that Batman has developed over the years.

Like Morrison, Gaiman realizes that Batman isn’t about tragedy, but hope.  Batman isn’t about fear, but love.Not loss, but family.  Batman will fight the devil, fight off the God of Evil, and afterwards, he’ll be right back to fighting off muggers in Gotham.  In a way, Gaiman’s issue comments on that perfectly as Batman is led by a figure from his past to witness these stories, his many deaths, and learn what the purpose of this ordeal is, and while the ultimate message of the issue does serve as metacommentary on the Batman comics themselves, it also fits in quite well with his Omega Sanctioned fate in Final Crisis.

In some ways, perhaps Whatever Happened came a little too close at the heels to The Butler Did It, a more exciting, storyline relevant two-part meta-commentary Bat-arc by a famed writer from across the Atlantic.  That is up to each reader to decide for him or herself.  What I do know is that part 2 of Whatever Happened to the Caped Crusader? was a deeply respectable, emotional send-off to a character who is, at least for now, gone, but not forgotten.

Grade: B+

Housecleaning

Hey guys,

I hate to put this out here in public.  But I am having technical problems with Read/Rant.  Basically, whenever I post comments on someone else’s article, it goes right to the spam queue.  Back when he was around, Billy always had to approve my comments manually.  But since he’s gone, no one seems to have administrative access to the site.

And that’s really the issue.  Without administrative access, we’re pretty much stuck with what we’ve got.  Dead links.  “Contributors” who are long gone.  None of these things are a big deal individually.  But, this is not our blog.  And the king seems unlikely to return.

My suggestion would be for those of us who are interested to start a new blog where we would all have administrative access.  That way, if someone drifted away for any reason, those that remained would still have the keys to the kingdom.

Again, sorry to be talking business on the main page.  I tried doing this in the comments section, but my comments went unnoticed in the spam queue.  If anyone’s interested in relocating, let me know!

Review: New Avengers #52

(***)

The Good: The 12 pages of Chris Bachalo art. This is a magical tour of the Marvel U. I like Dr. Strange. I like The Hood.

The Bad: The 11 pages of Billy Tan art. This magical tour is done in the endless-talking, Bendis way. Dr. Strange continues to get his ass kicked. The Hood has been a bit overused in New Avengers, hasn’t he?

Final Word: For every positive, there is a negative. I actually feel bad for Billy Tan. I don’t like his art, but just about any artist would look mediocre or worse next to Chris Bachalo. I am fond of the characters, and I guess I’m fond of this book, as well. I must be reading it for some reason.

Review: Kick-Ass #6

(***1/2)

I like this comic. I know it’s gotten a lot of flak, most of that is probably due to Millar’s hype. Oh, and it’s already becoming a movie, which is also lame. Now, whenever Big Daddy talks, I can’t get Nicholas Cage’s voice out of my head, and that’s a bad thing. Still, I actually do care about the characters. Yes, it’s not high-brow entertainment, but it is entertainment. It brings out the fifteen-year-old in me. The part that wants to bitch about movies and comics (What adult would do that?). The part that can relate to doing anything to get a cute girl. The part that wants to go out, dressed in all black and wearing a hockey mask, and beat the shit out of some assholes.

As you can tell from the cover, this issue features the origin of Big Daddy and Hit-Girl. It’s all pretty standard stuff, with Millar himself admitting as much through his character: “This guy was Frank fucking Castle.” Millar also makes this gruesome duo extreme conservatives, spouting lines like: “The dictionary definition of a Democrat? A fucked-up prick who will march for the right to murder babies, but hold candlelight vigils for serial killers.” This issue also contains a classic Millar cliffhanger. It’s a bit predictable if you’ve been paying attention to solicitations, but still appreciated. So, I’m a fan of Millar. I enjoy the fact that he points out his own unoriginality. I enjoy the pop culture references and the realistic touches. Hell, I even enjoy little things, such as Hit-Girl setting up name tags for Kick-Ass and Red Mist. And don’t forget, folks. John Romita Jr. kicks ass!

Review: Invincible #61 – Spoilers!

(***1/2)

This is Invincible War: Aftermath. So, of course, after all the craziness, things slllloooowwww dooowwwnnn. Mark is depressed, understandably so. How would the world feel if a bunch of versions of you destroyed everything? Powerplex shows up again (Wow. That was quick. Is this guy the new Mauler Twins?). Eve is hurt, so Mark meets her parents. The Starro-like-things subplot is mentioned again. A new Guardians of the Globe team is discussed. Oh, and Conquest shows up. Who is Conquest? A badass Viltrumite, complete with a scarred eye. I loved Mark’s reaction: “The only thing I’ve wanted since all of this happened was something to hit as hard as I can.” I have a friend who grieved recently, and he felt the same thing. It’s a good time to be an Invincible fan. Jump on the trolley, now!

That kind of scares me, though. That’s also the cover to Invincible #64. Ever since that Walking Dead cover with Tyreese, all of Kirkman’s covers seem accurate to me. PLEASE DON”T KILL EVE, KIRKMAN!

July 2009 Solicitations

Wow! This July will apparently be the best month for comics ever! Check it out!

REBORN #1 (of 5)
Written by ED BRUBAKER
Penciled by BRYAN HITCH
50/50 Covers by BRYAN HITCH & ALEX ROSS
Variant Cover by JOHN CASSADAY
Solicit to be revealed soon
32 PGS./Rated T+ …$3.99

Is Steve Rogers coming back? That seems too obvious, but then again, Marvel and DC aren’t usually subtle about these things.

UNCANNY X-MEN #513
Written by MATT FRACTION
Pencils & Cover by TERRY DODSON
Variant Cover by SIMONE BIANCHI
“UTOPIA: CHAPTER 2”
WHO ARE THE DARK X-MEN? He has his own Avengers team and now Norman Osborn has his own X-Men team. The other shoe has finally dropped and Emma Frost has betrayed Cyclops and the rest of the X-Men. And that’s just one of the huge surprises in “UTOPIA”.  Is that Namor? Cloak and Dagger? Professor X?!  The thing that you aren’t ready for is that Osborn is right.
32 PGS./Rated T+ …$3.99

DARK AVENGERS #7
Written by MATT FRACTION
Pencils & Cover by MIKE DEODATO
Variant Cover by SIMONE BIANCHI
“UTOPIA: Chapter 3″
The DARK AVENGERS/UNCANNY X-MEN crossover continues!
San Francisco teeters on the brink of absolute chaos and the X-Men keep getting in the way of Norman’s vision of law and order.  So Norman takes his game to the next level: who are the DARK X-MEN?  And will Norman’s Avengers play nice with Norman’s X-Men?  Here’s a hint: no.
32 PGS./Rated T+ …$3.99

Ok, so it may not be the most exciting Marvel summer event, but it is the first crossover helmed by Matt Fraction, one of my favorite writers. And it appears that the whole thing will be written by Matt Fraction himself. No Bendis here!

CAPTAIN AMERICA #601
Written by ED BRUBAKER
Pencils and Cover by GENE COLAN
70th Anniversary Variant by MARKO DJURDJEVIC
*Black & White Variant Also Available!
A special double-sized issue featuring art by the legendary Gene Colan! Bucky and Nick Fury uncover a lost tale from Cap and Bucky’s days in WW2 – a tale of horror and war and brothers-in-arms.
48 PGS./Rated A …$3.99

Again, not a big event, but Gentleman Gene Colan returns! That’s cool, right? And, though the book does cost 3.99, it’s double-sized. So, that’s also cool, right?

 

INCREDIBLE HULK #600
Written by JEPH LOEB
Penciled by ED MCGUINNESS
Cover by ALEX ROSS
50/50 Variant Cover by ED MCGUINNESS
Variant Cover by TIM SALE
WHO IS THE RED HULK?! 
THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN IS GOING TO TRY AND FIND OUT! 
GREEN HULK!  RED HULK!  SPIDEY!  SECRETS REVEALED!
A STORY SO BIG IT CAN BARELY BE CONTAINED IN THE INCREDIBLE 600TH ISSUE OF HULK!  ALL THIS AND A STARTLING SURPRISE ENDING TO TOP ALL THE OTHER SHOCKING SURPRISES THIS HULK BOOK IS KNOWN FOR!
The chart-topping team of Jeph Loeb and Ed McGuinness bring you a 600th-issue celebration guest starring your friendly Neighborhood Web-Head as the original Incredible series returns!  Plus, back-up story by Fred Van Lente featuring the Savage She-Hulk! And representing the first issue of the Loeb/Sale HULK: GRAY series,
104 PGS./38 All-New Pages & Reprints/Rated A …$4.99

Will we actually find out who Rulk is? I’m guessing it’s this dude.

AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #600
Written by DAN SLOTT, STAN LEE & THE REST OF SPIDEY’S WEB-HEADS
Pencils by JOHN ROMITA JR., MARCOS MARTIN, MARIO ALBERTI & MORE!
50/50 Wraparound Cover by JOHN ROMITA JR.
50/50 Cover by ALEX ROSS
Variant Cover by JOHN ROMITA SR.
Wraparound Variant Cover by JOE QUESADA
The greatest Marvel super hero of all celebrates his 600th issue with the biggest all-original issue of Amazing Spider-Man EVER! This one’s got it all! The return of Doctor Octopus, Daredevil, a wedding you never predicted, and the return of one of the most important people in Peter Parker’s life in a giant-sized lead story by Dan Slott and John Romita Jr.  Doc’s back in town, but it’s only a prelude to darker days ahead as Spidey unknowingly prepares for a gauntlet he can’t even see coming.
On top of all that, witness the return of one of Spider-man’s creators, Smilin’ Stan Lee (along with Masticatin’ Marcos Martin) as he presents a story of unbridled passion, drama and angst as Spidey reflects over his many, many years of adventures.
But that ain’t all…as the rest of the Spidey Web-Heads bring you several short features showcasing some rarely explored aspects of both Spidey and Pete’s life, drawn by some of the greatest artists in comics. Plus, several other surprises and NO REPRINTS! 104 pages of goodness brought to you by some of the best creators that have ever worked on Spidey!
104 PGS./All-New/Rated A …$4.99

Yes, Marvel renumbers to get your money.

ULTIMATUM #5 (of 5)
Written by JEPH LOEB
Pencils & Cover by DAVID FINCH
Variant Cover by ED MCGUINNESS
Sketch Variant by ED MCGUINNESS
Gatefold Variant by DAVID FINCH
Fallen Heroes Variant by OLIVIER COIPEL
Is this what the end of the world looks like? You better believe it!!

As only Emmy & Eisner award-winning writer Jeph Loeb and superstar artist David Finch can deliver, it’s an apocalyptic conclusion where every, and we mean EVERY, score is settled! The Ultimate heroes have faced their final judgment…and when the dust settles will they be found wanting? If you can handle the growing body count, stick around as ALL is answered in this explosive series finale that will shock fans for years to come!
32 PGS./Rated T+ …$3.99

Yes, it was solicited back in May. Yes, a lot of people hate it. But it is a big event. Will it finally conclude?

BLACKEST NIGHT #1
Written by Geoff Johns
Art and cover by Ivan Reis & Oclair Albert
Variant cover by Ethan Van Sciver
Sketch variant cover by Ivan Reis & Oclair Albert
Geoff Johns and Ivan Reis raise the dead in the most anticipated comics story of the year! Throughout the decades, death has plagued the DC Universe and taken the lives of heroes and villains alike. But to what end? As the War of Light rages on, the prophecy of the Blackest Night descends upon us, with Hal Jordan and the Green Lantern Corps at the center of it all.
Don’t miss this 8-issue epic taking the DCU beyond the grave!
Retailers please note: This issue will ship with three covers. For every 25 copies of the Standard Edition (with a cover by Ivan Reis & Oclair Albert), retailers may order one copy of the Variant Edition (with a cover by Ethan Van Sciver). For every 250 copies of the Standard Edition, retailers may order one copy of the Sketch Variant Edition (with a cover by Ivan Reis & Oclair Albert). Please see the Previews Order Form for more information.
On sale July 15 • 1 of 8 • 48 pg, FC, $3.99 US

Really, it’s the biggest event of this summer. My only problem so far is that Arthur Curry appears to be among the dead. But he came back in Final Crisis, damn it!

 

 

GREEN LANTERN #43
Written by Geoff Johns
Art and cover by Doug Mahnke & Christian Alamy
Variant cover by Rodolfo Migliari
The official prologue to BLACKEST NIGHT starts here as the first Black Lantern is born! Black Hand has been an enemy of Hal Jordan since Hal’s early days as a Green Lantern. But even Black Hand is unaware of the true power he holds that will connect him to the Blackest Night! Discover this villain’s connection to death and the Black Lantern Corps!
Retailers please note: This issue will ship with two covers. For every 25 copies of the Standard Edition (with a cover by Doug Mahnke & Christian Alamy), retailers may order one copy of the Variant Edition (with a cover by Rodolfo Migliari). Please see the Previews Order Form for more information.
On sale July 8 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US

GREEN LANTERN #44
Written by Geoff Johns
Art and cover by Doug Mahnke & Christian Alamy
Variant cover by Rodolfo Migliari
“Blackest Night” continues! As Hal Jordan and Barry Allen investigate a bizarre crime in Gotham City, they come face to face with one of their oldest allies – J’onn J’onzz, the Martian Manhunter! But their old friend is not there for reunions; he’s come for much more. Meanwhile, Sinestro seeks to rebuild his army and take his revenge on the being who would usurp it – Mongul!
Retailers please note: This issue will ship with two covers. For every 25 copies of the Standard Edition (with a cover by Doug Mahnke & Christian Alamy), retailers may order one copy of the Variant Edition (with a cover by Rodolfo Migliari). Please see the Previews Order Form for more information.
On sale July 22 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US

Doug Mahnke, one of my favorite artists, has found a home at Green Lantern, one of my favorite comics!

BATMAN AND ROBIN #2
Written by Grant Morrison
Art and cover by Frank Quitely
Variant cover by Andy Kubert
“Batman Reborn” continues with the reteaming of Grant Morrison and Frank Quitely (ALL-STAR SUPERMAN, WE3, New X-Men)! In a blazing Gotham City police department, the new Batman and Robin face the bizarre, fighting freakshow that is the Circus of Strange and find that they don’t make as good a team as Batman had hoped! Meanwhile, the mysterious Sasha escapes from Professor Pyg and vows vengeance on the people who killed her father.
Retailers please note: This issue will ship with two covers. For every 25 copies of the Standard Edition (with a cover by Frank Quitely), retailers may order one copy of the Variant Edition (with a cover by Andy Kubert). Please see the Previews Order Form for more information.
On sale July 1 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US

Yeah, Grant Morrison and Frank Quitely are just about the best creative team in comics. This will be AWESOME!

DETECTIVE COMICS #855
Written by Greg Rucka
Art by JH Williams III; co-feature art by Cully Hamner
Cover by JH Williams III
“Elegy” part 2 of 4 by Greg Rucka and JH Williams III! Batwoman captures her enemy, a madwoman known only as Alice who sees her life as a fairy tale and everyone around her as expendable extras – including Kate! But when the tables are turned, Batwoman finds herself in a hallucination slamming the present into a collision with the past, and the hints of a threat that will claim the lives of every man, woman and child in Gotham City.
And in the all-new co-feature starring the Question, Montoya’s quest to find a missing young girl turns deadly.
On sale July 29 • 40 pg, FC, $3.99 US

Greg Rucka+Batwoman+Renee Montoya+JH Williams III+Dave Stewart+Cully Hammer=BUY THIS BOOK!

THE FLASH: REBIRTH #4
Written by Geoff Johns
Art and covers by Ethan Van Sciver
Barry Allen left a legacy that thrived after his death. Now his return threatens it all. What secrets does Barry hold inside him about the fate of the Flash Family? What destiny awaits Wally and his twins? What murderous force targets Bart Allen? And what does it truly mean to be a speedster?
Retailers please note: This issue will ship with two covers. For every 25 copies of the Standard Edition (with a cover by Ethan Van Sciver), retailers may order one copy of the Variant Edition (with a cover by Ethan Van Sciver). Please see the Previews Order Form for more information.
On sale July 22 • 4 of 5 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US

I wasn’t too impressed with the first issue, but this is probably the best Sciver has ever looked. And hey, I do love Barry Allen.

WEDNESDAY COMICS #1-4
In July, DC Comics gives a fresh twist to a grand comics tradition with WEDNESDAY COMICS, a new, weekly 12-issue series by some of the greatest names in comics today!
WEDNESDAY COMICS is unique in modern comics history: Reinventing the classic weekly newspaper comics section, it is a 16-page weekly that unfolds to a sprawling 28” x 20” tabloid-sized reading experience bursting with mind-blowing color, action and excitement, with each feature on its own 14” x 20” page.
Spearheaded by DCU Editorial Art Director Mark Chiarello, whose past editing credits include BATMAN BLACK & WHITE, DC: THE NEW FRONTIER and SOLO, each page of WEDNESDAY COMICS spotlights the continuing adventures of DC heroes, including:

• BATMAN, WEDNESDAY COMICS’ weekly cover feature, by the Eisner Award-winning 100 BULLETS team of writer Brian Azzarello and artist Eduardo Risso
• ADAM STRANGE, by writer/artist Paul Pope (BATMAN: YEAR 100)
• METAMORPHO, written by New York Times best-selling writer Neil Gaiman with art by Eisner Award-winner Michael Allred (Madman)
• THE DEMON AND CATWOMAN, written by Walter Simonson (Thor, MANHUNTER) with art by famed DC cover artist Brian Stelfreeze
• DEADMAN, written by Dave Bullock and Vinton Heuck, art by Dave Bullock
• KAMANDI, written by Dave Gibbons (WATCHMEN, GREEN LANTERN CORPS) with art by Ryan Sook (Buffy The Vampire Slayer, ARKHAM ASYLUM: LIVING HELL)
• SUPERMAN, written by John Arcudi (The Mask) with art by Lee Bermejo (JOKER)
• WONDER WOMAN, written and illustrated by Ben Caldwell (Dare Detectives)
• GREEN LANTERN, written by Kurt Busiek (TRINITY, ASTRO CITY) with art by Joe Quiñones (TEEN TITANS GO!)
• TEEN TITANS, written by Eddie Berganza with art by Sean Galloway
• SUPERGIRL, written by Jimmy Palmiotti (JONAH HEX) with art by Amanda Conner (POWER GIRL)
• HAWKMAN, written and illustrated by Kyle Baker (PLASTIC MAN, Special Forces)
• SGT. ROCK, written by Adam Kubert (SUPERMAN: LAST SON), ilustrated by legendary comics artist Joe Kubert
• THE FLASH, written by Karl Kerschl (TEEN TITANS YEAR ONE, THE FLASH: THE FASTEST MAN ALIVE) and Brenden Fletcher, illustrated by Karl Kerschl
• METAL MEN, written by Dan DiDio with art by Ian Churchill (SUPERGIRL)

WEDNESDAY COMICS will arrive in stores folded twice to 7” x 10”, with the first issue set to reach stores on July 8.
Issue #1 on sale July 8; Issue #2 on sale July 15; Issue #3 on sale July 22; Issue #4 on sale July 29 • 1-4 of 12 • 7” x 10”, 16 pg, FC, $3.99 US

This is original, and it feature’s some of the medium’s top creators. It’s fantastic!

So, comics in July will kick ass! From Marvel: The likely return of Steve Rogers, a Dark Avengers/X-Men crossover, the end of Ultimatum, and renumbering up the ass. From DC: Wednesday Comics, Flash: Rebirth, Blackest Night, and some phenomenal Batman books. Will DC finally beat Marvel this year? Or at least in July? Maybe?

Review: Blue Beetle: Boundaries

Under the pen of John Rogers, Blue Beetle quickly became THE super hero title on the shelves, at least in the hearts of critics and a small-but-loyal fanbase. No other title could match it in terms of the supporting cast, the dialogue, or the sheer sense of fun that never was never condescending and in no way sacrificing the build-up to its epic tone.  When it was announced that Rogers was leaving, fans were worried that it would devolve into gimmick and fridging.  First came the gimmick, with the all-Spanish issue that was still surprisingly pretty natural, and then, worries mounted – the writer behind the infamous Amazons Attack! was taking over.  However, he left after a pair of surprisingly heartfelt issues, bringing on Matthew Sturges.

Boundaries collects the bulk of Sturges’ run, and despite the fact that it deals with illegal immigration, it is a surprisingly solid follow-up to Rogers’ beloved run, hardly missing a beat when it comes to the kind of clever adventures and solid character moments fans have come to expect.  Sturges smartly decides against coming to any sort of moralistic resolution on the issue of illegal immigration, opting instead to bring up the vast complexities of the issue and allow the reader to make his own judgment while the action and dialogue continue on as usual.  Despite dealing with Issues, it isn’t an afterschool special.  It’s just an action comic about a teenage boy saving the world… WITH SCIENCE!

The art is largely by series regular Rafael Albuquerque, who has spent the whole series improving, and when they do bring in a replacement (Coejho) for two of the middle issues of the arc, his style fits well with the series as a whole.  Both artists are a little cartoony and a little too broad at times, but both artists capture the El Paso heat, the fluidity of the action sequences, and more – though neither manages to capture the fear and poverty of the worst parts of Mexico, and neither manages to instill any semblance of menace in the villains of the book.  

Blue Beetle is not a complex book, and never aspires to be so. Better yet, it deals with traditional superheroics without the wink and the nod, the ironic air of superiority that most ‘fun’ comics have.  The series started off slowly, but it built fast, and Boundaries should reassure the fans who weren’t on the monthly that Sturges was an excellent choice to send Jaime off in style.

Grade: A-

Review: Astonishing X-Men #29

(****)

“This comic never comes out! The editors are forcing Ellis to change things!” These are the cries of fellow comic fans. The former is certainly true. Simone Bianchi takes 4-7 weeks to complete an issue. Yeah, that’s slow, but this is a team book, and besides, Bianchi’s art is really pretty. Check out the preview. Besides being beautiful and unique, Bianchi also provides interesting page layouts. In fact, for my money, although this is coming from someone who has read all of Bianchi’s American comics, I would buy this book on Bianchi’s art alone.

As for editors compromising Ellis’ vision, it could be true. I notice that what the solicit promises and what is actually included is a bit different. Anyway, let’s just analyze what’s been printed, shall we? I think the best think about Ellis’ run is that the X-Men sound like actual people. I believe that they have their own personalities, and that they’ve spent too much time with each other, for better or for worse. I know everyone loves Whedon’s characters, but really, they’re all the same: witty, witty, witty! Everyone’s witty! Though I did enjoy Whedon’s run, on a character level, it was ALL about Kitty. With Ellis, I’m not reading a team-book about tough guy, smart guy and leader guy. I’m reading about Logan, Hank, and Scott. Another thing that I’ve enjoyed about Ellis’ first arc is that I actually feel like I’m part of the X-Men. No, I’m not twelve. It’s just that Ellis puts us in the middle of this mystery. We know nothing more than what the X-Men know. In fact, they might even know more.

Both of those Ellis virtues, and of course Bianchi’s art, are still present here. So I was quite happy with this installment. Yes, it is the penultimate chapter. Nothing is resolved, and it’s exposition-heavy. I was still left satisfied, ready to patiently wait another two months for the conclusion. Oh, and Ellis provides another low-key cliffhanger. I’ve been enjoying those as well.

Review: Detective Comics #853

(*****)

“Whatever Happened to the Caped Crusader?” is a wonderful tale, about paying homage to seventy years of storytelling while providing a new, unique tale that gets to the core of what Batman is really all about. It’s masterfully drawn by Andy Kubert and…wait? This isn’t written by Grant Morrison? Yes, as I talked about in my previous review, this arc is very much in the style of Morrison’s run.

So, story-wise, if you loved Morrison’s run, you’ll probably love this. If you didn’t, for now…courage. Really, and I’m sure Neil Gaiman would agree, the art is the star here. This is easily Andy Kubert’s best work. He completely nails everything here, from the technical aspects like storytelling and tone, to the multiple artistic references. Just about every artist who’s ever made his mark on Batman is part of this book, but Kubert still manages to put his own spin on the classics. Hell, you’ll even get some Dave McKean in here. So, the art is fabulous, and the story, for my taste, is fantastic as well. For all the darkness that Batman is known for nowadays, Gaiman keeps things positive, and I thank him for that.

For more comic goodness, go here.

Review: Hulk #11

(****)

Perhaps this is your first time visiting read/Rant. If it is, please look around. Just hit that Frank Cho art at the top of the page. Even if you don’t care for my reviews, there are others who post their opinions. So if you have never read one of my Hulk reviews before, it may surprise you that I don’t hate the book. What’s that? This is Internet; why aren’t I bashing Jeph Loeb. I know. It’s shocking. But I have to tell you, for what this book is, it’s a lot of fun.

The last comic I read was Alan Moore’s From Hell. A much better comic than Hulk, but a much darker and dense read as well. What a breath of childish glee this comic is. Jeph Loeb, the worstest horrible icky man ever, according to the Internet, is channeling his inner Stan Lee in this new arc. It’s kind of a remake of Contest of Champions. We got the setup last issue, so naturally we get an all-action smash party here.

The Defenders have been plucked out of time, fighting for their loves, while the Offenders are a bunch of jerks. Basically, if you’re tired of all the darkness that now plagues our superhero titles (I’m looking at you, Dark Reign), this is the book for you. It’s jam-packed with splash pages, groin hitting, and twists that would make M. Night Shymanalan squeal. Oh, and did I mention that this is the book Ed McGuinness was born to draw? So if you’ll let it, Hulk can be a hell of a good time.

DC’s Wednesday Comics

WEDNESDAY COMICS #1-4
            In July, DC Comics gives a fresh twist to a grand comics tradition with WEDNESDAY COMICS, a new, weekly 12-issue series by some of the greatest names in comics today!
            WEDNESDAY COMICS is unique in modern comics history: Reinventing the classic weekly newspaper comics section, it is a 16-page weekly that unfolds to a sprawling 28” x 20” tabloid-sized reading experience bursting with mind-blowing color, action and excitement, with each feature on its own 14” x 20” page.
            Spearheaded by DCU Editorial Art Director Mark Chiarello, whose past editing credits include BATMAN BLACK & WHITE, DC: THE NEW FRONTIER and SOLO, each page of WEDNESDAY COMICS spotlights the continuing adventures of DC heroes, including:
•           BATMAN, WEDNESDAY COMICS’ weekly cover feature, by the Eisner Award-winning 100 BULLETS team of writer Brian Azzarello and artist Eduardo Risso
•           ADAM STRANGE, by writer/artist Paul Pope (BATMAN: YEAR 100)
•           METAMORPHO, written by New York Times best-selling writer Neil Gaiman with art by Eisner Award-winner Michael Allred (Madman)
•           THE DEMON AND CATWOMAN, written by Walter Simonson (Thor, MANHUNTER) with art by famed DC cover artist Brian Stelfreeze
•           DEADMAN, written by Dave Bullock and Vinton Heuck, art by Dave Bullock
•           KAMANDI, written by Dave Gibbons (WATCHMEN, GREEN LANTERN CORPS) with art by Ryan Sook (Buffy The Vampire Slayer, ARKHAM ASYLUM: LIVING HELL)
•           SUPERMAN, written by John Arcudi (The Mask) with art by Lee Bermejo (JOKER)
•           WONDER WOMAN, written and illustrated by Ben Caldwell (Dare Detectives)
•           GREEN LANTERN, written by Kurt Busiek (TRINITY, ASTRO CITY) with art by Joe Quiñones (TEEN TITANS GO!)
•           TEEN TITANS, written by Eddie Berganza with art by Sean Galloway
•           SUPERGIRL, written by Jimmy Palmiotti (JONAH HEX) with art by Amanda Conner (POWER GIRL)
•           HAWKMAN, written and illustrated by Kyle Baker (PLASTIC MAN, Special Forces)
•           SGT. ROCK, written by Adam Kubert (SUPERMAN: LAST SON), ilustrated by legendary comics artist Joe Kubert
•           THE FLASH, written by Karl Kerschl (TEEN TITANS YEAR ONE, THE FLASH: THE FASTEST MAN ALIVE) and Brenden Fletcher, illustrated by Karl Kerschl
•           METAL MEN, written by Dan DiDio with art by Ian Churchill (SUPERGIRL)
            WEDNESDAY COMICS will arrive in stores folded twice to 7” x 10”, with the first issue set to reach stores on July 8.
Issue #1 on sale July 8; Issue #2 on sale July 15; Issue #3 on sale July 22; Issue #4 on sale July 29 • 1-4 of 12 • 7” x 10”, 16 pg, FC, $3.99 US

Who isn’t looking forward to this? Because if you aren’t, you probably don’t like comics. Well done, DC!

Preview Pages:

http://dcublog.dccomics.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/04/batman.jpg

http://dcublog.dccomics.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/04/superman.jpg

http://dcublog.dccomics.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/04/metamorpho.jpg

http://dcublog.dccomics.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/04/kamandi.jpg

http://www.newsarama.com/comics/040902-Joe-Quinones.html

Review: Seaguy: Slaves of Mickey Eye #1

Grant Morrison and Cameron Stewart teamed up a number of years ago to do a three-issue Vertigo project simply titled Seaguy, the proposed first chapter of a trilogy.  The project didn’t quite take off, though, and for a long time it seemed as though the whole thing was dead in the water.  Since becoming one of the most high-profile, controversial writers in comics, however, the Powers That Be apparently decided that a second mini from Grant Morrison, post Batman R.I.P. and Final Crisis might be met with more success, and so part two – Seaguy: Slaves of Mickey Eye - began.

The original served simultaneously as a rousing indictment of the pomp and excess of the modern comics industry, a stirring love-letter to the medium itself, and a rousing, bizarre adventure in and of itself.  Not for everyone, the utter, implacable oddity of the first series served as a turn-off to some, and their minds certainly won’t be changed by the sequel – Morrison and Stewart have compromised nothing here in their… unique vision.

Picking up where the last left off, Seaguy finds himself trapped in a dissatisfying life that doesn’t quite feel right.  He doesn’t know why, what’s changed, that he’s been brainwashed by the sinister Mickey Eye into accepting a reality slightly changed, slightly darker, than the one in which he grew up.  Rife with beautiful, disturbing imagery from Stewart and plenty of symbolism, the issue is a fairly dense read, well worth the price tag… if you don’t mind things getting a little bit strange.  A near perfect issue of set-up for another bizarre, genrebending three-issue mini.

Grade: A

Review: Uncanny X-Men #508

(***1/2)

A Jerky Rant: The main problem with Uncanny X-Men, and this is common in mainstream titles, is its lack of freedom. Matt Fraction has ambitiously made Uncanny X-Men the flagship X-Book (That Astonishing thing never ships, anyway). Every mutant problem in the Marvel U is here. Every problem in the X-Books is here. I wouldn’t be surprised if all 198 mutants make an appearance by issue #515. Just about thirty mutants are in this issue alone. Thankfully, Fraction provides humorous introduction captions to help our brain. My favorite caption: “Karma. Psychic Possession. Wasn’t crazy for the wrap-up of Battlestar.” Anyway, with so much material to cover, the plot barely moves forward. If comics weren’t episodic in nature, I probably wouldn’t complain. But they are, so I do.

The Fun Stuff: While some of Fractions ambitions misfire, others shoot me in the chest, but in a good way. Though the team’s newfound, San Franciscan liberal agenda is forced at times, there are moments when it’s quite charming. Seeing a panel of a nude woman in Karma’s bed or Northstar’s cracks about “being your mutant queer mascot” are brief, but appreciated details. In fact, as I mentioned above, Fraction gets a little too detailed. At least it’s all handled well.

The Plot and the Hook: This mysterious Red Queen and her Sisterhood have been plotting for over ten issues. Sadly, there’s still a lot we don’t know even after this issue. I can say though, it’s mighty intriguing. A certain character goes back to the way they used to be, and I’ll leave it at that. Overall, this is a captivating and enjoyable opening chapter, and Greg Land, even in all his porn-swiping glory, provides some pretty pictures.

Review: Action Comics #876

Greg Rucka and Eddy Barrows team up to bring us an Action Comics without Superman, a risky move that, last month, offered us an excellent issue of comics as we were introduced to the concept of deadly sleeper-Kryptonians spreading xenophobic sentiment amongst humanity in an effort to start a war. We also met Thara Ak-Var and Chris Kent, the new Flamebird and Nightwing pair who are protecting Earth from Kryptonian abuse in Superman’s absence.

Yes, last issue spoke volumes for a world without Superman, but this issue falls back on weak cliche and so-so action to fill its 22-pages. Ursa, mother of Chris and one of the masterminds behind the sleepers, comes to Earth to destroy Nightwing and Flamebird before they can cause any more damage than they already have. Ursa’s internal monologue is compelling, a tightly-wound madwoman with intelligence and skill, but the conflict of the issue – Ursa beating the tar out of Thara for her betrayal until Chris shows up to save her and defeat his mother – is trite and cliche. There is some genuine emotion there, especially in the tormented Thara Ak-Var, but not enough to save the lackluster action, and not enough to redeem the issue for abandoning an interesting arc so quickly.

Eddy Barrows continues to improve. His art in Teen Titans was fairly generic, and though he has yet to come truly into a style all his own,  he is certainly getting better. He illustrates the action competently and offers a few particularly lovely panels, but ultimately, like the rest of the story, fails to distinguish in any meaningful way.  I hardly noticed on first read-through that multiple artists worked on the book – the blend is well-handled and does not distract.

Grade: C

Review: Captain America #49

(***1/2)

I loved every minute of it, until the end.

“The most important issue of Captain America since issue 25 is finally here!”

That’s from Marvel’s solicitation. That is complete bullshit. What we have here is a wonderful issue starring Sharon Carter. Bucky isn’t in here at all, which is great for those of us who don’t like that guy. What’s included here is the realistic, Sharon Carter POV juxtaposed with some psychedelic nightmares. It’s fascinating. We also check up on Sam Wilson and “Bad Cap” (That’s his official title now). There isn’t any action at all in this issue, and that’s fine. What’s not fine, however, is the retelling of the events in issue #42. If you’ll recall, those events were shrouded in mystery when they originally occurred.  Considering Marvel’s promises and the storytelling logic of “Don’t show the same event twice unless you’re revealing something”, I thought we were finally going to get some answers. NOPE! You have to keep reading folks!

I loved every minute of it, until the end.