Best Comic of the Week:
Somna #1 – So I heard that Becky Cloonan and Tula Lotay were going to collaborate on an oversized new series for DSTLRY, and that was enough to get me to order it. This is an incredibly beautiful, and sinister, book that is better than I even expected. The story is about a woman in Colonial America whose husband is a bailiff charged with discovering and trying witches. Ingrid is having recurring dreams about a dark, demonic figure who fills her with lust, at a time when her husband won’t touch her. The dream sequences are painted by Lotay, while the daytime sequences are drawn by Cloonan, and the two women’s work fits together perfectly. I like how this book is so straightforward in portraying Ingrid’s sexuality, even though she feels so conflicted about it. The reader is left wondering if she is actually being visited by the devil, or if this is just how she is framing her desire, seeing as she lives in a time when such things are not taught or discussed (I mean, it’s a Cloonan book, so I’m sure it really is the devil, but I like how both interpretations could work at this point). It’s a shame that we have to wait until January to read the next chapter, but with the level of care that goes into every page of this book, I’d happily wait a year if I had to.
Quick Takes:
Avengers Inc. #3 – Jan and Victor head to Valhalla to investigate the death of Skurge, even though he’s already dead. This is an odd issue that Al Ewing uses to cross-pollinate some of the things he’s working on in his Immortal Thor run. I’m enjoying this series a lot, but am not a big fan of Asgardian stuff these days, so I was less enthusiastic about this issue compared to the first two.
Black Hammer: The End #4 – The various heroes that are in Spiral City go up against Anti-God, but with little luck. Meanwhile, things are going poorly on the farm, even before Lucy discovers that her daughter has gone missing. Jeff Lemire and Malachi Ward keep the pace up with this issue, as we get closer to the big finish.
Bone Orchard: Tenement #6 – Jeff Lemire and Andrew Sorrentino dig deeper into the psyches of their main characters with this issue, as we see their greatest fears. Not much else happens – this book is hella decompressed – but it’s an effective issue in showing how this unlikely group of characters is beginning to bond.
Captain Marvel #2 – Alyssa Wong has Carol sharing her existence with a young thief in an update of the relationship that Mar-Vell once had with Rick Jones. It’s a refreshing take on this older story, but so far there hasn’t been a lot of space to really dig into it. Genis-Vell comes looking for the Nega-Bands, and soon Carol is fighting him and her new foe Omen. The issue is fast moving and exciting, but I’m not sure how this status quo is going to fit with Carol’s life. I’m liking this book so I’ll stick around for a while to see where it heads.
Green Lantern War Journal #3 – The Green Lantern from another dimension catches up to John in this issue, but a little too late, as he’s already been infected by the Radiant Dead, which threatens the whole world. Phillip Kennedy Johnson’s take on John is really working for me; I like how he’s conflicted in deciding to save the world or stay with his sick mother. Montos’s art has really grown on me, and this book looks terrific.
The Holy Roller #1 – At this stage, if I see Rick Remender is writing a book, I’m going to preorder it without even reading the solicitation, and so I didn’t know what to expect when I started reading this. Remender is joined by two other writers, Andy Samberg and Joe Trohman, who are apparently Hollywood types, and artist Roland Boschi. The story starts off in the mid-80s, establishing that a young man named Levi deals with local bullies and the fact that his dad is a devoted local bowling sensation, both of which he finds embarrassing. Now, in 2023, he learns that his father is dying, so after spending twenty years away from his small town Ohio roots, Levi returns and finds how modern America is manifesting in his old community. Drugs, homelessness, and anti-semitism is rampant, and it’s not long before Levi learns that his old bullies have grown even less than he has. This book reads a little like a serious version of Remender’s recent Scumbag; there’s the same realistic assessment of America’s decline, but this is a lot less satirical. The end of this first issue, which is over forty pages long, veers towards becoming a vigilante story (although it’s the cover that twigged me to that), and really grabbed my interest. Remender and his partners have done a great job establishing Levi’s character, and Boschi’s dance between cartoonishness and realism works well with this type of story. I’m definitely on board with this.
Immortal X-Men #17 – Charles Xavier confronts the fragment of Mr. Sinister that lives in his head, as we learn a little more about Sinister’s plans, the Dominion that became the focus of the Sins of Sinister event, and see Mother Righteous make her move. Now that we know the clock is ticking for the Krakoan and post-Krakoan era, I’m determined to enjoy as much of Kieron Gillen’s time with these characters as possible. I like how he’s not abandoned the Dominion stuff that Jonathan Hickman started, and is using the White Hot Room concept that Grant Morrison pioneered, but really do not want to see the Phoenix return as a way of resetting this franchise. It’s curious to see Juan José Ryp on this book and Wolverine in the same week. He must be a very fast artist.
The Incredible Hulk #6 – Phillip Kennedy Johnson’s approach to writing Hulk is interesting; he has Banner wandering around America, trying to stay away from the dark forces that pursue him, but keeps coming across problems. This time around, it’s a Spirit of Vengeance and the creature it’s been protecting a community of migrants from. Nic Klein has figured out a way to make the transformation from Banner into Hulk more terrifying than Joe Bennett did in Immortal Hulk, and while I’m not entirely sure I am fully enjoying this book, it does draw me in.
The Invincible Iron Man #12 – Tony, Ironheart, and Emma Frost get to cut loose a little in this issue, as they prepare for their next moves against Orchis. It’s nice to see Tony being more direct again, after so many issues where he’s just been reactive. Guest artist Ig Guara’s art is nice, but doesn’t fit well with the look of this run so far.
Jay Garrick: The Flash #2 – I’m enjoying this lighthearted series that has the Garricks adjusting to the return of their teenage daughter, who has been missing for half a century. Parts of this remind me of the Impusle/Max Mercury dynamic, and I’m not sure that we need a new villain like Ro-Bear (a cybernetic bear), but I’m curious to see where this is leading.
Justice Society of America #7 – This perennially very late book has the Society reaching out to some of the villains from Huntress’s Society of the future, while Dr. Fate deals with Salem, his predecessor’s forgotten protege. There are a lot of new characters in these pages, which is a little odd considering how many characters should be showing up that aren’t. I’m not sure why Geoff Johns is taking this approach to the team, and there isn’t really much being shown in terms of a long-range big picture. Still, my love for these characters keeps me coming back, and the appearance of a few characters from another beloved property has me excited. I just wish this book was actually monthly.
Kaptara: Universal Truths #4 – This issue is a little different, as it focuses on Skullthor and his attempted conquest of Earth, which ended up with him alone on the planet, and getting a job in a remote highway diner. Skullthor gets a lot of character development as he finds love and acceptances, and we learn a curious thing about his anatomy. Chip Zdarsky and Kagan McLeod are having fun with this book, but also taking these characters somewhat seriously, which is what makes it so endearing.
Nightwing #108 – We learn a lot more about the secret pirate society that underpins everything in Blüdhaven, as Dick’s ex takes him to their secret island, and finds that her brother is lying in wait. Tom Taylor continues to have a great time writing this book, and Stephen Byrne’s art is really working as a fill-in for Bruno Redondo. I didn’t love the backup story, and wish this book would get rid of the extra stories and extra price.
The Plot Holes #4 – Sean Murphy’s latest series is odd, in that it is based on a conceit that is a little hard to swallow, but his characters are very likeable, and his art is terrific. I like the idea that characters from books and other stories have their own lives somewhere, and that these heroes are there to protect their continued existence, and I’m really enjoying this book. I know that the next issue is the last one, but I’m hoping we get to see these characters and this team again some time.
Star Wars: Bounty Hunters #40 – T’onga realizes that switching up her crew doesn’t make it likely that they’ll have the same degree of loyalty to her and her attempt to rescue Beilert, again. It’s a betrayal issue, and it works. I’m not sure who this artist, Davide Tinto, is, but there’s a large amount of inconsistency in the art this month. I’m thinking I might not stay with this title once Dark Droids is all over, especially if all of the Star Wars books are going to stay at $5 an issue.
Star Wars: Dark Droids – D-Squad #3 – The Dark Droids event has been coordinated meticulously, except for this series, which seems to have launched a little late. The events in this issue all take place before last week’s issue of Dark Droids, and that’s a bit annoying. Still, Marc Guggenheim is having fun with these characters, and it’s an enjoyable read.
Superman #8 – We learn more about The Chained, his strange connection to Superboy, and watch as Superman takes a dangerous approach to stopping him. Joshua Williamson’s Superman has been been great, and while I find it annoying that this book has a bunch of artists on it, they all make it look great.
Titans #5 – As we prepare for the Beast World event, the truth of the future murder of the Flash is exposed, and Swamp Thing makes a guest appearance. I’m enjoying this book, and love that Tom Taylor has the heroes spending as much time fixing the damage of their appearance in Borneo as they do fighting. I’m not sure that this team is ready to host a larger event, but that’s what’s coming, and I do trust Taylor’s writing, so we’ll see what happens. Nicola Scott’s art here is gorgeous, and her Swamp Thing looks cool.
Uncanny Spider-Man #4 – Kurt’s sojourn in a Spider-Man suit continues, as his secret relationship with Silver Sable, who is supposed to be hunting him down, is exposed. Weirdly, partway through this issue is a scene that continues in a one-off next week that promises to clear up the truth of his parentage (I am really hoping the Mystique/Azazel nonsense gets retconned away). This book is a bit of a placeholder, but I would not object to another Nightcrawler series written by Spurrier when Fall of X is over.
Void Rivals #6 – Our two heroes try to escape but run into a number of problems. We continue to learn more about this world, as Robert Kirkman dribbles out information to us. This is an exciting book grounded in strong characters and great art, and I’m really enjoying it.
Wolverine #39 – Logan’s fight against Orchis takes him to Wakanda this issue, as he partners with Black Panther to stop Orchis from getting ahold of some rare metals in Birnin T’Chaka. I like how this issue acknowledges what’s happening in T’Challa’s own series, but keeps the focus on Logan’s fight. I also like how Ben Percy uses an Orchis operative we’ve recently seen in X-Force, giving the Fall of X event a sense of tighter continuity.
Wonder Woman #3 – Tom King is continuing to take a very formalist approach to this series, setting up another parallel structure for this issue. Diana goes to visit Sarge Steel in his covert office, which means she has to wade through a large number of guards to get to him, while the old man who is narrating this series from the future meets with a soldier that was part of the group Diana defeated last issue. The structure is interesting, but it also hampers the pace and excitement of this title a little. Daniel Sampere’s art is gorgeous, and I like how he (or the letterer) pays tribute to George Pérez and other notable WW artists with a crossword puzzle. The backup story, featuring Trinity as a child, is cute. This is a good approach to this series, and I’m very curious to watch this story unfold.
The Week in Music:
Khotin – Release Spirit – I love the music of Khotin, an ambient electronic artist from British Columbia. I was lucky to get this Japanese release at his recent show in Toronto, and love zoning out to this album, which has snippets of conversation floating in and out of the music. It reminds me of sleeping on a long bus ride where the bus is maybe a little too warm.
Menagerie – The Shores of Infinity – Jazzy funk vibes from Australia are always welcome, as Menagerie drops a new album soaked in warmth. These guys are very talented, and I wish that it was economically feasible for bands like this to tour North America. This is nice.
Daniel Villarreal – Lados B – Drummer/percussionist Daniel Villarreal collaborates with Jeff Parker and Anna Butterss on this album, which is nothing but good vibes. It’s another win in the International Anthem column, as that label continues to dominant jazz and jazz-adjacent genres of music. It’s a very nice album to relax to, but it does have some bite to it.
Larry June and The Alchemist – The Great Escape – I haven’t listened to a lot of Larry June, but I love Alchemist beats. Larry is a little more commercial than the artists I usually listen to, but his stories of self-improvement caught my attention, and the beats here are amazing. The best song is 60 Days, which has The Alchemist taking a turn on the mic himself. I also love that there is a Slum Village feature on this.
Butcher Brown – Solar Music – The band Butcher Brown is always going to provide listeners with a good time. They have been moving deeper and deeper into hiphop territory, while still keeping their jam band roots, and this album continues that. Their sound gets a little bigger, and they welcome guests like Braxton Cook and Keyon Harrold from the jazz world, and Pink Siifu from the underground hiphop world. What really stands out on this record, though, is the work of DJ Harrison and drummer Corey Fonville. It’s a nice evolution for them.
John Raymond & S. Carey – Shadowlands – I’ve become a big fan of S. Carey’s gentle post-folk music. I don’t know who John Raymond is, but the internet tells me he is a trumpet player. Together, these two men, with accompaniment by many of Carey’s usual musicians, have put together a lovely album of sweeping music and soft vocals. I need to listen to the lyrics more closely, but this album fits in my musical Venn diagram somewhere in the overlap between Gondwana Records and Justin Vernon’s extended family. It’s very nice.
