Jaw Dropping

HO. LEE. CRAP.

I got some comics this week that just FLOORED me.

Okay, Amazons Attacks #3 kind of treaded water and The Boys #8 had nothing like the first page of The Boys #7. And the most shocking page of Wonder Woman #10 was the DC Nation page where Matt Idelson is still asking what to do about late books in a book that's two weeks late, edited by Matt Idelson. Nice.

But the OTHER books I got were fast moving books chock full of character and plot, that then socked me in the gut.

She-Hulk 19, the one with the amazing cover, not only has a brilliant and surprisingly action packed trial of the villainous Leader, it also features the long in the works resolution of the She-Hulk/Jen Walters duel identity issue that's been the under current since Dan Slott's first issue three years ago. But I wasn't prepared for that last page reveal, the final fate of Stu Cicero, the comic book nerd too smart for his own good. What horror!

And Blue Beetle #16 is a running battle between Eclipso and Traci 13, last seen in Azzarello and Chang's mindblowing Dr. 13 back-up, with Blue Beetle caught in the middle. From the groan inducing pun title to the surprise call back to 52 (Remember 52? The weekly series everyone liked?) to Eclipso refusing to take the blame for something its host body, Jean Loring, did, this title is a hoot and a half. So I was not prepared when Eclipso unleashed "the THE MONSTER WITHIN THE BLUE BEETLE". I just did not see that coming, yet it made so much sense.

But of course, the real shocker this week, and my hands down pick, was Green Lantern: Sinestro Corp Special. How good was this issue? Well let me put it to you this way: out of curiosity I picked it up to read in the store, and was so impressed that I felt I ought to buy it AND buy Green Lantern and Green Lantern Corps, which I don't usually get, just because I HAVE TO KNOW what happens next.

And you know what, that's a great feeling. Well played, DC, well played.

It's a great jumping on book. Like I said, I haven't been reading any Green Lantern title, but I didn't need to because Geoff Johns has filled the book with expository dialogue. There is literally only one important character who isn't named and explained, and even he's introduced in the backstory.

And stuff happens! More stuff happens in one issue than Brad Meltzer's entire Justice League run. Seriously, a plot is investigated, a hero is captured and tortured, an immense army is discovered, Oa is attacked, villains (plural) escape, and the big bad behind it all is revealed, and it's not who you think (unless you're Diamondrock who called it some time ago).

And then there are those shocks. Yes, it's Johns's weakness to go to sudden, bloody violence, but damn if the attack on Oa didn't get real involving real quick, and the most disturbing moment was actually the least bloody, just many rings flying away to look for new Lanterns.

And the villains. Okay, some were given away in the ads, some were extremely guessable, but one or two I just did not see coming, or rather, coming so soon! Stuff happens in the book I thought would wait until the end of Countdown, but it happens here and I just don't know what's going to happen next. I really don't know how our heroes are going to get out of this one, particularly considering that last page spread, that grouping of monsters and gods, and just who is bowing to whom.

But the most surprising moment of all?

The acorn on page 36.

Dear Greg Horn,

God bless you, good man. God bless.

All Hail!

Greg Horn has gotten a lot of flack for drawing cheesecake covers on She-Hulk which misrepresent the actual content of the book and drive off women who would otherwise enjoy the book.

So I wanted to give a shout out to Mr. Horn for this cover:


That's some good work right there. You immediately get the spy thriller genre of the issue. Jen Walters, the She-Hulk, looks strong and confident, even a little bored, as she glides through the air on seemingly insubstantial wings. Plus all the black and white swirls immediately recall Jim Steranko's trippy covers for Nick Fury: Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D. All in all, it's nice to see Horn get away from his "boobs sell" mentality and deliver a solid cover that really tells the reader what the book's about...


... what's this? In the corner? Can we get a close up?



Yeah. Uh huh... could you zoom in a little more? Enhance that a bit?

ALL HAIL THE HYPNO-CHEST!

Wednesday Night Recommendation #3

but first a few notes:

I got scared off recommending comics because the last time I recommended a comic, you fuckers actually listened to me and it was SOLD OUT by the time I got to the store! ...the Hell?

So great, go out, buy the comic I recommend and support quality work. But don't buy MY COPY!

Also, Manhunter has been uncancelled! Yay! That means you now have a chance to be a hero. The next issue comes out in two weeks. In the meantime, pick up the trade. It's a good intro to the main characters, and you get to watch her male secretary openly hit on Hawkman. Plus, if it sells well, they might put out a second trade, which might sell well, and the whole series could be saved by the trades.

But getting back to this week, there's not a lot I can safely recommend that actually needs help, so I'm going to recommend something a little different.

Jonah Hex #8



Not only is it an easy book to get into, considering each issue is a self-contained story, and all you need to know about Jonah Hex you get by just looking at him.

But it's also NOT a superhero comic. It's an honest to goodness western comic about a bounty hunter in the old west put out by one of THE major comic book publishers. If it does well, it might encourage DC to try even more genres. Sure they'll stay in the pulp adventure range to begin with (crime fiction, space adventure, war stories, maybe even some pirate yarns) but maybe it will lead them to branch out (hospital dramas, medieval romances, low-key character comedies).

So support diversity. Buy Jonah Hex!

Or else he'll shoot you.

Tuesday Night Recommendation #2

She Hulk #8

Why should you buy it?

a) It's a Civil War tie-in! Those are always fun. Uh yeah, ignore that one.

a) Dan Slott. Marvel's answer to Geoff Johns. The man knows continuity, knows superheroes, and knows how to find that quirk, that angle, that makes you look at them in a whole new light.

b) She-Hulk! She's a seven foot tall, drop dead gorgeous looker, who is also a green giant of infinite strength, who is also a lawyer specializing in the vagaries of superhero and superpowered law! How can you beat that?

c) The Thing. Which was excellent. Which was also written by Dan Slott. Was cancelled. Because of you. Because you didn't buy it. Murderer.

Don't let another excellent Marvel book die. Because you know they'll just replace it with another X-book.

(maybe they should re-title the book X-She-Hulk, but maybe that sounds too transsexual.)

Ads

I bought four comics today (reviews to come).

While I enjoyed all four, what caught my eye the most was what I found on the back of the DC books this week:

A Ponitac Solstice ad.

A car ad. For a $20,000 car. On the back of a Batman comic book.

Someone, somewhere, thought that someone reading Batman, or Manhunter, or, (I'm guessing) Robin might be in the market for a mid-range priced car.

About time. About time someone put money down on the proposition that adults read superhero comic books. Successful adults at that.

As I was leaving the local comics store, I passed three men in business suits. There were lots of people in the store, coming from a range of socio-economic backgrounds. I'm not sure everyone in the store could afford to buy a car, but they were all old enough to drive one.

Compare that to She-Hulk. The plot is about a rape trial, which is a perfectly good plot for the book. But the ads are for candy, video games, action figures, and more candy. The ad going for the oldest demographic is The Benchwarmers, the latest Rob Schneider movie, which is capping out at 15, most. If you're young enough to want a Ring-Pop, you're not old enough to read this book.

So for all out moaning that comics aren't just for kids anymore, and haven't been for decades, nothing will really change until more people are willing to put their money where there mouth is and pony up the dough. So the Pontiac ad is a good start.

One day I honestly hope to see a comic book with ads for shaving equipment, retirement options, and Viagra pills. Maybe then I'll believe comics aren't just for kids.