Solo #9

Okay, let's try this again.

Solo might be the best title that either Marvel or DC is putting out. Every issue is turned over to one artist to do with what he pleases. This issue belongs to Scott Hampton, who's work I'm not really all that firmilar with. I guess he's know for this nice painterly comic work.

The first story is my favorite. It's about an actor in the forties who is hired to my appearances as Batman outside movie theaters. It's a really cute story and bad, wonky-eared costume he wears is hilarious. I also liked the pulpy story of a comic book artist who gets two losers to be his front. It's a really slow burn with a great 'Outer Limits' twist at the end.

The rest of the issue is a mixed bag. The anti-Bush sci-fi story is really ham fisted but I love anything that's anti-Bush.

As good as this is, it actually made me a little sad because it shows how good DC comics could be if they let the artist run the show instead of the editors and the marketing department. Still, I will continue buying this title for as long as they produce it. Even if I haven't heard of the featured artist.

HERU

Heru by Toshika Kamiyama

I guess everybody has something they don't like about their appearance. For young Kami, it's her hair. Thick and heavy, it falls into a massive bowl like structure on her head. Her classmates call her Heru, Japanese slang for helmet-head. Thus starts a life love struggle between Kami and her hair. Totally cute and fun, this comic made me happy the whole time I was reading it. Even the two page panoramic view of a Hell. I hope this is the first in a series of comic from Ms Toshika.

www.kamiartstudio.com

Action Philosophers!

Action Philosophers #3
self-help for stupid ugly losers
by Fred Can Lente & Ryan Dunlavey

I meant I'd start today.
Anyway, I read this one really slow. Paid very close attention. Read many sections twice. Still, I don't understand Freud and Jung any better than I did going in. I found the personal anecdotes interesting (Freud would often faint under stress and pee himself when angry). I guess there is something about hidden messages in the mind conforming to age old myths that can cause hysteria, neuroses and perversion. But damn if I can make heads or tales of it. I liked the Joseph Campbell about how all cultures and religions tell essentially the same stories. And the "Hero's Journey Board Game" is a classic that will probably end up hanging on the walls of screenwriting students for generations to come. So, even though I didn't follow all of this, I love smart, original comics and Action Philosophers is that. I'll be buying every issue from now on.

www.actionphilosophers.com

in the blink of an eye

Wow, you look away for a moment, get busy at work and boom, all of a sudden you haven't updated your blog in two weeks. How does that happen? Oh well, it's not like anyone reads this. I'll try to start posting daily again. Starting later today.

Banana Sunday

Banana Sunday #3 by Root Nibot and Colleen Coover (Oni Press)

This is my favorite issue so far. Mostly because it focuses mostly on the romance between Kirby and Martin. They are such a sweet couple that you're really rooting for them as they go on their first date. But as soon as you see that Nickels and the monkeys are tagging along, you know the night is doomed. I really like how Martin stands up for Kirby in the face of some pretty harsh school bullying and the way he talks about Kirby making him feel "stupid" had me swooning. Next issue is the last of the series and I'm really hoping it ends with a kiss.

I'm less interested in the mystery of the talking monkeys but I'd love to see Go-Go, the banana loving ape, go nuts and take out all the mean girls in Kirby's class. I'm actually a little afraid for Nickels at the end of this issue. Nickels, come on, don't make Go-Go mad!

Powers: Legends

Powers: Legends by Brian Michael Bendis And Michael Avon Oeming (Icon/Marvel)

Whenever people start bashing Brian Bendis for his work on Spiderman or the Advengers or some big Marvel crossover event, I just remember that he also write the best superhero comic in the world, Powers. I'm a total "wait for trade" guy when it comes to this title but every book blows away. This issue is about pilgrim's return to the force after the events of "The Sell-Outs". With the secret origin book, "Forever", in between that book and this one, I have to admit I was a little bit lost as to what was going on. This story is definitely deep in Powers continuity with lots of references to the first book which I probably read four years ago. I have no memory of who the Bug is or Calista for that matter. But the book dazzled me in every chapter with it's soapy, trashy, pulpy, superheroy goodness. And a great cliffhanger to boot.

RoadStripes

RoadStrips. Edited by Pete Friedrich (Chronicle Books).

The subtitle for this book is "A Graphic Journey Across America" and features a vw minivan driving down the road on the cover. Now, doesn't that make you think that this going to be a book about traveling? Well, that's what I thought. But I'll buy anything with John Porcellino or Megan Kelso in it. The book is actually a collection of autobiographical stories about what it means to be an American. A compelling theme for sure. And besides the Keith Knight story, a reprint and misplaced in the east coast section when it clearly takes place in San Francisco, the collection is really impressive. I'm surprised there isn't more buzz (any?) about it. After reading the whole thing, I had a great feeling about my fellow Americans. It seems that being disgusted with your countries actions and embarrassed by your countrymen's boorish behavior is what being a patriot is all about.

Also it's neat to see so much work from older cartoonists. I wasn't expecting stories about the JFK assassination or hippie protests. It was a nice mix with the younger artist and gave the book a sort or, "America through the Ages" feeling.

My favorites were Martin Cendreda's story about the tv movie, "The Day After" and his various plans for life after the nuclear holocaust. I also really liked Mary Fleener's story about the pledge of allegiance.

Stuff I checked out of the library today.

Couriers 03 by Brian Wood and Rob G.
Channel Zero: Jennie One by Brian Wood and Becky Cloonan.
Batman: War Games part one.

What I Bought

What I bought today at the comic book shop.

• Teen Titans Go! # 23
• Manhunter #15
• Banana Sunday #3
• Opposite Forces #2

I seem to be on an all-ages kick these days. They do seem to be the last refuge for fun in comics. Oh well, good comics are good comics.

We Have The Deathray

We Have the Deathray #2 by Skidge.

What starts as your typical punk travelogue through California, takes a unexpected turn when Skidge dyes his hair and has an allergic reaction. Soon his head is covered with huge puss oozing sores. Sounds gross? It is! And they don't go away, they just spreads on to his hands and face and even on to his girlfriend. Several time during reading this I started to gag from the vileness of it all. It's also pretty funny (in a, we can laugh about it now, sort of way.) Skidge is also Canadian and his baffling attempts to get medical help should shame our whole nation.
Good zine, check it out!

The Quitter

The Quittter by Harvey Pekar and Dean Haspiel (Vertigo/DC Comics)
First off, Dean Haspiel's art is great in this book. I've had trouble getting into some of Harvey Pekar's work before because the art was so hard of the eyes. But Haspiel's stuff is clear, sharp and full of a type of swagger that fits the story perfectly. My one complaint that I really wish it was in color. Haspiel's art looks great in color and a hardcover book like this in black and white feels, dare I say, cheap.

The story is a pip. Lots of fighting. Harvey was a real tough cat back in the day. And seeing him transform from a lost soul who quits everything he starts to a respect jazz critic is really heartwarming. Everyone struggles to find their calling in life and after so many false starts, I was cheering when Harvey finally finds his voice and his place in the world.

I rarely think about movie adaptations when I'm reading a book but the whole time I was reading this I kept thing what a great movie it would make. Lots of brutal fight scenes tempered with a really touching coming of age story. From street fighter to bohemian intellectual. That a great arch.

www.deanhaspiel.com

Wizard #169

Everyone makes fun of Wizard because it's such a shameless hype machine and, well, kind of dumb. But I like it. I get every issue and read it cover to cover. There are too few comic magazines and most of the ones we have are super negative. After I finish reading the Comics Journal, I usually want to slit my wrists. Meanwhile, Wizard is constantly upbeat. They're reading comics, going to movies, ogling girls and having a great time. I don't read 90 percent of the stuff they write about but it's fun to go along for the ride. And sometime there are real gems inside. I really liked the Peter David interview and the story about spending a day with Harvey Pekar was a hoot.

What I Checked Out from the Library Today.

• The Encyclopedia of the DC Universe (because I want to know who everyone is in Infinite Crisis.)
• Sebastian O by Grant Morrison

PENG

Peng by Corey Lewis

I dub Peng to be the anti-Infinite Crisis. In many ways, these comics are the same. See in Peng, characters from all over Lewis's universe (Sharknife, Apollonia No, Appleton, Scott Pilgrim, etc) converge for one world changing event. But instead of it being some incomprehensible mess of whinny superhero and continuity hogwash, they play kickball! How much better would Infinite Crisis be if it featured a kickball game as it's central conflict? Tons!

Peng was a real surprise. I didn't really like Sharknife all that much but this was a blast. Corey Lewis is one weird kid. I'm sure I couldn't hang with him but I love his energy, style and sense of fun. Another great thing about this comic, there are no bad guys. Everyone is cool. The harshest it gets is some heckling and the dude even feels bad about that.

Also, Peng introduces America's next big catch phrase: "Victory Puke!"
www.onipress.com
reyyy.com

Infinite Crisis #1

Infinite Crisis #1 by Geoff Johns and Phil Jimenez.
The fact that you're seeing this reviewed here mean only one thing, I'm a sucker for hype. I knew KNEW that I wasn't going to like this but still I rushed right out and bought it. I went to the comic shop just to get it. I couldn't wait!

I was like 13 when Crisis of Infinite Earths came out. I had only been reading comics for about a year then and had no idea what was going on. Since then I've a deep hatred for all thing multi-dimensional (and time travel too.) Well, this has all that in spades. What a mess! It's like they said to themselves, "20 years ago, Crisis of Infinite Earths fix the DCU, now where going to break it again." Geoff Johns is the great undoer. First he brought back Hal Jordan, ugh, now he's undoing the Crisis.

But you know what's really sad? I'll probably still end up buying issue #2.

Things I Bought

Things I bought yesterday at the comic shop.

Wizard Magazine #169
Villians United #6
Infinite Crisis #1
Super-Crazy TNT Blast! #1
yes, I bought that one because of the title.

Rotten Eggs

Rotten Eggs by Jeremy Tinder

I need to start looking harder at the items I buy. This thing is only four pages long. Why didn't I notice that when I was picking out? Oh well, it's not like it would have stopped me or anything. I'm a sucker for beautiful art and personal stories. Rotten Eggs is the true story of a group of bored suburban kids who start a gang war against the kids down the block. The touches of pointless cruelty give the story an uneasy authenticity. And I love how he draws trees. I look forward to reading longer works by Mr. Tinder.

Stuff I Checked Out

Here's what I got from the library today.

• Perfect Circle by Sean Stewart
• It's a Bird by Steven T. Seagle and Teddy Kristiansen
• Walt and Skeezix by Frank King

I'm excited about reading all of these but I'm a little baffled by the back of the Walt and Skeezix book. By underlining and repeating "very close" are they implying that Walt and Avery are gay lovers? If so, this is the first I've heard of it.

Rain Man

Rain Man by Yolanda Bustos

A tiny, one joke, accordion style minicomic that takes about 30 seconds to read. And it only takes that long because it's written
inth
iswei
rdsty
le.
But the joke is funny, the art is cute and the construction is beautiful. It's fun just to hold it in your hands. If you see it around, check it out.

Family Reunion by Sean Stewart and Steve Lieber

I guess this was meant as some sort of comic preview to Sean Stewart's novel "Perfect Circle." Well, it worked on me. I probably would have never read the novel (I don't read many science fiction novels) before seeing this but now I'm going to get it next time I'm at the library. It reads more like a slice of life story with ghosts that what I usually think of as typical SF. The story is simple, a down on his luck guy attends a family reunion and sees the ghost of his cousin who died in Vietnam. The story is funny and bittersweet and the twist is nice too. And, if you didn't know, Steve Lieber is the master of understated brilliance.
12 pages, Small Bear Press

Ultimates Vol 1 by Mark Millar and Bryan Hitch

Ok, ok I can see what all the fuss is about. It reads like a great summer blockbuster. Big action scenes and all. It's a really fun read. Even for a guy who never reads Marvel stuff. Maybe it's better that I don't read Marvel stuff because I know so little about Captain American, Thor and Giant Man that it was all new to me and I never thought, "Oh, I like the original better." Cause I never read the original.

But the book does have two big problems for me. One, I hate pop culture references and this book has tons of them. The Freddie Prinze thing was funny but five pages of Nick Fury talking about how great an actor Johnny Depp is? LAME!

Second and more disturbing is the treatment of Bruce Banner. The whole time I was reading it I kept thinking of Banner as the smart awkward kid in school and Millar as the meathead jock giving him a wedgie. It almost ruined the book for me. I hope in future issues the Hulk rips all their heads off in revenge.

Stuff I Bought

So I was think if I'm going to track all my reading on this site, I should also list all my comic and zine purchases as well. I'll probably start listing my library check outs as well. It'll fun to see how long it is between purchase and review. I'm guessing a long time.

Bought at the zine shop on Tuesday October 11th.

• Rotten Eggs minicomic by Jeremy Tinder
• 1-Up video game magazine
• In Your Room #11 zine
• Scenery #18 zine by Mike Taylor
• We Have the Deathray #2
• Peng by Corey Lewis (Oni Press)
• Epoxy #1 by John Pham
• Broken Pencil #28

Moxie, My Sweet

Moxie, My Sweet by Mark Campos and the FineComix Collective

There are two types of stories in this 80 page anthology. The simple, sweet, slice of life stories about aimless musicians, card reading lesbians, and lonely guys in the desert. Then there are the crazy, spinning out of control, fairy tale like stories about talking cats, futuristic hamburger stands, and evil house hold items. There is even a trippy one based on Led Zeppelin, Lord of the Rings and pot smoking.

Surprisingly, I liked both types of stories here (I usually hate the fantasy type stuff).

Highlights include Elijah Brubaker's cinderella story that features a house full of cats instead of dwarfs. And Kaz Strzepek's short piece about a man who makes a girlfriend out of paper mache.
www.finecomix.com