Category: Blogathon

More monthlies …

Oh, and, by the way, when the hell did Marvel stop putting the month/year on their covers?  Very annoying. It’s still in the indicia, but that’s hardly the same thing.

 Avengers: The Initiative #3 (Marvel) w. Dan Slott, a. Stefano Caselli
Yet another Avengers title.  This one deals with new Initiative heroes in training, learning how to fight, how to control their powers, and how to keep secrets (from the bad guys or from each other). 
Sort of New Mutants with Federal Officers.  One trainiee whose death was covered up — is still alive?  Huh.  Hey, Dani Moonstar, no longer a mutant (is she still a valkyrie) is training the fear-inducing guy. Combat training with the Thing and Justice.  Huh, the Feds have developed power-suppressing nano-darts (SPIN tech).  Yeah, that always works well.  Folks spot Spidey taking down some bad guys, and the first and second stringers trie to take him on; yeah, that’s always a good idea.  And who the hell are all the scary Iron Spider figures that seem to be doing away with the bad guys while Spidey fights the good guys?

 Avengers: The Initiative #4 (Marvel) w. Dan Slott, a. Stefano Caselli
Someone approaches one of the trainees to steal some SPIN tech.  He does so, and it comes back (of course) to bite him when the Hulk returns (see the whole World War Hulk mess) and the SPIN tech darts are used to try to take Hulkie down (and don’t, but it’s not like the one cartridge could be the deciding factor there).  The trainees are tasked with crowd control — but of course they end up going toe-to-toe with the Hulk and his gang.  Huh.  The title has plenty of (ho-hum) conspiracy bits and pieces, and a nice mix of both established Marvel heroes of different calibers, as well as new characters.  It’s not great, but it remains readable.

 Black Canary #2 of 4 (DC) w. Tony Bedard; a. Paulo Siqueira
BC’s adopted sister, Sin, is enrolled in a school for wealthy-but-potentially-dangerously-violent kids, but that’s seen as a good thing as she was raised to be an assassin. The League of Assassins plan on kidnapping her regardless. Bad move, as she wipes out the ninja assault team — and then the cops that come to investigate.  Oops.  But Merlyn ends up kidnapping her anyway.  Huh.  Whatever.

Black Panther #29 (Marvel) w. Reginald Hudlin; a. Francis Portela
The Panther and the other FF are trapped on a Skrull planet on the other end of the universe — which planet is being attacked by cosmically powered zombies if Earth heroes.  It turns out this is an alternate unverse that the King Solomon’s Frogs have sent them.  Yeah, doesn’t make any sense to me either — not the plot itself, but why we’re going through it.  It’s done well enough, it’s just kind of pointless.

Black Summer #1 (Avatar) w. Warren Ellis; a. Juan Jose Ryp
In this particular setting, of a previous generation of “gun-enhanced” heroes, most are out of commission, but one of the ones who isn’t, John Horus, has just killed the president.  Now goverment agents are moving to take out the older generation of heroes, including the cripple Tom Noir.  Now Tom needs to get away from the cleaning squads, find out what’s going on with his former friends, including assassin John Horus.  Um … okay.  Kind of ugly art, and the story doesn’t quite gel yet.  Judgment withheld.

(listening to: Keating, Ronan, “When You Say Nothing at All” from Notting Hill)
(listening to: Korngold, Erich, “Duel, Victory, and Epilogue” from Adventures of Robin Hood)
(listening to: Riepl, Kevin, “Descension” from Unreal Championship 2: Liandri Conflict)
(listening to: Cherry Poppin’ Daddies, “Dr. Bones” from Zoot Suit Riot)
(listening to: Cash, Johnny, “Boy Named Sue” from Johnny Cash 16 Biggest Hits)

I’ve now finished up all of my TPBs that I had set aside for this.  So … onto the monthly comics.  I’ve pulled all my comics for August/September.  The reviews will be shorter, just because there’s less there there.  Though I’ve done single-issue reviews with all those same criteria, I’m going to try just a single aggregate score for each one.

There may be spoilers below.  Let’s see what we have …

 Action #852 (DC) w. Kurt Busiek; a. Brad Walker
Tie-in to Countdown #41 (which, while I’m not thrilled about, at least they note on the cover so I can cluster the comic with its associate — except the cover says Countdown #41, and the splash page says Countdown #42, but the last page says #41 again … rrg).  Monkeys are getting Kryptonite powers.  Jimmy Olson is also (shades of the Silver Age) getting powers, too.  The Kryptonite Man is having a parole hearing to see if he can continue his research; the judge says no (duh).  K-Man gets torqued. Supes saves the day.  Jimmy decides he’s really going to try the super-heroing biz.  Ho-hum.  Cartoony art.  Not very impressive — but better than the previous issue, the end of the Geoff Johns run and the “son of Superman” nonsense.  Planning to drop this title.

 All-Star Batman & Robin #6 (DC) w. Frank Miller; a. Jim Lee
Miller’s odd unstated-alternate-universe Batman continues to act like the happy sadist of justice.  Biggest problem (besides cops trying to gun him down) — folks imitating him, including a fishnetted Black Canary look-alike who’s also a thief, and the young daughter of Jim Gordon, Barbara.  Beautifully drawn bloody hilarity ensues.  Well written and drawn, but I always feel vaguely dirty afterwards.  Have dropped from my pull list.

 All-Star Superman #8 (DC) w. Grant Morrison; a. Frank Quitely
Wraps up the bizarro Bizarro World story line, thank Rao.  Well, no, it doesn’t.  Curses.  Meanwhile,  Lois discovers that Superman is dying from overpowering.  Something’s hiding in the sun, ironically.  Beautiful and odd, I am conflicted over this (non-canon) title.

 Amazing Spider-Man #542 (Marvel) w. Joe Straczynski; a. Ron Garney
Spidey (Back in Black) finally confronts the Kingpin over the latter’s role in the assassination attempt on his life, which instead has mortally wounded Aunt May.  Kingpin figures he’s got it all in hand, manipulating puny Parker.  Puny Parker mops the floor with him in front of all the inmates, and quite chillingly promises to go back and kill him at such time as May dies.  He makes sure the other inmates get the message.  Seriously miscalculated there, Mr. Fisk.  Spidey’s going all dark and vengeancy makes perfect sense and Straczynski handles it very nicely. 

 Amazons Attack! #4 of 6 (DC) w. Will Pfeifer; a. Pete Woods
Remember when there were actually times when DC didn’t have a major event going on?  Neither do I.  Circe’s resurrected Hippolyta and conned her into attacking the US in return for the insults offered her daughter.  The US gets destroyed some more.  Supergirl and Wonder Girl somehow get it into their head that if they can bring Hippolyta and the President together, they’ll settle things.  So they attack Air Force One — which is then attacked for real and brought down by Pegasus-mounted Amazons.  Big fighting.  Meanwhile, it sounds like the Bana, a radical offshoot of the Amazons from some past plotlline are behind a lot of the violence.  Ho-hum.  Justice Leagers fight Amazons and Monsters.  Soldiers gun down Amazons.  The gods are doing stuff.  Ho-hum.  Can we get this over with?

(listening to: Proclaimers, “The Light” from Hit the Highway)
(listening to: Hardie, Jonny & Gavin Marwick, Davy Cattanach, “A Breton March / An Irish Reel / Hatton Burn” from Up In The Air)
(listening to: Proclaimers, “Oh Jean” from Sunshine on Leith)
(listening to: Sembello, Michael, “Maniac” from Billboard Top Hits – 1983)

Absolute Sandman, Vol. 1 (DC Vertigo) [collects #1-20]
w. Neil Gaiman; a. Various 

Writing		New reader?
Art		Non-comics reader?

This is an absolutely gorgeous volume.  Leather bound, nice paper — and it’s oversized, too, so the art is all the easier to see.

While the early Sandman art (and, to be honest, writing) was a bit rough, it’s been all recolored, which helps a lot.

This volume has stories setting up the entire rest of the series — Sandman’s capture and freedom, his recovery of his items of power, the humans with the “sleepy sickness” and their descendants, his kinfolk of the Endless, Lucifer, Rose — and one-off stories, like the Cat tale, and the Midsummer Night’s Dream. 

Supplementary material in the book is the initial proposal for the book, a step-by-step script and raw art of the Midsummer issue, and afterwords by Gaiman.

I’m not big for re-buying books I already own — but it was worth buying this and giving away the TPBs I already had covering these.  The next volume is out in a couple of months …

Lost Girls (Top Shelf)
w. Alan Moore; a. Melinda Gebbie 

Writing		New reader?
Art		Non-comics reader?

Okay — so imagine if Alice (from Wonderland), Dorothy Gale (from Oz), and Wendy (from Peter Pan), three women who, as children, had fantastic adventures, encountered one another in a Swiss hotel shortly before WW I, and ended up revealing their adventures as sexual ones, which then led to Edwardian porn encounters between the three of them, et al.

That’s essentially what Moore and Gebbie have done here.  Is it just smut?  No — the tale actually has enough meat to it (you should pardon the expression) to make it something more than a backup feature in Penthouse.  But it’s not great literature, either (at least as I understand it) — there’s simply too much simple titillation (so to speak).  The sex gets in the way of anything else, but there’s enough of the “anything else” to keep it from just being smut.  Instead, it’s a very long (and fairly expensive) creative exercise in creating overtly sexual material that’s not just sexual material, that offers something odd, intriguing,  It deals with consequences, not just actions, with history, not just the now.  It’s certainly more than porn, and more even than erotica — it’s Alan Moore either being clever or having a good laugh at our expense. 

Did I like it?  It was … interesting.  I sort of wish I’d waited for the trade paperback version (had one been forthcoming).  As it stands, it’s something I can imagine pulling off the shelf on occasion, but I’m not altogether certain what for.

(listening to: Baez, Joan, “In The Pines” from Very Early Joan)
(listening to: Dora the Explorer, “I’m the Map!” from Dora the Explorer)
(listening to: Symphonic Cast, “Look Down” from Les Misérables (Symphonic))
(listening to: Wainwright III, Loudon, “Little Ship” from Little Ship)
(listening to: Elfman, Danny, “Imports / Quiet Moment” from Men in Black)

The Walking Dead: The Best Defense, Vol. 5 (Image) [collects #25-30]
w. Robert Kirkman; a. Charlie Adlard 

Writing		New reader?
Art		Non-comics reader?

The Walking Dead: This Sorrowful Life, Vol. 6 (Image) [collects #31-36]
w. Robert Kirkman; a. Charlie Adlard 

Writing		New reader?
Art		Non-comics reader?

Zombies in comics have almost become a cliche, and Robert Kirkman writing about zombies as well — but Kirkman’s Walking Dead series remains the premiere post-zombie-apocalypse comic out there.  It’s done more, examine more about life-after-zombies than any other work I know of — and, honestly, it’s done it by doing what zombie tales are about.  Zombie stories are not about zombies, or fighting zombies — they’re about what life-and-undeath struggle means to the humans, to the ones left behind, and to what level of savagery — to the zombies, others, and themselves — they’re willing to descend in order to stay alive.  When do evil decisions become necessary, and even virtuous? 

Our band of humans in TWD have managed to hold up pretty successfully in a penetentiary, the supplies inside providing them with some comfort, and the fencing keeping the zombies out,  But when a helicopter crashes nearby, a rescue team the send discovers another community, equally secure, but not quite so benign.  Life and death struggle, lots of blood, and two of the most brutal torture sequences I’ve ever seen, sees the party’s escape back to the prison.  

But there are traitors in their midst, now, and the nearby town will likely not leave them alone.  How far will  our protagonists go to be safe?  And while in a constant life and death crisis, is there room for ordinary relationships?

This is really good stuff.  It’s not for the squeamish, and it’s not uplifting or entertaining.  It’s grim and gritty and reading the entire series to date would probably drive one to drink.  But it’s probably more solid literature than 99% of what I’ve reviewed today — even if it is about zombies.  Except it’s not — it’s about people, stripped down to Hobbesian state-of-nature decision-making.  Faboo.

(listening to: Yankovic, Weird Al, “Jerry Springer” from Running With Scissors)
(listening to: Serra, Eric, “The Severnaya Suite (Among the Dead / Out of Hell / The Husky Tribe)” from Goldeneye)
(listening to: “Over at the Frankenstein Place” from Rocky Horror Picture Show)
(listening to: Gold, Murray, “Clockwork Tardis” from Doctor Who – The New Series – Original Television Soundtrack)
(listening to: Pet Shop Boys, “Nervously” from Behavior)

Uncle Sam and the Freedom Fighters (DC) [collects #1-8]
w. Justin Gray, Jimmy Palmiotti; a. Daniel Acuna 

Writing		New reader?
Art		Non-comics reader?

The Freedom Fighters entered modern comics history when the Quality Comics characters were acquired by DC.  They became alternate Earth fighters against triumphant Nazis, but were wiped out in the Crisis.  Recently, they’ve reappeared, though most of the members got taken out in the latest Infinite Crisis period.

In this story, we have a covert government agency, SHADE, led by Father Time, that’s busy recruiting replacements for the FFs. Enter Uncle Sam, who claims to be the embodiment of the American spirit, and who turns the FFs into guerilla fighters against SHADE and Father Time’s plots.

It all gets very dark and political and conspiratorial, and makes me feel like I’m reading something by Howard Chaykin for some reason, but the painted art by Acuna is lovely, and I don’t regret picking the book up, though I doubt we’ll see much more of the team for a while, which is a bit of a shame.

Usagi Yojimbo: the Mother of Mountains, Vol. 21 (Dark Horse) [collects #83-89]
w/a. Stan Sakai 

Writing		New reader?
Art		Non-comics reader?

Usagi Yojimbo is one of the longest-running owner-created comics out there, and with good reason.  It’s anthropomorphic without being cute, authentic without being impenetrable, violent without being gruesome.  The characters fight, struggle, get bloodied, face difficult decisions, and act real, even if they are anthropmorphic animals in Shogunate Japan. 

And Stan Sakai is one of the nicest guys in comics.  That good spirit comes through in his story telling.

This arc deals with Usagi’s romantic interest, lady samurai Tomoe, being sent to investigate a plague in borderlands controlled by her lord Noriyuki.  Things are not as they seem, of course, and before it’s over, both she and Usagi will face treachery at court and a covert invasion on the border, mixed in with hidden gold, slaves, and Tomoe’s bloodthirsty cousin Noriko.

I cannot recommend the entire series enough, and while there’s plenty of backstory and history over the past decades it’s run, each story can be taken on its own without getting lost.

Wapsi Square: 2001-2004 
w/a. Paul Taylor

Writing		New reader?
Art		Non-comics reader?

Wapsi Square is an indie comic which as run online for years (as the title indicates), It defies easy description — there’s young folks establishing their lives in the city, but there’s also a semi-intelligent dog and Aztec gods and demons running around.  It’s … odd sometimes, but I enjoy the art, and the story has repeated charming moments.

(listening to: Chapin, Harry, et al., “We Gotta Get Organized” from Cotton Patch Gospel)
(listening to: Apollo Four Forty, “Lost in Space (Theme)” from Lost In Space – Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)
(listening to: San Francisco Gay Men’s Chorus, “My Church” from Naked Man)
(listening to: Beck, Christopher & Tobias & Whedon, “Overture / Going Through the Motions” from Buffy: Once More, With Feeling)
(listening to: McCreary, Bear, “Prologue” from Battlestar Galactica: Season 1)
(listening to: Nylons, “Time of the Season” from Hits of the 60s)

Teen Titans: Titans around the World, vol. 6 (DC) [collects #34-41]
w. Geoff Johns; a. Tony Daniel, et al. 

Writing		New reader?
Art		Non-comics reader?

Once again, “One Year Later” rears its ugly, disruptive head.  While we were “away,” the Titans have basically fallen apart, various members coming and going, mostly going Cyborg was in a coma and Robin tried to hold things together (and tried to keep himself on an even keel).  As Geoff Johns reaches toward the end of his long run on the title, he does an interesting job of pulling together a roster of “recent” Titans — one of whom is a traitor.  Reaching back to the Titans roots, he makes most of the folks younger versions of adult heroes — Kid Devil for Blue Devil, Ravager for Deathstroke, Miss Martian for Martian Manhunter, Bombshell for Captain Atom, etc.   It’s initially bizarre, but by the end, it all makes sense.

Heck, there’s even Marv and Wendy as caretakers of Titans Tower.  And Johns makes it work …

It’s good stuff, and the identity of the traitor stays in doubt to the very end.  A very nice tale

Ultimates 2: Grand Theft America, Vol. 2 (Marvel) [collects #7-13]
w. Mark Millar; a. Bryan Hitch 

Writing		New reader?
Art		Non-comics reader?

As traitors strike within the Ultimates and SHIELD, America falls to an international super-hero onslaught.  With Hawkeye missing, Captain American under arrest, Thor under psych care, the Hulk dead, and Iron Man target number one for assassination, is there any way America to fight back?

I’m of mixed feeling about the Ultimate universe, but Ultimates has been an epic class series.  This wraps up the tale for now, which may be just as well (go out while on top), but it’s been a good ride.

(listening to: Baez, Joan, “Lady Gay” from Very Early Joan)
(listening to: Beach Boys, “Do You Wanna Dance?” from Capitol Years, The)
(listening to: Shore, Howard, “The Black Gate Is Closed” from LOTR2: Two Towers)
(listening to: McFerrin, Bobby, “Don’t Worry, Be Happy” from Sony-Billboard Decade of Music)

Sojourn: The Sorcerer’s Tale, Vol. 5 (Checker) [collects #25-30]
w. Ian Edginton; a. Greg Land 

Writing		New reader?
Art		Non-comics reader?

When Cross-Gen folded back in 2004 or so, it took with it some marvelous properties, including some books that had been published but not yet collected in trades (which had been a bit part of Cross-Gen’s selling points).  One of the best of the lot was Sojourn, a fantasy tale drawn by the amazing Greg Land (and written by Ian Edginton). 

Checker Book Publishing Group has bought the old Cross-Gen properties, and is republishing the “missing” TPBs.  The first is this one, which includes the origin of the sorcerer Mordath, a history of trolls and humans, and the increasing intervention of the forces that are manipulating Arwyn and her friends against Mordath for their own purposes.

It’s very enjoyable, but also wistful, like a movie being released with a promising actor who died — the awareness that there is little or no more of the work to come tinges the pleasure with sadness.

Checker has other “missing” TPBs from Cross-Gen.  I need to look and see which ones I really want. 

StormWatch: Post Human Division, Vol. 1 (Wildstorm) [collects #1-4, 6-7, Worldstorm #1]
w. Christos Gage; a. Doug Mahnke 

Writing		New reader?
Art		Non-comics reader?

In a world of massive budget cuts for the StormWatch organization, anything other than the Prime team is going to get diddly.  That includes the new StormWatch PHD, designed as a pilot for a low-cost metahuman team model.  Composed of second-string heroes and plea-bargained low-level villains, and led by a normal cop, do they stand a chance when a powerful villain group takes over the police station they’re HQed at, planning on killing everyone inside?

It’s all nicely done, with sort of a nice Thunderbolts meets Gotham Central feel to it.  Violent, but not unreasonably so, dark but not depressing, it’s a book with a lot of potential.

(listening to: Newhart, Bob, “Automation and A Private in Washington’s Army” from Button-Down Mind Strikes Back!)
(listening to: Edsel, Ogden, “Dead Puppies” from Dr. Demento 20th Anniversary)
(listening to: Battlefield Band, “Sir Sidney Smith’s March” from There’s a Buzz)
(listening to: Vasary, “Valse in E Min, op. Posth.” from Chopin – 17 Waltzes)
(listening to: Sinatra, Frank, “I Get a Kick out of You” from Taking a Chance on Love)
(listening to: Pet Shop Boys, “Paninaro” from Alternative)

Shadowpact: The Pentacle Plot, Vol. 1 (DC) [collects #1-6]
w. Bill Willingham; a. Various

Writing		New reader?
Art		Non-comics reader?

Shadowpact was introduced during the recent “Day of Vengeance” event in the DCU (yawn), but Willingham is rarely dull, and he embues a series of second-string mystical characters — and their opponents — with nice bits of personality that carry through, with humor (interspersed with horror) the plot their worked through.

In this case, the Shadowpact is invited to find out what’s going on in a small town that’s completely enveloped in a mystical shell.  They go in — and vanish for a year, as they deal with their evil(er) counterparts inside.  Afterwards, the person who started the whole ball rolling — a newly arisen sorcerer who takes on the name Doctor Gotham — comes up with various ways to distract an already somewhat flighty and unfocused team.    It’s good stuff — nothing to win Eisners, but a reasonable amount of fun.

Shanna the She-Devil (Marvel) [collects #1-7]
w/a. Frank Cho 

Writing		New reader?
Art		Non-comics reader?

Frank Cho can draw women.  And he can draw dinosaurs.  So drawing a non-continuity tale of a group of soldiers who (when) land on an island with a secret Nazi lab — and a lot of dinosaurs — and find some sort of experimental (?) superwoman … well, the plot doesn’t really matter.  You buy this book to see Frank Cho draw dinosaurs, and a very buxom babe fighting them.

It really is quite nice.  My only quibble (aside from academic concerns over cantilevering and the like) is that Shanna is actually an established character in the Marvel Universe (she lives in the Savage Land with Ka-Zar, as I recall, and is actually the more civilized of the two).  Why the editors decided to use the name non-canonically like this, I’m not sure.

But that’s a minor quibble.  Yes, it’s cheesecake — but it’s good cheesecake.  So there.

(listening to: Original Broadway Cast, “Javert at the Barricade / Little People & The First Attack” from Les Misérables (Broadway))
(listening to: Spice Girls, “Wannabe” from First Generation – Virgin 25 Years)
(listening to: Hogwood & AAM, “The Lord Gave the Word” from Messiah)
(listening to: Mancini, Henry, “Arabesque” from Crime Jazz (Music in The Second Degree))
(listening to: Monty Norman Orchestra, “James Bond Theme” from Best of James Bond – 30th Anniversary Limited Edition)
(listening to: Bernstein & the NY Philharmonic, “Appalachian Spring: Very Slowly” from Aaron Copland Royal Edition)

Sandman Mystery Theater: Dr. Death and the Night of the Butcher, Vol. 5 (DC Vertigo) [collects #21-28]
w. Matt Wagner, Steven Seagle; a. Guy Davis, Vince Locke 

Writing		New reader?
Art		Non-comics reader?

DC continues to reprint the mid-90s series based on the “Golden Age” Sandman, Wesley Dodds.  A nightmare-ridden wealthy inventor in Depression-era New York, tied to the thoughts of the imprisoned Sandman (of Gaiman fame), Dodds, haunts the bloody, corrupt streets of the city, gas gun in hand, meting out justice on the savage murderers of the city, be they of high or low estate …

This volume includes a cleverly homicidal doctor and savage, dismembering monster, but in many ways the mysteries and perpetrators are of secondary importance to the cast of characters.  Dodd is a philosopher driven by impulses he doesn’t understand.  His society girlfriend Dian learns his secret, and resents his keeping from her.  A chief detective on the force considers the Sandman as much a threat as the worst perp out there.  The soap opera between all of them and the other supporting cast (many of whom come and go as suspects, victims, or just in passing faces) paint a brutal, dismal, yet oddly attractive picture of 1930s New York — itself in many ways the most important character in the story.

Good stuff.  I’m so glad they’ve finally gotten around to reprinting these.

Sachs & Violens (DC) [collects #1-4]
w. Peter David; a. George Perez 

Writing		New reader?
Art		Non-comics reader?

You’d think the combination of one of my favorite writers and one of my favorite artists would be unstoppable, but S&V just falls short.  A porn model out for vengeance against the people who put her friend in a snuff film, and the Nam vet photographer who loves her going along for the violent ride, should make for some interesting story-telling, but, honestly, it just falls flat.  Perez does pretty work, but not his best.  David piles coincidence on coincidence.  And as much as I enjoy sex and violence, here too much of it just seems contrived for shock value.

David recently brought the characters (introduced here in 1993) back in his Fallen Angel series.  They worked better there than, stand-alone, here.

(listening to: Fine Young Cannibals, “She Drives Me Crazy” from The ’80s Hit(s) Back)
(listening to: Pointer Sisters, “Jump (For My Love)” from Greatest Hits of the 80s)

And from the creator of Nodwick and Full Frontal Nerdity …

PS238: No Child Left Behind!Vol. 3 (Dork Storm) [collects #10-15]
w/a. Aaron Williams 

Writing		New reader?
Art		Non-comics reader?

Williams may not have invented the idea of a school for super-kids, but his exploration of the idea far pre-dates the recent slew of movies on the subject.  Chris Tongue in the intro describes it as “Take the kids from Springfield Elementary, give them X-Men powers, and send ’em to Hogwarts.”  While there’s plenty of general humor and hi-jinx from the situation, much of the story circles around Tyler, the thus-far-unpowered son of two major heroes, enrolled at PS238 to prepare him for his heroic career.

This volume still has a number of stand-alone stories, but Williams begins to build the foundation for longer arcs in the future, including dealing with the “above-ground” normal bully Charles, and the mysterious Project Rainmaker that preceded PS238. 

Just generally grand stuff.  Buy it.

PS238: No Another Learning Experience! (Do Gooder) [collects #16-21]
w/a. Aaron Williams 

Writing		New reader?
Art		Non-comics reader?

This one is pretty much all-arc, all the time, as one kid dies (or does she?), some kidnapped kids (who aren’t) try to get their captor and themselves home safe, someone meets a ghost, a bully gets his come-uppance, and the superkid who only wants to play the clarinet tries to figure out which parent to disappoint.

Heady, even heavy, stuff for what started predominantly as a humor book.  Williams keeps building a richer and richer environment — and some of his original fans aren’t happy to see see the evolution.  On the other hand, nobody’s complaining about his steadily-improving art.

I like it.  That’s most of what matters to me.  And I keep waiting for the next issue.

Note:  This book has already come out via comic book stores, but isn’t available at Amazon … yet.

(listening to: Wainwright III, Loudon, “Underwear” from Little Ship)
(listening to: Shore, Howard, “The Shadow of the Past” from LOTR1: The Fellowship of the Ring)
(listening to: Beatles, “Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da” from Blue Album 1967-1970)
(listening to: Wainwright III, Loudon, “OGM” from Little Ship)
(listening to: Original Broadway Cast, “Molasses to Rum” from 1776) 
(listening to: Symphonic Cast, “Lovely Ladies” from Les Misérables (Symphonic))

The following two aren’t available through Amazon, so I’ll have to handle them a little differently.

Painkiller Jane: The Return (Dynamite) [collects #1-3]
w. Joe Quesada, Jimmy Palmiotti; a. Jimmy Palmiotti 

Writing		New reader?
Art		Non-comics reader?

Jane — who’s a lot more of an independent agent and knows kindasorta her origin, as opposed to the SciFi series based on the same character — goes after the folks behind a sex and sadism ring … a trail that will take her to the very top of a very powerful family.  Bloody violence ensues, natch.

Meh.  I’ll watch the TV series.

Pibgorn: The girl in the Coffee Cup (Pib Press)
w/a. Brooke McEldowney 

Writing		New reader?
Art		Non-comics reader?

McEldowney, better known for 9 Chickweed Lane, started up this series in 2001/2 almost on a lark, but it struck a serious chord in his readers.  It’s currently available online, but the first group of strips and story line are collected in this self-published book.

McEldowney does some fun things with the series, with characters and commentary on society and even in considering the questions of good and evil.  But his plotting for the series is sometimes slapdash, with deus ex machina and abrupt twists and turns that don’t quite mean anything slipping in a bit often.  If Chickweed is McEldowney’s paycheck, this is his indulgence, and sometimes he indulges a bit too much.

Still, it’s generally fun, when focused, and contributing to the cause by picking up the book seemed a good investment to me. 

(listening to: TV, “The Green Hornet” from Television’s Greatest Hits – II)
(listening to: Enya, “On My Way Home” from Memory of Trees)
(listening to: Vogues, “Five O’Clock World” from You’re The One – Best of …)
(listening to: Goldsmith, Jerry, “Camel Race” from Mummy, The)
(listening to: Clannad, “Mhorag’s na horo Gheallaidh” from Fuaim)

These, perhaps, don’t count as “comics” in the super-heroic DC/Marvel sense — but what the heck.  Penny Arcade is a damned funny online comic, and their recent expansion into print publication of their back issues (complete with copious and amusing notes) has been most welcome.

Penny Arcade: The Warsun Prophecies, Vol. 3 (Dark Horse) [collects 2002]
w. Jerry Holkins; a. Mike Krahulik 

Writing		New reader?
Art		Non-comics reader?

Penny Arcade: Birds are Weird, Vol. 4 (Dark Horse) [collects 2003]
w. Jerry Holkins; a. Mike Krahulik 

Writing		New reader?
Art		Non-comics reader?

Though they focus mostly the video gaming industry, Gabe and Tycho tackle everything from genre movies and TV to comics to pretty much whatever else pops into their heads.  Their sense of humor is something of an acquired taste, bitter in its hilarity, like licking chocolate-covered razor blades.   Even where you don’t understand what a strip is about (even with the commentary), it’s still usually interesting.  Unless you have utterly no knowledge of or interest in video games, you’ll probably find a few chuckles, several winces, and a coughing fit in each of these volumes.

Promethea, Book 5  (ABC) [collects #26-32]
w. Alan Moore; a. J.H. Williams III 

Writing		New reader?
Art		Non-comics reader?

 Moore wraps up his “Apocalyptic Series” with, appropriately, the end of the world, and the unexpected birth of the new one.  As with the entire series, everything is a mix of edgy straight-up adventure, interesting social structure, and utterly bizarro mysticism.  Moore pulls in some of his other ABC heroes, like Tom Strong, which trikes an almost incongruous contrast to the sophistication of the Sophie/Promethea pairing.  Then things get really weird, before they get kind of normal, until the final issue which … which …

Dude — that must be most excellent acid.  I’m sure it’s all terribly important and profound, but my head just went all loopy every time to read any of it, so I’ll just nod and say, “Far out.”

Williams on pencils and paints does a fabulous job.  Mick Gray on inks, Jose Villarrubia and Jeromy Cox on colors, and Todd Klein on design, all deserve a mention for a visually stunning collection.

I sure hope someone got the message that Moore was trying to get across here, because … well … I didn’t.  But I more or less enjoyed the ride.

(listening to: Webber, Andrew Lloyd & Tim Rice, “What’s the Buzz” from Jesus Christ Superstar)
(listening to: Backyardigans, “Please and Thank you” from The Adventure Begins)
(listening to: O’Connor, Sinéad, “Why Don’t You Do Right ?” from Am I Not Your Girl?)
(listening to: Birmingham Symphony, “End title” from Henry V)
(listening to: Carroll, Edward (Trumpet), William Neil (Organ), Alcock “Voluntary in D – Vivace” from For Their Majesties’ Pleasure & Delight)
(listening to: Baez, Joan, “The Cherry Tree Carol” from Vol. 2)