Still behind, and looking at the number of books coming out this week, that’s not going to change anytime soon…
Best Comic of My Week:
Assorted Crisis Events #1 – I’ve been looking forward to this comic since the day I finished the last issue of 20th Century Men, even though it hadn’t been announced yet. Deniz Camp is the biggest rising star in comics at the moment, and this debut issue shows why that is. Like with 20th Century Men, which was a revisionist history of the Soviet/Afghan conflict, this new book explores concepts that are usually taken for granted in comics, especially superhero comics, and looks at them from a different perspective. What is it like to live in a place like New York, where some sort of Crisis hits every couple of weeks? Ashley Cargill lives in a neighbourhood where aliens attack, time stuff happens, or things get destroyed so often, Hollywood has started filming there constantly, taking advantage of the post-Apocalyptic vibes. Ashley struggles to get through her day without being shunted into another dimension, frozen in time, or killed by laser beams coming from the sky. Camp does a great job of introducing and exploring this concept, giving us a complete story in this oversized first issue. Artist Eric Zawadzki does incredible work, making this all believable within a slightly cartoony context. Apparently this is an anthology series, and I’m looking forward to seeing what they are going to cook up together. You can already tell this is going to be a really good one.
Quick Takes:
Absolute Superman #5 – As we near the end of the first arc of the series, we learn more about Kal-El’s escape from Krypton, and why he seems to be here alone. We also see a big escalation in his conflict with Lazarus and the Peacemakers. I’ve been really impressed with this title, and the different ways in which it’s approaching the Superman story. Jason Aaron is doing some very cool things with this book, as is artist Rafa Sandoval.
Aquaman #3 – I’m still on the fence about this new Aquaman series, but I felt the same way when Jeremy Adams started writing Green Lantern, and I like it now a lot more than I did when it started. Arthur is on a quest for his missing people, and has found himself in a strange dimension where he learns that the Blue is a concept similar to the Green, but governs water everywhere. Arthur is working with Arion and the Lady of the Lake, while this new villain sends an old girlfriend of Superman’s to abduct him. This reminds me a lot of the barbarian version of Aquaman that Kurt Busiek and Butch Guice made a while back.
Bronze Faces #2 – As this series continues, it is less about the strange relationships between three young Nigerians who were raised as siblings and more about their expanding efforts to steal back Nigerian artifacts and artwork that had been pilfered by colonial interlopers. It’s a cool concept – this issue is mostly given over to a train heist, and who doesn’t love those? I’m not sure who their accomplices are, and wish writers Shobo and Shof spent more time on that, but I am really feeling this series. Artist Alexandre Tefenkgi gives this book a really unique appearance and visual perspective. I’m so glad that Boom! is publishing this, as after reading New Masters, I wanted more from Shobo and Shof.
Iron Man #6 – It’s a little odd to see Tony Stark brokering a deal with a clearly shifty ex-Latverian general in this tie-in to One World Under Doom. It seems that this guy, who is pretty racist in the way he talks about Doom (I often forget that Doom is Roma), is convinced that the people of Latveria will side with their human army over Doom, and also thinks that having Stark provide weapons is the way to make this all happens. It rings a little false, but is also an interesting take on the larger event story. I was happy to see the Winter Guard turn up here, although like Alpha Flight, it seems that every time we see them, their team has to be a different iteration from what we’re used to. This is a weird Iron Man run, but I don’t dislike it.
JSA #5 – Jeff Lemire really hit the ground running with this title, starting with a story that had the team divided and spread all over the place. Now, some of them are starting to figure out the scope of the threat they face, while the villains continue to scheme around them. I’m enjoying this run; I like how Lemire started from the idea that everyone is familiar with the Society, even though this is a different line-up, and is just focusing on telling good old-fashioned superhero stories. The art, by Diego Olortegui, is a little cartoonish, but feels appropriate.
Jupiter’s Legacy: Finale #5 – After many years, it looks like Mark Millar is finally done with his Jupiter’s comics, which originally featured art by Frank Quitely. This property, which always featured big epic fights between groups of powered individuals, got a lot of attention when it started, and managed to be made into a TV series on Netflix. With this last storyline, Millar has revealed the secrets of the universe, and leaned into the primacy of family in his writing. I liked this series all along, and have enjoyed the twists in this final story. I really don’t think we’ll see these characters again, because like many Millar stories, this happy ending precludes any need to return here.
Moon Knight: Fist of Khonshu #6 – Marc needs help in recovering after his fight with Fairchild, and that also means he needs to talk to Tigra about a choice he made before that she is still upset about. I really like Jed MacKay’s writing on this book, and can see new artist Domenico Carbone’s art growing on me.
Napalm Lullaby #9 – This second arc of Rick Remender and Bengal’s latest series keeps rewriting reality, and now we’re left wondering if Sam, the series’s protagonist, actually exists or not. This title is interesting, but has changed from what it first appeared to be, and that leaves me a little disoriented when I read each new issue.
The Ultimates #10 – I’ve long been a fan of the Invaders, so this issue was particularly rewarding for me. The team, under Captain America’s direction, infiltrates a militia town run by the Red Skulls, a secessionist group that bases their identity on the old World War Two Nazi. This mission is personal for Cap and the Human Torch, despite the fact that ‘their’ Red Skull is long dead. We learn the reason for this mission, and Deniz Camp tosses in a nice surprise at the end of the issue. I enjoy the episodic nature of this series, and how the makeup of the team is always shifting. I can see why this book gets so much hype.
Void Rivals #17 – Solila gets to talk to Zerta, the Cybertronian that her people worship, and we are given the lowdown on the history of the Sacred Ring, the constructed world that this series takes place on. At the same time, her partner is given a completely different version of what’s needed for their world by his father. It feels like a lot of threads in this series are coming together now, which either means we are heading towards a conclusion, or Robert Kirkman is about to completely shake things up again, as he so often does in his comics.
X-Factor #8 – It’s hard to imagine that the state of mutantdom now is such that all of the X-teams are at each other’s throats. X-Factor has shown up to take Charles Xavier from the Alaskan X-Men, which of course turns into a very one-sided brawl, given the difference in their skill sets. It’s a little weird how everyone is fighting over Xavier, but no one is really talking to one another. I’m not sure I like the changes that Mark Russell has made to Angel, especially given that this series only has one or two issues left in it, so those changes are going to either be retconned away or left to some other writer to deal with. My biggest complaint about this book has been that I haven’t liked the way Russell has ignored established characterizations to make these characters “funnier”. When you read the classic Giffen/DeMatteis Justice League, which I feel this book owes a lot to, the characterizations are not completely out of step with what was established beforehand, only amplified. In this book, characters like Cecilia Reyes are unrecognizable.
X-Men #13 – There are some cool moments in this comic, which is part of the X-Manhunt crossover, but it’s hard to accept the idea of the team fighting Storm, although she is possessed by some sort of cosmic force, I guess. This event feels kind of shoe-horned into this title, and I’m not sure that really works for me. Still, I like how MacKay writes these characters, and I like Netho Diaz’s artwork.
The Week in Music:
MIKE – Showbiz! – Like with Burning Desire, MIKE continues to level up, both in his production and his lyrics. This is another fantastic collection of introspective raps over gorgeous soulful sample-driven beats. I think this is one of the best albums of the year so far. The CD release also contains Dr. Grabba II, another DJ Blackpower mix CD focusing on MIKE’s production persona. This is less drum and bass heavy as the first Dr. Grabba mix, but it continues to explore dance music, and gives some insight into MIKE’s interests.
Jeremy Pelt – Woven – Trumpeter Jeremy Pelt returns with another terrific contemporary jazz album of mostly his own compositions. Pelt’s horn is great, but like on his last album, it’s Jalen Baker’s vibraphone that most stands out to me.
