Me Me Me: Graeme’s selfish 8/15 review.

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Posted by: Graeme McMillan on August 19, 2007

Categories: Reviews

I’m sure that the usual suspects already have the knives out for THE FLASH #231, Mark Waid’s reboot of the title that made his name fifteen or so years ago (and, by the way? Now I feel surprisingly old). I don’t know what their complaints will be, exactly – That it’s unrealistic to see the former reporter Linda Park be recast as a scientific genius doctor thanks to a remedial course on some alien planet offpanel? That they don’t want to see their childhood favorite superhero with kids, because that’s not what they think kids want to read about? That the issue of just what happened to Wally and family post-Infinite Crisis is more or less avoided beyond saying that…  Read More…

Bobby’s got a gun that he keeps beneath his pillow: Diana dismantles 8/18

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Posted by: admin on August 18, 2007

Categories: Reviews

David Lapham is either very clever or very confused. TERROR INC. #1 is the latest release for Marvel’s MAX imprint. Like most MAX comics, what this actually means is that it’s a standard Marvel story with copious amounts of awkward sex and violence attached in a very forced and artificial way (not unlike Justin Timberlake’s faux-ghetto routine – he’s from sodding Memphis, for God’s sake, who does he think he’s fooling?). It’s a bit backwards, isn’t it? Rather than be branded “for mature readers” due to content, I get the feeling that this issue’s content was determined with an eye towards justifying the brand. You have to wonder whether Lapham’s first draft came back with “MORE BLOOD & BOOBIES” written…  Read More…

Abhay Reviews Comic Books For Website; Wishes His Life Had Gone Differently

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Posted by: Abhay Khosla on

Categories: Reviews

I’m going to try my very first classic Savage Critic style lightning round– horribly slow and wordy lightning! Excited? Don’t be! The Chemist: This is the new Image “crime” comic from Jay Boose. Though Boose’s day job is (or was) apparently Pixar animator, the comic reminded me more of a “Youth Restricted” anime from the 1980′s: the cool car, sexually charged bimbo sidekick, amoral and sexually frigid super-professional main character, even the main character’s name (Vance!), all remind more of Riding Bean, say, than Monsters, Inc. The comic starts promising as Vance and his sidekick are at first portrayed as unrepetent drug dealers, which I found quite charming; unfortunately, the comic pulls its punch and while the girl sidekick is…  Read More…

Hibbs explains it all.

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Posted by: Brian Hibbs on August 17, 2007

Categories: Retailing/Industry

Over at Newsarama, Hibbs talks more about the POS system in the store: “I’ve only been using POS for two weeks now; and only the one system, so nothing I say on the topic should probably be granted that much weight, really, but I can already see how this is going to transform the way that I operate my store, my ability to properly order things that have fallen “off my radar”, my accidents in double or triple ordering some material, my access to data for customer searches and special orders, and so on. If I can enact even half of the efficiencies that POS promises my store should quickly become that much more efficient and profitable.” It’s not necessarily…  Read More…

Same Old Show, This is the Killing Of A Flash Boy, Oh: Graeme on another 8/15 debut.

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Posted by: Graeme McMillan on

Categories: Reviews

Let’s get the obvious things about KILLING GIRL #1 out the way first. Yes, artist Frank Espinosa is a very stylish artist, especially when he handles the coloring as well as the brushwork, as he does here; the art here is easily the best thing about the book, to the point where I wonder whether Espinosa’s absence from the series in the last Image solicits (Toby Cypress is listed as artist, instead. Having seen Cypress’s art in The Tourist awhile back, it may actually be an improvement, but I digress) will hurt the series’ chances with the audience in the long run. That said. Espinosa may be too stylized for his own good, especially on this book – his retro…  Read More…

What’s wrong with this picture?

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Posted by: Jeff Lester on August 16, 2007

Categories: Uncategorized

[Apart from the fact the only stuff I've posted on a comics review blog lately is this pictures, a movie review, and a shill about my garage sale?] I’d opine there’s something wrong with throwing these books in a quarter bin. Some of them are too recent, most of them are too expensive, and a few of them are just too good to get thrown into a big long box and let go for a quarter. This is exactly the kind of hopping-blind anxiety I go through for the annual garage sale: usually, I start out by worrying that nobody’s gonna show if I’m not making some outrageously good deals (except Joe Keatinge and Chris French, who then go on…  Read More…

Death March With Cocktails: Graeme gets into a pilot from 8/15.

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Posted by: Graeme McMillan on

Categories: Reviews

I have to admit, I kind of like the idea behind Top Cow’s “Pilot Season.” The idea of trying out six books and seeing which two have the best response before greenlighting ongoing series for them seems like a smart move – although the cynic in me wonders whether the voting is going to end up rigged, or whether the series that get the nod to continue are going to have the same creative teams – and the choice of creators on some of the books is both interesting and potentially exciting. Take the team behind RIPCLAW: PILOT SEASON #1; Jorge Lucas may be the kind of artist that you could’ve imagined on a spin-off from Marc Silvestri’s Cyberforce, but…  Read More…

They complicate my life: Graeme gets a boost from 8/15.

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Posted by: Graeme McMillan on August 15, 2007

Categories: Reviews

Strange but true: I had a dream last night where I suddenly remembered that I had agreed to write a series for DC Comics at SDCC. As in, it was still August, and everything else was entirely like real life, but I had somehow forgotten that a couple of weeks back, I’d said to Dan DiDio that I would write something (I don’t remember what, the way that dreams can be both entirely clear and completely opaque at the same time – I think that it was Justice League?) for him for a few months. I remembered this, in the dream, with something approaching a sense of dread: “Why did I say I’d do that,” I moaned to someone, “I…  Read More…

My Life is Choked with Comics #5 – Valérian: Spatio-Temporal Agent

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Posted by: Joe McCulloch on

Categories: Reviews

Hello, all. Let me tell you, I just couldn’t wait to climb up here onto the internet today and tell you about my week so far; it’s been a real roller coaster, unlike anything experienced by anyone before. First off: the cheesesteak place by my office changed their primary cheese from white American to yellow American. This was big, and completely upset the lives of everyone in the city. I almost had a heart attack, and not the sort of heart attack I usually almost have when eating there. I couldn’t believe there weren’t news crews at the scene; I mean sure, sometimes I guess other sexy and upsetting things happen in the city — somebody inflating a giant pig…  Read More…

A League of his own :Hibbs assays JUSTICE LEAGUE OF AMERICA #12

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Posted by: admin on

Categories: Reviews

I’m a little conflicted about Brad Meltzer’s run on the JLA. My first thought is “well, 12 issues is a mini-series, not a run, man”. My second thought is that I have generally enjoyed the “density” of his comics writing — while one may or may not like the specifics of the content, any given issue issue of JLofA has not been a 4-minute read like too many comics these days. My third thought is that there’s a very fine line between characterization and vamping, and that line is often drawn through conflict (“FONFLIF!!”) between characters. Meltzer’s run has largely been three stories. “The Tornado’s Path”, “The Lightning Saga” and the “Trapped in a cave-in issue”… and that’s it. Again,…  Read More…

Horseradish Ketchup: Johanna Tries to Get Current

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Posted by: admin on August 14, 2007

Categories: Reviews

Following Graeme’s lead, here’s quick takes on the superhero books still sitting around from weeks previous. (And yeah, Graeme, really weird week here, too. Very mood swingy.) Stormwatch PHD #10 — It surprises me to realize this, but this title is probably my current favorite team book. (Although statements like that say as much about what else is available as the quality of this title; and the last time I said something like that, it was about Power Company, so we see what that’s worth.) Anyway, the strength of this title is characterization, as the plots so far have been pretty simple “bad guy team infiltrates, then attacks” or “someone is attacked, find out who did it”. The roster’s huge,…  Read More…

Arriving 8/15

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Posted by: admin on

Categories: Shipping Lists

Here’s the list for this week, that’s arriving at Comix Experience. Scroll down a bit for some other news, too, in case you’re in the habit of skipping these posts… 2000 AD #1547 2000 AD #1548 A G SUPER EROTIC ANTHOLOGY #63 (A) ACTION COMICS #854 (CD) AMAZONS ATTACK #5 (OF 6) ANNIHILATION CONQUEST QUASAR #2 (OF 4) AQUAMAN SWORD OF ATLANTIS #55 ARCHIE & FRIENDS #112 ARMY @ LOVE #6 (MR) BLACK CANARY #4 (OF 4) BOOKS WITH PICTURES #6 (OF 6) BOOSTER GOLD #1 BRAVE AND THE BOLD #6 CAPTAIN AMERICA #29 CWI CATWOMAN #70 (AA) CHECKMATE #17 COUNTDOWN 37 DRAGONLANCE CHRONICLES VOL 3 MANIAK CVR A #3 (OF 12) FLASH #231 FRIENDLY NEIGHBORHOOD SPIDER-MAN #23 GRIFTER MIDNIGHTER…  Read More…

I stand up next to a mountain: Graeme finishes off his 8/8 haul.

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Posted by: Graeme McMillan on

Categories: Reviews

Before I launch into a bunch of things written very, very early morning today, I have to ask: Has anyone else been having a really stressful and strange last few days? At work, I’ve had maybe the oddest series of (bad) coincidences in a short period of time since last Friday, and in attempting to calm me down from climbing the walls and looking for the Graeme Voodoo Dolls, people have been telling me that everyone seems to be having a weird time of it lately. So abuse the comments section below and comfort me. CRIMINAL #8: It’s got to be dull for you to keep reading that each issue of this book is solidly Very Good, so instead I’ll…  Read More…

Abhay: Just A Note About Mike Wieringo Before I Resume The Clown Show

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Posted by: admin on

Categories: Uncategorized

What is this year? Daniel Robert Epstein at only 31, Drew Hayes at 37, Tom Artis, Marshall Rogers, Arnold Drake, Bob Oksner, Iwao Takomoto, Johnny Hart, and on and fucking on and on. And Vonnegut, and whoever else you want to add in there; whoever I’ve forgotten; I’m sorry. Still… Mike Wieringo? What a fucking cruel year. I liked Wieringo because he could draw, but I liked him more because he could write: Art monkey; Wrist-for-hire; Have pencil-will travel— there’s a ton of them. But I think these terms stem from the fact that the trend has been for quite a while now that the ‘vision’ for the comic book is strictly that of the writer, and the art team…  Read More…

Usless Information, tons of Useless Information: Graeme counts down from 8/8.

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Posted by: Graeme McMillan on August 13, 2007

Categories: Reviews

Something that becomes immediately apparent as soon as you start reading COUNTDOWN #38 is the way that it’s incredibly like the comics that Dan DiDio and the current DC braintrust probably grew up reading. It’s not just the incredible number of coincidences that Brian’s already pointed out – a throwback to days when audiences were younger and less demanding – but also the dialogue. The third panel in the comic has the following exchange: “Superman, any idea what’s going on?”“I’m not sure, Powergirl, except for the obvious…”“Oracle said something unleashed a global computer virus.” It’s exactly the kind of self-identifying thing that people have made fun of the original Crisis on Infinite Earths for; all you need to complete the…  Read More…

Let’s see if this image posting thing works: Graeme also reviews something from 8/8.

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Posted by: Graeme McMillan on August 12, 2007

Categories: Reviews

What is it about Grant Morrison and JH Williams? The two of them get together, and all of a sudden, the pop thrills get dosed with feelings of dread and portentiousness. Take BATMAN #667, for example; up until this point, there’s been a devil-may-care feeling about Morrison’s Batrun – the idea that, no matter what death-traps may show up, it’s not to be taken too seriously and everything will end up fine in the end. But now that Williams has appeared for the first of three parts of “The Island of Mister Mayhew,” it all seems much more dangerous and grim. Which isn’t to say that it’s not enjoyable, because it is – but there’s such a change of tone…  Read More…

Becoming More Like Alfie: Graeme goes Cass from 8/8.

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Posted by: Graeme McMillan on

Categories: Reviews

The first thing you’ll notice about CASANOVA #8 is that it’s very, very blue. The shift in color palette is initially completely overwhelming – writer Matt Fraction’s said online that it’s pure Cyan, and given the way that it practically glows on the page, I believe him – and it was only after a second read-through that I realized how smart a move that was, pulling the reader away from the change in artists from Gabriel Ba to Fabio Moon so that, by the time your eyes have recovered from the blue, you’re already used to Moon’s less-Mignola-esque, prettier, artwork (As much as I love Fabio’s stuff, it’s still awkward to see him draw characters that I’m so used to…  Read More…

Archie as RIAA Shill

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Posted by: admin on August 11, 2007

Categories: Reviews

Archie #577 tries to tackle a modern issue, but the presentation is so one-sided and ignorant that it fails even as brainwashing. The Archies, it seems, are ready to record a song that’s been popular when they’ve played it live. (The lyrics we see are “RU the 1 4 me”, which suggests that they’ve been listening to an awful lot of 80s Prince.) They scrape together money for studio time and decide to sell the record on their website, only with no physical CD “to reduce overhead”. But boo hoo, their fans make copies for each other instead of buying, so they don’t make any money. There’s so much wrong with this story in terms of internal logic that it’s…  Read More…

Wolk this way!

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Posted by: admin on

Categories: Retailing/Industry

(I’m going to hell for that post title, I just know it!) This Friday, August 17th, from 4 to 7 PM, Comix Experience is very happy to host DOUGLAS WOLK, international bon vivant, Savage Critic, and author of the most excellent Reading Comics: How Graphic Novels Work and What They Mean   Join us for an afternoon of book signing, comics theory, continuity debate, and, unless I miss my guess, beer. Plus, since we’re in San Francisco, I’d say odds are frankly terrific that we’ll also have Jeff Lester and Graeme McMillan on hand (well, after they get off work), so four, count them four Savage Critics to pontificate! Be there or miss the most insider comics afternoon of the…  Read More…

If I Don’t Finish Before Sunrise, Dust Takes Me Back: Jog and 8/8 creatures of the night.

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Posted by: Joe McCulloch on

Categories: Reviews

At 4:00 AM, my funnybook reviewing powers at their peak. The good never sleep while there’s funnies to be reviewed! Batman #667: The secret to J.H. Williams III’s success in superhero comics isn’t that he produces the most thought-through visual work around; with superhero comics there’s a risk of over-thinking things, missing the immediate appeal of the genre while pursuing an inappropriate sophistication. But Williams absolutely grasps the beauty of primal costumed impact, and infuses his relentless experimentation with the joy of direct aesthetic assault. I kind of squealed every time he shaped an evil panel like THE BLACK GLOVE, iconographic villain of the piece. Williams’ approach here differs from his recent(ish) Detective Comics issue, which got a simpler, campier…  Read More…

Diana dances with the Devil by the pale moonlight, 8/8

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Posted by: admin on

Categories: Reviews

I have mixed feelings about DAREDEVIL #99. On the one hand, Ed Brubaker’s decision to gradually move away from the Frank Miller paradigm is commendable; it’s always nice when writers remember there’s more to Daredevil’s history than the Kingpin, Bullseye and Elektra. And if, when he first started out, Brubaker relied on some of those familiar icons, he’s now making a point of using new characters, and old-timers who never really had a chance to dominate the page while Miller’s definitive A-listers were around. Spotlighting these less-popular individuals puts some variety and unpredictability back into the equation. Of course, the flip-side of that decision is that once you start bringing in villains and supporting characters who haven’t been around in…  Read More…