Some Comic Talk.

Hey,
So I finally caught up on the most recent part of my comic pile. Here's some thoughts on those issues, as well as some Things I've Learned. Enjoy!

Comic Pile: Things I've Learned and Other Thoughts

1. New Avengers #61-Bucky should stay Captain America. Spider-man has no chance with Spider-Woman but I love to hear him try. Bendis needs to stay on this book Forever.

2. Fantastic Four #575-Jonathan Hickman has put the fantastic back in this book. This is becoming a consistent favorite due to it's great storytelling, characterizations, and "big idea" concepts.

3. Detective Comics #861-Jock is the perfect replacement for J.H. Williams III. Like Williams, Jock continues to use innovative sequential art in a way that only comics can do. Take a look at the strip to the left. Do you see Batman in each panel? I wouldn't have if someone didn't point it out to me but he's there. It's also great to still have Batwoman in the title because I love how dynamic she is as a character. Rucka is known for his ability to write strong messed up females who feel compelled to fight against evil. Can't wait for the next issue.

4. Green Lantern #50- What to say? It's still awesome. Doug Mahnke is killing it on the art. Fantastic splash pages and Black Lantern zombies are as good as Ivan Reis's work in Blackest Night. In fact I think Mahnke would have been great on Flash: Rebirth, and he would have gotten it out on time.

5. Blackest Night #4,5,6-As much as I'm loving this event I also see that this a very nihilistic books. Frankly it's more than just a zombie horror story. Geoff Johns is examining the nature of death in comics. It's hard to disagree with the Black Lanterns argument that death should be final. Although comic heroes like Batman, Superman, and the Flash have all overcome and come back. Due to these characters iconic status as a reader I always expect that they'll save the day. Superman always finds a way. However it could be argued that this takes away any suspense in the comic genre. So it's never about will he save the day but how...

Johns is deftly questioning this dynamic, however in a very dark scary way. These heroes keep trying to battle the evil zombie versions of there friends, family, and adversaries. And these Black Lanterns gain power thru emotional response so they say the most vicious things to get a reaction. So the only way to defeat them is by being an unemotional killer who tears these Black Lanterns apart. Is this really how we want our heroes to be? I'm not sure where Geoff Johns is going with this. And we're on issue #6 of 8! Still can't wait but I want to see some light at the end of this tunnel.

Oh comics. *sigh* Now it's time to attack the older issues. Book Slave.

Book Binge-ing

Hello cyber-world,
I have been on a wonderful book binge lately. Hopefully you all will benefit from the results. It's hard to turn down the books when they are being sold at discount, y'know what I'm saying? Anyway on with the show!

Reviews
League of Extraordinary Gentlemen Vol. 1
After reading the Alan Moore interview book last week I decided to reread this great work. Moore takes characters from classic literature, puts them into a team, and throws them into an adventure in 1898. This is great adventure, sci-fi, mystery and humor. Murray and Quatermaine are the Nick and Nora of this book and I love it! I also love the hilarious opportunist jerk that is the character of the Invisible Man. I heartily reccommend this book. (BTW Avoid the film like the plague, it is horrible and not even close to the book. Don't cause yourself this pain.)

Wolverine #64
The "Get Mystique" storyline continues as we follow Wolverine and Mystique through their shared past and the present. In this installment Wolverine is conflicted when Mystique hides amongst American soldiers. Will Wolverine risk their lives to get to Mystique? This internal dillemma and the way it plays out is why Jason Aron is great. While Mystique cares about no one but herself. Wolverine has always been about the conflict between his humanity and his animal nature. I especially like his writing of the confrontation scenes between Logan and Mystique. Awesome art and splash pages from Ron Garney.

Detective Comics #843
This issue written by Paul Dini featured a team up between Batman and Zatanna to take down the Ventriloquist. Zatanna has been hired to do a magic show at the opening of a new night club. Bruce Wayne attends and is kidnapped by the Ventriloquist who is taking advantage of a gang war. While the action and villians stuff is great, I think that actually my fave scene was between Bruce Wayne and Zatanna. It touched upon their relationship, the will they or won't they that Dini introduced last year. Dini definitely writes the best Detective issues and this one was worth checking out.

What's In My Bag
Magazine
Entertainment Weekly

Comic
Secret Invasion #1

Books
Dealing With Difficult People
Brief and Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao
(crazy4novels thru down the gauntlet on getting this done, It will be done, oh yes it will be done)

Checkout Count: Crazy, but not insane.

If you are interested in more of my pithy pop culture opinions I point you to Never Enough Time. Check it out, enjoy have a good weekend, Book Slave.