New comics.
SPOILERS, maybe:
Oh, my…now this is comic of the week: Masked Commander. Picture, if you will, millionaire Bruce Wayne and his double-life as Batman. Now, picture Mr. Wayne as President Wayne, and that’s what you’ve got here. The President of the United States, secretly the Masked Commander, taking on threats to America that normal political channels cannot. The first story is standard issue set-up stuff (with M.C. taking on his arch-nemesis Anarchy, with an origin flashback mixed in) – it’s played completely straight, but it’s all just goofy enough to make me want to see the second issue. The best part is the “Marvel Universe”-type full-page entries on M.C.’s friends and foes…I think the entry on the friendly femme fatale named “Foreign Affair” is what finally sold me. Honestly, you have to see this comic…check out the preview.
Mad Magazine #451 features the Constantine parody (which I suppose I’ll enjoy more after I see the film itself), as well as Sergio Aragones’ “A Mad Look at Cheating.” Goon fans will want to know that Eric Powell provides a two-page video game ad parody (“Madison Avenue Smack Down!”). The Fundalini Pages section contains a “review” of The Anally Complete Peanuts, with a couple of sample strips that are just downright disturbing, in particular the one with Snoopy eating his own…well, anyway….
Grant Morrison brings us more of his inimitable nuttiness in the new Vimanarama mini-series from Vertigo…I’ll let other people discuss the deep, hidden meanings of the text. I just want to say that I’m always happy to see comic book work from artist Philip Bond.
JSA #70 – isn’t that a great cover? Dave Gibbons has managed to make one of the silliest costumes of the Golden Age look…well, still silly, but very nicely drawn.
I sure wish I can take a peek inside our copies of The Thrilling Comic Book Cover Art of Alex Schomberg, but alas, both the regular hardcover and the slipcased edition are sealed in shrinkwrap.
Lady Pep by Julie Doucet – I like Julie Doucet’s comics, and read every issue of Dirty Plotte, but I think I’m going to have to pass on this collection of photos of her art pieces. It’s a nice presentation in a handsome package, but it’s still just pictures of everyday objects with drawings on them. Maybe I’m just a philistine who can’t appreciate art, but it does nothing for me. Sorry!
Speaking of art, it’s a good week for the porn comics, what with Housewives at Play and Menage a Trois and Alruane…why, you’re spoilt for choice, you are. I should note that the artist on Alruane is actually pretty good…I wonder if he’s done any non-naughty work?
(EDIT: Leave it to pal Dorian and me to cover the dirty comics this week!)
We finally got in the new printing of Blankets. Hope people are still looking for copies.
During a discussion at work, somehow I managed to come up with the concept of “Ultimate Marvel Knights.” Aaaaaah! Maybe it can be published by Marvel’s Icon line! AAAAAAAH!