Comics on Six Legs

Yeah, it's the same old story. I haven't really blogged in months. I haven't had much to say.

But last week I read three comic books, and all three featured insects. Or insect-like creatures. Those almost always make me happy. (There are certain contexts in which certain larval forms are unwelcome, but we don't need to go there.)

The first, Marvel Adventures The Avengers #20, features a reasonably contented, self-assured, sane Ant-Man. Dr. Hank Pym, that is. He's happy to be working in his lab, but doesn't seem to mind the occasional stint as a super-hero. The story also features giant attack ants...

...and equally giant bugs from outer space. The aliens are hostile, but not very bright, flying right into Jan's trap like that.


Next we come to WWH Aftersmash: Warbound #2, which has a cumbersome title; more hostile, giant bugs (gamma-mutated this time). . .;

. . . and No-Name of the Brood, who saves human children and is just as likable as the other Warbound companions. Not all giant alien insectoid creatures are bad!


Finally, we come to The Stranded #1. There are no bugs with gland problems here, just humanoid telepathic sleeper aliens, one of whom is no longer technically a sleeper and can control insects with her mind. So we do get swarms of terrestrial attack bees. And explosions, but that comes a page or two later. I'm not too excited about The Stranded yet, but it does have its moments.


All in all, it was a small (but good) week. Never underestimate the power of insects!

Thursday Thank Yous

Thank you...

... Dan Slott and Ty Templeton for wrapping up your run on She-Hulk with a sweet goofy story that ties up loose ends without feeling rushed; for redeeming Mallory Book; and for nearly making me cry with awwww. (It is not mean-spirited either, so Kalinara might like it!)

... Rick Burchett, Cliff Rathburn, Andy Troy and Dave Sharpe for stuff like this:


... Gail Simone for Head; Panda; for not making me buy Countdown even though The All New Atom #15 is technically a tie-in; and also, Head.

... Fred Van Lente and Gurihiru for a colorful romp in Latveria; Doombots on spoked wheels; and convenient penpals.

... Brian Reed for writing Aaron Stack after Warren Ellis.

... Warren Ellis for Aaron Stack as we know him today.

... Greg Pak for balance between verbal sparring and general smashing; and Greg, Carlo Pagulayan, Jeffrey Huet, Chris Sotomayor and Joe Caramagna for this:


... Zeb Wells for the whole snake versus mongoose battle in Snakewoman: Tale of the Snake Charmer #3.

Thoughts on 25 April, 2007

Spoiler warning! Just in case, you know?

I picked up seven titles this week, taking place in a total of four universes. One of which is our very own universe! (It still involves super-heroes, though. Go figure.)

Amazons Attack #1

-Is it me, or are the Amazons here as irrational as those in Y: The Last Man? No attempt at diplomacy at all? No warnings? Just... land and start beheading fathers in front of their sons? Aren't these women supposed to be civilized? Good grief.

-Wonder Woman is not going to like this, is she?

Blue Beetle #14

-The supporting cast member of the week is Jaime's mom:

-Guy Gardner is a pretty cool guy, so long as he's not trying to kill you.

-Yay for flightful harmful penguins! With glowing red eyes!

Fantastic Four #545

-Only a couple pages of Reed and Sue, but they're just enough to make you think the two might actually mend things. They've had a major disagreement, but they are mature adults who can handle it.

-Who's watching the kids? Reed and Sue are honeymooning, the active team is in space, Crystal's occupied with a major Inhuman crisis (see Silent War), and Jen is otherwise occupied with S.H.I.E.L.D. So who does that leave? H.E.R.B.I.E.?

-Life support bracelets! Precursors to the PEG units in Fantastic Four: The End?

-Ororo has had experience with cosmic stuff before. Not sure about T'Challa. They're both a little overconfident in dealing with the Silver Surfer though, I think...

Silent War #4

-So the Inhumans are awful. That's not a good way to treat the mentally ill.

-Maria Hill is also awful, but we already knew that.

-Black Bolt can write after all. He just generally chooses not to.

Snake Woman #10

-Yeah, right, Jessica, like prison would keep you safe. Interesting idea, though.

-There's a month missing. What happened then? (And how is Jessica not in prison, given what her detective friend knows about her?)

-And it turns out that Raj is... Raj is.... Well...

Yeah...

The Faithful characterize Jessica as "afflicted," and Harker is becoming slightly sympathetic. (He wants the cycle of violence to end, after all.) These people are twisted, and do want Jessica to die (though Harker wants everyone else to die first), but they're at least about survival. Jessica is about survival. Well, that and revenge. She has trouble controlling that. And Justin, who really is the only sane (maybe) character left at this point, doesn't seem too bothered by what Jessica is capable of... And Raj is just plain evil.

True Story, Swear To God #5

-Tom Beland's take on Spider-Man is freaking adorable. Also, Iron Man and Cap at a hot dog stand. Hee! Ahh, the fantasies associated with NYC...

-And the scene with Letterman? Nice.

Wonder Woman #8

-I'm still trying to decipher Circe's line of reasoning here, but I expect that there really isn't one. Just evil, evil magic.

-Nemesis suddenly seems competent. Except for not seeing through Diana's super-thin disguise. That's traditional though, right?

Thoughts on 28 March, 2007

(Yes, I do have thoughts once in a while. They are not necessarily original, but they are there. This format is not original, either. Everybody does this sooner or later. I am a sheep and that's nothing to be ashamed of! I hope.)

Anyway... Six comics this week, taking place in a total of four universes.

Blue Beetle #13

-This issue would make a great jumping-on point for people.

-Two pencillers. I didn't notice until I really read the credits. Actually, I didn't actually notice afterwards.

-Is the Justice League really cool with evil money-worshiping aliens? (The Justice League has a Green Lantern, right?) Is The Reach really, as Jaime says, that smooth?

Fantastic Four #544

-In what issue of Black Panther does Ororo beat up on Clor? I want to see that.

-T'Challa intimidates Tony Stark. Very nice. The Batman Effect is alive and well.

-Is this the first time capes have been worn in the Fantastic Four? Just wondering.

Silent War #3

-So Pietro is a completely irredeemably evil creep. Sad.

-Speaking of, I'm having trouble getting my head around Pietro's time travel methods. For some reason, longer jumps are easier to grasp.

-Note to self: Read X-Factor some day. Layla Miller is interesting. She's creepy in her own special way (and looks even creepier through Luna's eyes), but she lacks the evil. Maybe.

-Is madness infectious?

Snake Woman #9

-I actually like the cover this month. Definitely an improvement over the past few.

-If any characters ultimately survive this title, I will be shocked.

-This title's sole non-creepy characters are actually police. One detective in particular gives Jessica some perspective: A job doesn't have to be or define a person. Sometimes, when a job is ugly, a person can dissociate themselves from it. Jessica, unfortunately, has been letting the serpent define her. Does she realize this? Would it be better if she doesn't?

-If Raj is really one of the Faithful, he has to be one of the smartest. He does not wear the seal that triggers Jessica's transformation. (The seal is the trigger, Jessica is the gun, and the Snake Woman is a bullet that has yet to miss.)

-What the heck is Harker eating that's alive? Do we really want to know? Ew.

Ultimate Fantastic Four #40

-Switching between Scott Kolins and Mark Brooks every so many pages is slightly odd, but not too disorienting.

-There's a four-page ad for the 616 Fantastic Four. This sort of ad is always annoying, but at least this one is logically placed.

-Correct me if I'm wrong, but Ultimate Diablo could probably kick 616 Diablo's arse. Or would, you know, if they met. Regular Diablo needs potions. Ultimate Diablo has a magical eye, a better costume, and disturbing control over the classical elements. Both versions are tied when it comes to the 'stache.

-If your group wears colorful costumes, have strange abilities and otherwise looks outlandish, disguise your operation as a traveling circus. It might work for a few minutes. Just don't expect to enjoy it:

Wonder Woman #6

-A super-hero theme park. In context, that's just odd. (Also, green popcorn looks unappetizing.)

-The Super Real characters could totally take Maxi-Man.

-How long, exactly, has Diana been participating in human society? Does she really not get turnstiles?

On 7 September, 2006

Reading music: Dusk Till Dawn: The Best of Capercaillie

--Warning: Spoilers ahead--

DC

The All-New Atom #3: The greatest philosophers have, as a general rule, been philosophers, haven't they? I suppose it's fitting that Dr. Ryan Choi, also (supposedly) a great scientist, finds himself in the age-old war between science and faith. In this particular conflict, Ryan finds himself on neither side. On the side of reason (sort of) are the strange creatures with perplexing grammar; and on the other is M'Nagalah, a vile sewer-dwelling Cancer God who has brainwashed many an Ivy Town resident. Naturally, Ryan is fighting both factions. (And he has an arch-nemesis lurking in the background, no less). While he trusts in empirical science ("I believe in reason. I believe in science," Ryan insists to M'Nagalah), he is certainly open-minded enough to accept certain unbelievable things, such as the fact that a monster can live in the sewer and convince otherwise intelligent people to worship it and dress oddly besides.

So Ryan is in the middle. He's on that bridge between science and religion. He is a philosopher, of sorts, or at least he could be. Now, if only he can save that town...

Do I Know What I Just Read? Yes
Do I Care? Yes

Marvel

Marvel 1602: Fantastick Four #1: The Fantastick Four, strangely enough, doesn't appear much in this issue. Six pages involve Grimm (mostly in disguise), and the the very last page is devoted to Reed and Susan. John does not appear at all. Instead, Fantastick Four tells the story of the Most Frightful Four (here it's the Wizard, Sandman, Trapster and Medusa), their battle at sea, their discovery at the end of the world, and their eventual alliance with Count Otto Von Doom.

The language is archaic, but only just enough to give it the proper Shakespearean flavor, I think. I'm sure it's not perfect, but it's not painful to read, either, and that's what really matters here, isn't it? And, hey, it's a fun set-up issue, even if the Four are a bit lacking.

Do I Know What I Just Read? Yes
Do I Care? Kind of

Virgin

Snake Woman #2: Jessica's reptilian side comes out in full force, with lots of hissing, eye-color-changing, strange cold flirting with Raj, and raw bacon eating. Needless to say, Jessica is confused and scared by the whole thing. The mysterious Brinkley describes her well:

Changed inside, from the serpent's glare
No longer small, nor kind, nor fair
But I'll protect my maiden, though she wishes me ill.
Now that the snake has made her first kill...

Jessica isn't the only one dealing with a dual identity. The major players here are all (I think) souls reincarnated who know a surprising amount about their past lives. Harker, the key villain (or one of them) embraces his, and knows how to awaken, what, ancestral memories(?), in others. And, of course, there is the enigma that is Brinkley. Maybe Jessica's human instincts just aren't that good. Jessica maybe be Brinkley's "maiden," but Brinkley is also 68 (whatever that means), and who is Snake Woman to him? This is one heck of a mystery, and it probably deserves a longer, more in depth analysis. There's quite a bit packed into this little comic...

Do I Know What I Just Read? Yes
Do I Care? Yes

Week's most memorable moment: This panel, from All-New Atom #3, should speak for itself.



Tentative checklist for 13 September, 2006
(*Indicates a title I've preordered.)
Civil War Files #1
*Ms. Marvel #7
Wasteland #3

On 19 & 26 July, 2006 -- Part II: Everywhere Else

Catching up. Part I is here

Reading music: Kitty Donohoe, This Road Tonight; Leahy, Lakefield

--Warning: Spoilers ahead--

DC

Blue Beetle #5: Jaime Reyez makes a truly public debut as Blue Beetle. I think it's good publicity. He still doesn't have complete control over the Scarab, but he does manage to save a baby from a bizarre religious demon creature. We learn more about the Posse, and Jaime learns (at long last) he's the only one hearing the voice in his head. ("I'm not crazy. I just hear this voice in my head!") Inasmuch as the main storyline focuses on the Posse and La Dama, the two Brenda pages seem kind of thrown in. They're good bits, just oddly placed. Blue Beetle is consistantly good, and it's probably about time I added it to my standing pulls.

Do I Know What I Just Read? Yes
Do I Care? Yes

Image

Elephantmen #1: "See the Elephant." I'm not a fan of any portrayal of George W. Bush as an utterer of wise words, but it's easy enough to put the inside cover page out of mine and focus on this little vignette of innocence lost. Or gained, or never had, or... something. The Elephantmen, creations of a mad scientist, are born and bred to be soldiers, and like many soldiers who have been to war, they have regrets and trouble integrating into society at large. That's the case with Ebony, at least. He has disturbing bloody flashbacks, and they are triggered by Savannah, a young girl in pink, the very picture of innocence. And maybe she's the key to unlocking some sort of innocence in him. It's a sweet story, actually.

"Just Another Guy Named Joe." A vignette from the perspective of a man who resents the Elephantmen and their place in society. This is a short one, very dark, and somewhat tricky to get a real handle on, at least here. Call it a small window into a big fictional world.

Do I Know What I Just Read? Yes
Do I Care? Yes

Marvel

Black Panther #18: Iron Man and Cap are too royally cheesed off at each other to stick around for the ceremony. It's a shame they miss it, too, because ceremony consists of Ororo and T'Challa making dramatic entrances, then going to the spirit realm to face the judgement of the Panther god, who slobbers all over Ororo, finds her tasty, and says she's cool to join the club. After the ceremony, Spider-Man fights a drunken Man-Ape, and the newlyweds receive an invitation to Latveria from a surprisingly cordial Dr. Doom. So ends Marvel's wedding season. And divorce season? Just around the corner!

Do I Know What I Just Read? Yes
Do I Care? Kind of?

She-Hulk 2 #9: So J. Jonah Jameson is insane. His son and his new daughter-in-law aren't exactly thinking at full capacity, either. (Why else would they elope? In Vegas? With an Elvis impersonator??? This is more entertaining than the T'Challa-Aurora and Jessica-Luke nuptuals, but it's also more disappointing. Maybe that's the point.) Mallory and Awesome Andy are under the same spell as the newlyweds. Naturally, that leaves Pug tearing his hair out, as he is perhaps the only major character who is compos mentis. And he knows it. Poor Pug...

Do I Know What I Just Read? Yes
Do I Care? Yes

Virgin

Snakewoman #1: The, well, the hissing and such is justa wee bit corny, and Jin (Jessica's roommate) is a tad two-dimensional. In spite of that, though, Snakewoman endeavors to answer a question of trust. Consider the men. Raj, the new neighbor, seems nice enough, but Jessica is wary of him. Maybe her trust is "delicate," but this time she's probably right to trust her judgement. I takes a surprisingly short time for her to find him in bed with her boy-crazy roommate. Then there's the man in plaid, Brinkley, an eccentric regular at the bar where Jessica works. He seems to know Jessica's schedule, tips only her, and writes prophetic poetry for her. And he bothers some people. She trusts him though, knowing that he's harmless. It's the nice-looking gentleman with the golden bracelet who throws her. The Naga within her, maybe, makes her drop her guard. He turns homicidal, and so does she. Later, with blood on her hands, she is confused, frightened, and cold. Her judgement has failed the heck out of her. That's where this first issue leaves off, with a frightened woman not ready to come to grips with a dual nature.

Of course, green and purple seem to be her colors of choice. Go figure.

Do I Know What I Just Read? Yes.
Do I Care? I do want to see where this is going...

Week's most memorable moment: Mallory Book and Awesome Andy relax in She-Hulk 2 #9

On 6 July, 2006

I went to the store at a relatively busy time today. Quite a few customers, all guys, enough that chiming in on the Civil War discussion they had going just didn't feel right. Plus, when another woman entered the store, one of the guys joked about it being a sign of the Apocalypse. Two women in a comic book store at the same time, right? Not offensive, just not real original. The only reason I mention it is, well, that's the first "Ohmygosh, a girl!" type comment I've heard in that shop. Either that's unusual and I've been lucky, or people are pretty open-minded in mid-Michigan.

Needless to say, I'm in a pretty good mood. Getting this done early, since one of my aunts is coming to visit from out of town tomorrow, and if I don't do this now... who knows if it'll ever get done? Yeah, best do it while I'm in a relaxed mood and taking joy in seeing the world through a wonderful new pair of glasses.

Reading music: Dusk Till Dawn: The Best of Capercaillie

--Warning: Spoilers ahead--

Dark Horse

Archenemies #4: It's funny. I really didn't expect a bittersweet philosophical conclusion to this series but... that's what this was. A tale told primarily in flashback by an angsting Ethan on the phone with his father. There is a breakup; an origin story; a climactic fight between the archenemies; the discovery that one isn't all good, and the other isn't all bad; and the discovery that both have father problems. There are a few fun moments that sort of lighten the mood, but wow. Quite the departure from the first issue, that's for sure. It's not bad; it just took me by surprise, is all.

Do I Know What I Just Read? Yes
Do I Care? Yes.

DC

All-New Atom #1:

Study the following three prologues, which are presented in non-linear fashion. Discuss how the sequence of events differs from traditional story-telling methods. Why did the author choose to present the epilogues out of chronological order?
-All-New Atom #1

Atom #1 is a symmetrical book. Nothing about the first prologue (pp. 1-3), which I won't try to describe, clicked until the last page. The second prologue (pp. 4-5), the sequence in which a pack of dogs kills a professor, is referenced about halfway through the story. The third prologue (pp. 6-7) deals with Dr. Ryan Choi's past and leads us nicely into his present, and the "meat" of the story. By presenting the prologues in this order, rather than chronologically, the story takes that symmetrical form. The prologues themselves force the reader to ask the questions, "What's going on," "What's up with those dogs," and "Who is Dr. Ryan Choi." In that general-to-specific order. These questions represent a major overarching problem, an immediate mystery, and the main character for whom trouble looms. All are elegantly connected. The order also makes for a tidy wave of a story, from the introduction, to the problem of Ray Palmer's belt (its shrinking capabilities in particular) and the general weirdness of Ivy Town, to the climactic rat scene, to the denouement (the presentation of the belt to the poker-playing scientists.) There is no definite conclusion, but then, this is comic book story-telling we're talking about, and this is a first issue. And a fun one at that. What is up with those dogs?

(Geez, these essay questions... This is graded on a curve, right?)

Do I Know What I Just Read? Yes
Do I Care? Actually, kinda yeah.

Marvel

This is a Civil War free week for me, which is wonderful. I am generally enjoying that story, but I think I OD'ed on it last week. Last month, even. It's detox time now, though, with three helpings of old-school Fantastic Four!

Fantastic Four: First Family #5: Sometimes, it seems, angst can be energizing. One scene Sue is commiserating with Ben, the next she's leading the team off to rescue Reed from his insane nemesis. In a flying bathtub. The flying bathtub. Johnny's recovery from a rescue-gone-wrong (Human torches and runaway tanker trucks don't mix well.) will now have to wait 'til the cosmic ray-powered zombies (as seen on the cover) are neutralized. Great set-up for what should be a feel-good explosive conclusion.

Do I Know What I Just Read? Yes
Do I Care? Yes

Marvel's Greatest Comics: Fantastic Four #52: I was a negative 17 years old when this was first printed, and the most economical way to get something like this tends to be black-and-white reprints. So this is a treat. Classic Kirby-Lee Fantastic Four complete with the Black Panther, the Inhumans, and the day-saving Wyatt Wingfoot! I'll have to go back and spend some time really reading the old ads and bulletins and fan letters. Because, you know, they're there and they're fun.

Do I Know What I Just Read? Yes
Do I Care? Yes

The Thing #8: Dan Slott concludes his first (but hopefully not last) run of The Thing with a poker party, a Bar Mitzvah, and a couple fun flashbacks involving Squirrel Girl and the Impossible Man (no, not at the same time.) It's wonderful, and it is a huge departure from Civil War. The first two-page spread is proof enough. Everybody's playing (and sometimes cheating at) poker, having a grand time. Namor's not being a total ass. Johnny's not comatose. Iron Man and Captain America aren't at each others' throats. And Ben... Ben gets a long-deserved respite. Not from his form (still the Thing), but from his sorrows. He gets to focus on the good things in his life for a change, namely his friends, his family, and Alicia. *sigh* Next week it's back to business as usual on Earth-616 (which, again, isn't bad), but for now, I'll just relish this.

Do I Know What I Just Read? Yes
Do I Care? Yes

Virgin Comics

Devi #1: Well, darn. I was hoping for more Indian mythology and less, er, cheesecake. The first half of Devi #1 is the story of Devi's deveat of Bala, the evil god. Devi is a god-gifted warrior (kind of like Wonder Woman?) of light dressed in, well, a few tendrils of fire and not much else. So, anyway, she defeats Bala and offers her gifts back to the gods.

Part two? Bala has, of course, escaped, and he's on the phone with a scantily-clad Heaven's Assassin as she systematically slaughters a group of Yakuza. (These Yakuza are everywhere. They need their own Sopranos spin-off or something.) I'm not sure whether the assassin is a reincarnation of Devi or what but... Ugh. I guess I just don't care that much. And next issue has a Greg Horn cover to boot. Suits the book, I suppose, but... eh. Guess I'll pass on this series and learn about Indian legend elsewhere.

Do I Know What I Just Read? Kind of?
Do I Care? Nope.

Week's most memorable moment: The GLX-Men/Avengers get a new name almost nobody objects to Thing #8.

Tentative checklist for 12 July, 2006
(*Indicates a title I've preordered.)

Beyond #1 (Chose Devi over this today. Oops.)
Civil War: Director's Cut (Yeah, I know. Shush.)
*Civil War: Front Line #3
*Ms. Marvel #5
The Next #1 (maybe)
Snakewoman #1 (bigger maybe)
Wasteland #1 (hmm...)