New Comics - April 12th

Well, I'm particularly late with this update, it's been a busy week.

• Desolation Jones 6 (Vertigo) - Warren Ellis seems to follow a pretty tight formula for his most popular books. Transmetropolitan, Jack Cross, Fell, Scars, the Strange Killings/Strange Kisses books, and now this title all have a main character with basically the same personality. If you find that this personality is someone entertaining to read about, then this title is among the cream of the crop of the Warren Ellis books. Artist JH Williams III (right) and Ellis make a strong pair for this title. With just a little bit of mystical mumbo-jumbo mixed in with what is essentially a detective/spy concept, Williams III brings an edge of visual innovation to Ellis' strong plot sense. I'm enjoying the series quite a bit, and think that Ellis has an opportunity with him and his artist in place to build a great long form story.
• Warren Ellis Black Gas 2 (Avatar) - I don't even like slasher movies, but this slasher movie styled comic book is holding my attention. I hope the tease of big ideas will pay off.
  
• Ultimate Spider-Man 93 (Marvel) - I'm kind of going along for the ride with Bendis on this book lately, but he's close to losing my interest. After this many issues, I think there's a lot to be said for customer momentum.
• Green Arrow 61 (DC) - I enjoy this character enough to continue with this 1 Year Later storyline to see if it stays interesting. Everyone several pages in this story I see the strings with Winick's storytelling and it really pulls me out of the story. I'd like to see him push himself more often, as I think he has real talent to expand on.
• Batman Year 100 3 (DC) - I'm still waiting for the whole series to come out, but with one issue left, I doubt I'll make it. This has been taunting me from the nightstand for two months now and it's getting harder and harder to push it to the bottom of the pile. Now Paul Pope just has to live up to my expectations.
• Girls 12 (Image) - I think this is series is quite entertaining. I like the flow of the story. It could easily be told in half the issues, but I think the pace is working perfectly. The only problem now is that all the characters have been introduced fully and with my crappy memory I can't keep them apart from month to month. I hope the series holds my interest through a rereading when it's all collected, as I think the pace might really pay off in a long form book.
• Little Star (Oni Press) - It's mostly the fact that I have a four month old, but the premise of this book is of great appeal. Andi Watson has long been a favorite of mine, with entertaining stories and beautifully designed panels and pages with clean, attractive illustrations. I hope to do a lengthy reveiw after I've read it.
• The Tourist (Image) - Brian Wood was always off on the periphery of my awareness of comics writers. That was until Local, which I've enjoyed enough to pre-order this graphic novel sight unseen. Toby Cypress (right) art didn't hurt either. He's moved from a strong Ted McKeever influence through a Glenn Barr/Tony Salmons period into something exciting and unique. I'm looking forward to this book and to where Mr Cypress moves from here.

And the last two books are previews again, officially released next week.

• Bite Club Vampire Crime Unit 1 (Vertigo) - I quite enjoyed the first Bite Club series, and was happy to see there was a sequel in the works. It seems to be a departure in plot, moving from a Godfather pastiche to a riff on the ultra-popular police procedural that you see every night from the networks. The dialogue and script style has held to the tone of the first series, with plenty of clipped dialogue and black humor. I'm also glad to see the return of series artist David Hahn (below). I don't know where he was for the intervening ten years between his Slave Labor Graphics series Private Beach and this title, but I think he has made a triumphant return. This series' art is attractive and well-laid out.
• Daredevil 84 (Marvel) - The Brube continues to hit it out of the park. This series is a nearly perfect monthly book. Great story beats, great cliffhangers, and continuing to build on the work of those that came before. I look forward to a long, successful run for Mr Brubaker. I'll have to think of some more superlatives before the next issue.