Y’know, half an hour between posts sounds like a long time. It’s not. Especially when you’re trying to write a lot …

On with the review.

Review code format: writing (3-1, faboo to mediocre), art (3-1), suitability for jumping on as a new reader (3-1), suitability for giving to a non-comics reader to get them hooked (3-1), and “Eagerly waiting the collected TBP” (Y/N).

[Random trivia question: What sort of charity calls people at 9:30a on a Saturday morning? Answer: one that doesn’t intend to get very many donations.]

Teen Titans #1 (DC) [2/3/3/2/Y]
Well, I’m getting in on the ground floor with this TT series. I was irked when DC pulled the plug on Young Justice just to reboot the Titans again in time for the TV series (especially since the ties between the two are thin at best). But this series is doing decently enough so far. Geoff Johns is at the writing helm, and he does good edgy work, and he slogs through the endless “Who are these disparate individuals and how do we get them all together on the same team” scenes as well as anyone else. His take on some of the characters is still a bit rough — Impulse, for one, seems a tad off. Mike McKone’s pencils (with Marlo Alquiza’s inks) are splendid. the story, where various of the former Titans (Cyborg, Starfire, Changeling, and, to judged by the cover, Raven) decide to keep on the tradition and bring in some of the up-and-comers into the fold (Robin, Wonder Girl, Superboy, and Impulse). Except for Robin, the newcomers all are sporting new threads — Impulse has finally taken on the classic Kid Flash duds, which I both applaud and regret, since I actually liked his old outfit, too. Superboy — who’s getting sucked immediately into an everything-you-know-is-wrong plot — is now sporting a simple black tee with the big red S on it. Most importantly, I guess, is that this is a great kicking-off issue, as everyone gets explained, everyone’s motivations are made clear, and there are immediate storm clouds on the horizon. I look forward to a good run on this one.

Death: At Death’s Door #1 GN (Vertigo) [2/1/1/2/-]
Joill Thompson turns the classic Sandman Season of Mists storyline into manga format, and focuses on what was going on with Death, Delerium, and Despair while Dream was dealing with what to do with a vacant Hell. An interesting “high concept” idea, I guess, and there are some interest moments. Alas, too many of them are simply redraws of the original in Thompson’s anime style, and having gone back and reread the original immediately afterwards, it’s not an improvement, or even a reasonable alternative. The original scenes vary between silly and scary, but the cutesy style seems far too limiting to the Endless, far too … well, cutesy is a good enough word. It’s not a bad comic, but it’s not a good one, and while newcomiers to the medium will possibly enjoy it, I’d recommend it only as a “gateway drug” to the original Gaiman work.

Across the Universe: the DC Universe Stories of Alan Moore TPB (DC) [2/1/-/1/-]
It’s fascinating to see some of the early stuff that Alan Moore did for DC — Superman stories, Vigilante stories, Green Arrow, Green Lantern. Casting my memory back to those days in the 80s, Moore’s stuff was definitely a cut above the rest. But … that’s like finding a good Brussel sprout in a bag of bad ones, when there’s steak to be eaten today. Moore was still developing as a writer, his best work still to come, or being done for other audiences. Still, it’s amazing how many of these stories I remember from those days, remember with memories of how much I liked them at the time. In particular, the tale of Mogul giving Superman a wish-come-true plant to destroy him, and one of the “origin” tales of the Phantom Stranger, are both good stuff. This is a great collection for the nostalgist, or for someone who wants to learn more about Moore … but that’s about all.

The Crossovers #7 (Crossgen) [2/1/2/1/N]
The joke, alas, has run its course. Robert Rodi’s comic conceipt was a comedy cross-over between different sf/fantasy/comic genres — a family where Dad’s a superhero, Mom’s a vampire slayer, Sis is a princess in a hidden fantasy land, and Junior is plotting with aliens to take over the world. Good stuff, while it was sustained. But the first arc ended with a bang in #6, and #7 comes across as rewarmed pizza — and not good pizza, at that. People who don’t like comics aren’t going to like the cross-genre fun with them, and those who do will find this a can of flat soda. This one’s going on my cancellation list, I fear. (The original 6 have been solicited as a TBP coming out this fall, so wait for them — they’re an amusing read.)

I said I was going to review comics. Now that I’ve given my life story through the prism of comics … how about some of them review thangs?

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