And maybe we’ll come back to Earth, who can tell?: Graeme follows in Bri’s footsteps, again.

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Posted by: Graeme McMillan on May 16, 2007

Categories: Reviews

So I was all about to post a review of All-Star Batman, but then I read Bri’s comments about COUNTDOWN #50 (the post below this one, SavCritic fans!), and I had to post about that instead*. It’s odd – For the second week running, I’m Brian’s bizarro twin; I thought that this issue was less offensive than the last, but I had pretty much the same reactions to it that Brian describes: How does Jimmy know who Jason Todd is? If everyone knows that Jason kills, why does Superman not try and do something about that instead of find Jason and then float around while Jimmy goes to interview him? For that matter, since when does Superman have so much…  Read More…

Yikes, count me out: Hibbs dabbles with 5/16

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Posted by: admin on

Categories: Retailing/Industry , Reviews

Just one real fast while it’s fresh in my mind: COUNTDOWN #50: Forget everything I said last week, I really didn’t like this one. At all. There’s five scenes in here, and I’ll leave the bookenders for last. There’s a (very quick) Mary Marvel bit which is unobjectionable; there’s a sequence with Batman and Karate Kid that doesn’t (on the surface) appear to have anything directly to do with COUNTDOWN, and seems a bit more like an ad for the JLA/JSA crossover… unless that doesn’t resolve in any significant fashion in which case, wtf; and there’s a Rogue’s sequence which is adequate, but a bit overlong for the information it needs to unfurl. Then there’s the Jimmy bookending stuff. Uh……  Read More…

Harvey Dent has it easy: Graeme gets Empowered.

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Posted by: Graeme McMillan on May 15, 2007

Categories: Reviews

It’s almost fitting that reviewing EMPOWERED has left me completely conflicted and at war with myself, considering that the book itself did exactly the same thing. Is it an annoyingly self-conscious, have-its-cake-and-eat-it book, or an honest examination into fanservice that betrays a knowing hypocrisy? Is Adam Warren creating a heroine that undercuts the fetishism of superheroes, or coming up with something that’s even more fetishistic than usual? Did I enjoy the book, or really really hate it? Too many questions! Makes… Hulk’s… head… hurt! The thing is, Empowered may be the most purposefully self-loathing comic that I’ve read. Which, considering I’ve read Ivan Brunetti’s work and am a massive fan of Evan Dorkin, is saying something. But there’s an art…  Read More…

Arriving 5/16

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Posted by: admin on May 14, 2007

Categories: Shipping Lists

The Apocalypse must be upon us — both Ultimates 2 #13, and All-Star Batman & Robin #5 are shipping! Thank god, too, because that gave me my TILTING topic for this month, which I’m furiously writing right now… 2000 AD #1533 2000 AD #1534 30 DAYS OF NIGHT EBEN & STELLA #1 ACTION COMICS #849 AFTER THE CAPE #3 (OF 3) ALL STAR BATMAN AND ROBIN THE BOY WONDER #5 (RES) AQUAMAN SWORD OF ATLANTIS #52 ARMY @ LOVE #3 BATMAN #665 BATTLESTAR GALACTICA #9 BETTY & VERONICA SPECTACULAR #78 BOOKS WITH PICTURES #4 BPRD GARDEN OF SOULS #3 (OF 5) CABLE DEADPOOL #40 CATWOMAN #67 CHECKMATE #14 CITY OF HEROES #19 CLIVE BARKERS GREAT & SECRET SHOW #12 (OF…  Read More…

Don’t you know I could never leave your side, girl?: Graeme takes on a touchy (for him) subject.

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Posted by: Graeme McMillan on

Categories: Reviews

I should probably start by telling you how much of a relief it is to be able to say that the new Boom! Studios book COVER GIRL #1 is Okay. It’s co-written by Kevin Church (alongside Andrew Cosby, who does Eureka for the Sci-Fi Channel), you see, better known to the internetosphere as Beaucoup Kevin and a man I’ve received more than the occasional email from in the past, and that kind of thing just adds a whole new layer of discomfort to reviewing something. I was pretty much prepared, if I hadn’t liked the book, to just pretend that it didn’t exist or something as an avoidance tactic. You know the kind of thing – Kevin would email and…  Read More…

Your Turn To Curtsy, My Turn To Critic: Most of Jeff’s Reviews of 05/09 Books….

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Posted by: Jeff Lester on

Categories: Reviews

Someone spun the Savage Critic Wheel of Unwellness this week and it’s still pointing at me–I’ve felt like ass on a stick for the last 72 hours and I’m not happy at about it at all. On the other hand, if I end up calling in sick on Monday, I can stay in and watch Mario Bava movies all day. So things could be much, much worse, I guess. AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #540: This isn’t over yet? Seeing as I’ve read, I dunno, maybe six to eight other Spidey books between last issue (shipped on 3/21?) and this one, the narrative drive seems significantly diminished here–if this had been a weekly event or something, maybe it’d be easier for me to…  Read More…

Take back your Marvel! Ay!: Graeme looks at the House of Ideas for 5/9.

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Posted by: Graeme McMillan on May 13, 2007

Categories: Reviews

There’s this crazy song called “South America, Take It Away!” on the radio right now, by Bing Crosby and the Andrews Sisters that is entirely distracting. The four of them are singing “Take back your samba! Ay! Your rhumba! Ay! Your conga! Ay-yi-yi!” and it’s one of those things that makes you actually stop, listen to the song and think, people got away with writing things like that? Anyway; the cat is beside me and dehydrated and sullen, but she’s stopped throwing up for awhile, which is nice. Taking advantage of the break in vomit, let’s talk Marvel books. THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #540: Well, the art’s nice, so that counts for something, right…? That’s about the most positive thing I…  Read More…

Oh man, what a plan: Graeme reads some Dynamite books.

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Posted by: Graeme McMillan on May 12, 2007

Categories: Reviews

Another day of insecurity in the McMillan household started with the cat being sick again, much in the same manner as she was back the last time I told you all about my feline troubles, so we’ve more or less spent the last few hours anxiously checking in with her to see if she’s given up with the hairball vomiting yet. Thank whatever deity you choose to believe in that there’s always the escapism offered by comics, that’s what I always say. BATTLESTAR GALACTICA: CYLON APOCALYPSE #3: I don’t get this series – or, for that matter, any series that’s based on the original TV show instead of the new one. I mean, no matter how good it is or…  Read More…

"I rolled a 8": Hibbs on the 5/9 Initiative

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Posted by: admin on May 11, 2007

Categories: Reviews

AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #540: Well, technically, this one is “Back in Black”. One of the things we’ve been complaining about the IC/52/COUNTDOWN books over at DC is “wait, when is this happening?”, because it seems like even the people in charge have no bloody idea. And we see the same thing going on in the Marvel Universe between this storyline and the Initiative and even World War Hulk. It seem to ME that #539 and this issue (and presumably the rest of this arc) is taking place immediately after CIVIL WAR, and pretty much on the same day. It makes my head hurt to try and keep it all straight, honestly. Its even kind of harder because this is “Bad ass…  Read More…

Stealth mode: Graeme realizes that he really, really likes Fracbaker.

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Posted by: Graeme McMillan on

Categories: Reviews

I really don’t think that I’ve gushed enough about THE IMMORTAL IRON FIST yet; the fifth issue came out this week and, as with the earlier four, made a quiet but substantial leap towards my heart. There’s something (appropriately?) stealthy about this book, and the way that its blend of epic story, action set-pieces and comedy redefines the character and your (well, my) expectations about him that were set by his appearances in Power Man and Iron Fist growing up – although that part of his history isn’t ignored, by any means, and Luke Cage’s appearances in the series are highlights without being overwhelming. The writing in this book manages to play to both Ed Brubaker and Matt Fraction’s strengths,…  Read More…

We hate it when our friends become successful: Graeme looks at a movie tie-in, cries.

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Posted by: Graeme McMillan on May 10, 2007

Categories: Reviews

SPIDER-MAN AND THE FANTASTIC FOUR #2: Here’s the thing – I really, really like Jeff Parker’s writing, and I really like Mike Wieringo’s artwork but, for the second issue in a row, this product of their holy union falls surprisingly flat. The art is a strange indicator of my feelings about the rest of the book; the first page gives you something that both looks like Wieringo and not like Wieringo at the same time. It’s the fault of the inking, I think… Wade Von Grawbadger’s line is maybe too thin for Wieringo’s work, taking away the solidity and weight of his pencils and – in the third panel, and elsewhere throughout the book – offering up weirdly distorted versions…  Read More…

It started slowly and I thought it was my heart, but then I realized: Graeme watches the Countdown start.

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Posted by: Graeme McMillan on May 9, 2007

Categories: Reviews

And this is where Brian and I disagree again. COUNTDOWN #51: If you’re wondering just how long it took DC’s next weekly miniseries to become annoying, the answer is three pages. Sure, I was slightly irritated by the cover, which swallows 52′s logo (As dumb as it may sound, that really doesn’t sit well with me; 52, due to the cutout logo, news scroll along the bottom of the page, and JG Jones’ amazing covers, had a very particular visual identity for their covers. By essentially reusing the logo for this series, it feels like a bastardization of that identity, especially without the scroll and the fact that there won’t be any cover auteur to try to give this series…  Read More…

Is there a natural "Countdown" joke for the title? Hibbs starts 5/9 off.

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Posted by: admin on

Categories: Retailing/Industry , Reviews

52 was special in a way because it was the “first of its kind” — I think a pretty significant percentage of the comics buying population “bought into the experiment”‘ that is to say, once you reached, say, Week 12 or so, you decided whether you were “in for the year” or not. That’s pretty much what my sales charts say — there’s peaks and valleys (and some absolutely unexplainable dips, but wait for those until I have all 13 weeks I’m capturing on 52, before I present the data, probably in a Tilting), but the through-line of week-to-week sales is really remarkably strong. I really really thought we’d lose half of the readership between #12 and #30, and that…  Read More…

Time Enough At Last: Late Reviews from Latey McLaterson…

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Posted by: admin on May 8, 2007

Categories: Reviews

This shows you how behind I am. I actually wrote my original opener: “So much time and so little to do! Wait a minute. Strike that. Reverse it.” three days before Graeme wrote his similar opening, and now of course it’d just looks foolish if I tried to use it. A lot has been going on, however, some of which I should be able to fill you in on by the end of this week, but while the wolves have stopped clawing at my door: 52 WEEK #52: Despite having so much stuff that typically drives me crazy (time travel! expositionitis! arbitrary plot turns!) I ended up enjoying this very much. In fact, it ended up making me wanting to…  Read More…

We can’t take our eyes off your t-shirt and ties combination: Graeme finishes up last week’s books just in time.

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Posted by: Graeme McMillan on

Categories: Reviews

So many comics, and really, so little time. With Countdown launching tomorrow, I feel I should try and get at least some of the biggies from last week out the way today, so bear with me if I rush through some… AVENGERS: THE INITIATIVE #2: Wow, it’s like this book was written to piss my little liberal self off. Not only do we get George W. Bush as Real American Hero (“I’m not going anywhere. I made a promise to the American people… that during this time a’ war, they’d be safe at home. So the last thing I’m gonna so… is cut’n’run from mine.”), but we also get more Hydra as super-terrorists, just like last issue, and a repeat…  Read More…

Arriving 5/9/07

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Posted by: admin on May 7, 2007

Categories: Shipping Lists

Just to clear out a tab I’ve had open for days, there’s a brand new Spinal Tap film (with Marty DeBergi, and everything!) to promote their “Live Earth” appearance. Hit the link, and scroll down to where it says “video: watch….” Its about 15 minutes long, and is good for all those who like to Tap! Here is what is shipping this week: AMAZING SPIDER-GIRL #8 AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #540 ANNIHILATION SAGA BATMAN STRIKES #33 BATTLE POPE #14 (NOTE PRICE) BETTY & VERONICA DOUBLE DIGEST #151 BLACK PANTHER #27 CWI BLADE #9 BLADE OF THE IMMORTAL #125 BOMB QUEEN III #3 (OF 4) CARTOON NETWORK ACTION PACK #13 COUNTDOWN #51 COVER GIRL #1 DESPERADOES BUFFALO DREAMS #4 (OF 4) DEVILS PANTIES…  Read More…

Free Comic Book Day 2007: Rockin’!

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Posted by: admin on

Categories: Retailing/Industry

We’ve participated in every Free Comic Book Day held so far, because its just a DAMN FINE idea. “The first taste is free” and all that. Typically, we’re pretty mellow about promoting it, preferring the national press to do the heavy lifting. This year was no exception — zero advertising, no in-store promotion to our regulars, no press releases, heck I don’t even put the FCBD window cling up until the week before, and even that’s up on the high part of our windows which probably makes it harder to spot. All of that lack of effort, and yet there were still definitely periods during the day where we had so many people in the store it was difficult to…  Read More…

New York New York, it’s a wonderful town…

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Posted by: admin on

Categories: Uncategorized

…The plane home was delayed, so I’m wearin’ a frown. No, wait, that’s not how it goes. Even though the plane home was delayed (but on the plus side, JetBlue! So there were purple crisps and television to keep me occupied). Anyway; back from the Big Apple, where it was apparently less warm than San Francisco but there were friends and pizza in Brooklyn and the MoMA. There was also very little sleeping, and what little sleeping there was was filled with dreams where I met Jack Kirby, and he was really upset because he’d just won an award from, I think, the collected comic store retailers of America. He wasn’t upset because of the award itself, but what it…  Read More…

You get what you pay for: Graeme on more FCBD books.

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Posted by: Graeme McMillan on May 4, 2007

Categories: Reviews

Aaaand we’re back with more Free Comic Book Day Comic Books That Are Free. If you’re going to be wandering into a store this Saturday looking for some priceless (in the sense of it not having a price because it’s, you know, free) swag, then I have to admit – You might want to avoid all of the superhero books I talked about yesterday and think about these books, instead. Or, at least, the entry from our Canadian friends in the North: COMICS FESTIVAL!: Easily the book to pick up, even if you avoid everything else from the day. Just the line-up of talent involved, from Bryan Lee O’Malley, Hope Larson, and Darwyn Cooke all the way to Ryan North’s…  Read More…

All this, and World War, too? Hibbs Hulks Out

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Posted by: admin on

Categories: Reviews

INCREDIBLE HULK #106, WAR WAR HULK: PROLOGUE: These are of a set, so let’s look at them like such. I’ll cop to the fact that, in my little secret fanboy heart, this is the crossover this year that I’m most looking forward to. Why? Because it seems pretty “pure” to me: They made Hulk mad, now Hulk SMASH! Pretty hard to screw that up, and its a nice clean line. The PROLOGUE is more or less “here’s what got us here”, but does a pretty good job of not feeling like a clip show. Nothing is recycled, just recapped. Its a pretty effective presentation of the basic information, and I wasn’t bored while reading it (especially since I read all…  Read More…

I Wanna Be Free: Graeme looks at some FCBD books ahead of this weekend…

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Posted by: Graeme McMillan on May 3, 2007

Categories: Reviews

For those who haven’t been paying attention to the calendar, this upcoming Saturday is Free Comic Book Day – that 24-hour period when publishers try to convince you to pay money for their wares in the future by employing the popular drug-pusher credo of the “first one,” if you will, being “free”. There’re a ridiculous amount of books coming out this year; enough for me to spend today and tomorrow looking through what’s going to be awaiting you for zero dollars this weekend, and even then I haven’t seen everything that’s going to be available. Let’s do the superhero ones first, shall we? THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN: This is the strangest of the books released; It’s incredibly old-school, with Dan Slott…  Read More…