Went out yesterday to pick up new comics and sign up for strike duty next week. As I was driving around I counted back and realized I hadn’t left the house since last Friday. I’ve been stuck inside trying to get a paper written and for five days I’ve ventured no further into the world than my kitchen. I’ve been thinking that the temperature outside has been getting warmer, but I realized that I’m basing that entirely on impressions rather than actual experience of having been outside.
But it was for comics that I broke my exile. Sweet comics, is there no end to your benevolence?
Only three books this week, which makes it a light week. Four is average, five and above is heavy. I normally would have bought
Wonder Woman, but I was so put off by the art in the last issue that I left this one on the shelf. Well, after I flipped through. It seemed to be mostly a wordless fight scene that ended predictably. There’s some political workings going on with the Olympian gods that I’m only half interested in. I’ve enjoyed most of Rucka’s run, but it’s been acceptable rather than outstanding. I keep picking the book up because it always seems just on the verge of getting it right.
Rags Morales is going to be taking over the art soon, I’m interested to see where the book goes after that.
I also didn’t get Morrison’s
Seven Soldiers #0, despite almost overwhelming temptation. It’s going to be thirty-odd issues over the course of the year, and I am currently super broke. This one’s waiting for the tpb.
But damn am I tempted.
Anyways, on to the reviews. The last review, on Fantastic Four, has spoilers, so you’ve been warned.
Y the Last Man #31 – After a few issues of being merely good, this book is back on track and excellent. I think Agent 355 might be my favourite action hero. There was a part during the action scene in this issue that I actually gasped. At a comic book. It wasn’t a loud gasp, but it was a sharp intake of air. And it wasn’t because they showed something surprising or gross, I just got caught up in the action. Also, the dialogue on the last page made me go back and read the issue again. Great character moments throughout, and just great work by everyone involved.
Powers #9 – This storyline concludes next issue (which, the letter column informs us, ships after taking a month off next month) and that will tell how good this storyline was. This issue exists mainly to transition to the finale, and as such, it’s fine. Bendis has the timing perfected in those interrogation scenes, but there’s nothing new. The art is good, as always, but the colouring darkens some pages past the point of readability. Nothing jumped out at me, but nothing offended me by being terrible either.
Wait, that’s a lie. The guy under arrest in the police station dressed up in the homemade Optimus Prime outfit made me laugh out loud. Also, as usual, the letter column was hilarious and interesting in places. I like the quote of the month and what Bendis is reading/ watching/ listening to.
*SPOILERS*Fantastic Four #523 – Returning Galactus to human form is an interesting story idea, and makes for a fun issue. Wieringo does an excellent job keeping things light, but never losing the gravity of the situation. I love the little details, like how Galactus, or Galen, is eating throughout the whole issue. Waid’s script is tailored to ‘Ringo’s strengths, this wouldn’t be the same story he’d give to Jae Lee to draw, for example. This is a classic team that’s perfectly in sync.
The book is almost too classic. Galen’s exit is well done, but predictable. It’s the sort of thing seen time and time again in comics, and Ben and Johnny even make reference to it when they bring up the Silver Surfer. I would’ve liked to have seen something different. I both like and dislike Galen’s arrogance in the story. On the one hand, stripped of cosmic awareness I’d expect him to feel some kind of remorse for the billions upon billions of deaths he’s caused as Galactus, on the other hand, however, that in itself would be kind of predictable. Also, we don’t get any sense of relief, or, well, anything from him except arrogance, which I found weird considering he’s just been changed back to himself after billions of years of being a force of nature.
However, all that might be stuff that would’ve belonged in a bigger story. I like the fact that the issue can be read on its own, even though it’s part of a larger storyline. It’s a book that I’d give to anyone to read. That said, while I’m enjoying the run, I’m not sure I’d continue buying if Waid and ‘Ringo weren’t leaving. Right now, though, with the end in sight I figure I’ll see it through.