New Comics - May 24th - Part Two

Just a few more this week.

• The American Way 4 of 8 (Wildstorm) - This series brings to mind a popular technique among some of the most popular comics writers, and one that has different results depending on the creator. The technique is to throw out ideas as fast as they arrive. The preeminent idea-thrower is Grant Morrison. He makes it appear as though the ideas are coming so fast that he couldn't possibly have time to develop them all. The thing about Mr Morrison is that his ideas tend to fit either the story or the feel of the title very well. Genre-centric ideas for his superhero books (X-Men or Superman), abstract ideas for his one-offs (WE3 or Seaguy), and just a ton of ideas for the big, overarching titles (7 Soldiers). The problem with some idea men, like Warren Ellis, is that they sometimes don't spen enough time editing out the ideas that should be pared down. In some of his best titles (Plantetary or Transmetropolitan) there were sequences that seemed designed to eliminate the stockpile of ideas that Mr Ellis had built up that had yet to find a home. Sometimes he gives too much credit to an idea (Tokyo Storm Warning or most any Avatar title), and spends way too much time developing what is basically enough idea for a one-shot. Which brings us to American Way writer John Ridley. I'm afraid that he has some great ideas, but that he'll pack them all into this eight issue series and it won't be enough room for them to develop. Media control, military tactics, racism, power without responsibility, sacrificing for the greater good, and many more themes are being thrown into each successive issue. The story ideas that allow these themes to be explored are coming fast and furious, I just hope he takes the time to allow them to properly develop.
• 52 Week Three (DC) - Not much of an issue, mostly a stepping stone which sets up further plotlines.
• Blue Beetle 3 (DC) - The curse of the fill-in. Cynthia Martin is an unsung superhero artist, but I just want Cully Hamner back. The story is still holding my attention, though, even with the fill-in.
• Supreme Power 3 (Marvel) - I don't understand why this book needs a "to be continued" tag at the end. Is this just something that every other title takes for granted. Maybe it's just that no ongoing title should ever say "the end" at the end of an issue.
• She-Hulk 8 (Marvel) - Civil War tie-in. I can't see the point in making all these issues tie-ins. The meat of the story is saved for the main series, and everything else feels like an afterthought. This might be the end of this title making the cut. Sorry Dan Slott, you almost had me. I'll pay attention.

And the book of the week:

• Concrete vol. 5 (Dark Horse) - Another in the series of books reprinting the entirety of the Concrete stories. I have praised this book continuously in the recent past, but this is the real thing. An entertaining, heartfelt, masterful book. Get it.

New Comics - May 24th

Here's a quick start to this week's batch...

• X-Factor 7 (Marvel) - This series has seesawed through artists — inker became penciller and now a different penciller. Ariel Olivetti (right) is the fill-in for this issue, but that's not a bad thing, because he does a great job and I, for one, would love to see him as the regular artist. Ahhh, such is the life of a Marvel Comics reader: you get what you ask for. This is a title that might not make it through too many more issues for me, but it's entertaining for now.
• Nextwave 5 (Marvel) - My comments regarding last issue still hold. This title is still getting its sea legs. Wobbly, but no vomiting yet. And I'll give them credit for the best variant edition in quite a while. This issue shipped with a variant coloring-book style edition title the "Crayon Butchery Variant". Printed on newsprint so that you practice coloring between the lines. Novel, at least.
• Batman 653 (DC) - Unfortunately, this title that held so much promise is devolving into another punch-em up without much punching. The main percentage of this issue is a dialogue between the halves of a dual personality (that's way more spoiler than I like to offer). The first week link yet in this story arc that has been so well put together. I hope it's a mior glitch that starts the third act of this story and writer James Robinson moves back into the pulp gem he's brought us so far.
• Powers 18 (Icon/Marvel) - This is a title that will probably bump its way onto my annual top ten that you can find in the right sidebar as soon as I can decide which book needs to be cut. Writer Brian Michael Bendis is pushing the characters of this title to new places every issue. Thank god for someone who writes so many company characters being able to do as he pleases with his own creations. That makes for a good genre book. The idea that a character can go through real change is such a bright spot for a mainstream superhero book. Unlike...
• New Avengers 19 (Marvel) - Another Bendis book, but such a different feel. How long before Hawkman comes back, or is this issue the story that sets up the return of some mutant that lost their powers in the House of M storyline. This title is barely keeping me as a reader, and the above gripe is only the start of it. The real problem here is that artist Mike Deodato. I thought I would get as snarky as I will allow myself and reproduce a couple panels that are just off. First, why is Iron Man's head so small and where exactly is that right arm coming from?Second, why is Luke Cage wall-eyed?Third, my foot cramps if I just think about putting it in a position like this: Anyway, decide for yourself. I'm sure he can draw a page in an afternoon, and that's what makes him so popular among Marvel editors. I just wish it didn't look like he drew several pages a day. Seriously, what the fuck?
  

Oh well, that's way too much snark for one day. This isn't a goddamn message board.

Roger Langridge

It's cartoons like this that keep Roger Langridge near the top of my favorite cartoonists list:See more at The Hotel Fred.

New Comics - May 17th - Part Three

...continued

• Illustration 16 (Illustration Magazine) - This quarterly magazine is outside my main interest range in illustration. Of course, comics are foremost, and when it comes to illustration work I tend to prefer less realistic work, and especially black and white illustrations. This magazine focuses on primarily realists, and generally on painters. The reason this magazine continues to hold my attention is the superior writing, design, and even the advertisements, which also contain some of the very best illustrative art of the 20th century

• All-Star Batman And Robin The Boy Wonder 4 (DC) - This title, while holding some surprises production-wise, like the quadruple gatefold, is turning out to be more lackluster than blockbuster. Jim Lee's art is strong — nothing new, but no major anatomy or proportion flaws. Plenty of minor ones, but the surface sheen outshines the fundamental weakness, as is true of all of Mr Lee's best work. The story is where it all falls apart for me. What Frank Miller is trying to do it seems is set up the origin of the Robin in the world of the Batman that became Miller's Dark Knight of his two most famous Batman stories, rather than the Batman of his Year One. The characters, taken in that context, are, for me, hitting the mark. The characterization is the only thing that makes the story worth reading, and that is my problem with the whole endeavor. The characters are spot on, but the plot is, at this point, practically non-existent. It has taken us four issues to get from the circus to the Batcave, and there isn't a comic book style cliffhanger to be found. If the point is that this isn't a plot driven book, then I need to know something new about the characters, and if you're not going to tell me in the first four issues, then what are you waiting for. At this rate, not much will happen until the second volume of the trade paperback, but maybe that's the point.
• Negative Burn 1 (Image) - This Joe Pruett edited anthology, like most anthologies, can be maddeningly inconsistent in tone, but is more than covered for in quality. The artists here are all very adept at the nuances of black and white illustration, and that's how they are published here. This issue features such big names as (big mainstream cover artist) Brian Bolland and (big mainstream inker) Phil Hester, such future big names as (Goon artist/writer) Eric Powell and (Girls/Ultra penciller/plotter) Jonathan Luna, and such indy stalwarts as Matt Smith (left) and James Owen and R.G. Taylor. They are all in fine form here, Mr Smith's Mignola-isms and Mr Luna's uninked pencils are standouts. The stories are necessarily light; there's not much to do in 6 or 8 pages. Overall, though, a promising beginning for fans of unheralded creators and those fond of the minutiae of their well-known stars. I look forward to more installments.
  

Now, as promised, the best superhero book I read this week, and it's no coincidence that the only time the title character appears in costume is the cover. This book isn't available for sale until May 24th, so this'll give you three days to think about it before you can buy it.

• Daredevil 85 (Marvel) - Ed Brubaker has followed many distinctive writers (Frank Miller, Brian Bendis, and underrated Ann Nocenti) and made this title his own in just four issues. It seems to me that this book owes a great deal to movies and TV shows set in prison (Oz in particular), but I am completely enthralled by the spin that the Brube is putting on it. Three major Marvel "superheroes" and one several minor characters (including the welcome return of Dakota North (which could only be made better by Tony Salmons return to the fold)), and nary a costume to be found. This fact only makes stronger the point that Mr Brubaker has such a strong grip on the narrative that you forget that this is a character that has been manhandled for 40 years now. His longtime collaborators Michael Lark and Stefano Gaudiano (right) do a capable job of keeping the story flowing and the setting looking good, even when an issue consists mostly of heads talking. This is quickly becoming my favorite monthly comic. Check it out.

Also as promised, the best genre book I read this week:

• Y The Last Man vol. 7 Paper Dolls (DC/Vertigo) - Brian K. Vaughan is, for my money, the most exciting genre writer in comics. Whether it's traditional superheroes in Runaways, post-modern superheroes in Ex Machina, or post-apocalyptic genre pieces like this one, Mr Vaughan is why I still love monthly comics, even though I don't read any of his titles monthly. I buy all three of these titles in trade paperback, but I look forward to each new volume of Ex Machina and this title in particular as ravenously as I do any periodical. If you're not yet a believer (I wasn't, that's why I read them in tpb form), you owe it to your genre-loving ass to give them a try.

And this week's book of the week:

• Castle Waiting (Fantagraphics) - Linda Medley has been one of my favorite comics artists for over a decade now, and the art on this title is one of the big reasons. Crisp, clean, assured, exciting, inventive and attractive (below), Ms Medley is one of the major unsung talents of comics. The fact that she lacks wide recognition is one of much lament. Hopefully this book will get the attention it deserves, and she will join the ranks of "Great Comics Creators". I read this title in fits and starts as it came out, and look forward to one sustained read.The subject matter is of little interest to me, as it's basically a fantasy title built around many familiar fairy tale and fantasy characters of myth and history, and the setting is one that is usually a turn off (to my untrained eye, it looks much like a local renaissance fair), but Ms Medley's art and storytelling ability more than compensate. I'm sure that there are many references to characters of yore that are lost on me, but the characters also become Medley's own in her story, set in her world. A beautifully put together hardcover, this book will hold a proud spot on my bookshelf, and it will hopefully be joined very shortly by her next masterpiece.
  

New Comics - May 17th - Part Two

...continued.

• Wolverine Origins 2 (Marvel) - The comments from last issue hold true. I'm still waiting for the promise that this series holds based on the two previous Daniel Way/Steve Dillon collaborations.
• 52 Week Two (DC) - DC's big title continues, and I'm along for the ride. I'm good with the Elongated Man detective story and the Renee Montoya mystery story. I just hope the mystic mumbo-jumbo and a so-far uninteresting Booster Gold story don't make me lose focus. This issue also introduces "History Of The DC Universe", a story that looks to be told in four page chapters. I didn't even bother to read the first chapter because I'm not sure if I care, but I'll keep it nearby for when I can read at least ten or twelve pages of story all at once.
• Superman/Batman 25 (DC) - I picked this issue up because I thought it was the tribute to Jeph Loeb's son, but when I realized it wasn't I bought it anyway because I'm a sucker for Bizarro or Mxyztplk. Ed McGuinness's art (right) is nice as well, but I don't really like his rendition of Bizarro. His style fits perfectly the character of Mr. Mxyztplk though, it's just too bad the story didn't hold my attention long enough to make sense of its plot line.
• Green Arrow 62 (DC) - This issue comprises of my least favorite thing about guys in tights. A 22 page fight scene. Fuck. I think I give up.
• Captain America 18 (Marvel) - Ed Brubaker is my favorite writer. Not the most original, not the most entertaining, not the deepest, but he gets just enough of all three into every book of his that I read that I am always happy to see his superhero titles in my stack. (Except that Doom book. Sorry, Ed, I just don't care enough.)
• Batman Year 100 (DC) - I still haven't read it yet, but now that the final chapter is out, it'll move to the top of my read pile. If it's worth it I'll spend a few paragraphs talking about it next week. In the meantime, here's a panel of Jim Gordon (below). I'm speechless about how nice the art is, too.

Tomorrow I'll finish off this week's post with some comments about the best superhero book I read this week, the best genre book I read this week, and the best book that came out this week.

New Comics - May 17th - Part One

Here's what it looks like when I try to be more timely with these posts. I'm exhausted and I have to wake up in six hours, so if there are some typos, bear with me and I'll fix them tomorrow. On to the books.

• Moon Knight 2 (Marvel) - I don't think that in the long run this book will hold my attention. Last issue I talked about David Finch assuming Todd McFarlane's long since abdicated throne, and this issue supports the argument even moreso. This issue, layout- and rendering-wise, could have fit easily in McFarlane's Spider-Man run. This is good if that fits your taste, bad if it doesn't. The only real problem is that it's not breaking any ground, and for a script written by someone outside the comics field, it shouldn't feel like McFarlane wrote it as well. The more I think about it, the more likely the long run might end up the short run.
• Wonderland 1 (Slave Labor Graphics) - This is the first issue of the third title to spin out of Slave Labor's acquisition of the Disney licenses, and has, by far, the most attractive art and story. Artist Sonny Liew's (below) pencils appear to be uninked, but it serves his art well. The story is interesting enough. I'm not much of a Disney fan, and I mostly grabbed this title for the fact that the art is so nice, but the story was interesting enough that I will continue reading, and actually look forward to the story building in the next issue.
• Fell 5 (Image) - Warren Ellis continues to impress in this 20 page, done-in-one issue. That's part of his self-imposed structure for this title and I think it pays off handsomely. He tells a simple, straight-forward, character driven story, and it never feels slight. Lite, maybe, but this is genre comics, and gravity is not the order of the day. Ben Templesmith, who's always underwhelmed me, is improving issue by issue. There were very few panels that seemed rushed (an occasional problem in previous stories) and I think his character appearance consistency is improving. More than worth the $1.99 cover price.

More tomorrow...

New Comics - May 10th Part Two

Holy shit, where does the time go? Oh, I know, a birthday, Mother's Day, and work, work, work, and the next thing you know it's Monday night and your five days behind on your weekly post so you hack it out. So, in honor of all the hacks in the history of comics, here's my hack for the week:

• She-Hulk 7 (Marvel) - Speaking of, Will Conrad provides serviceable art for this issue. The storyline here felt a little drawn out, leading me to assume that the writer was thinking of his trade paperback and how many issues he would need to fill one with two storylines. Almost enough to make me drop the series with the inconsistent artists and the hyper-extended storylines. We'll see.
• Girls 13 (Image) - Here's an extended storyline that at least feels like it's building at its own pace. I'll admit that this issue was denser than most, and I think they need to keep that in mind and build the story with plenty of goings-on, rather than the super-laid-back flow of some issues. The title is still strong, with enticing cliffhangers and enjoyable art and story.
• Bite Club VCU 2 (DC/Vertigo) - This is the preview for the week. This actually releases this Wednesday. More is less here, unfortunately. More plot points, more black comedy, more sensationalism, more characters and more depravity add up to a little bit less enjoyment for me than the first series, or even the first issue of this series. I'm along for the ride, but this is shaping out to be a typical sequel, short on the thrill that made the first so great.
• Future Shock (Image) - A Free Comic Book Day comic that publishes teasers from upcoming issues of Image titles. Nothing special here, and unfortunately each bit felt like part of a whole. Still, it seems like just the thing for F.C.B.D.
• Warren Ellis' Wolfskin 1 (Avatar) - Normally a barbarian book wouldn't hold my interest, but I bought this one because it's Warren Ellis. That gamble paid off because I enjoyed it immensely. I look forward to not having to try Conan now, since this mini-series will fill my quota of barbarian for, well, a long time.

And the book of the week (not in quality, but in notoriety):

• 52 Week One (DC) - There's so much going on here, that this is just the slightest bit of a taste of what to expect, but it seems that this is working for the title for me at least. Even if I have no interest in a character or two, there will be plenty of others to hold my interest. Much like a compilation CD I love of 30 second songs, even if you get to a bad one, by the time you realize it, it's over. Judgment will have to wait.
  

New Comics - May 10th Part One

It seems that this week somehow became matte cover week. The first three books I have for review this week all have matte finish covers. I actually think this is a great trend. It showcases one further advantage of print over non-print media. The difference in tactile experience is just one more factor in your form of entertainment attaching itself to your brain. Just like those of you in my generation who remember the first appearance of "baxter" and "mando" stock paper in comics as an upsell from their newsprint brethren, this can be a similar experience. I rememberr the drastic change in appearance and feel between these papers when they made their comicsland debut in the early 80's. I know that presently there are titles like Swallow (IDW) that have spot varnish on the cover, or titles that have that funky, extra-thin cover stock like Ultimate Spider-Man. I like that every major company released books this week with different cover stocks and finishes depending on the aesthetic and fiscal needs of the titles. Enough blather - on with the reviews.

• Magic Whistle 10 (Alternative Comics) - Sam Henderson is yet another great example, and one I forgot last week, of modern comics creators who create humor comics that are actually funny. This is the long awaited new issue of the long running title Sam Henderson's Magic Whistle. This title started as a self published mini-comic and graduated nearly 10 years ago to a regular pamphlet comic, and is now being published on an almost yearly basis as a "graphic novel" format title of a about 100 pages. This issue, unfortunately, didn't quite live up to my expectations, but my expectations were astronomic. I've been waiting for well over a year for this to come out, and the anticipation might have inflated my expectation. I have to say that it lives up to the pull quote that Mr Henderson chose for the back cover: "...wildly inconsistent" -Comics Journal. The MW still brings the funny though, and this is worth reading, especially if you've followed his comics before. His humor tends to grow on you and once you get into the vibe of it, you're hooked. My favorite story in this issue is one that is billed as "...previously published material," and the story of a childhood cartoonis competitor is great as well. Henderson's art is consistently faux naive, and less seamless here than usual, but it fits his idiom well. A small sample:The message here: I'm always happy to get my hands on Sam Henderson's Magic Whistle.
  
• Batman: Secrets 3 (DC) - Sam Kieth continues to focus on the psychological foibles of characters who wear their hearts on their sleeves and their underwear on the outside, but does so with passion and compassion. The art is superlative in this issue, bringing Dave McKean to meet Bill Sienkiewicz at Sam's house, and to wonderful result.
• Will Eisner's John Law, Detective and Nubbin the Shoeshine Boy: Angels and Ashes, Devils and Dust 1 (IDW) - How's that title for a mouthful? Australian stalwart Gary Chaloner provides art and story for this title based on a long sleeping Eisner character. Near as I can tell, this title has been in the works for years and Chaloner's love and skill came forward when I scanned this pre-purchase. I'm waiting for another issue or two before reading, so you'll have to wait for my judgment, but it looks wonderful.
  

Schizo 4 by Ivan Brunetti

I remember seeing the first issue of Schizo when it came out. It was published by Antarctic Press but looked nothing like their usual faux-manga or anthropomorphic titles. From memory this was the first out of a couple titles that tried to fit in with the "indie/alternative" titles of the era. This book, however, was unlike most any title on the stands at the time. I had seen Brunetti's work in an 80's or 90's title named Biff Bang Pow. The strips by Brunetti were crudely written and drawn with a character named Leck that was a precursor to the "Ivan Brunetti" character that appears in Schizo. The Schizo title was a giant leap in technique and skill.

The first issue took Crumb's misanthropy to a severe level, but ultimately wasn't too much more than that. The second issue stepped up the blackness in the humor, but also stepped up the nihilism in Brunetti's worldview. It was basically a long suicide note. The third issue continued this theme, with the humor getting blacker still.

After the third issue Brunetti published a book of gag cartoons called HAW! The panels were all ink-black jokes based on rape, mutilation, pedophilia, AIDS and other subjects that only those of us with the blackest of hearts could laugh at. Around the same time as the release of Schizo 4, Brunetti released a follow up gag book titled HEE.

Schizo, throughout the four issues has seen Brunetti's advancing talent do a smoother job of explicating his themes. With this new issue he has fine tuned his illustration style into a timeless distillation of character design. All shapes and angles, his characters are frequently delineated with just a handful of brushstrokes. The character "Ivan Brunetti" appears as a Ware-ian collection of bubbles in one story, and a Charlie Brown-headed stick figure in others. He appears as a design approximation of Otto Soglow's Little King and as a Schulz character in his cover-featured Peanuts homage "whither Shermy?" Each of the stories here appears as a one-page feature cartoon, approximating Dan Clowes' Eightball 22, but all these influences don't pull you out of the strips because Brunetti writes each as though it couldn't have been drawn by anyone but him. Even a series of biographies of great artists (painters, philosophers, writers, actors) are told in a style that is distinctly Brunetti's.

His artwork has achieved an assured minimalism. He provides just the right amount of detail for the story to move forward, forcing the reader to decide for themselves which panels should hold the most weight. Most stories hold to a grid format, and the few exceptions put the focus on design, such as the Piet Mondrian biography which assumes the form of the Dutch painter's most famous work. Brunetti's brushwork is frequently masterful, with line weights and supplied texture furthering the design without distracting from it.

The stories are almost uniformly cynical, even the funniest moments continue to be born of black humor. The occasionally touching moments generally come in the biographies, all of which are still distilled into their life-sucks-then-you-die essence. If the author's depression isn't likely to instill that negativity into your own mindset, this book can provide the cathartic release for the reader that one can hope it does for its author.

New Comics - May 3rd - Part Two

Part Two

Last summer All Star Batman and Robin 1 came out the week of San Diego Comic Con. It was a book that any mainstream follower was curious about and I wasn't prepared to wait until I got back to my pre-ordered copies to wait to check out the book. So I paid my three bucks and grabbed an issue from a nearby retailer. Now I spend plenty of money and the Con each year on books that I'd really like to read, but some are destined to be read that night in the hotel room and others are crying to be opened immediately, so I did what any self-respecting comic fan would do and folded the book up and put it in my back pocket, knowing that I would soon be able to eke out a few minutes to read it. I did, and was able to satisfy the craving that unrealistic expectations sometimes need. Sometimes a comic book is just 15 minutes of silliness.

• Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man 8 (Marvel) - It's at least good to have series artist Mike Wieringo back on the title, as he is the main reason I started buying it, and the main reason I didn't buy the last issue, with another artist filling in. The story, however, in this issue led me to decide that I don't need any more issues, even with Wieringo back in the fold. This issue starts off reading like a "What If?" and finishes with an "imaginary" future. All of it leaving me with an attitude of "Who Cares?"
• Marvel Team-Up 20 (Marvel) - This issue of the Robert Kirkman romp is plenty of fun and plays with one of my favorite super-hero story clichés: see how the unwitting hero deals with newfound powers. Good light hero book, the perfect kind to roll up and stuff into a back pocket if they didn't cost three bucks.

Two titles this week that made their way out of the preview pile at the shop and into my reading stack:

• American Virgin 3 (DC/Vertigo) - This issue seems to indicate that the title has picked up an inker. Jim Rugg of Street Angel has jumped into the art team, and the improvement is evident. I see penciller Becky Cloonan as someone with great promise who continues to grow issue by issue and title by title into an exciting and skilled artist. The art in this issue takes another jump forward in quality. The story however has begun to spin its wheels a little. Steve T. Seagle is a writer who always seems to be on the edge of greatness with story ideas, but slips back into the middle when it comes to exectuion. This title gives me high hopes and I look forward to each issue with anticipation, but there had better be more payoff than from the last ongoing Vertigo title I remember from him, House of Secrets, which I continued to buy for the impressive Teddy Kristiansen artwork more than the never-got-anywhere story.

Truth, Justin, and the American Way 2 (Image) - My purchase of this title reveals my continued search for funnybooks that are actually funny. While a little too much of the humor relies on the "chicken fat" included - non-stop throwaway visual references to 80's pop culture - this book is so well drawn and manages to tie enough humor into the characters and situations that I am enjoying it quite a bit. I don't expect every humor title to bring the funny as readily or comfortably as the great humor titles of the past (Mad, Zap, Groo and Hate leap to mind), but this title is reaching for the heights and is at least reaching the upper middle. Giuseppe Ferrario's art is stunning, and looking up the spelling makes me realize I should be googling his previous works to check them out, actually, here you go: as I said, stunning.

New Comics - May 3rd - Part One

I don’t think it’s coincidence that the weekend that includes Free Comic Book Day is the week that the two biggest company cross-over books came out. I’ll go ahead and start with those.

• Infinite Crisis 7 (DC) – The final issue to this title that supposedly affects the entire DC universe. It’s probably just me, but this is the first issue that actually made sense most of the way through. There are still a few bits that I didn’t care enough about to try to figure out what happened, and the set-up to the One Year Later titles didn’t seem like such a big deal to me. It seemed that if you’re going to use it as a story focus for 30% of your line, you should at least make the build up worth it. Maybe that’s why they brought the One Year Later titles out before they explained the set up.
• Civil War 1 (Marvel) – The first issue in what it billed as Marvel’s “event” of the year, that will “alter the course of [the heroes] lives forever!” The first thing I’ll give Marvel is that the art surpasses that of Infinite Crisis. Series artist Steve McNiven is one of my favorites in mainstreamland these days. I just hope he actually draws every page of every issue. Infinite Crisis, even with talented artists like George Perez, Phil Jimenez, and Jerry Ordway, apparently suffered from deadline crunches, because there are panels and pages that appear quite rushed. I’ll let you find them for yourself, and instead offer an example of Mr McNiven’s clean, attractive art.The storytelling, for me, is just the opposite of Infinite Crisis. Real world settings, modern day influences, and a clear through line in terms of event following event, each setting up the next. Mark Millar is not one of my favorite writers, but here he seems to have thrown off the shackles of trying to out-do Ellis, Ennis or Morrison, and instead is focusing on the plot driven action and setting up character-based story conflicts. I enjoyed it, and look forward to a good mindless Summer read.
• Haunted Mansion 3 (Slave Labor) - Boy, I like the idea, but I wish they could get better artists.
• Holed Up 3 (Avatar) – This is what I mean by better artists. Avatar and Slave Labor are clearly companies that have to get artists that are not yet ready for the bigs. If they had an artist that was doing such a great job as to get notice from the pro’s, they would certainly lose them in a quick draft. This title’s art, by Gonzalo Martinez, is solid and clear, with character designs that are clean and well-delineated. The story is a little rough around the edges, though, and I think I would have been able to tell that the writer, Rich Johnston, was from somewhere other than America. The Americanisms seemed occasionally forced. Maybe it was because I already knew that Mr Johnston was British, but the dialogue probably needed a stronger editor.
• Fury Peacemaker 4 (Marvel)- This title gets to the meat of the plot, and it’s a doozy. Garth Ennis digs in and brings (in my limited knowledge) well-researched war history to the Marvel Universe.
• Ulimate Spider-Man 94 (Marvel) – This title is heading towards 100, and it looks like it might provide the perfect jump-off point for me. This is a prefect example of a solid creative team starting to lose a reader because I know the characters have to remain generally static. There is a tease this issue that we might get a little character-driven meat to the relationships, but it finally fizzles into another lucky break for our hero, and a delay from real (melo)drama for this reader.
• Detective Comics 819 (DC) – More great potboiling from Robinson and company. I’d like to point out how strong the back-up story was as a great way to handle a supporting character, but I don’t want any spoilers. Instead I’ll just illustrate the way that DC manages to get their artists to focus on storytelling and manages to create a house style, which is the main thing that I think the comic buying public generally bases their buying patterns on. Leonard Kirk, Andy Clarke, and Wayne Faucher art (right).
  

What I mean is, Marvel tends to outsell DC, and I think it frequently has to do with the fact that Marvel lets their artists hold their style, even when the story suffers for it. DC, to the opposite effect, always keeps the focus on the story, and occasionally snuffs out the individualism of the artist. This means that the best case scenarios are when an extremely talented artist has a distinct and unique style that still lends itself to DC’s story-based edicts. Eduardo Risso, Ed McGuinness, P. Craig Russell, Tim Sale, and Brian Stelfreeze come to mind.