Top 100 Things I Love About Top 100 Lists!
I’m kidding, I’m kidding! Actually, I did enjoy seeing these snapshots of what everyone out there likes in the way of funnybooks. Well done, internet pals.
I know one or two people out there weren’t happy with these lists being all over the place, but considering that I usually tend to run off at the mouth on this site of mine, I figured a simple list would be a nice break for you! Besides, it was just one list (occasionally two) per weblog…tough it out, you’ll live. Not every post can be lesbian unicorns.
Besides, it made Fred Hembeck happy, and certainly that’s a worthwhile goal! Anyway, keep an eye on this post for future updates on other Top 100s, at least until it finally drives me insane.
Anyway, on to the new comics for the week…let’s see if I can keep it relatively short this time:
Tom Strong #31 – Michael Moorcock and Jerry Ordway are the creative team on this issue. It’s a beautifully illustrated comic, and anything that can give me a gorilla dressed as a pirate is dandy with me.
Promethea #32 – it’s not a good sign when the inside front cover explains how to disassemble and reassemble the comic in order to read it the way it was intended. Yes, it does say that the comic can be read as is, but several of the pages are upside down, and…sheesh, I didn’t have the time for it today. I’ll take the comic apart tomorrow and figure it out then. By the way, for some reason the store got the autographed Promethea cover gallery, but not the accompanying hardcover. My reaction to the cover gallery? “Is it safe to touch something that Alan Moore has handled?”
Adventures of Superman #637 – there’s something about Superman’s face on this cover that bothers me. It’s not quite Alfred E. Neuman-esque, but it’s close…I can’t put my finger on it.
JLA Classified #4 – I admit, it is a little disturbing that the recently-deceased Sue Dibny is runnin’ around in this comic, complete with jokes about her possible pregnancy. However, if you read it with the knowledge that, sooner or later, Sue will most likely be brought back somehow, it’s suddenly a little easier to take.
Apocalypse Nerd #1 – good to see Peter Bagge back in action…not laugh-out-loud funny, but still amusing. Speaking of which, the 300+ page Buddy Does Seattle is now out, collecting the stories from Bagge’s first 15 issues of Hate. A steal at $14.95.
Pin-Up Art of Dan DeCarlo – I’m not generally a collector of girlie-cartoons, but it’s difficult to resist a book full of DeCarlo’s fine artwork. As pal Dorian notes, the fact that all the girls look like they stepped right out of an Archie comic is a wee bit disturbing…or appealing depending on how much of a pervert Betty & Veronica fan you are. And yeah, there’s a lot of orange spot-coloring in this book…Dorian didn’t care for it, but I thought it looked neat. It’s a gorgeous book, with great DeCarlo art…well worth picking up.
Green Lantern: Rebirth #4 – I didn’t realize how much I missed having GL arch-nemesis Sinestro around. What a great villain, with a great name (the only super-villain name that tops it is Captain Nazi*…now that’s evil). Plus, there’s a good sequence in this issue about why not just anyone can pick up a GL ring and start goin’ to town with it…it’s hard to work the ring. I get the feeling this may contradict previous stories, but, eh, big deal. I like this interpretation better.
We received our new Sin City trades today…might as well enjoy ’em while I can, because I don’t have any faith that we’ll get reorders on them anytime soon.
Tomb Raider #50 – last issue, apparently. I wasn’t a fan, but this comic had a fairly faithful following with some of our customers…at least one or two who only read this title.
I cheated, and read our sneak peek of Fantastic Four #523, due next week…the one that picks up with Galactus being stripped of his powers and reduced to being a normal human. Pal Dorian grumbled a bit about it, but I tell ya, this comic was just as great as I was hoping it would be. Made me laugh out loud in parts, it did.
* Speaking of Captain Nazi, halfway down this page, on the right-hand side, is one of those cutesy “super-deformed” icons of Cap’n N. Honestly, what’s up with that?**
** Try doing a Google search on “Captain Nazi” sometime…you can just feel your name getting put on government watch lists somewhere.