I’ve got some time off this week, so I’m hoping that I can make a huge dent in my pile of books to read, and to maybe even get caught up!
Best Comic of My Week:
Ultimate Spider-Man #24 – I have to say that this run, which finished with this issue, is just about as perfect as a series can be in the 2020s. Jonathan Hickman really got to the essence of what makes Spider-Man work, and surrounded him with the things the 616 Spider-Man has been lacking, family and close friends. The passage of time in the Ultimate line is real, so a month passes between each issue, which at times made the storytelling a little clunky, but also allowed for real growth and change in the characters. This final issue has Peter fighting the Kingpin while Richard and Felicia try to access a device that will protect them from the Maker’s Council forever, while Ben and Jonah reveal the rest of the Kingpin’s secrets to the world. We also see Mysterio make their play to take over New York. This issue wraps up every plotline in this series nicely, and shows us what Peter and MJ’s relationship was like at the beginning. You could easily interpret this series as condemning the ruling class of our own world, and feels a little prescient as recent events have revealed just how deeply a small cabal of evil men run things here too. At the same time, it’s about family and what drives people to become heroes. Artists Marco Checchetto and David Messina have done very fine work here, giving this book a consistent and attractive appearance. It’s a shame that this book is ending, but I do feel like continuing it would have weakened what made it work so well, and would have inevitably caused it to conflict with some of the work that Deniz Camp is doing in The Ultimates. I’m thankful for this series just as it was, and look forward to rereading it from the beginning some day.
Quick Takes:
Absolute Wonder Woman 2026 Annual #1 – Kelly Thompson and her Cull collaborator, Mattia De Iulis tell us a story that showcases Diana’s spirit in this annual. Since taking the shape of the Gorgon Medusa, Diana has been bothered by that woman’s ongoing torment. She petitions the Athena to allow her to help the deadly creature, feeling only empathy for her. While the Absolute Diana is not that different from the mainline one, Thompson has really focused on her kindness and sense of responsibility in this series, and it’s nice to get a kind of quiet story showing us how Diana thinks and feels. De Iulis’s art is so beautiful, and conveys perfectly the complexity of Medusa’s emotions. This is a cool story.
Adventures of Superman: Book of El #6 – Phillip Kennedy Johnson is cramming a lot of future lore into this series, making me think that the run is a bit condensed and could use a longer stretch of time. I am enjoying this, which is the culmination of Johnson’s excellent Warworld storyline from Action Comics. Kal is far in the future, but manages to find his missing daughter in this issue, while his cosmic enemy prepares. Parts of this are a little hard to follow, as I think too much time has passed since the Warworld series, and bits of the story are escaping me, but I like Johnson’s writing and love Scott Godlewski’s art.
American Caper #4 – Things are getting ever more depraved in this series. Freddie, a convict, comes looking for his former partners and things get bloody. At the same time, the wife of our POV character, who is deep down a MAGA/Q-Anon rabbit hole decides that she has to kill her husband to protect America. Dan Houser and Lazlow are skewering America in this series, and because of how strange the world has gotten in the last few months, it doesn’t even feel a little bit implausible or even like satire. David Lapham is the perfect person for this book, with his ability to draw the craziest people in ways that make them seem normal. In previous issues, Chris Anderson has been finishing his pencils, but this issue is all Lapham. It’s a very good read.
Aquaman #14 – We learn all the secrets behind what’s driven Jeremy Adams’s run to this point, as Andrina’s true identity is revealed, as is her plan. I’ve liked this run, and am curious about the title change to Emperor Aquaman and how the end of this issue is going to play out.
Batman And Robin #30 – I’m sad to see that Phillip Kennedy Johnson’s tenure, and this title, are ending. I’ve liked how Johnson has written the relationship between Batman and Robin, as Damian gets older and figures out some things about the choices his father has made. The portrayal of the Quiet Man, a father looking for revenge on the people who caused his son’s death, is interesting, as it mirrors Bruce’s story in ways we don’t often see. Fico Ossio drew this arc very well. I wonder if this means we’re going to see less of Damian, as Matt Fraction’s main Batman book is as interested in Tim Drake as it is in him.
Captain America #7 – In a week marred by American interventionism, Chip Zdarsky has Captain America and a small SHIELD squad going into Latveria to try to protect American interests and secure weapons of mass destruction. This couldn’t feel more topical, but of course, Zdarsky has Cap doing things differently, making contact with an old friend, who is claiming to be Latveria’s new ruler, while also having dinner with a local to get the lay of the land. This is a really interesting, if kind of slow-moving arc. I really like the art by Delio Diaz and Frank Alpizar. They have a way of drawing Cap that reminds me a little of John Cassaday’s run, but mixed with Gabriel Hernandez Walta (two artists that couldn’t be any more different). It’s an interesting run.
Cyclops #1 – I’ve been a huge fan of Alex Paknadel’s independent work, so while his Marvel stuff has not been as impressive, I was definitely interested in seeing his take on Cyclops. He has Alex in a situation where Donald Pierce and his new Reavers are after him, and while the setup relies a lot on coincidence, the outcome, with Scott unable to control his powers and being hunted in a forest, is interesting. Paknadel shows some good insight into Scott’s character, and the art, by Rogê Antônio, is pretty nice (and fits well with the look Ryan Stegman developed for the main X-Men book).
DC K.O. #4 – I’m way behind on this event, which I’ve enjoyed, but I also had no real urge to rush to include the last chapter before reading the remaining tie-ins in my to-read pile. This issue has the Absolute Big Three face off against the regular Big Three, with Lex Luthor and Joker adding some chaos to the mix. As a vehicle for big awesome comic book fight moments, this series is good, but the premise remains kind of silly and hard to buy into. I think I’ve liked a lot more of the tie-in issues more than the main event.
Die: Loaded #4 & 5 – I like how Kieron Gillen is exploring the world of Die from different perspectives in this new series. Sophie is trying to gather up the people who came to Die this time, and is not very happy to discover that the next two she finds are Chuck’s children. Chuck was the most difficult character in the first run, and his children have suffered from his poor parenting, or its absence. Gillen is taking us to different aspects of Die, and we are seeing it through new eyes, which makes it interesting in new ways. Stephanie Hans’s art continues to impress with each issue.
Green Lantern Corps #13 & 14 – I like how writer Morgan Hampton is juggling so many characters in this expansive series. Issue thirteen wraps up the stories involving Larfleeze wanting to take over Oa while Enquar attacks it with a planet full of water, and Fatality struggles with her desire for revenge. Issue fourteen starts a new arc that has Guy Gardner, newly able to see the emotional entities, leading a squad of Lanterns from different Corps to search for those annoying beings. I’ve never been a fan of the emotional spectrum stuff, but Hampton is handling it well. The shifts in art, from Juan José Ryp to Fernando Pasarin is a little jarring, but both artists are doing a great job.
Marc Spector: Moon Knight #1 – I’ve lost count of how many times Marvel has relaunched Moon Knight during Jed MacKay’s run, and I can’t imagine that it continues to give them the sales bump they are looking for. It doesn’t really bother me, though, because I believe Moon Knight to be possibly the best book Marvel has on the stands right now. In this latest relaunch, Marc has been captured by a terrorist organization (Agence Byzantine, whose agents all wear something like the classic Scorpion costume). His interrogator has him drugged up to his eyeballs, so he believes that he’s working for a company as a mailboy, and the fact that he can’t figure out how to deliver a package to Jean-Paul Duchamp (aka Frenchie) is bothering him. It’s an odd way to start a new series, as MK is cut off from his usual supporting cast (who don’t even appear), but there is someone who knows where he is. Artist Devmaly Pramanik returns to the title, and his work looks even better than before. This run is so consistently good, and I’m glad to see that MacKay hasn’t lost a step while he’s been busy writing a dozen other titles (or so it seems).
Titans #32 – As John Layman’s run comes to a close, he finishes off two big fights. Nightwing and Raven try to get through to Terra, offering her a path to redemption, while Donna and Arsenal get some help from some friends to defeat Grail. I’ve liked Layman’s run on this book, and Pete Woods’s work on it, but I guess it’s time for things to switch up once again. I’m curious to see what the new creative team and new lineup is like.
Transformers #29 & 30 – These are two huge issues, as there is a big fight between the Autobots and Decepticons, followed by Elita-1’s return to Earth, where she challenges Optimus for leadership of the Autobots. Robert Kirkman is not afraid to swing for the fences in this book, treating a licensed book much like he does his creator-owned titles. There are some big status quo shifts in issue thirty that I’m looking forward to exploring in future issues. It’s a shame that Dan Mora is leaving the title, because I’ve enjoyed his clean lines and ability to cram so many characters into each panel. I’ll never understand how he can draw so many books a month, and don’t begrudge him leaving this title.
W0rldtr33 #18 – I remain impressed by the scope of what James Tynion IV is doing with this series. This issue has various character groups moving closer to confronting one another again. Silk is trying to get a meeting with Gregory, who we all now know is responsible for the Undernet leaking into the real world. At the same time, Ellison and his sisters are looking to get evidence of what’s going on. This book is really smart, and very compelling. Fernando Blanco’s art is great, and gives the situation some menace.
The Week In Music:
The Messthetics & James Brandon Lewis – Deface the Currency – I don’t listen to a lot of rock, punk, or other aggressive guitar-driven music, but there’s something about The Messthetics (a band half consisting of former members of Fugazi) when they team up with saxophonist James Brandon Lewis that really appeals to me. This album is raucous and loud, and heavily unpredictable, but that works for me. These instrumental pieces come right at you, and rarely let up, and while that is often a turn-off for me, these really work. Lewis’s sax adds a certain quality to this work. They’re coming through soon (I’ve seen them once where they played independently, and once together) and I’m really looking forward to it.
Midori Hirano – Otonoma – I don’t know anything about Midori Hirano, except that I love this album of delicate and quiet keyboard and electronic music. Hirano constructs interesting soundscapes and explores them. The music seems simple at first listen, but there’s a lot going on in these songs that draws me back to them time and again. This record exists at the intersection of Floating Points, Nico Muhly (his brilliant Drones album) and Philip Glass’s piano work. It’s going to end up being one of my favourites for this year, I can already tell.
Work Money Death – A Portal To Here – This band from Leeds impresses on this four track album of spiritual jazz. Tony Burkill’s saxophone runs wild all over these pieces, which are all between twelve and fourteen minutes in length. I feel like this would be a fun band to see perform live, and hope they come through one day.
Momoko Gill – Momoko – I feel like Momoko Gill has come almost out of nowhere, releasing this impressive solo album after working recently with producer Matthew Herbert. This album is lovely, but I felt like the beginning was a little generic. Drummer, beatmaker, and vocalist Gill has a terrific voice, but takes a little while to find her footing. The back half of this album, though, anchored by the gorgeous song ‘When Palestine Is Free’, which features a massive choir, is rousing and powerful. I feel like Momoko Gill is an artist to keep an eye on.
