The Best Comic of My Week:
Everything Dead & Dying #2 & 3 – I didn’t expect to find much more from the zombie genre in the post-Walking Dead world, but then Tate Brombal and Jacob Phillips made this comic, and it has me rethinking things. The main character of this series has spent over a decade caring for the zombies of his town, and has along the way managed to keep them healthy and stuck in a loop, which makes them docile and safe. That’s been the case until other people found his isolated town, and now things are falling apart quickly and brutally. The languorous pace of the first issue makes these second two issues even more effective, as the shock of sudden change takes hold. Brombal has impressed me a number of times now, and Phillips is a favourite. This is a solid series.
Quick Takes:
Absolute Flash #8 & 9 – More things become clear as we learn how Barry Allen ended up working on the secret project that resulted in Wally getting his powers. Wally joins up with the Rogues to try to rescue his dad, but that doesn’t go well. This has felt a little like the weakest of the Absolute books so far, but I can see that Jeff Lemire has been building towards something, and it’s starting to feel like it’s coming together now. I like that we got to meet, if only briefly, the Absolute version of Jay Garrick in this issue.
Aquaman #10 – It’s interesting watching Arthur manage his new and growing powers, as he channels The Blue, made up of all the oceans of the world. We see that his full-grown daughter is up to something, and learn the true fate of Atlantis. I’ve been enjoying Jeremy Adams’s work here, and wonder what will happen to this book after K.O. is done.
Avengers #31 & 32 – Jed MacKay’s Kang story is drawing my attention again, if only because I’ve always loved Kang’s look. We see how Kang became his own worst enemy (again), and then catch up with the Avengers, who are fighting Myrddon on Battleworld. MacKay is building up to the 800th issue of this series (at least in Legacy numbers), and has a decent bit of momentum going. This story has been a long one, so I’m ready to see it end soon. This take on the Avengers has never quite landed with me, and I’m not sure why.
Batman And Robin #26 & 27 – This Quiet Man story is interesting, as Phillip Kennedy Johnson introduces a new antagonist who is seeking vengeance for his dead son, and manages to plow through Penguin’s and Two-Face’s men to do it. At the same time, Bruce continues to worry about the future he is providing Damian with. This book takes a more classic approach to Batman, even bringing back a villain from the Grant/Breyfogle era (I loved their run back in the day), and keeping things more down-to-Earth. Fico Ossio’s art is a bit rough, but the story is working for me. I like that the two Supermen turn up for a bit in issue twenty-seven; I always like to see Jon and Damian together.
Farmhand #26 – While Farmhand was about plant-based organ transplants that allowed a demon to attempt to take over the entire Earth, it was really about family, and for this final issue, creator Rob Guillory jumps nine years from the end of the last year to show us how things turned out for the Jenkins family. It’s a very nice issue that wraps up a number of ongoing character stories, and reminds readers of just how likeable Guillory’s characters have been since the beginning. I’m going to miss this series, and am impressed by how good a writer Guillory is (he’s always been a great artist, at least since the first issue of Chew). This was an impressive project.
Imperial War: Imperial Guardians #1 – I’d expected this one-shot to feature the Imperial Guardians (silly me), but instead we get a bit of an odd team-up book featuring Gamorra, Darkhawk, and Captain Marvel in a story set months before the beginning of the Imperial event. Gamorra and Darkhawk are on the trail of Veranke, either a returned Skrull messiah or someone posing as her, and meet up with Carol along the way. Jonathan Hickman and co-writer Dan Abnett use this issue to help lay the groundwork for what would come later (chronologically), and show that at least a few people figured out who was really behind all the misdeeds that have set the galaxy into chaos. I don’t love the end of this issue, but it helps raise the stakes in this event. I do miss the Guardians of the Galaxy…
The Sacrificers #16 – Reading this, I kind of expected it to be the final issue of the series, as Pigeon fights the sun god and Solila and Beatrice rush to them. It’s an oversized issue, in terms of length, and it can’t get more consequential. I have to hand it to Rick Remender’s ability to really mess up his fictional worlds; very few writers take such big chances and make such drastic changes to their characters. I’m glad this is continuing. Max Fiumara has done some incredible work with this issue, and I’m really looking forward to seeing where this story goes next.
Sonja Reborn #2 & 3 – Priest’s Freaky Friday take on Red Sonja continues, as Maggie, an assistant’s assistant whose life is falling apart, now finds herself in Robert Howard’s world of barbarians and creatures. Priest is taking the time to build her up as a tragic and unhappy figure, and shows this world from her point of view as she bumbles her way into almost getting killed a few times over. I’m enjoying this book, which is much lighter than his Vampirella, despite not having a lot of familiarity with Sonja as a character. Alessandro Miracolo’s art is nice, and a lot of the Priestian narrative ticks that I enjoy are present.
Titans #28 & 29 – For their part in the K.O. event, the Titans are overseeing the evacuation of Earth to many different destinations. It’s hard to accept that any of this can be done on this type of timetable (one week to retrofit the Titans Tower for space travel is inconceivable alone, and there are so many other things happening as well), but John Layman does a good job of giving every member of the team something to do. Starfire is attacked by Granny Goodness in space, while Nightwing and Raven have to face off against Jinx on Gemworld. This book is a solid superhero series, and I appreciate it for that.
Unbreakable X-Men #1 & 2 – My strategy for getting through the Age of Revelation was to focus on books with creative teams I know I like, so I stuck with this continuation of Gail Simone’s Uncanny X-Men. I’m surprised that it has so little to do with what is happening in Jed MacKay’s Amazing X-Men (I’m pretty sure Revelation’s name never comes up here), making the book basically a ‘The End’ style story. The X-Men are still hanging out in Louisiana (some of them have not even changed their uniforms in ten years), where Gambit spends his days mourning Rogue (I thought she was also in that Rogue Storm book, so I’m surprised she’s dead here). The demon under Haven House is making moves again, so the four Outliers have to get back together to stop her. It’s kind of standard stuff, and I wonder if Gail Simone is not signalling too strongly where some of her current plotlines are headed. Ultimately, this is what I feared from the Age of Revelation; a bunch of miniseries that will be forgotten in a few months…
X-Men: Book of Revelation #1 & 2 – This might be the best part of the Age of Revelation so far. Jed MacKay and Netho Diaz show us Revelation’s world through the eyes of Elbecca, a new Chorister who has to deal with the negative attention of Fabian Cortez, one of the worst people ever added to the X-Men Universe. Elbecca’s position threatens Cortez, so he tries to take her out, which leads to the revelation that one of Revelation’s oldest friends is still around. There are layers to this story, and a cool twist at the end of issue two. I also like that this issue concerns how Apocalypse is reacting to Doug’s plans and intentions. It adds more depth to the larger event, and I appreciate that.
The Week in Music:
Azymuth – Marca Passo – I got this one a while ago but haven’t really given it enough listens. Azymuth, the seminal Brazilian band, put together a nice chill vibey album that helps redefine them in the Mamão era. This has a real tropical feel to it, as the band explores some softer funk landscapes. I’ve sometimes struggled to connect with this band, but I like how this makes me feel. It was a real treat to get to see them perform it back in June.
Wave Generators – Run Away With a Wild and a Rare One – I was able to grab this album at a show that was supposed to have the Wave Generators, but only had Height Keech, half the group, because Nosaj (of New Kingdom) didn’t come. It’s a shame, because I would have enjoyed seeing the full court press of energy that this duo provides on their recordings. They rap over rock-inflected beats that have a ton of heavy guitars on them. It reminds me of an earlier era, but still sounds very contemporary and cool. This is a solid album.
Maruja – Pain To Power – This album is not my usual thing at all, but two very different friends recommended it, and it turned out to be something I like quite a bit. This band is much more raucous and rockish than my typical flavour, but there’s something about the way the front man kind of raps over the guitars and drums, accompanied by a saxophone, that really gets my attention. The lyrics are political and progressive, and the music is propulsive. I regret missing their recent show, but will definitely catch them the next time they come through.
El Michels Affair – 24 Hr Sports – Leon Michels has been on a real run lately, and this album continues it nicely. For this one, he and his band run the gamut of various styles of jazz funk, and feature vocalists who sing in a few different languages. It’s a pretty laidback, vibey affair and I’m here for it.
Sven Wunder – Daybreak – I was recently lucky enough to see Sven Wunder (and a drummer) open for Freddie Gibbs and The Alchemist, and while I was already a fan, that performance was transformative for me. Wunder plays music at the intersection of jazz, New Age, and instrumental hiphop, elevating the ‘lofi’ genre to new heights. I liked his earlier recordings, but Daybreak represents a huge level up in terms of musicality and atmosphere. This might be among my favourite albums of the year.
Adrian Younge & Carlos Dafé – Jazz is Dead 25 – Twenty-five volumes in, and the Jazz Is Dead machine continues to make me happy. I’m not all that familiar with older (or contemporary) Brazilian artists, so this is my first introduction to Carlos Dafé, who sings on this album. Adrian Younge leads a collection of musicians from his Linear Labs camp, with some additions, and together they all made a solid nine-song album that fits great when the weather starts getting cold.
Yazmin Lacey – Teal Dreams – Yazmin’s latest is a really lovely collection of soulful r&b songs that fits well within the context of the current London scene. Many of the songs are produced by Miles Clinton James, who produced (I think) all of Little Simz’s last record. Joe Armon-Jones, of Ezra Collective, provides a single track as well. I always appreciate Lacey’s work, and want to see her continue in this vein.
