Shopping list - 1/2/09

Comics arrive in stores on Friday this week because of the holidays! Two extra days to wait... not sure I'll make it!

Here's what I'm getting:

• Batman #684
• Batman Cacophony #2
• Green Lantern #36
• Justice League of America #28
• Justice Society of America #22
• World of Warcraft #14
• World of Warcraft Ashbringer #3
• Marvels Eye of the Camera #2

It's been a month since Marvels Eye of the Camera #1 came out and I can't wait! The first one was great and I want to keep reading =o)  If Batman Cacophony doesn't get better in this issue, I'll have to drop it. Kevin Smith does good with movies, but I'm not sure comics are right for him. Maybe this issue will turn it around for me, I don't know. But I was not impressed at all with issue #1. My wife will be excited to hear that the Warcraft comics are coming out. I can't read them - they are terrible. But, my wife likes them, so I buy them =o)

(You can always get the full shipping list of comics from Diamond's website every Monday)

Shopping list - 12/24/08

Comics are shipping on time this week - on Wednesday, Christmas Eve. Next week they will be delayed until Friday, due to the holidays. Not sure about the following week.

Here's what I'll be getting this week:

• Batman #683
• Immortal Iron Fist #21
• Runaways 3 #5
• Thor #12
• Top 10 Season Two #3
• Umbrella Academy Dallas #2
• Wonder Woman #27
• Previews Catalog #244 - January 2009

There's a lot to look forward to this week. Previews catalog weeks are always fun. I spend an hour or two pouring through them with a highlighter =o)  Umbrella Academy Dallas #1 was great, so I can't wait to continue that story. Top 10 has been good. Runaways has been fun and it's Terry Moore writing. Thor is still really good. The others should be good too, I'm just more excited about the ones mentioned =o)

Wormwood Gentleman Corpse: Down The Pub

Yesterday was a special day for me. A new Ben Templesmith issue came out. Even better than that, Ben Templesmith is the writer as well as the artist. He is an amazing artist, unlike anything else out there, but he is also a good writer. Recently another Templesmith authored and illustrated story was finished, Welcome to Hoxford. I get so excited when these books come out because I know I'm going to enjoy them. And this issue was no exception.

If you are not familiar with Templesmith's book Wormwood Gentleman Corpse, have no worries, this issue is complete. It is a one-shot and has a beautiful synopsis at the beginning to being you up to speed on Wormwood. This is not a spoiler for other stories or something that depends on other stories. It is truly stand-alone and that is essential for a good one-shot. So, if you haven't read Wormwood before, go pick this up - don't let that stop you.

Another great thing about this issue is that it is a 29 page story completely uninterrupted by advertisements. There is one (maybe 2, I don't remember) at the very end of the issue, like on the back page or something - but there are no ads between story pages. I love that. It allows you to stay saturated in the world of the story - without distraction. That's important. Good job IDW and Templesmith! I'll pay a slight premium for less ads or ads in the back instead. Good move.

This issue is three mini-issues in one. Each little story is a very fun read and illustrated beautifully. I cannot praise Templesmith highly enough for his art. It really is amazing. It is so different from anything else out there too. I would love to see a video about his process. I think it is sketch -> watercolors -> scan -> Photoshop, but I really have no idea. 

His book Fell that he did with Warren Ellis was where I first became familiar with his work. I don't really know how to better explain his style than to show more samples from his Flickr gallery of pictures from this issue.

Well, I bet you didn't see this coming, but I highly recommend this issue! And if you are not familiar with Ben Templesmith, this would be a good introduction. Also, check out my review of Welcome to Hoxford. The trade paperback will be out soon.

My only disappointment with this issue has nothing to do with the issue itself. I ordered 10 copies of this issue through my local comic shop so that I could get the variant cover for this issue, but due to a Diamond order mix-up, the variant did not ship. My comic shop is trying to straighten it out with Diamond, so we'll see what happens. Hopefully they will ship the variant. It's a pretty cool looking sketch cover.

Ben Templesmith has a very active blog and he's on Twitter! Subscribe and follow him!

Shopping list - 12/17/08

Smallest list for me in a long time...

• Amazing Spider-Man #581
• Madman #12
• Spider-Man Noir #1
• Thor God Sized #1
• Wormwood Gentleman Corpse Down The Pub (one-shot)

I'm really looking forward to this Wormwood one-shot! Over the last several months I've become of big fan of Ben Templesmith's work. I'm also really looking forward to Spider-Man Noir. I don't know if it is the same creative team as X-Men Noir, but I can't wait to check it out. Spider-Man, Madman, and Thor are always fun books. Looks like a small but great week =o)

Can't Wait For: Groom Lake

Ben Templesmith has a new series coming out! Groom Lake. Alien abduction in a "humor/quirky horror type sci-fi book", according to Templesmith's blog.

I can't wait! Sounds like it might be awhile before it comes out though :-(

Amazing Spider-Man #580

Well, coming right after a perfectly executed Mark Waid 2-part Spider-Man arc, this issue was destined to be not as good. New creative team I'm not familiar with (Roger Stern & Lee Weeks), single issue "story arc" (can it be a story arc if there is only 1 issue?), and only 6 days since I read that awesome story... my spidey senses were telling me to not have my hopes up too high.

All that said, this issue was great! It was another fun-filled Spider-Man story with suspense, a little mystery, and plenty of heroics. How they pulled off all that (and did it well) in 22 pages is beyond me.

In this story we meet The Blank, a man who is completely gray and has some kind of teflon type suit or force-field around him that makes Spidey's web not stick and bullets bounce off. He makes the mistake of endangering Aunt May and Spider-Man is on a mission to take him out.

I enjoyed the art in this book, it has a very nice look to it. It wasn't perfect though. Spider-Man looked great in every panel, but it felt a little like stop-motion instead of being fluid. I don't know if it was panel progression or the way action was drawn, but I wasn't completely sold on the action sequences. Good, but not great.

The story was great - another fun Spider-Man issue. Recommended for all ages.

Spider-Man Loves Mary Jane #5

Cover artist: Terry Moore

Writer: Terry Moore

Pencils & Inks: Craig Rousseau

TWO Terry Moore books in ONE WEEK?! I've died and gone to heaven! This book is Moore writing what he writes best - a story about relationships. This is not a Spider-Man book. Heck, it's not even a superhero book at all. This is Mary Jane's high school story. It's about drama class, math class, good friends, jocks, geeks, friendship, love, and hatred. It's a Marvel title, yes, but don't let that fool you. This is a Terry Moore relationship story set in the Marvel Spider-Man world... when Peter Parker and Mary Jane are in high school.

I wrote more about the first two issues on another blog.

Sadly, this is the final issue of this series. I absolutely loved it. The issue and the series. I'll be picking up the TPB when it comes out because I know I'm going to want to re-read this story a few times as well as loan it out.

Craig Rousseau did great with the art I was not familiar with his work before this series, but I will definitely be checking out his other works. Having said that, I would have preferred seeing Terry Moore draw this book as well as write it. He is a wonderful artist as well as a writer. I love his style.

Highly recommended! Especially if you are tired of the superhero books and want something a little fuzzier =o)

Echo #8

Wow, this series gets better with each issue. We finally begin to see what Julie is really capable of! But I'm ahead of myself - some of you might not be familiar with Echo, so I should introduce it.

Julie Martin was taking pictures in the desert when she witnessed an explosion in the sky. A metallic substance rained down from the sky, sticking to her and to her truck. Once she is home and inspects her truck, more of the pieces fly from the truck to her skin. She tried to remove it, but it only spreads. It covers most of her chest and shoulders. What she doesn't know is that what rained down on her in the desert was a private/government company's battle suit... Now she is on the run and things have been getting more and more exciting.

Terry Moore is the author, artist, and cover artist. He does an incredible job telling this story. It is engaging, fun, suspenseful, and smart. The art is incredible. Each issue has been better than the last - and that is saying something, because I fell in love with it after reading the first issue.

There are several surprises along the way and I don't wait to spoil them. I will say that issue #8 was the most exciting issue so far. I highly recommend this series. A+ writing / A+ art! It makes me want to go back and read the first 7 issues again and it leaves me dying for issue #9.

Token TPB

Token, written by Alisa Kwitney and drawn by Joëlle Jones, is one of the last Minx books that we'll ever see, because DC has decided to shut down their young-adult line. That's very sad, because I have really enjoyed the Minx books I've read. I know they are targeted to younger (primarily female) readers, but for some reason I've really enjoyed them.

In Token, Shira is a 15 year old girl living in Miami. The story is set in 1987 and I didn't really understand why. I mean, why not set it today? There wasn't anything relevant to the time period that wouldn't have been relevant today. That just seemed a little odd... but I digress.

Shira's mother died many years ago and her father has always treated her like a princess... until he starts to fall in love with his secretary. Shira feels like she is losing her father because he is simultaneously becoming more critical of her and spending less time with her. Shira doesn't fit in at school and doesn't have many friends. Her best friend is an eighty year old woman.

Feeling lost and getting more and more lonely, Shira falls for a boy she barely knows and falls into some bad habits.

I enjoyed the story, but felt a little lost in the ending. I would have liked to see a little more resolution in plot elements. But don't get me wrong, it was a very fun book. It is a good exploration of the uncertainty in life that teenagers have.

The art is fantastic. Joëlle Jones is a local Portland, Oregon artist, but I had never heard of her before this book. I will be looking for other books she has drawn, because I really enjoyed the art in this book. Very well done. 

I'll put this book on the shelf and probably read it again in a couple years. It would be a good book to introduce someone to the comic world with. It is about as far away from the stereotypical comic book as they get.

B+/A- : I really enjoyed the story, but I thought it ended a little weak. The art was very solid and Jones really showed she could draw a variety and do it well. Recommended.

Shopping list - 12/10/08 (Updated)

No holidays to delay, so books will be arriving in comic shops on Wednesday of this week. That makes junkies like me (who have time carved out on Wednesday evenings specifically for reading new comics) very happy. Here's what I'm getting:

• Amazing Spider-Man #580
• Buckaroo Bonzai: The Prequel #2
• Green Lantern Corps #31
• Invincible #56
• Spider-Man Loves Mary Jane #5
• Echo #8
• Detective Comics #851
• Gen13 #25
• House of Mystery #8
• Justice League of America #27
• The Odyssey #4
• Psycho Guitar Killers #1

There is a lot to look forward to this week. Spider-Man Loves Mary Jane has been an incredible series. Sadly, this is the last issue. Terry Moore has been exceptional writing it. I can't wait to read this final issue and then go back and re-read all 5 issues again. I have my doubts as to whether Echo will really come out this week. The last two times it's been on the shipping list, we get it a week later (at least the West Coast). Besides, two Terry Moore books in one week? That is just madness! Too good to be true =o)

I have not read the first Buckaroo Bonzai: The Prequel issue yet. I have been waiting for both issues to be out so I can read them back to back. This week I get to do that. I'm a pretty big fan of Buckaroo Bonzai the movie, so I have high hopes for the comic =o)

Update: I decided that I'll read Invincible and Gen13 in trade paperback form - thus the Xing of them off the list

X-Men Noir #1

This book was recommended to me by a few people, so I made my way back to Tony's Kingdom of Comics this evening to pick up a copy. I almost picked it up yesterday, but for some reason I didn't. I like the X-Men, but I have been reluctant to start reading X-Men books because there are so many of them. I don't even know how many monthly books there are, but there are a lot. It's almost its own world - just the X-Men. But this book is different. This can be read on its own because it is very different.

X-Men Noir is an alternate world story set in the 30's to 50's, no date is given and it's hard to tell exactly. Fedoras, trench-coats, and the cars make it obviously in that range though. I have not read many else-world stories and I have never read an else-world X-Men story (I don't know if there have been any), so for me, this was new and different just in that respect.

I am also a fan of the noir style. The art was good, but not excellent in that regard though. It could have been more "noir-like" with deeper shadows, less color (maybe even B&W), and more stylized. Facial expressions also seemed a bit drab - to be nit-picky about things. Don't get me wrong, it was good... it just wasn't Frank Miller's Sin City (but really, what ever could be?).

I'm sold on the concept of the book - I love it! The X-Men are the bad guys (with apparently no mutant powers) and the Brotherhood are the good guys. This first story arc (is it only going to be one story or will there be many? I have no idea...) appears that it will be about solving the murder of Jean Grey.

This book takes the roles of the X-Men characters, reverses them, takes away their powers, plops them in a 1940's noir world, and starts a crime-mystery. I like that. I'll be buying issue 2 when it comes out in January.

Two quick last gripes: the book has "parental advisory" on the front and yet they still block out the swearing in the book. It's no mystery what words are muffled by the black box over them and they have a parental advisory... so why bother with the black boxes? It's annoying and detracts from the story as you are reading. Also, there are a lot of ads. They stick out more in this book because it is darker and more stylized. I have also been reading mainly trades with no ads lately, so they stick out to me more anyway. Those are minor complaints, but I wanted to share them anyway. Those last 2 complaints are more complaints with Marvel and DC mainstream books in general though, not this particular issue.

I liked it. It was good. The writing was solid, the art was average/good, and the concept was excellent. I recommend this one. I'll be anxiously awaiting issue #2.

Here are a couple pages:

The Umbrella Academy: Dallas #1

Gerard Way and Gabriel Bá are back for another Umbrella Academy mini-series! If you haven't read The Umbrella Academy: Apocalypse Suite, I would highly recommend picking up the trade of that one. And that is a must before starting this new story. There is a recap on the inside cover of this first issue, but it would make a lot more sense if you've read the first book. Besides, it's a great story =o)

This issue is great! It brings us up to speed on where the characters are, it is action-packed, and it sets up a cliff-hanger ending where the world is apparently doomed  =o)

Also, it is worth noting that this is a $2.99 lengthy issue with zero advertisements in it. Not quite as awesome that way as Warren Ellis's Fell issues at $1.99 with no ads, but it's close.

My favorite panel is Number Five yelling, "I am a gazelle and the jungle is my home!" You'll have to read the issue to know the context. Highly recommended! Very refreshing and different.

Amazing Spider-Man #579 (& #578)

I really like Spider-Man as a superhero. I almost always enjoy reading Amazing Spider-Man. It is a great all-ages fun comic book that never disappoints. One thing that is especially refreshing about Amazing Spider-Man is that the creative teams are always changing on the book. I enjoy seeing fresh new takes on Spider-Man and the villains - it's fun.

Every so often a creator comes on the book and I get really excited because I recognize the name as a favorite of mine. Such was the case for these last 2 issues. Mark Waid, a superstar in comics, authored this 2-part story. I instantly recognized Waid from 52 and Kingdom Come. I'm sure he's done a lot more and even more that I have read, but I can't remember off the top of my head. Anyway, he is a good story-teller and a good superhero writer. That got me excited.

This opening panel really set the tone at the beginning of #578:

Spider-Man perched above the city eating take-out Chinese food =o)  A few months ago there was a similar panel of Spider-Man sipping a Starbucks coffee. I really like that. It keeps the book real and fun. So anyway, on to the story...

Peter Parker is on his way somewhere when the Shocker attempts to crush the subway car Peter is on. It is a very fun Spider-Man story with a little twist/side-plot involving J. J. Jameson, but I won't give it away. I recommend this 2 part story-arc. It was fun, well written, with excellent art. Plenty of action and have I mentioned fun yet?  ;-)

EDIT/UPDATE (12/8/08):  I re-read these 2 issues and I feel like I didn't do this story justice in my review. This story is about as perfect of a Spider-Man story as you could have. It really was exceptional. I was thinking back on it and thinking, "how could it have been better?" I couldn't think of anything that would have made it better. It was a perfect story. Highly recommended.

Hellboy: The Wild Hunt #1

Mike Mignola (author) and Duncan Fegredo (artist) continue their Hellboy story in this new 8-part series. Their last run together was excellent and is available in trade form: Hellboy: Darkness Calls. It is not necessary to read that before picking up this story though. This first issue begins to setup the story. Hellboy is summoned to help hunt a group of giants with a group of giant hunters. There is a surprise waiting in the story that I don't want to spoil. If you like Hellboy, this is a good start to a story. Mike Mignola never disappoints and Duncan Fegredo's art is spot-on for Hellboy. This is what Hellboy books are about. I can't wait to see where this story goes. It is setup well. Makes me wish I were reading it in a trade though, there is a cliff-hanger ending and I want more!

Batman #682

Well, Batman R.I.P. is over. Since many people have not read it yet, I will not spoil anything. The crossovers into other books did nothing for R.I.P., so just picking up the Batman R.I.P. Hardcover in February would be a really good idea if you want the whole story. I'll be buying it. It was a great story. Grant Morrison, while not the best Batman author IMO, does a very good job.

Didn't Batman #681 just come out last week? Two Batman books back to back weeks? Wow. I like it =o)

First of all Alex Ross gives a great cover to this issue. He has been doing Batman covers for awhile now and they are really exceptional. Most covers have little to do with the contents of the issue, but this one does well. In this issue we essentially see Batman's story recapped. We see the villains, Robin, Nightwing, etc. all fly by.

I was not greatly impressed with the apparent need for this recap or the way it was done. The art was average, but I am partial to Frank Miller and Jim Lee, so take what I say there with a grain of salt.

I'll probably always buy every issue of Batman because I like the character. This is not the best Batman issue I've ever read, but it certainly isn't the worst either. It was "meh." Probably necessary in the story, but it could have been half the pages or less. With the unimpressive art, this issue just kind of drug on... If you aren't reading Batman right now, go read Batman R.I.P. instead of picking up here ;-)

Marvels: Eye of the Camera #1

Okay, brief background on this one. Kurt Busiek and Alex Ross did Marvels back in the mid-90's. If you have not read Marvels, go to your nearest comic book shop or online and buy it! It is a must read. It is the story of Phil Sheldon, a photographer in New York. The story is about him and him viewing the Marvel universe of characters. The original series, now in trade paperback and hardcover, is one of the best comics ever made. Because of this, I was skeptical of this new Marvels story. I was also skeptical because Alex Ross is not on the project. What Ross and Busiek did with Marvels was incredible and it would be very hard for something to live up to that legacy.

Well, this issue is a really good start! Most of this issue is a recap of Phil Sheldon and setting up the story. There are a couple major plot elements near the end and I won't spoil those, because I am recommending this comic as a must buy. Jay Anacleto is doing the art and I must say, I was very impressed. I am a big Alex Ross fan and I was very disappointed to hear that he wasn't doing the art. I was even more disappointed when I heard Jay Anacleto was doing the art. The name meant nothing to me. I have no idea what else he has done. But after reading this issue, I'll be looking to see what else he has done. His art was amazing. It rivaled Ross' art from the original series.

Kurt Busiek is a wonderful story-teller and this issue does not fall short there either. It is masterfully told and very enjoyable. Now, I am already invested in Sheldon from the first series, so a lot of that carries over. But, I would imagine most people reading this have read the first. Highly recommended! This is also a comic for all ages. I eagerly await the next issue!

Shopping list - 12/04/08

Due to last week's holiday, Diamond shipped books a day late this week. It's a cruel trick to show up to your local comic shop on Wednesday and be told that new books don't arrive until tomorrow. Ouch. Been there. Not fun.

Anyway, here is what I'm buying this week:

• Amazing Spider-Man #579
• Batman #682
• Criminal 2 #7
• Hellboy: Wild Hunt #1
• Immortal Iron Fist #20
• Justice Society of America
• Sandman: Dream Hunters #2
• Marvels: Eye of the Camera #1

I must say, I'm not especially looking forward to any of the titles. I'll put up reviews as I read them. It's been more than a month since an issue of Echo was published and I'm getting antsy for that one. But also, I'm enjoying trades more than monthly issues these days. I cut my monthly subscription down a lot, but I should edit it down even more.

Welcome to Hoxford #4

I discovered Ben Templesmith's latest work a couple months ago when issue #2 came out. Welcome to Hoxford is a 4 issue miniseries that just concluded last week. I cannot give this book a strong enough recommendation. However, it is not for everyone. To label this book "mature" would be an understatement. This is gory, freaky, suspenseful, bloody, violent, and at times, disgusting. So, just know that going into it. Having said that, this is the best horror comic I think I have ever read. Ware-wolves praying on the inmates of a mental hospital/prison.

I love Ben Templesmith's artwork and this story shows that he has a lot more than art to give to comics. This book is his idea and he wrote it as well. Excellent story, suspenseful, beautiful artwork... and it's very refreshing to see such a different take on an old concept of monsters.

I give this series a 10/10.

Oh, and follow Ben Templesmith on Twitter! He's a hoot!