Didn’t we just get new comics last week?
Yup, it’s the inevitable new comics day post. SPOILERS ahead…I mean it this time. Especially in the Fantastic Four bit.
The Simpsons/Futurama Crossover Crisis II is a perfect follow-up to the previous series from a couple years ago…it picks up right where the previous series leaves off, with the Simpsons invading the Futurama world. The reference to Frink’s “thick Canadian accent” kills me.
Planetary #22 has one of those covers that looks like it’s been weathered and beaten to pieces, and even though I know it’s just printed to look like that, I will do a double-take every time I see it for, most likely, the rest of my life. How do I know this? Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #15, that’s why. Anyway, another fine issue, this time taking on the Lone Ranger (complete with a reference to the Ranger’s relationship to the Green Hornet).
Fantastic Four #522 – I’m totally spoiling the ending here, so skip ahead if you don’t want to know. Really. I mean it. Okay, you asked for it…now, pal Dorian groaned when he read the preview copy of this last week, but you know, I got a kick out of it, and I can’t wait to see how the next issue wraps things up. Basically, though the shenanigans in this issue, Johnny figures out a way to strip Galactus of his powers (based on the methods used to switch his powers with his sister)…leaving us with a powerless Galen at the end of the ish. Okay, I know we’ve seen this kind of story in comics and science fiction before, where a an extremely powerful (or just inhuman) being is reduced to mere humanity (cough cough Secret Wars II cough), but as a longtime Galactus fan this has me anticipating the last part of the storyline something fierce. (Yes, I have an empty life, why do you ask?)
WE3 #3 – Grant Morrison and Frank Quitely’s strangely affecting story about cyborg-animal weapons comes to its conclusion…it wouldn’t say it’s an entirely happy ending, as Dorian suggested to me yesterday, but it’s a tad bittersweet. I’m not sure how a sequel would come together, but I’d love to see one…three issues just didn’t seem enough.
JSA: Strange Adventures #6 – well, it’s over, and probably largely unnecessary, aside from getting to see the original Justice Society back in action again. However, any comic that can work in this line of dialogue:
“What have you done, Jack Williamson? Did you betray Lord Dynamo’s plans to the Justice Society?”
is okay by me. Plus it’s always fun to see Johnny Thunder get his due.
Lessee, what else…Luba #10 (the end of the series…a few nice call-backs to Poison River in here), Flash #218 (the Heat Wave life story…you know, these Rogues Gallery-focused issues sure cast some of the original Barry Allen Flash stories in a new light), and Legion of Super-Heroes #2 (okay, but hasn’t convinced me a reboot was needed).
We also got a letter from Dave Sim, announcing a price increase on the Cerebus trades…how long do you think it’ll be before we see a Tales of Cerebus series, with stories from various periods of Cerebus’ life? Oh, and the letter is hand-signed by Sim, so I fully expect someone to put it on the eBay. (Not me…I’m not that much of a jerk.)
And the new Wizard (we got a double-order of one cover instead of receiving both covers, for some reason) has a preview of Mark Millar’s run on Ultimate Fantastic Four. The preview reveals an upcoming storyline in which Reed finds an “alternate universe” or some such thing during a visit to the Negative Zone – a universe where Reed and Sue are older, married, and have two kids. Basically, the article implies that “Ultimate” Reed has found the regular Marvel Universe. Now, I am fully expecting an Ultimate Universe/Marvel Universe crossover at some point in the future (probably when they decide to do away with one or the other), but I’m thinking this isn’t going to be it. I’m expecting the “alternate” FF to be interdimensional monsters in disguise, or something similar.
The first volume of the Scholastic Books color Bone volumes came out this week…I’m not sure how I feel about them. The color is nice, though the pages do have a slight “scanned and Photoshopped” feel to them, and it’s hard to beat $9.99 for the package. I’m tempted by it, if only because of some of the minor art changes between the comics and the collections, and because the spine on that complete Bone volume, while appearing to be fairly solid now, seems like it won’t survive the test of time.
And, those of you who decided to order your copy of the Simpsons Season 5 DVD set through your comic shop, like I did…it’s out finally.
