Quick reviews

So, how did I like my new pile of comics?
Some disappointments, and some surprising surprises.

Biggest disappointment: Walking Dead #22 - SPOILER - No one dies from zombie attacks this issue. And no one kills any zombies this issue. Unforgivable. Un-freakin'-forgivable. It was like a Romero movie without garden tools.

Other disappointments: Y the Last Man #37 and Ex Machina #14 and #15. Quick disclaimer, I've loved both series up until now. Y is undeniably a very powerful book. Ex Machina is a great departure from the traditional super hero story devices. But I'm developing a problem with Brian K. Vaughn, and it's showing up in both of these books.

Explanation: It almost feels like he's buying into his own hype, and the media frenzy has driven him to try to outdo himself. It seems like both of these series are trying to "push the envelope" of edginess. It feels topical. Yeah, I get it, you're trying to explore tough issues. But particularly with Ex Machina, the topicality gets in the way of the storytelling.

Another sticking point on this issue of topicality. It's not enough just to raise controversial opinions, you have to explore them. You don't have to resolve them, but at least take some decent stabs at it. And Ex Machina tends to fall short on this as well. For example, a few issues back, the story touched on a publicly funded art museum which was showing a racially insensitive painting. The public was outraged, the artist unyielding. Mayor Hundred is faced with a dilemma: side with the public, or defend the artist's First Amendment rights. But instead of Hundred making a call and facing the consequences, the artist voluntarily sneaks into the museum and destroys the painting. No consequences, crisis averted, no solutions offered, on to the next controversy. This isn't the only example.

Grrrrrr. That said, the books are still pretty good. They are important, in that we need more books like them, taking some serious risks. But edginess for edginess' sake is not sustainable.

Now the good stuff.

Invincible #26 - The only "true" superhero book I'm reading. Light antics with punching and aliens. Just fun.

The Amazing Joy Buzzards Vol 2 #1 - More fun stuff, kind of a Mike Allred pop sensibility meets the Gorillaz. And the Beatles films. And Speed Racer. And Hanna Barbara mystery cartoons. No attempts at edginess here, just fun, goofy storytelling. The coolness lies in the seeming lack of effort at being cool. I'm waiting for the animated series.

Best stuff last.

Warren Ellis kicks my trash. I HATE WARREN ELLIS. I hate him more than Neil Gaiman, less than Alan Moore. Curse that Alan Moore. But back to Ellis. Hate'im.

Fell #2 is a nightmare. It's bad juju all around. The story is a gruesome headline, the characters caged animals. Ben Templesmith's art is bleak, and the pages are dense with information. There are no "unused" panels. The story's not for little kids or faint-hearted senior citizens. Ellis' writing is the showstopper here: solid characterization, punchy dialogue, efficient visuals. The decreased page length of the book is actually an asset, i.e. no useless splash pages, etc. If you have $2.00 and you're a grown-up buy the stupid book.

Jack Cross #2. Issue #1 didn't wow me. Some of the art didn't do it for me, although I liked the "24"-ish any-means-necessary tactics of the protagonist. Issue #2 is really engaging me though. The interrogation was cool. Explosions are cool. The car chase and shootout were cool. Ellis' plot is not a far stretch from plausible. I'm liking the book much more after this issue. Still not in love with the art though.

So that's my review of my pile of comics.

Wordy wordy wordy.

In summary: Read Warren Ellis, consider Brian K. Vaughn, and wait for Robert Kirkman to start killing zombies again.