Best Comic of the Week:
The War #3 – The first issue of this series by Garth Ennis and Becky Cloonan haunted me for days. Its depiction of a group of New York friends, endlessly debating what might happen with an expanding war involving Russia, the EU, and the US, felt a little too topical, and when the worst thing happened at the end of the issue, it had me reflecting on how precarious everything is. The second issue bothered me too, with the friends scattering and dealing with the figurative and literal fallout of events in a variety of ways. That issue ended with a cliffhanger, that my lack of time to read inflated in my mind until I could finally read this last issue. Honestly, this one is going to stick with me. It focuses on the one couple who escaped to a cabin upstate, where their supplies and relative safety couldn’t keep madness and danger at bay. This issue ends with a very disturbing last page that I don’t think was necessary, but really illustrates what Ennis has to say about humanity. Cloonan’s art in this series is perfect; she’s long been an artist I admire, but this book really fits with her aesthetic. I’m not likely to forget this series, and think it’s one of the most impactful comics I’ve read in a long time. I don’t like how it reawakened fears left over from the latter days of the Cold War…
Quick Takes:
Endeavour #1 – While I didn’t like Stephanie Phillips’s Phoenix run, the first issue of this new DSTLRY series she’s making with Marc Laming was pretty gripping. A bunch of tourists have booked a multi-week journey on a new recreation of Cook’s famous sailing ship, The Endeavour, and they are bringing more children than the captain is comfortable with. Most of the issue is given over to character development, as we get to know the passengers. Then, tragedy strikes unexpectedly, and we see that this is kind of an update of Lord of the Flies. It’s all working well, and has my interest for sure. Laming’s art is very nice, and I’m looking forward to the next issue.
High Strangeness Book 1 & 2 – I first preordered this book because I saw Chris Condon’s name involved, but didn’t really know what it was. I expected that it was a single story told over many decades, but instead, it looks like yet another anthology series digging into unexplained phenomena. The first issue (cowritten by Condon and Daniel Noah, with art by Dave Chisholm) looks at a possible alien abduction in 1967. The second (written by Noah and Zac Thompson, with excellent art by Noah Bailey) is about an escaped convict who has a Bigfoot run-in that haunts and forever changes him. These are good comics, but there’s been so much work done in this corner of the bizarre lately (and nothing can top The Department of Truth), so this doesn’t really stand out. It’s interesting, but I’d expected more of a through-line between volumes. It does look like there’s a connection, in the guise of guys in suits who investigate occurrences, but there’s no sign of an overarching plot yet.
Justice League Red #3 & 4 – I’m intrigued by this title and the way Saladin Ahmed has Red Tornado continuing to assemble a strange selection of heroes (Red Canary and Deadman get added to the mix), while manipulating and misleading these same heroes. It’s still not clear what RT is really up to, but I like how this is integrating (a little) into DC K.O., and gives us some Black Adam action. It’s a solid superhero comic.
The New Gods #11 & 12 – I guess this is the end of this series? I hadn’t noticed that more issues weren’t solicited, and while the end of issue twelves says the characters will return, it doesn’t say when or how. Ram V’s story wraps up a little quickly, given how much was done in the earlier issues to develop it, but it still satisfies. I like how he adds layers to some of these very old characters, sharing new insights into Mister Miracle, Big Barda, Desaad, and Orion in particular. Evan Cagle’s art was great in this series, and these issues feature some guest pages by Denys Cowan and Phil Hester, which makes me happy. I would have liked to see where V was going to take this series…
New History of the DC Universe #4 – I have to commend Mark Waid for having to make sense of the last fifteen years of DC Comics’ history, and having to unify it in a way that sort of makes sense in the final issue of this survey of the entirety of DC continuity. I like how Barry Allen, who narrates, acknowledges all the inconsistencies and mistakes that came with the New 52 era, and how he summarizes the Dark Multiverse and Doomsday Clock stuff, which I completely ignored (although I do have Doomsday Clock on my to-read shelf). Howard Porter and Hayden Sherman (how does he have time to draw something else?) do a fine job of portraying events in manners that pay homage to the stories’ original artists. I found it interesting that we didn’t get a proper look at the Legion of Super-Heroes in this, but can understand why that would be, especially if the rumours that they are returning are true.
Star Wars: Legacy of Vader #9 & 10 – I don’t really know if we know what Kylo Ren is looking for in this series, but I really like issue nine, which has him facing off against the new leader of the Knights of Ren. Issue ten has him seeking Luke Skywalker’s spirit, even though he was clearly not ready for that conversation. This book is interesting, and also a little quixotic, as it’s trying to establish personality in one of the most poorly written characters of the final trilogy of films.
The Undead Iron Fist #2 & 3 – I’ll admit to being a little disappointed with this series. I hadn’t realized that Danny Rand was killed off (and don’t know where or when it happened), and am having trouble getting all that invested in yet another story about corruption in K’un Lun, as a revived Danny goes after the individual who has been siphoning power from all the Iron Fists. I think that Jason Loo might have slowed down the pace a little to give readers the chance to care about what’s going on here. I do like the cameo by Daredevil, but I’m just not connecting with this. Danny hasn’t been written well since the end of The Immortal Iron Fist.
The Week In Music:
The Orb – Buddhist Hipsters – As a lifelong fan of The Orb, I’m always excited to try out a new album. At times, this one reminds me of the group at their height, when their style of ambient house music could send me into reveries of thought. This album plays with dub, features some rap music, and meanders all over the place. The fact that it’s over an hour long would usually bother me, but the artists keep things moving and explore such a variety of sounds, I don’t get bored.
Knats – Knats – I’m not sure how I discovered this British jazz band, but I’m glad I did. They play the kind of high-tempo, breakbeat oriented jazz that’s been so prevalent in the British scene. They’re a talented group who have put together a very nice and exciting album.
Kieran Hebden + William Tyler – 41 Longfield Street Late ‘80s – This is an odd album to describe. Kieran Hebden is better known as the electronic artist Four-Tet, but for this album he’s going by his government name. He partnered with William Tyler, who plays acoustic and electric guitar (and the radio), for this collection of mostly ambient music. At times, this album can be abrasive and distracting, but most of the time, it’s actually pretty beautiful. I find it really grows on me with each new listen.
Antibalas – Hourglass – I love this band, and with this latest album, it feels like they’ve returned to their roots of providing music that sounds like it could have been made by the great Fela Kuti. They were actually my introduction to Afrobeat music, and while I wish their former vocalist and frontman was still with the band, I can’t deny how powerful the rhythms on this record are. This is an all-instrumental affair, but the horn section does a fine job of replacing any missing voices, and this album is a wild ride.
Błoto – Grzyby – This Polish jazz band returns with another banger of an album (or is it an EP with some bonus tracks? I can’t read Polish). They often sound more like an electronic dance group than a jazz band, and I enjoy the way they move between the two styles, maintaining cool beats over which we hear keys and saxophones. Astigmatic Records have really opened the world up to the Polish scene, and I imagine these guys are giants there.
Claire Rousay – a little death – I feel like I came to Claire Rousay’s music pretty late, having dabbled but not always connecting with it. Her last album (with More Eaze) was wonderful, so I thought I’d catch her recent solo show where I picked this up. She’s great at creating a mood or atmosphere in her music (which gets described as ‘emo ambient’), and the sound collage approach, layered over and around her synth notes, and occasional guitar or piano riffs, make this feel like a soundtrack to a story we can never fully know. Some of it is a bit harsh and hard to listen to, but generally, it’s lovely, albeit in a haunting way.
