Dear Marvel...

Dear Marvel, Dwayne McDuffie, Salva Espin and associated art team,

Please give the Chrysler Building a summer vacation special. I'm not sure he could carry a mini-series, but I absolutely want to see this guy's adventures in Japan.

I'm sure I'm not the only one. Thank you!

-Canton

(Panels from WWH Aftersmash: Damage Control #3, easily the best thing to come out of World War Hulk.)

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!

On 19 September, 2007

It's 11:30 on Friday night, and I am very tired, and do not feel like doing things that are more important such as class work, so it's comics blogging time!

[SPOILER WARNING IS POSSIBLY APPLICABLE.]

This past week, I read Avengers books, including (and limited to)...

...Marvel Adventures: The Avengers #16, in which there is Hawkeye, true to form! Everybody thinks he's a criminal at first, but then he proves them all wrong. He also flirts with Storm and Giant-Girl, with skill that actually comes in handy.

...Avengers Classic #4, in which Captain America joins the Avengers! I like seeing the reprints in brightly colored Kirby glory, but I'm also in this for the back-up stories. And this one, naturally, focuses on Cap, and his reintroduction to life. There is a little fighting, but it is mostly just bittersweet.

...a bunch of story bites contained in...

...Marvel Comics Presents #1, in which there is a cockamamie Spider-Man story that I won't try to describe, though it is amusing; a fluffy Ben Grimm and Alicia vignette; the beginning of the Immonens' Hellcat tale; and two other Chapter Ones that are lost on me. I do not see myself following this title religiously. Will they collect the Hellcat story when it is finished, I wonder?

...Jungle Girl #0, which is all about a buxom, scantily clad woman who hunts giant aquatic beasties for a living. In other words, it's about what you might expect based on the cover. This is not necessarily a bad thing. It is simply what it is. Which is not my cup of tea.

...and a triple helping of Hulk, including...

...World War Hulk #4, World War Hulk: Front Line #4, and Gamma Corps #3, in which there is a lot of smashing. Most of the smashing occurs in the main title (the Illuminati are compelled to smash each other and in front of a crowd of eager onlookers. It is naturally a disturbing, mostly-'splosion issue. Gamma Corps has somewhat less smashing. About half of it is the tragic story of Ryker and his wife (in flashback), and the rest is the Corps versus the Hulk.

Front Line, because it is Front Line, provides the reporters' perspective on war, and gives us some insight into Sally Floyd's family life. The backup stories are more fun (as usual.) "Costume Division: Death of an Android" continues, the murder investigation progresses, and Korg becomes my favorite Warbound alien. Finally, an extremely goofy "What If?" story. But the highlight of Front Line?

It's Earl! Don't go in there, Earl! You risk seriously bad karma points!

And... that was my comics week. Yes indeed...

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.