We Don’t Need No Water: Diana’s Cruel Summer Continues, 25/6

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Posted by: admin on June 30, 2008

Categories: Reviews

It’s Marvel’s turn in the hot seat… IMMORTAL IRON FIST #16 wraps up the Ed Brubaker/Matt Fraction run (though Brubaker apparently checked out two months ago, because he wasn’t credited for this issue or #15). As I’ve said before, IMMORTAL IRON FIST made a big impression on me, mainly because I’d never been interested in Danny Rand or the kung-fu-comics genre he represented until now. There was something new and intriguing about this particular interpretation, and I think a lot of it has to do with the way Brubaker and Fraction expanded the concept of Iron Fist into a trans-generational, trans-national identity. And something else began to emerge: not only was Danny Rand not the only Iron Fist, but pretty…  Read More…

Crashing through: Douglas looks at some periodicals from 6/25, etc.

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Posted by: admin on June 29, 2008

Categories: Reviews

FINAL CRISIS #2: I don’t think people are claiming in bad faith that the reason they’re not enjoying this series is that they can’t understand what’s going on in it–it takes some careful attention to figure out how everything fits together–but I’m enjoying it so much that I keep having the impulse to say “okay, what exactly don’t you understand? I’ll try to explain it with reference only to stuff in this series itself!” As far as I can tell, all the information that’s being withheld from the reader is being withheld in the interest of suspense. But it’s also true that making readers fill in the blanks is Morrison’s big narrative strategy here. The best bottom-dropping-out moment in this…  Read More…

I’d Like To Sup With My Baby Tonight: Diana Sweats To The Newsies, 25/6

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Posted by: admin on June 28, 2008

Categories: Reviews

More evidence that the ’90s were made of LIES: summertime has arrived, and contrary to the Fresh Prince’s promises, there is no groove, nobody looks good in 125% humidity, and if you’re dumb enough to dance in the open while the sun’s up, you deserve the inevitable dehydration and/or dissolution into a puddle of skin-colored goo. As if that weren’t enough, June was a seriously weird month for comics – I read nothing but 2000AD for three weeks (new Nikolai Dante story), and suddenly almost every single series I’m following has an issue out on the 25th. To which I say:     CROSSING MIDNIGHT #19 marks the unfortunate end of the latest ongoing series by Mike Carey and Jim…  Read More…

On A Bird Singing In Its Sleep

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Posted by: Jeff Lester on June 27, 2008

Categories: Retailing/Industry

We met at where the cable cars turn around on California at Market, Hibbs and Paul and Anina, Graeme and myself. As it turned out, we ended up talking and leaning against the small monument built there for Robert Frost, the poet who so famously wrote about roads not taken and miles to go before you sleep, and etc., etc. An hour earlier, I’d sat by myself behind the ferry building, staring at the Bay Bridge, and tried very hard to think about Rory Root being dead at fifty. I’ve lived long enough to know I don’t process death in anything like an efficient way: I’ve looked down at the dead bodies of close friends and death is still an…  Read More…

One day The Winter Men will finish and my collection of Russian superhero epics from Wildstorm will be complete at last: Jog’s Hopes, 6/25

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Posted by: Joe McCulloch on

Categories: Reviews

The Programme #12 (of 12) Hmm. Well that sort of ended. Really, the last issue of this Wildstorm series is fairly appropriate, given the series’ premise: USSR superheroes wake up in our modern world of seemingly greater nuance of conflict, prompting the US to try and get its own Cold War superfolk back in order. The clash of the superpowers is back, and it quickly gets to scraping at tensions and contradictions — racial, martial, political — that always existed in that time, and yet endure today. There’s plenty of endurance at the end of the story. A few characters die and a few things get smashed, but nothing much is accomplished beyond radicalizing the most powerful players a few…  Read More…

One Month Later: Graeme Reviews Final Crisis #2

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Posted by: Graeme McMillan on June 25, 2008

Categories: Reviews

So, I had a dream the other night where I met Brian Michael Bendis. It was one of those traditional disorientating dreams you know something is wrong, but can’t quite put your finger on it… In this case, I was at some sub-San Diego con thing, and someone had introduced me to Bendis, and I was trying to think of something nice to say to him. The best my dream-self could come up with was “Secret Invasion doesn’t suck so much if you read all three issues at the same time…” Yeah, I know; smooth. I don’t think he noticed, though, because he seemed happy enough as he showed me how to operate his new home theater set-up with his…  Read More…

Rory Root’s Memorial

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Posted by: Brian Hibbs on June 24, 2008

Categories: Retailing/Industry

I haven’t seen anyone else write about it (or, at least Tom ‘n’ Ace ‘n’ Dirk ain’t linked to anything yet), so let me take a stab at saying something about the memorial for Rory Root at Comic Relief this past Saturday night. I traveled to the Memorial with Jeff and Graeme, as well as Anina Bennett and Paul Guinan. We arrived right around 7 PM, while the event itself was scheduled to start at 5. I was told that the actual Stand-Up-And-Say-Something portion of it started about 6 (and it lasted until 10:30 or 11 or so, wow!) When we showed up, the street in front of CR was packed, with probably 40-50 people milling about talking, reminiscing on…  Read More…

Arriving 6/25/2008

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Posted by: Brian Hibbs on June 23, 2008

Categories: Shipping Lists

Big week! 76 #4 (OF 8) A G SUPER EROTIC ANTHOLOGY #83 (A) ANGEL REVELATIONS #2 (OF 5)ARCHIE #586ARCHIE DIGEST #245AVENGERS FAIRY TALES #3 (OF 4)AVENGERS INITIATIVE #14 SIBART SIMPSON COMICS #42BATMAN GOTHAM AFTER MIDNITE #2 (OF 12)BEYOND WONDERLAND #0 (OF 6)BLACK PANTHER #37BPRD ECTOPLASMIC MAN ONE SHOTCALIBER #3 (OF 5) CAPTAIN AMERICA #39CARTOON NETWORK BLOCK PARTY #46CONAN THE CIMMERIAN #0 CROSSING MIDNIGHT #19 DAREDEVIL #108DARKNESS #4 KEOWN CVR A DC UNIVERSE SPECIAL REIGN IN HELL 80 PAGE GIANTFANTASTIC FOUR #558FEAR AGENT #22 1 AGAINST 1 (PT 1 OF 6)FINAL CRISIS #2 (OF 7)FIRE & BRIMSTONE #1 (OF 3)GREEN LANTERN #32HERCULES #3 (OF 5) HULK #4HUNTRESS YEAR ONE #4 (OF 6)IMMORTAL IRON FIST #16JACK OF FABLES #23 JIM BUTCHERS DRESDEN…  Read More…

My Life is Choked with Comics #17 – The Horrorist

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Posted by: Joe McCulloch on

Categories: Reviews

“I’ll tell you the ultimate secret of magic. Any cunt could do it.” So said John Constantine to Alan Moore on one particular occasion. Sure, Constantine was (and remains) a fictional character, and Moore was (and, desire of attribution aside, remains) his mortal co-creator, but, you know, Glycon the snake puppet wasn’t a real god either, and Moore’s worship continues unabated. I suppose when all ideas are real, to some extent, it takes only a cloud of smoke duly puffed across the porch of corporeality for the idea of a working-class magician to personally impart his authentic proletarian message. But I’m here to go on about stories, imaginary things all – and don’t sweat it DC, we didn’t need to…  Read More…

Abhay’s Third Post About Blue Beetle; Only Ninety-Three More To Go

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Posted by: Abhay Khosla on June 22, 2008

Categories: Reviews

The first act of BLUE BEETLE winds to an end between issues #7 and #12. I: CREATIVE CHANGES BLUE BEETLE loses co-writer Keith Giffen after issue #10, leaving screenwriter John Rogers as the book’s sole “pilot”. Artist Cully Hamner leaves the book the same month, ably replaced by Raphael Albuquerque. Perhaps the most confusing thing about this comic is the fact DC leaves Albuquerque on BLUE BEETLE, rather than promote him to a “higher profile” assignment. Does Marvel transition their stronger artists significantly more often? It seems that way to me but maybe that’s because I pay more attention to Marvel. Anyways, maybe he stays on BLUE BEETLE by choice. I have no idea. II: THE WORLD TOUR Two or…  Read More…

TIlting at Windmills v3 #2 (#168)

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Posted by: Brian Hibbs on June 20, 2008

Categories: Retailing/Industry

The new Tilting at Windmills is live here Always interested in your thoughts. -B

Arriving 6/18/2008

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Posted by: Brian Hibbs on June 16, 2008

Categories: Shipping Lists

Here’s the list of stuff that Comix Experience is receiving from Diamond this week… AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #563AMERICAN DREAM #4 (OF 5)ANGEL AFTER THE FALL #9ANITA BLAKE VH GUILTY PLEASURES #12 (OF 12)ANNA MERCURY #2 (OF 5) PAINTED CVR BATMAN AND THE OUTSIDERS #8BETTY & VERONICA #236BETTY & VERONICA DIGEST #185BIRDS OF PREY #119BLOOD BOWL #1 (OF 5) KILLER CONTRACT CVR ABOMB QUEEN V #2 (OF 6) BRAVE AND THE BOLD #14CASEY BLUE BEYOND TOMORROW #2 (OF 6)CATWOMAN #80CHECKMATE #27CTHULHU TALES #3 CVR BDARKNESS VS EVA #4 (OF 4) DC SPECIAL CYBORG #2 (OF 5)DC WILDSTORM DREAMWAR #3 (OF 6)DEAD SPACE #4 (OF 6)DEAN KOONTZS FRANKENSTEIN VOL 01 #2 (OF 5) PRODIGAL SONDMZ #32 DOCK WALLOPER #5 (OF 5)EVERYBODYS DEAD #4EX…  Read More…

On the Shark (and over again)

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Posted by: Brian Hibbs on

Categories: Reviews

At the conclusion of last season of BATTLESTAR GALACTICA, I had thought there was something wrong. I wasn’t entirely sure what, precisely, the mistake was, but I felt there was one going on. I’ve watched all of this season’s BATTLESTAR, and I’m fairly certain I didn’t really enjoy almost any episode. Moments from episodes, yes, some clever bits of plotting or little twist on characterization, or whatever — but not a whole entire episode from start to finish. As I was was taking my shower tonight (washing my birthday suit, as Tzipora put it, har), I think I figured out what it was. [Clearly, there’s going to be SPOILERS at some point after this, and, though I haven’t yet typed…  Read More…

Indiana Jones and the Really Awful Third Act

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Posted by: Brian Hibbs on June 13, 2008

Categories: Reviews

Nope, no comics review this week — nothing really struck me at all this week at all, good or bad. Instead I’m going to go back in time to a week or so ago when I saw INDIANA JONES AND THE KINGDOM OF THE CRYSTAL SKULL. But let’s start in the present day. I had Ben this morning while Tzipora had a doctor’s appointment, and I knew that they had a playdate planned for the afternoon, so I opted to not take him to the park, since then he’d be park-ed out at that point. So, I thought, let’s watch some movies. In fact, let’s watch RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK — he’s been begging for Indy for weeks (which…  Read More…

Jog’s Frogger: 6/11

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Posted by: Joe McCulloch on June 12, 2008

Categories: Reviews

B.P.R.D.: War on Frogs #1: This is the first of a planned four B.P.R.D. specials to spin out of a two-part story that ran in the MySpace version of Dark Horse Presents, although I wouldn’t get too concerned about accessibility; right now they seem connected in concept only, all of them being set a few years back in the midst of the Bureau’s war with the frog monsters. Also notable is the lack of a writing credit for creator Mike Mignola – I presume this series-within-the-series will be something of a showcase for frequent co-writer John Arcudi. As such, it’s a little disconcerting that this comic reminds me of nothing more than a typical Hellboy short, albeit with much of…  Read More…

WE’RE LIVING IN A CIVILIZATION!!!!

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Posted by: Brian Hibbs on June 11, 2008

Categories: Uncategorized

To quote George Constanza and all that. It’s really hot in San Francisco this week, kind of unseasonably so. Sure, I understand that it isn’t as gross and hot as it is on the EAST coast, but still. Public transportation is even more grueling in High Heat. With gas prices rising rapidly, more and more people are turning to (or at least considering) public transportation. I, myself, have always been a bus guy. I don’t know how to drive, and while our family has a car (preschooler, kinda have to), I still buy a monthly bus pass every month, and try to use the bus as much as humanly possible. I don’t know if it is just that no one…  Read More…

Arriving 6/12/2008

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Posted by: Brian Hibbs on June 9, 2008

Categories: Shipping Lists

No editorializing from me, my head is fuzzy today as I enter day 5 sans cigarettes. Having a hard time focusing for longer than 3 minutes at a time, gr…. 100 BULLETS #92 2000 AD #1587 2000 AD #1588 ACTION COMICS #866AMAZING SPIDER-GIRL #21AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #562ANGEL AFTER THE FALL #8ARCHIE & FRIENDS #120BATMAN CONFIDENTIAL #18BATMAN STRIKES #46BOOSTER GOLD #10BOY WHO MADE SILENCE #4 BPRD WAR ON FROGS #1CAPTAIN BRITAIN AND MI 13 #2 SICARTOON NETWORK ACTION PACK #26CHARLATAN BALL #1CHUCK #1 (OF 6)CLANDESTINE #5 (OF 5)DC UNIVERSE SPECIAL SUPERMAN MONGULDOKTOR SLEEPLESS #7 WRAP CVR DRAFTED #8ELEPHANTMEN #12ETERNALS #1FALL OF CTHULHU #13 CVR AFEAR AGENT #21 HATCHET JOB (PT 5 OF 5)GAMEKEEPER SERIES 2 #4 GENEXT #2 (OF 5)GOON #25GOTHAM UNDERGROUND…  Read More…

Batman Eats Beignets!: Douglas stares blankly at TRINITY #1 for a while

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Posted by: admin on

Categories: Reviews

Well, this is frustrating. Kurt Busiek usually pulls off really good opening sequences–the first issue of Thunderbolts (his previous extended collaboration with Mark Bagley) was a deceptively straightforward-looking story with a killer revelation/cliffhanger at the end, and after he noted that JLA: Syndicate Rules would provide some backstory for Trinity, I read it and enjoyed the opening chapter’s everything-bad-is-good mayhem a lot. And I know (from having interviewed him for PW Comics Week about it) that Trinity is meant to be pretty formally ambitious; I really like his idea that it’s constructed as “a hybrid between a traditional comic book and a classic continuity Sunday page.” So it’s strange to see this 1000-plus-page story begin with an issue this bland…  Read More…

Hibbs on TRINITY #1

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Posted by: Brian Hibbs on June 6, 2008

Categories: Reviews

I’m trying to quit smoking again (third time is the charm?), so forgive me if I write anything that makes no sense — I’m having a slightly hard time concentrating on anything for longer than, say, 60 seconds or so, and I’ve got aches all over. Has to happen, however — when I come down with Tonsillitis and/or Strep Throat TWICE in like 6 weeks, there’s a good sign your body is trying to tell you something. But that has nothing to do with anything related to comics, so let’s talk about TRINITY #1 instead. Unlike COUNTDOWN #1, er, #51, which after reading it was clear was really really bad, and probably wouldn’t get any better TRINITY is decently solid…  Read More…

Abhay Titles a Blog Post about Secret Invasion #3

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Posted by: Abhay Khosla on June 5, 2008

Categories: Reviews

So: where were we…? Secret Invasion #3– the penultimate issue to the halfway point. How exciting! To date, there has been absolutely no explanation to the question that keeps nagging at me: why would anyone go to a restaurant called Hell’s Kitchen and then complain that their food’s taking too long? Didn’t you watch the previous seasons of the show? But week after week, that restaurant fills up wtih people shocked– SHOCKED!– that the food isn’t very good. It’s in its, like, third or fourth season. What are those whiny people complaining about? Scream at them, Gordon Ramsey. Scream at them… I wouldn’t say I’m losing interest in Secret Invasion, but… So far in this series, about twenty minutes have…  Read More…

Those Old-Time Haunts: Jog on the vast, Polyphemus-like and loathsome of 6/4

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Posted by: Joe McCulloch on

Categories: Reviews

Haunt of Horror: Lovecraft #1 (of 3): Back in 2006, Marvel put out a three-issue miniseries titled Haunt of Horror: Edgar Allan Poe. It was an odd project for the publisher, reviving the brand of a mid-’70s line of digests and magazines as a literary adaptation showcase for veteran artist Richard Corben. It was all in b&w, perhaps to better evoke the feel of old horror magazines; certainly the stories hearkened back to the short shockers through which some memorable stylists thrived, not least among them Corben himself (though he did much color work at the time too). Yet each tale was also helpfully followed by its prose or verse original, loose as the adaptation might have been – it…  Read More…