Comic Day! Week 2 - October 15, 2008

[DoctorFinger]

This week, on the highly perceptive Johnny Gigawatt & the Tiger Men from Mars (http://johnnygigawatt.com/?p=369): Skrully politicos, Spider-Girl RIP, and Magneto makes an Ultimatum.

After a couple of middling weeks, we get a nice meaty selection.

DC
Fables #77
Final Crisis Legion Of Three Worlds #2
Final Crisis Rogues' Revenge #3
Justice Society Of America #19
Robin #179
Stormwatch PHD #15
Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen Special #1
Trinity #20

Marvel
Amazing Spider-Man #573
Astonishing X-Men #27
Captain Britain And MI 13 #6
Guardians Of The Galaxy #6
Mighty Avengers #19
Ultimate Origins #5
Uncanny X-Men #503

Indie
Atomic Robo Dogs Of War #3
Ghostbusters The Other Side #1
Welcome To Hoxford #3

Picks of the week

Stormwatch PHD #15 - For the most part I've forgone this newest revamp of the Wildstorm Universe. With one exception: Stormwatch PHD. Right after the last Wildstorm relaunch (lo those 2 years or so back) the Gage & Mahnke production was one of the best books on the shelf, mixing superheroes and cops in a way that felt natural. Even when they were fighting demonic gangsters and the like. The tone of the book has changed once again, this time emerging from it's chrysalis with an espionage feel to it. But it's still an entertaining look at superpowers forced to do some not so heroic things.

Astonishing X-Men #27 & Uncanny X-Men #503 - Right now Marvel's X-Men line is functioning like a great arena rock band. You have the supporting cast like X-Men Legacy & X-Factor - the drummer and bassist if you will - and the stars like Astonishing and Uncanny. Astonishing - by Ellis & Bianchi - is clearly the lead singer. It's big, loud and clearly the most recognizable part. Then there's Uncanny, the lead guitarist of the band. It may not be as well known as the singer, but try listening to a song without the guitarist and you'll see the value of Uncanny to the franchise.

Ghostbusters The Other Side #1 - Now this is the kind of franchise that really screams out for a comic. There's no new iteration of the main franchise (in this case the movie) in the near future to butt up against, and the material lends itself to the freedom a comic provides. Now if it can only translate the humor of the original film.

Question of the week - We all have creators who we love, but lets face it sometimes the creators we hate are more interesting. So, this week's question which creators do you really love to hate?

[Savok]

Bendis, because he just makes it so easy.

Mark Millar, though he's pretty much vanished from anything I even take notice of now, thank god.

Grant Morrison, I fucking hate Grant Morrison.

And has Uncanny recovered from the mind shatteringly awful 500th issue yet? Not that I care much with Land art.

There was a Ghostbusters mini called Legion back 2004 or something, that was kinda neat, hopefully this is more of the same.

[Spigot]

DC
BOOSTER GOLD #13

Marvel
ASTONISHING X-MEN #27
GHOST RIDER #28
ULTIMATE ORIGINS #5

Others
ATOMIC ROBO DOGS OF WAR #3
WELCOME TO HOXFORD #3

I'm tempted by the Ghostbusters story. Is it the one where they go to Hell? I remember that being a possible story for the 3rd movie and it would be cool to see that realized in some form.

I'm also debating dropping Booster Gold. It just doesn't have the same feel as it used to and I'm not feeling the love anymore. We'll see.

As for the QOTW, I don't know... The only person I would say that I HATE in the comics industry is Liefeld, because everything that guy touches turns to poo. That said, I'd rather see his 'art' than the work of whoever was doing X-Factor for the past few issues. It takes a rare talent to make someone appreciate Liefeld's work in a positive light...

And am I crazy for not really liking Bianchi's art in Astonishing? I did like the last issue more than the first but I still haven't gotten in the groove with it yet.

And while I don't hate Grant Morrison, he's no longer the golden boy in my mind. I had read Doom Patrol and enjoyed it, so it's not like I can't comprehend a good Grant Morrison story, but reading his stuff of late is just painful for someone like myself who isn't a walking DC Wikipedia article. I appreciate what he can do, but I'm not the person he's writing for and until I see something a little more accessible from the guy, I'll just take him off of the pedestal I used to have him on.

[Savok]

Over at SD people are torn on Bianchi's art as well, as their motto goes it's never just you.

I don't know if I like style yet... I think I do. Mostly I appreciate the quality and attention to detail (Armour's crazy eyes slippers made me squee) though.

[muddi900]

POTW:
Atomic Robo: Dogs of War # 3
Fables # 77

QOTW:

Frank Miller. You know why.

Bendis. I do not give a fuck about Spider-man, Marvel Universe continuity and all that soap-opera bullshit. Where the hell is Powers?

Morrison. He used to be cool. Now he's a pretentious fuck.

Warren Ellis. for not releasing Fell. I am thinking about mail bombing his gmail account which he uses for Fell. Motherfucker.

[Spigot]

Over at SD people are torn on Bianchi's art as well, as their motto goes it's never just you.

I don't know if I like style yet... I think I do. Mostly I appreciate the quality and attention to detail (Armour's crazy eyes slippers made me squee) though.Oh good. I'm not insane.

I actually really like the sets and such. I just don't like the way he draws humans... at least not the faces. But I agree on the detail aspect. The non-human side of the art is amazing.

[MosBen]

Claremont: Decent for his day (which was a day in which comics were poorly written by and large), but never grew up. His writing sucks as much as it ever did, but now the industry is packed with real talent.

Liefeld: Yeah, everyone knows this.

Morrison, Ellis, and Ennis: I don't hate these guys at all like I have the above pair, but they're way over-hyped. They all produced some great stuff, but I think sometimes stuff of theirs that sucks balls gets positive reviews from folks because of their former glory.

[muddi900]

Atomic Robo was especially awesome this week.