On 28 June, 2006

The stars have aligned, or the planets, or both, but something clicked. Big Max #1, which I'd all but forgotten about, came, thereby completing the Vaughan-Ellis-Slott Axis.

So, right, I have a particularly excellent end-of-month-sized stack, so I won't bother with real reviews of last week's fare. But, in a nutshell, Haunt of Horror: Edgar Allen Poe #2 was kind of disappointing, and The Flash: Fastest Man Alive #1 was incomprehensible, but All-Star Superman #4 and Giant-Size Hulk #1 were fun. I still haven't read Manhunter #23.

Reading music: Riverdance: Music from the Show

--Warning: Spoilers ahead--

DC

Blue Beetle #4 is great, chock full of mystery, humor, and story. This issue touches on the previous Blue Beetles, as Jaime reintigrates into his world (which isn't turning out to be that hard, since apparently a lot of weird stuff went down the year he was gone), reconnects with his friends, and fights evil Ents. And fights the scarab about fighting with said Ents, who are trying to kill him. The scarab doesn't want to hurt nature, but Jaime doesn't want nature to hurt him. Interesting little conflict of interest type deal.

Also, I love seeing "marginal" heroes tell off the bigger names, so Jaime telling Oracle to "go to Hell" was, by itself, worth the price of the book.

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

Marvel

All-New Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe A to Z #6

Amazing Spider-Man #533 Spiderman's unmasking cracks the Marvel internet in half, at least. And the car phone conversation is great. But what really has me wondering is what JMS has in mind. In Fantastic Four #538 (see below), he's writing Ben as neutral where the Superhero Registration Act is concerned, and Sue as torn but essentially reluctant to hunt down her friends. But... There they both are, front and center on Tony Stark's strike team. I trust JMS has a plan, but at the moment, it's a bit confusing.

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

Civil War: Front Line #2
Do I Know What I Just Read? Yes
Do I Care? Not quite enough to write a blurb, but yeah.

Fantastic Four #538: Reed is cold, and just about every dialogue bubble of Sue's might as well be dripping with ice when he's in the room. Johnny's comatose and Ben... Well, aside from the ominous brewing subplots involving Mjolnor, and the Mad Thinker and Puppet Master, this book is about Ben and his voice of reason. He manages to kick ass without clobbering things, by being warm and pretty much refusing to fight with his friends. Or to get between fighting friends like Ms. Marvel and Silverclaw. Ben Grimm: One of the few Marvel superheroes currently behaving like a rational adult. And he knows it. It's wonderful.

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

Nextwave #6: Elsa and Tabby dispatch of Samaroids and I am forced to read many, many panels of pictures without words. That's challenging for one accustomed to thinking in sound, not sight. Luckily, theirs is a straightforward slugfest interspersed with panels with words. Beautiful words. And with those words, the depth of Dirk Anger's insanity and, ultimately, a cross-dressing robot. Oh! And homicide crabs. Can't forget the homicide crabs.

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

Runaways #17: Ahh, the bittersweet raturn of radiant Karolina, with Xavin at her side, expands the "adults at war" theme to a cosmic degree. A world is lost to the insult of a bridesmaid's dress. It's off-panel, sure, but between Karolina's story and the mysterious flash last issue, it's all too real.

She helps the team patch up its differences in time to face explosions, an attempt to save Molly and a potentially tragic cliffhanger ending. Vaughan is killing off a Runaway next issue, and the sad part is, I almost hope this isn't a red herring.

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

Mr. Comics

Big Max #1: An ape-based super-hero tale by Dan Slott, complete with frosty beverages, secret identites, evil mimes, and some grand nods (i.e., allusions even I can pick out) to Superman. You do the math.

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

Week's most memorable moment: The Thing sends a cat flying in Fantastic Four #538.

Runner up: Dirk Anger ordering the launch of Atomic Puppies in Nextwave #6. "Yap yap bang!"

Tentative checklist for 6 July, 2006
Archenemies #4
Fantastic Four: First Family #5
Marvel's Greatest Comics: Fantastic Four #1
The Thing #8

On 21 June, 2006

FIFA? Meet Marvel. Marvel? FIFA:


I'm also cheering for France and Sweden. Rooting for the USA is kind of futile at this point, but why not be a little patriotic, right?

No reviews for last week's comics. I just didn't have the motivation to write about my hodgepodge little pile. (How do people do this week after week?) Seriously, this is supposed to be a fun activity, and when reading the latest issue of Manhunter starts to feel like a chore, it's time to take a break. You know. Sit back, eat some popcorn, watch David Beckham score the game-winning goal (on a free kick) against Ecuador, watch him ralph all over the pitch, see if Wayne Rooney can play the full 90 (plus stoppage time) in 90 degree heat, watch Beckham ralph some more, watch them finally pull the guy off the field (in like the 85th minute) to get some water so he doesn't die before quarter-finals...

You get the idea. I took a football break. I am rested. So maybe if I get on a role with this week's pile, I'll slip in reviews of:

All-Star Superman #4
The Flash: Fastest Man Alive #1
Giant-Size Hulk #1
Haunt of Horror: Edgar Allen Poe #2
Manhunter #23

And if I don't, well, you really aren't missing anything.

Actually, I was motivated enough to scan this week's memorable moment, which comes from Giant-Sized Hulk #1. Enjoy!



Tentative checklist for 28 June, 2006
All-New Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe A to Z #6
Amazing Spider-Man #533
Blue Beetle #4
Civil War: Front Line #2
Fantastic Four #538
Nextwave #6
Runaways #17

Warning. Non-Comics Sports Post Ahead.

Unfortunately, I live in a nation, possibly the only nation in the world, where the common consensus seems to be that soccer is boring. (Don't get me wrong. I love the United States, but we can be so backwards for a developed nation.) It's getting better -- ABC actually broadcast some non-USA games this weekend -- but for the most part it seems like the World Cup matches are confined to cable television in favor of things that are boring. Like golf.

Or maybe not. I don't know. I don't follow sports that closely, but I do wish it were easier to follow real football. There's a lot of beauty in World Cup soccer, if you care to look. A well-played game is like ballet. The intricate footwork the players use is simply amazing, and when that ball soars through the air, neatly past the goalkeeper into the net... It's a sight as lovely as it is rare.

Aesthetics aside, the real wonder of watching World Cup soccer is the fact that you are watching right along with half the world. This isn't like the Olympics. There is only one event, one focus, and that is the game. And when you are watching, whatever team you're rooting for, you can be certain that millions of other people around the world are cheering, too. Maybe not at the same time (time zones being what they are), but it's still a very global, very unifying experience.

No wonder the US isn't a soccer nation. Pity.

(Cover scan from The GCD)