Best Comic of My Week:
Bleeding Hearts #1 – When I saw that DC was resurrecting the Vertigo line with a new series by Deniz Camp and Sipan Morian, I got pretty excited. Their 20th Century Men was one of my favourite new books when it came out, and I’ve been following Camp’s career ever since. I didn’t know much going into this, so the idea of a zombie story being told from the point of view of the zombies was new to me. I don’t want to give much away, but these zombies are not the mindless shambling wrecks we’re used to seeing, but Camp does take pains to portray zombie culture and society as not very desirable. Our main character, named Poke, is different from the other zombies, and that is going to be the basis for the rest of the series. Morian’s art is terrific. It gives me Richard Corben vibes, as he makes the ghastly zombies kind of cute, but also disturbing. It’s a fine line, and he walks it well. I’m really looking forward to seeing where this book is headed.
Quick Takes:
Absolute Green Lantern #11 – This series is really picking up, as we see Jo and her protectors get attacked by Hector Hammond, piloting the obsidian shell he created around Todd Rice. At the same time, Guy and John meet an alien in space. This series is the most radical reassessment of a DC property that we’ve seen so far (except perhaps for Absolute Martian Manhunter) and it can be a little jarring at times. I like what Al Ewing is doing with this book, but wish I understood the space stuff a little better.
Absolute Superman #16 & 17 – These two issues work to establish Superman as a hero, as he has a run-in with Absolute Hawkman, who is not a good guy, and then they have to kind of work together to defeat Absolute Parasite. This storyline works well at spotlighting what makes this version of Kal-El different as he tries to constantly use his powers to save everyone. We also get some forward movement concerning Ra’s Al Ghul and Brainiac, and get our first look at Absolute Lex Luthor. Juan Ferreyra’s art on these issues is gorgeous; he’s an artist whose layouts I’ve always enjoyed. It’s a good series.
Avengers #35 & 36 – And with this, Jed MacKay’s time on the Avengers comes to a close. He has a clever way of dealing with the threat of The Grail, a device that was about to rewrite the entire cosmos, and then spends the final issue focusing on Captain Marvel deciding to shut down this iteration of the Avengers. I miss the days when a run of this series could last for years, and often felt that MacKay’s writing was a little decompressed, but I did enjoy this series. I think it did a great job of giving artist Farid Karami space to become a superstar, and imagine he’s going to go on to even higher profile books. I hope the next Avengers relaunch interests me, because I’ve almost always enjoyed this team.
Batgirl #16 & 17 – As Tate Brombal finishes the storyline about The Unburied that has driven this title since it started, he moves into a new story that has Cass and her new crew return to Gotham. The Unburied story, featuring the final battle between different secret sects, Batgirl, and Nyssa Al Ghul ends very well, and the new arc, which has Cass’s own blood trying to escape her, are both very effective. It helps a lot that Takashi Miyazawa has returned to art duties; his approach to this book is perfect. I really like the way Brombal and Miyazawa approach this title, and am glad to see that it’s still going strong.
Batman #6 & 7 – I was feeling like Matt Fraction’s Batman was off to a bit of a slow start, but really, I was probably just taking too long between issues to read it. Reading three issues in a row (I reread #5 before diving into these two) helped build the rhythm of this series, and show more of what Fraction is doing. I like that he’s centring Bruce Wayne more, with Robin letting him slip that Bruce is his father in front of the doctor that is currently treating a number of Batman’s rogues. We see the Joker, who is under the doctor’s care, but is also immobilized and quite physically transformed (which suggests that this series either takes place long before, or long after DC K.O.). I like how Fraction is writing this book, and artist Jorge Jimenez continues to be the defining Bat-artist of the 2020s. I like how so many plots are being set up to roll out slowly; the Minotaur concept doesn’t even get mentioned here. It makes me hope that Fraction will stick with this book for as long as he did Iron Man.
High Strangeness Book Four: 2001 – I’ve been enjoying this series, which has writer Daniel Noah collaborating with different co-writers and artists (this time around it’s Cecil Castellucci and Chloé Stawski, respectively) to tell some stories about strange goings-on. The first couple of issues were pretty concrete, in that they dealt with things like Sasquatches, but the series is becoming increasingly abstract. This issue introduces us to a young woman who lets a coin decide her fate, who finds herself in a relationship with a mysterious woman, right before she develops the ability to travel through the astral plane. It looks like the stories in this series might all collide in the final issue, which will be cool, but I’ve been enjoying the one-and-done format of this book. This was a particularly good issue, portraying this woman’s lack of direction and sense of belonging against the backdrop of 9/11. Stawski is new to me as an artist, but I’d love to see more of her work.
JSA #16 & 17 – Jeff Lemire continues his Year One story, showing us how the JSA first were brought together due to a complicated plot by the Ultra-Humanite. I like how Lemire is retconning some things (such as including Amazing Man in this initial storyline), and keeping other retcons (like having Hippolyta work with the mystery men). I was a bit worried, when this arc started, that it would be the end of the series (just like when All-Star Squadron only told origin stories for its last year), but there’s a backup in issue seventeen that sets up the next storyline. These heroes should have a place of honour in DC’s lineup, and I’m happy to see how respectfully Lemire is treating these characters while still finding new things to say about them. Gavin Guidry’s art is very nice, and this has me looking forward to his coming run on Flash.
Knight City #1 – I really enjoy how much Dark Horse has been supporting Matt Kindt in dropping random miniseries (see Space Scouts below) and was particularly impressed by the first issue of this one. Kindt is joined by artist David Lapham (who is so busy these days!) to put out what, at first, seems like yet another take on Superman’s story. The Knight is tired, and almost kills his most consistent foe, Zero, during one of their regular battles. We learn that the Knight has trouble sleeping, torn by the need to do his duty to humanity, and bothered by the constant sounds of the planet. Then the book shifts, and we see a regular guy going through life, unable to get a second date, and boring his friends. The reason for this shift is interesting, and takes the series in a more unpredictable direction. Kindt’s writing is great, but the art is the big draw here. Kindt colouring Lapham’s work makes it look different from anything I’ve seen from the artist before. Usually Lapham is known for his clean lines, but Kindt’s soft colours change that, giving this book a very unique look. I’m looking forward to the next issue of this.
Space Scouts #3 – I really liked this magazine-sized series by Matt Kindt and David Rubín. It mashed up the Legion of Super-Heroes with the Hunger Games, and gave it an interesting twist. Kindt spent some time developing minor characters, giving them all backstories which ultimately didn’t matter a lot for the story itself. I would have liked it if this ran a little longer, and had more space to fully flesh out the characters and their relationships, but it was a fun read with very cool character designs. It was rare for a Kindt story to have no spycraft in it.
Ultimate Wolverine #14 – Logan and the recovered Jean Grey are hunting for Illyana, and along the way come across Ultimate Lady Deathstrike. This series has always been decompressed, but it feels even more so as Marvel squeezes one last arc out of it before its end. I kind of feel like I should have dropped this book a while back.
Vampirella #10 & 11 – In these two issues, Priest wraps up his story on Tortola, as Vampirella confronts a demon stuck living in a gravity well, and somehow she, Leger, the government agent Aris, and the revived witch Benny find themselves in the past (basically in a non-licensed version of the TV show Deadwood, complete with a chatty hotel owner who looks just like Ian McShane. I liked issue eleven more, as the story was easier to follow, and the terrific Ergün Gündüz has returned to draw the comic again. Priest’s Vampirella is never an easy read, but his ability to take readers to unexpected places continues to delight. It’s strange that our hero finds herself in the past, but even stranger that she discovers vampire federal lawmen.
Wolverine #15 – 17 – Marvel is pumping this book out at an accelerated rate, and once again, I’m on the fence about it. It’s weird that a group of mutants calling themselves the New Morlocks have settled in Northern Canada (I’m not sure exactly where), and even stranger that they’ve got two of the original Morlocks in their ranks, and that they’ve hired Silver Sable to protect them as they eke out a life under constant threat of harassment from Department H. These issues have Wolverine and Sable fighting off Alpha Flight (I hate the way this team is portrayed these days, but I kind of like the new Vindicator). After that’s settled, Logan has to track a missing boy and finds him in the possession of yet another mutant. I guess remote regions of Canada have a lot more going on than I would have thought. Ahmed’s writing is fine, as is the art (by Mike Henderson and Martín Cóccolo), but this is not a very memorable Wolverine run. I’m not really sure what more there is to say with this character these days.
The Week In Music:
Yīn Yīn – Yatta! – When you feel like listening to South Asian funk music as interpreted by a quartet of musicians from the Netherlands, there is only one band to turn to, and that’s Yīn Yīn. I got to see them play a few months ago, and it’s given me a new appreciation for how good they are as a band. This new album both exemplifies their strengths and stretches into new territory, feeling a little more minimalist in spots. It’s fun stuff.
Mandy, Indiana – URGH – I’d never heard of this group, which makes loud noisy dance music (they remind me a bit of Marijuana Deathsquads, if that reference means anything to you). This is an aggressive album, but it draws me in to its hazy soundscapes. The only reason this came onto my radar is because of a feature by my favourite rapper, billy woods, and it’s a great track. I’d love to see these guys produce a track for woods or his group, Armand Hammer. The more I listen to this, the more I find.
Puma Blue – [Croak Dream] – I’ve always had a hard time pinning down Puma Blue’s music. Sometimes it’s post-Weeknd r&b, and other times it’s almost a form of ambient folk music, like on his most recent album before this one. This time around, he’s embracing a lot of different styles, even giving his audience a taste of trip hop. What endures is his alluring voice and terrific arrangements. I was fortunate enough to see him perform this album live this week, and the show was incredible. He’s an artist that I continue to expect big things from.
