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Cut-n-pasting my weekly comics column in here, behind an LJ-cut.
Dave's Unspoilt Capsules and Awards
The Week's Picks and Pans, plus Awards of Dubious Merit
Standard Disclaimers: Please set appropriate followups. Recommendation does
not factor in price. Not all books will have arrived in your area this week.
Probably gonna see Shrek 2 tomorrow. Rants, Capsules can be found on my
homepage, http://www.eyrie.org/~dvandom/Rants
Go check out http://www.whiterose.org/HowlingCurmudgeons/ when you're
done here.
Capsules:
The regular Capsule reviews of books I actually buy. If I get a book
late due to distributor foulups or whatever, I'll put it in the Missing
section.
Iron Man v3 #82: Marvel - Even when Tony's not in his suit, he can be
clearly in his element, and Miller does a good job of showing that this
issue. Tan's art is okay, no real improvement from #81 but still better than
#79. This is the point where I'd express confidence that this team would
produce stuff worth buying in the future, but sadly, it's being canned in
favor of a "things go to hell in a handbasket" crossover. Ah well, enjoyable
while it lasted. Recommended. $2.99/$4.25Cn
eXiles #47: Marvel - A mix of backstory dump (interesting backstory, but
still kinda dumpy) and "no one wants to fight but the hotheads on both sides
end up starting sumpin". Decent issue, although I felt Sue Richards was a
bit mischaracterized. Mildly recommended. $2.99/$4.25Cn
Fantastic Four #513: Marvel - The main story is a good end to the two
part "Spider Sense" mini-arc. Perhaps things wrapped up a bit too pat-ly
(no, not Pat Lee), but that was part of the joke. The backup piece with Paul
Smith art seemed mainly intended to give a character an annoying trait for
future use. Recommended. $2.25/$3.25Cn
Captain Marvel v4 #23: Marvel - Pat Quinn is up on the merry-go-round of
artists to pencil under Sotomayor's computer finishes, and he does an okay
job. The story spends a little too much time building to its "half buried
Statue of Liberty", but the revelation itself is good grist for the character
mill. Recommended. $2.99/$4.25Cn
Outsiders #12: DC - The "Back in the saddle again" cover blurb seems to
refer to Arsenal's love life. Speedy indeed. The issue sort of wanders a
bit, maybe going too far in the "these things that haven't made sense maybe
should make sense" tone, before snapping everything together pretty quickly.
I liked the character bits, but the plot almost felt like an afterthought, an
"Oh, yeah, we need a plot, don't we?" thing. Mildly recommended.
$2.50/$3.85Cn
Batman Adventures #14: DC - It's too bad this title's coming to an end,
and there isn't time to run any multi-issue stories, because I think this
issue's lead tale would have worked a lot better with another 16 pages to
work with. The shorthand Slott and Burchett use to tell the story in one
issue works, it just doesn't feel as satisfying. Templeton's backup story
works well on two levels. If you don't know anything about Batman (suuuure),
it's just a happy little tale of childhood reminiscence. For the other
99.9999% of the readership, it's kinda chilling, a sort of reverse-
foreshadowing. Recommended. $2.25/$3.50Cn
Justice League: Another Nail #1 (of 3): DC - Not often do Elseworlds get
sequels, but Davis and Farmer's "The Nail" was apparently popular enough (and
the creators felt they had something else to say) to get a sequel. The story
pacing needs work, and a lot of it is clearly an excuse for Davis and Farmer
to draw all sorts of nifty things, but by the end of the issue there is a
definite plot (or several) set up. And it's good to look at. Recommended.
$5.95/$9.25Cn
Transformers: Energon #23: Dreamwave - After a rocky first few pages,
Ng's art is fairly clear and the colorists use some restraint. Good
character interactions and development, although Tidal Wave's "voice" still
seems so wrong for him...guess I'm too infected by his cartoon personality.
The humans work well in this issue, getting to make a difference by doing the
one thing they CAN do as well as Transformers: think. Recommended. $2.95
Dork Tower #27: Dork Storm Press - Ah, Clanbook Mopey. Another issue
with an extended main story instead of a series of shorts, this one focuses
on Gilly's brother (and on both his and Matt's reactions, conscious or
otherwise, to her plans to leave the country for school, as previously
revealed). Of course, there ARE shorts, such as a cute Doctor Blink bit, a
shortened Lethargic Lad piece, etc. Recommended. $2.99
Halo and Sprocket: Welcome to Humanity TPB: Amaze Ink/Slave Labor - This
purchase is actually a result of Free Comic Book Day...last year. Once I
read the short H&S pieces in the Slave Labor FCBD comic, I put H&S on my
pull. And this is the first thing to come out since then. Well, it was
worth the wait. The short pieces in this collection range from the amusingly
thought-provoking to the outright hilarious. Very strongly recommended.
$12.95
Gone Missing:
Stuff that came out some places this week and that I wanted to buy, but
couldn't find for whatever reason, so people don't have to email me asking
"Why didn't you review X?" (If it's neither here nor in the section above,
though, feel free to ask, I might have forgotten about it!)
Nothing at the moment.
Awards:
Best Book: Halo and Sprocket: Welcome to Humanity TPB
"Plop, Plop, Fizz, Fizz" Award to Iron Man v3 #82
"Extremely Tough Love" Award to eXiles #47
"Let's Run It Up The Flagpole And See If Anyone Salutes" Award to
Fantastic Four #513
"Bands On the Run" Award to Captain Marvel v4 #23
"I Feel Like A Root Beer" Award to Outsiders #12
"Acting Up, Acting Down" Award to Batman Adventures #14
"Wedding Ring" Award to Justice League: Another Nail #1 (of 3)
"Big Is Relative" Award to Transformers: Energon #23
"None More Black" Award to Dork Tower #27
"Hands Above Covers, Young Man!" Award to Halo and Sprocket: Welcome To
Humanity TPB
Dave Van Domelen, "Hey -- BABY-Optimus Primes! You don't think --"
"Don't even GO there." - Rad and Alexis, TFE #23
Dave's Unspoilt Capsules and Awards
The Week's Picks and Pans, plus Awards of Dubious Merit
Standard Disclaimers: Please set appropriate followups. Recommendation does
not factor in price. Not all books will have arrived in your area this week.
Probably gonna see Shrek 2 tomorrow. Rants, Capsules can be found on my
homepage, http://www.eyrie.org/~dvandom/Rants
Go check out http://www.whiterose.org/HowlingCurmudgeons/ when you're
done here.
Capsules:
The regular Capsule reviews of books I actually buy. If I get a book
late due to distributor foulups or whatever, I'll put it in the Missing
section.
Iron Man v3 #82: Marvel - Even when Tony's not in his suit, he can be
clearly in his element, and Miller does a good job of showing that this
issue. Tan's art is okay, no real improvement from #81 but still better than
#79. This is the point where I'd express confidence that this team would
produce stuff worth buying in the future, but sadly, it's being canned in
favor of a "things go to hell in a handbasket" crossover. Ah well, enjoyable
while it lasted. Recommended. $2.99/$4.25Cn
eXiles #47: Marvel - A mix of backstory dump (interesting backstory, but
still kinda dumpy) and "no one wants to fight but the hotheads on both sides
end up starting sumpin". Decent issue, although I felt Sue Richards was a
bit mischaracterized. Mildly recommended. $2.99/$4.25Cn
Fantastic Four #513: Marvel - The main story is a good end to the two
part "Spider Sense" mini-arc. Perhaps things wrapped up a bit too pat-ly
(no, not Pat Lee), but that was part of the joke. The backup piece with Paul
Smith art seemed mainly intended to give a character an annoying trait for
future use. Recommended. $2.25/$3.25Cn
Captain Marvel v4 #23: Marvel - Pat Quinn is up on the merry-go-round of
artists to pencil under Sotomayor's computer finishes, and he does an okay
job. The story spends a little too much time building to its "half buried
Statue of Liberty", but the revelation itself is good grist for the character
mill. Recommended. $2.99/$4.25Cn
Outsiders #12: DC - The "Back in the saddle again" cover blurb seems to
refer to Arsenal's love life. Speedy indeed. The issue sort of wanders a
bit, maybe going too far in the "these things that haven't made sense maybe
should make sense" tone, before snapping everything together pretty quickly.
I liked the character bits, but the plot almost felt like an afterthought, an
"Oh, yeah, we need a plot, don't we?" thing. Mildly recommended.
$2.50/$3.85Cn
Batman Adventures #14: DC - It's too bad this title's coming to an end,
and there isn't time to run any multi-issue stories, because I think this
issue's lead tale would have worked a lot better with another 16 pages to
work with. The shorthand Slott and Burchett use to tell the story in one
issue works, it just doesn't feel as satisfying. Templeton's backup story
works well on two levels. If you don't know anything about Batman (suuuure),
it's just a happy little tale of childhood reminiscence. For the other
99.9999% of the readership, it's kinda chilling, a sort of reverse-
foreshadowing. Recommended. $2.25/$3.50Cn
Justice League: Another Nail #1 (of 3): DC - Not often do Elseworlds get
sequels, but Davis and Farmer's "The Nail" was apparently popular enough (and
the creators felt they had something else to say) to get a sequel. The story
pacing needs work, and a lot of it is clearly an excuse for Davis and Farmer
to draw all sorts of nifty things, but by the end of the issue there is a
definite plot (or several) set up. And it's good to look at. Recommended.
$5.95/$9.25Cn
Transformers: Energon #23: Dreamwave - After a rocky first few pages,
Ng's art is fairly clear and the colorists use some restraint. Good
character interactions and development, although Tidal Wave's "voice" still
seems so wrong for him...guess I'm too infected by his cartoon personality.
The humans work well in this issue, getting to make a difference by doing the
one thing they CAN do as well as Transformers: think. Recommended. $2.95
Dork Tower #27: Dork Storm Press - Ah, Clanbook Mopey. Another issue
with an extended main story instead of a series of shorts, this one focuses
on Gilly's brother (and on both his and Matt's reactions, conscious or
otherwise, to her plans to leave the country for school, as previously
revealed). Of course, there ARE shorts, such as a cute Doctor Blink bit, a
shortened Lethargic Lad piece, etc. Recommended. $2.99
Halo and Sprocket: Welcome to Humanity TPB: Amaze Ink/Slave Labor - This
purchase is actually a result of Free Comic Book Day...last year. Once I
read the short H&S pieces in the Slave Labor FCBD comic, I put H&S on my
pull. And this is the first thing to come out since then. Well, it was
worth the wait. The short pieces in this collection range from the amusingly
thought-provoking to the outright hilarious. Very strongly recommended.
$12.95
Gone Missing:
Stuff that came out some places this week and that I wanted to buy, but
couldn't find for whatever reason, so people don't have to email me asking
"Why didn't you review X?" (If it's neither here nor in the section above,
though, feel free to ask, I might have forgotten about it!)
Nothing at the moment.
Awards:
Best Book: Halo and Sprocket: Welcome to Humanity TPB
"Plop, Plop, Fizz, Fizz" Award to Iron Man v3 #82
"Extremely Tough Love" Award to eXiles #47
"Let's Run It Up The Flagpole And See If Anyone Salutes" Award to
Fantastic Four #513
"Bands On the Run" Award to Captain Marvel v4 #23
"I Feel Like A Root Beer" Award to Outsiders #12
"Acting Up, Acting Down" Award to Batman Adventures #14
"Wedding Ring" Award to Justice League: Another Nail #1 (of 3)
"Big Is Relative" Award to Transformers: Energon #23
"None More Black" Award to Dork Tower #27
"Hands Above Covers, Young Man!" Award to Halo and Sprocket: Welcome To
Humanity TPB
Dave Van Domelen, "Hey -- BABY-Optimus Primes! You don't think --"
"Don't even GO there." - Rad and Alexis, TFE #23
