Getting hotter and hotter … fortunately, it should be nice and cool tonight.<\/p>\n
One more round of reviews, and then it’s time for a snack.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Review code format: writing <\/b>(3-1, faboo to mediocre), art <\/b>(3-1), suitability for jumping on as a new reader <\/b>(3-1), suitability for hooking a a non-comics reader <\/b>(3-1), and eagerly waiting the collected TBP <\/b>(Y\/N).<\/p>\n
Kitsune Tales<\/b> <\/i>(SLG) [2\/2\/1\/2\/-]
\nThis is evidently a one-shot from Woodrow Phoenix’ Skeleton Key <\/i>series about the titular fox spirit. It’s … okay, but neither as funloving as I’d expected, nor as … well, something seemed missing. Folks who like Japanese fairy tales would probably at least be amused by it, as I was, but it wasn’t enough to make me hunt down more work by the writer, or by artist Andi Watson.<\/p>\n
Exiles <\/i><\/b>#29 (Marvel) [1\/2\/1\/1\/N]
\nChuck Austin, like Joe Kelly, seem to just like hurting folks, physically and\/or spiritually. His current Exiles arc (until we get back to Judd Winick’s backlog soon) fits right in with that. Exile getting hurt left and right. X-Men getting hurt left and right. Two major antagonists that enjoy tearing apart Exiles and X-Men (and who may be about to tear apart each other). Ho, and also, Hum. If I didn’t know that Winick was coming back, I’d be leaving.<\/p>\n
Cat Woman<\/i> #20<\/b> (DC) [2\/2\/2\/2\/N]
\nThis remains an odd, off-beat title. Selina and Holly are on a road trip, apparently to get Holly trained up as … a side kick? Or just someone who can handle being in Selina’s world? And what’s with Selina and Wildcat, both when costumed up and not. And what’s with that spooky cat statue? And … well, there are lots of possibilities, and I’m not sure where the series is going, but I’m willing to stick with it for the nonce. Ed Brubacker’s writing continues to be solid, if confusing at times, while Cameron Stewart’s art maintains the noirish tradition that so many of the Bat-titles have had for a while, while not being muddy. Good stuff.<\/p>\n
Planetary\/Batman:<\/i> Night on Earth<\/b> GN (DC) [3\/3\/-\/1\/-]
\nThis oneshot by the Planetary team of Warren Ellis and John Cassaday is … interesting — if, for no other reason, than Ellis’ famous disdain for traditional super-heroes like, well, Batman. The Planetary team come to their version of Gotham in pursuit of a superhuman criminal, only to find themselves whipped into alternative versions of Gotham City, each of which is populated by a different version of … Batman. It’s not giving too much away to note that the credits mention inspiration by Neal Adams, Dick Giordano, Carmine Infantino, Bob Kane, Frank Miller, Jerry Robinson, and Alex Ross. It’s also not giving too much away to note that watching the different versions of the Bat contend with Jakita Wagner is truly entertaining. Surprisingly good stuff, for fans of either title.<\/p>\n
Supergirl:<\/i> Many Happy Returns<\/b> TPB (DC) [3\/2\/-\/1\/-]
\nIt is truly ironic that, even as DC decided to cancel Peter David’s Supergirl, his newest story arc was collecting so much attention — and orders — that DC ended up coming out with a TPB collection of the last six issues (#75-80). The introduction describes the creative genesis — and future, unfulfilled plans — for this story of the abrupt and unexpected arrival of the “real” Supergirl, Kara Zor-El, into the title. As it stands, this collection (with art by Ed Benes and Alex Lei) reads much better than the individual issues did, largely because the story line was so complex. It’s a fitting conclusion to the whole story, very Peter David, and makes me more than a bit irked by DC’s decision. While David’s Supergirl <\/i>series sometimes wandered a bit in its story, it was always an interesting study in personality and redemption, and I’m sorry it will no longer be appearing on the shelves.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Getting hotter and hotter … fortunately, it should be nice and cool tonight. 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Thought I posted that last item at the bottom of the hour, but just did it now. So I'll quick whip up another post. Doyce headed back out. Many...","rel":"","context":"In "Blogathon"","block_context":{"text":"Blogathon","link":"https:\/\/hill-kleerup.org\/blog\/category\/blogging\/blogathon"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":4728,"url":"https:\/\/hill-kleerup.org\/blog\/2004\/01\/16\/hey_kids_comics.html","url_meta":{"origin":4656,"position":1},"title":"Hey, Kids! Comics!","author":"***Dave","date":"Fri 16-Jan-04 4:17pm","format":false,"excerpt":"[N.B. This review was started but never finished or published at the time.] Been a while ... Review code format: writing (3-1, faboo to mediocre), art (3-1), suitability for jumping...","rel":"","context":"In "Comics & Comic Books"","block_context":{"text":"Comics & Comic Books","link":"https:\/\/hill-kleerup.org\/blog\/category\/media\/media-comics"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":4541,"url":"https:\/\/hill-kleerup.org\/blog\/2003\/08\/10\/we_still_read_c.html","url_meta":{"origin":4656,"position":2},"title":"We (still) read comics","author":"***Dave","date":"Sun 10-Aug-03 8:02am","format":false,"excerpt":"No, the Blogathon didn't burn me out. 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