In which Mike didn’t read any comics but decided to have a “review” post anyway.
from Superman #295 (Jan 1976) by Elliot S! Maggin, Curt Swan & Bob Oksner
We can only hope the future we have is as great as this.
Anyway, I had quite the busy New Comics Day, and I didn’t get a chance to read any of said Comics What Are New that evening after work, but I did get to briefly glance at a few, both bought by me and left on the shelf at the shop, so let me throw my uninformed opinions out regarding them:
- Marvelman Family Finest #1 – A nice, thick, and extremely light funnybook, printed on black and white on plain ‘ol newsprint…I’ve only read whatever original Marvelman comics Eclipse Comics reprinted as part of their Miracleman hoohar, plus what was in this Marvelman special (itself reprinted by Eclipse as Miracleman 3-D). I’ve liked what I read, and it looks like more of the same here…good, clean superhero-y fun, with charming art and some appalling lettering. Of course, what the people really want (whether they know it yet or not) is reprints of the ’80s Marvelman revival by Alan Moore and his super-pals, and Lord knows when we’re getting that, but this classic Marvelman stuff has its value, too, I think.
- Fantastic Four Annual #32 – Wasn’t going to pick it up, because good gravy, $4.99, but I flipped through it and saw 1) some nice art by Bryan Hitch, 2) a few amusing bits of dialogue, and 3) one of my favorite goofy Marvel villains…and it looked like there was a lot going on in this comic, so I think my funnybook dollar is well-spent here. Come on home with me, Fantastic Four comic book.
- The Smurfs: Smurfnapper – Like I noted yesterday, I’m very excited about this. I know the Smurfs have bit of a cheesy reputation in the States, thanks to the cartoon from a couple of decades ago, but the Smurfs have a fine legacy of print comics and this $1 special is a good introduction to them. If you’re a fan of Carl Barks’ Duck stories, or of Jeff Smith’s Bone, the Smurfs comics fit right in with them. Well worth your dollar…and hopefully worth your $5.99 a pop once they start putting out the new editions of the albums!
- Batman & Robin #13 – Haven’t even cracked it open, but the cover has Robin about to beat Joker with a crowbar as drawn by Frank Quitely, and that’s not only a beautiful thing to behold, but it gives me a reason to run this thing again:
You know, it doesn’t matter what else I accomplish with this site…that I had reason to create that animation all these years ago is enough to justify my efforts here. - Hercules: Twilight of a God #2 – No idea why someone decided we needed another series in the Bob Layton Hercules saga, since the last installment of Layton’s run was…how many years ago? Was it in Marvel Comics Presents? Anyway, I liked this version of Hercules, so I’m glad this series is coming out (and it’s probably only doing so because Marvel’s got some buzz with their other Hercules books), but it seems just a wee past its sell-by date. (Unlike most other superhero books which are absolutely cutting-edge, yes, I know.)
- Batman: The Odyssey #1 – Gentlemen, ladies…I think we have something to tide us over ’til Frank Miller and Jim Lee’s All Star Batman returns next year. This comic is just full-on craziness, and it’s awesome. Neal Adams, I salute you.
- Hellboy: The Storm #1 – Hey, it’s a new Hellboy comic.
Sorry, not much else to say about it. Hellboy‘s always good readin’.
- Irredeemable #15 – I always like to point out when a new issue of this or Incorruptible comes out, since Mark Waid is doing some fine superhero serial writing on these two comics. But I also wanted to point out this Twitter post of Mr. Waid’s, where he says
“Annnnd today was the day I stopped reading super-hero comics. One that I won’t name finally broke me. Collection stops as of now. No joke.”
Which of course got all the folks on the Twitter all a’tweetin’ about “which comic could it be?” I bet it’s Darkwing Duck. Don’t tell pal Ian.*
But it got me wondering what could possibly happen in a superhero comic that would make me quit reading superhero comics? I mean, sure, I’ve read my share of bad ones from which I could extract no entertainment value (either sincerely, ironically, or otherwise…if there is an “otherwise” left outside of those two options), but what would make me give up on a whole genre? I mean, I read New Warriors #1 (1990), and I’m still here.**
I should note that Waid later clarifies it was the latest in a string of awful comics…I suppose after reading a whole bunch of terrible ones, that would give me pause as well. But such bad luck, reading a bunch of comics and not a good one in the group? That’s pretty rough.
Anyway, please don’t fill up my comments section trying to name which comic it was. And go easy on Mr. Waid…the man’s read more superhero comics than most of us have even heard of, so he’s entitled to give ’em up if he wants. But be as hard as you’d like on Ian. He probably deserves it for some reason or ‘nother.
- X-Women #1 – No, I didn’t buy this comic, just glanced through it enough to wonder why they even bothered to put dialogue in it. It’s page after page after page of nearly-naked, sometimes wet, generally gape-mouthed gals who sort of resemble characters you might know from the X-Men line of comics presenting their bits, posing sexily, and occasionally hugging, as drawn by Milo Manara. Granted, it’s beautifully-illustrated, and finely detailed, but boys, you’re going to want to hide this one from Mom. Not under the mattress, she knows about that spot already.
* I’m only kidding, Ian. Honest!
** Here comes the hate mail.
I misread that last bit as “hide this one from Morn.” And I couldn’t figure out why the barfly from Deep Space Nine would be so upset over…ohhhh, you said Mom.
I think too much about Star Trek.
Waid probably was upset about Wonder Woman’s new leggings like everyone else.
I like that that clearly absurd Silver Age Superman story still managed to make the Superman/Jesus connection (and shake it up a bit with the not-often-seen Revelation Jesus-pose), yet people like Brian Singer still think that it’s a new concept.
Too bad the colorist made his hair blonde. Unless that’s just how Kryptonians aged in the Silver Age.
Wait…why would Superman need a horse? Or a sword?
Why would Jesus for that matter?! My God, what have I stumbled upon?
I’m just surprised that it took them a year to get a Marvelman book out (since the “big” announcement at San Diego last year) and it was just a black and white reprint. No takers for it at the store yesterday, but it was X-Men day.
I think you’ve hit onto something Mike with the X-Women. I think that comic needs the dialogue stripped out of it, and blown up super huge like the old super-sized “DESTROY!!” comic :
http://goodcomics.comicbookresources.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/10/destroy.gif
I’d buy that.
I’ve made similar claims to Waid’s, except that I made them to myself and I’m not in the biz so nobody cared. Also, I’ve never actually held myself to it. I do wonder sometimes if I like the idea of superhero comics more than the actual comics, but now and then I find a few that I think are truly outstanding and the cycle begins anew.
“I do wonder sometimes if I like the idea of superhero comics more than the actual comics,” — I’ve found myself thinking more like that, too. I ‘ve come to the conclusion that while I still like superhero comics and comics in general, I like reading stuff like Alter Ego or artist biographies and interviews even more.
What, no talk about Death of the Endless returning to the DCU?
http://www.comicbookresources.com/?page=article&id=27068
When I constantly find the kind of brutality I don’t want to see in my movies front and center in my comics, I find it hard to give Mr. Waid grief for his announcement.
X-Women — So, it’s basically What If. . . Those old Amazing Heroes “Swimsuit Issues” were done seriously?
My decision to stop buying superhero comics was mainly due to cost, and discovering that I could keep up with what was going on in the DC and Marvel universes by reading websites like this one, but reading Identity Crisis was really the last straw.
I love Elliot Maggin Superman, and I don’t care who knows it.
“I think we have something to tide us over ’til Frank Miller and Jim Lee’s All Star Batman returns next year.”
The first stage is denial…
Why is Aquaman wearing Superman’s costume and riding a horse?
Is he riding Comet…. what did he do to Supergirl!?
Fuckin’ Ian…