We get comics …

I am badly behind in my comics reading. Worse yet, I have all of my time in Faerie’s books sitting in the pull bin at Mile High Comics in Littleton.

And worst of all, I’m way behind in my comics reviews.

I’m changing my pocket grading a bit: [ writing / art / tercile of the stack ].

Rather than a letter grade, I’m changing to a number grade: 3 is remarkable, 2 is decent, 1 is mediocre (or worse).

The last one needs explaining. I’m of the “save the best for last” school, so when I get my bundle o’ comics, I sort them in the reverse order of their desireability to be read, with the frothiest or least oomphy/anticipated comics being at the top (in the 1st tercile), and the best ones at the bottom (the 3rd tercile). Graphic novels always go to the bottom.

(Margie is looking at me funny over this whole “tercile” thing.)

And away we go …

Note that this month is “‘Nuff Said” month, where the writers and artists on most Marvel books are trying to tell their stories without any captions or dialog. It’s been an interesting experiment — with enough dismal failures to indicate it won’t be done again any time soon.

• Iron Man #49 (MarvPG): [2/2/1]
  I may drop this title. Nothing particularly wrong. Nothing particularly good. So shy should I pay $2.25 for that opportunity?

• The Disciples – Wheel of Fortune #1/1 (Image): [3/1/2]
  Imagine the Sopranoes as occultists. I missed most of the short-lived series that preceded this. My loss.

• Punisher #7 (MarvPG+): [2/3/3]
  Steve Dillon, the normal artist, covers both writing and art in this “‘Nuff Said” month story. The results are decent enough, but lacks the normal pizzazz. The “script” back-up is worth the price of admission, though.

• Iceman #2/4 (MarvPG): [1/2/1]
  I got stuck with this title through an “automatic cross-over” on my comics subscription to X-Men. It’s not something I would have gotten otherwise, but by the time my cancellation would go through, the series would be done, so I’m stuck.

• Nightcrawler #1/4 (MarvPG): [2/1/1]
  I got stuck with this (etc.). On the other hand, Nightcrawler is one of the more interesting and underused X-types, and this series is finally dealing with his aspirations to the priesthood and the conflict between the (perceived) pacifist, even defeatest attitude of the church, and the eternal optimism that a hero requires.

• The Dark Knight Strikes Again #1/3 (DC): [3/2/3]
  A worthy, if slightly lighter (so far) return to Miller and Varley’s original, ground-breaking Dark Knight story. The only weakness? Even though it’s well-presented, the cynicism and conspiracy theorists of the past fifteen years have already mined much of the territory that Miller is charting. Unless, of course, he has something else up his sleeve, which, knowing Miller, is altogether possible.

• Girl Genius #5 (Studio Foglio): [3/3/3]
  GG goes color, with both spectactular and disappointing results. In some ways the colors were too vivid, too distracting in the business of Phil’s art; the sepia-tones of the Heterodyne Boys sub-story works even better. Reliably funny, though the story continues to complicate. I just hope Phil keeps with this particular title.

• Strangers in Paradise #45 (Abstract): [3/3/3]
  Matters continue to come to a head — and actually, amazingly, get some relief. SiP remains one of my “bottom of the stack” titles.

• Knights of the Dinner Table #61 (Kenzer): [3/1/3]
  Still funny, but … is it just me, or are we seeing less of the strip and more other filler material? And are the jokes becoming a wee bit strained? I hope not.

• Captain Marvel #26 (MarvPG): [2/2/3]
  Another “‘Nuff Said” issue, and it does a decent job of telling the story with only the art (courtesy of Leonard Kirk). I’m just a little confused when it’s over.

• Doom: the Emperor Returns #2/3 (MarvPG): [1/1/1]
  Doom learns that getting all his wishes granted isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. Ho-hum. And then he abandons his Counter-Earth to its own fate. Ho-hum (and out of character, at that).

• Captain America #50 (MarvPG): [1/2/2]
  The last issue of Cap (who’s getting moved over to the Marvel Knights series). The whole thing seems rushed, as we end up once again with the world thinking Cap is dead. Ho-hum. What a waste of a character.

• War Story: Nightingale (Vertigo): [3/2/3]
  Ennis continues to betray fanboys who see him as purely blood-n-guts. This series of one-shots has shown he has a sentimental streak a mile wide. War is hell for reasons both good and ill, as this tale of an ill-fated British destroyer escort demonstrates.

• The Establishment #4 (Wildstorm): [2/1/2]
  I can’t decide if this alternately cynical, intriguing, and obfuscating series is worth continuing to read, or should be dropped. They have another few issues to prove the former.

• Wonder Woman #176 (DC): [2/3/2]
  Another fight between WW and Circe. Ho-hum. But, ah, that Adam Hughes cover …

• Orion #21 (DC): [2/3/2]
  Simonson proves he can do Kirby. Lots of explosions ensue.

• JSA #31 (DC): [2/2/2]
  The JSA and the Batman get snarky at each other, while an innocent hangs in the balance. Something of a waste.

• Green Arrow #10 (DC): [2/1/2]
  Father and son reunite, and Kevin Smith tosses away part of what made the “resurrected” GA unique. Disappointing.

• Batman – Gotham Knights #24 (DC): [1/2/1]
  Devin Grayson decides on a new spin on Bat’s psyche. Unfortunately, it’s a cruddy one.

• Birds of Prey #38 (DC): [1/2/1]
  Chuck Dixon goes through the motions, as he plans his move over to Cross-Gen, and it shows. I hope the next writer can get things back to Dixon’s old level.

• New X-Men #120 (MarvPG): [2/1/1]
  Trending downward slightly; Morrison seems to have set up situations which he’s not quite sure what to do with now. And Kordey’s art is just passable.

• Lone Wolf & Cub #15 (Dark Horse): [3/3/*]
  The continuing adventure of the assassin and his child continues to be remarkable. If you aren’t reading it, you should.

• Wonder Woman – Spirit of Truth (DC): [2/3/*]
  The fourth Paul Dini/Alex Ross oversized, gorgeous volume. No new territory is really covered here, story-wise, but it’s nicely done. And Alex Ross could illustrate a phone book and get me to buy it.

• Thunderbolts #59 (MarvPG): [1/2/2]
  The slow destruction of Busiek’s title at Nicieza’s hands continues. And this volume is a great example of how not to do a “‘Nuff Said” issue. Bleah.

• Fantastic Four #50 (MarvPG): [1/1/1]
  Nothing particularly bad here. Nothing particularly good, either. What a shame, for an anniversary issue. Another good example of bad “‘Nuff Said”‘s.

• Usagi Yojimbo #53 (Dark Horse): [2/2/3]
  Something remarkable — a mediocre Usagi issue. On the other hand, Usagi is usually so incredible that even a mediocre issue delights while it dissappoints.

• The Incredible Hulk #35 (MarvPG): [2/2/1]
  A decent “‘Nuff Said,” but not much of a story beyond that.

• Uncanny X-Men #401 (MarvPG): [1/1/3]
  Does it say anything that, as a long-time X-phile, I had problems telling who different people were in this ‘Nuff Said adventure? Or that I didn’t really care. Joe Casey is losing me both here and in the Superman title he writes.

• Paradise Too! #4 (Abstract): [2/2/1]
  Terry Moore’s cartoons are less interesting and entertaining than Strangers in Paradise.

• Supergirl #65 (DC): [2/2/2]
  S-girl continues to push the bounderies of asking why shouldn’t a hero do whatever she thinks is necessary in order to do good. David, by setting the story at a school for the deaf, imitates the ‘Nuff Said idea for the first few pages, to amusing results.

• Sojourn #6 (CrossGen): [2/3/3]
  Greg Land draws one of the most beautiful fantasy books out there. And it’s a decent story, too, from Ron Marz.

• Midnight Nation #9 (Top Cow): [3/3/3]
  The protagonist discovers (surprise) that all is not as it seems, as the Devil tells his side of things. Increasingly creepy, increasingly late.