Still Alive

It's been over a month since I last posted anything. Time just slips by, you know? Here's the quick updates:

1) Turned down by the police. Doesn't surprise me, even though I made the first cut. I didn't make the second cut, however, so I'm back to trying to get BLET and the general job search.

2) Comics have been slowly becoming decent it seems.

-The Flash hasn't been nearly as entertaining as I had hoped, and as much as I'm not real fond of Acuna's art he should at least be allowed to finish his story arch. Maybe deadlines were rushed or something, but I don't like style jumps that drastic. Nice jab at Batman.

-Countdown has been pretty crappy since it began, but I honestly feel like the stakes are actually appearing and growing....finally....it's only taken maybe 6 monthes? It's not poorly written, but it hasn't read like it is important. I also don't really care about the characters as much as I felt like the characters in 52 (and I didn't really know the characters in either story very well, so that's not the issue).

-Teen Titans feels like it is just treading on old stories now. And, like with Countdown, I'm sure something important is happeneing, but I don't feel like it is. Maybe the art is too light for the story it's trying to tell or something. It just doesn't have a kick.

- Action's recent Bizarro trilogy has been probably one of the best stories I've read in the DCU in a long time, except for maybe the Sinestro Corps arch in Green Lantern.

- Sinestro Corps has been absolutely solid and the first thing I grab out of my comics to purchase. It has been awesome since it began, until the recent Corps issue. Jumping around with the artists having different styles is a bad idea - and the plot didn't advance much at all. it felt like a classic 'we need to tie all the strings together, and this book isn't as important so we'll use it' script. When the Corps issues are collected together it will probably work if they are seperating the titles for the TPBs, but whatever.

- Conan still is a core title for me and it is absolutely amazing. Best hard fantasy title on the market.

- IDW still is pretty solid with their Transformer title, but I just with they didn't feel the need to mark their books a dollar higher than standard price. Nicer cover, sure, but there's no justification.

3) On my writing front I've slowly grinded back into writing, but due to sheer lack of time I haven't been able to make any real progress on any book. Maybe once some things work out I can give a better update solely on that topic...

Still alive!

Yes, I'm still alive. I've been sitting back reading other weblogs, but have not really taken the time to update my own. It's been well over a month and a lot has been going on. So much so I'll do what Kalinara does every one and a while and post things as bullet points.

Comics:

• Supergirl may finally be enjoayble for the quality rather than horidity. She is not fat. We are not being punished. Say hello to anatomy.
• Sinestro Corps is very enjoyable, much more so than Countdown is right now. I wish this to be the actual story of Kyle Rayner when it comes to continuity.
• I hope Countdown picks up speed soon.
• I am starting to really dislike Jimmy Olsen.
• I could care less right now about Donna Troy, Kyle Rayner, Jason Todd, and the Atom.
• I think the Atom is just tagging along for the ride, since he's only there to shrink the group.
• Monitors can't monitor every Monitor?
• Guess that's good and bad, since he's the one Monitor actually doing something. Sadly since they can't watch him none of the others can be inspired to leave the recap at the end of Countdown to act as well.
• Where are the rest of the Anti-Monitors?
• I do however get a kick out of the Trickster and Piper storyline. It's the only one I look forward to.
• Grant Morrison writes good Batman.
• Paul Dini writes great Detective.
• Filler writers are no where near either's quality.
• I'm sad that Conan is ending at 50.
• I'm happy it isn't cancelled. (just a name change/reboot)
• I am envious of Kalinara (and Ragnell) for attending Wizards in Chicago. I almost made it but had to pull out.

Life:

• Greatest Story Ever Told is not dead as was previously stated.
• I had a moment of genius, reworked it, and it does finally work.
• I have nearly 5 pages inked. Takes a while, but I feel good about it.
• My novels are sitting at about 140 pages, I think, splashed across 3 books.
• They are on hold, obviously, but will be finished eventually.
• Book 1 is nearly halfway finished.
• I have yet to hear back on job applications.
• I'm starting to shop around again for employment options.
• I'm not sure who to send my resume to when trying to apply for "Batman"

Tick-Tock.

Comics! - Finally!

Yes, I have comics and they have been read. Not many came out from my selections, but I figure some things are worth talking about. Here are a few reviews, now with bold!

OMAC #1 - OMAC Project was interesting enough for me to get into the current Checkmate ongoing series, which I really like right now. However, with time I have drifted away from the idea of OMAC, and I'll admit I sort of skipped over the story in Brave New World. Now the question is begged of what I thought of this issue.

Personally, I didn't feel much happened. A single OMAC still exists and Brother Eye apparently still exists, and OMAC is being called "home" by Eye. Despite the lack of progress the story really flowed well. I'm still curious about this mini, and I have a sneaking suspision they may turn OMAC into a sort of Robocop type character - driven by protocol, nearly unstopable to carry out the law, and torn by the human aspect when making descisions. 7.5/10

Detective Comics #821 - Paul Dini writing Batman is good. Finally a single solid issue. No arching plot. One fully contained mystery that gets resolved in classic Batman style. I love it. Not much else I can say about this issue, except that I would think it would be a great starting point for the new reader.

Two things about the issue I'm not too fond of. One is petty, the other is odd. First off, I think the cover art is odd due to the way the cowl is drawn on Batman. It looks like Batman has no neck and the eye holes are huge. The petty bit is the massive 8 page ad in the center for that Dew competition. It's absurd, and who in their right mind would really read the whole thing? I barely notice ads in comics because I want to read the story. I notice ads like those because I become frustrated not being able to switch back into reading mode. It's jarring and takes me out of the story, like an infomertial in the middle of a television show. Still, I guess they could get away with including something like that considering the story. 8/10

JSA #87 - I didn't even know the title was ending on this issue. The fact that it did is upsetting, mainly since it didn't feel like it needed to end. Characters were still missing, and there was no reason to end except that the brownstone was demolished in battle.

JLA dissolved because they couldn't make ammends with each other, they went their seperate ways to cool off. Breaking up - it's a good reason to end a title. JSA didn't break up, in fact it looked like they became closer knit - not a good reason to end a title. To me, it looks like they are rebooting the title becuase they are rebooting everything else. Can't a single group title survive Infinite Crisis? I mean, come on, there has to be some continuity between preIC and postIC, and why not the group of heroes who pretty much personify legacy?

Oh well, my biggest complaint was that the title ended in more of a pop-fizz than a bang. Gent Ghost felt in the end felt like a generic bad guy bent only acting like a villain-of-the-day. No extreme struggle in which lives were honestly threatened. Ghost threatened their lives, but they were never in real danger. Besides, Wildcat gets a real shining moment, and that was fun to read. 6/10

Transformers: Evolution#1: Hearts of Steel - Long title, but I like the concept of the title. Basically think of it as an ongoing Elseworld title based on Transformers. This first story arch puts them in the Industrial Revolution, with John Henry and Mark Twain. In the begining with the story background all the transformers are like dinosaurs and dragons and stuff. Later when they reawaken, Bumblebee turns into steam engine and shockwave appears as an ironclad ship. So far I'm really liking this title, because it is essentially extreme bizarro Transformers, and that is awesome. 9/10

Quickies!

52: Week Nine - It's not Galactus, and more Question! 7/10

Batman: Secrets #5 - I've really liked the insanity spun by this miniseries, and the ending is just as nicely twisted as the rest of the run. 8/10

Teen Titans #37 - Doom Patrol exposed, Kid Devil and Ravager are become pretty interesting, and I didn't especially enjoy the ending. 5/10

Supergirl #7 - Supergirl is manic, Powergirl is awesome, and once again the ending left me scratching my head in a bad way. 5.5/10

Secret Six #2 - I think I have to reread Villains United and the special, becuase I don't remember some of this, still, the plot is very nice and twisted. 7/10

Conan and the Songs of the Dead #1 - Most hardcore and potentially offensive issue of DH's Conan yet, and it still reads like classic Conan. Not for kids! 7.5/10

That's it for this week. I like this review style, so look forward to it being the standard now (allows me to focus on the issues I liked, as shoot through the rest of what I have read).

Comics and stuffs

FInally made it through the majority of Wed's pull. Been busy, but here's a few thoughts of selected issues.

52 - Seven weeks and still on schedule, and probably the best issue so far. Ralph is hardcore, and I like that. He seems to be taking the place of the serious "Batman" type character. Since I like Batman, I think that's why I'm liking Ralph. He's intense, he's smart, and he has a vengeful streak going. Booster's fun, but this was going to happen eventually. I don't think he deserved the thrashing he recieved from Ralph concerning Sue, but it will probably make Booster rethink his position a little.

Now the name 'Kate Kane' makes sense, instead of 'Kathy Kane.' As much as I like her in this little introduction, I can't help that her lesbianism maybe nothing more than an excuse to connect her to Renee. I don't mind this too much, becuase it would be a bit offensive to read her flaunting the fact for no reason (and living up to the sensationalism the media spun up). From this issue at least the character gets my approval, and I welcome her into the DCU. Maybe this will change when she takes up the mantle of the bat, but she's off to a good start.

Also, two things to mention quickly. Needs more Question. I like the fact that he has started this whole web of interconnection from the warehouse to Kate for Renee to uncover (and us). Second, is that Galactus chucking a spear at the Lost in Space party? Holy crap that was sudden, and confusing.

Shadowpact #2 - After my initial opinion of the first issue, the second issue has flipped my opinion. The group seems to be closer to their DoV time, though they are not quite there. The villains are a lot of fun as they interact with the Shadowpact, and I like them as they notice how similar the two groups are. I'm mostly enjoying the title now.

Flash #1 - I don't know a lot of the background of Flash, but I'm interested in the title as of this issue. It didn't feel as good as Wonder Woman #1, but I think that was because I don't know as much that is going on right now.

Conan #29 - Very fun issue. I'd think this may be a good jump in point for people who haven't read the series before. It's a new story arch with a few loose ends that look wrapped up, but Conan is very much in character. You can really see Mignola's influence, and it is lovely. In fact, most issues up to this point have felt thick like a real short story, but this issue felt like a quick read.

JSA Classified #13 - Good little battle of wills. Great conclusion. Savage is really the Hannibal Lector of the DCU it seems.

Comics!

Yeah, it's been a while since I actually typed about comics that came out shortly after they actually came out. I have excuses and no need to make them online. Here's what I thought about yesterday's pull.

52 is still going strong.

Robin 150
Hmmm...well this is crazy. Cassandra has gone off the deep end - or so they want us to think. Thanks Kal for calming my nerves before I read it. Yes, she spoiled it before I read it, but I'm a bit glad. I think I would have seriously lost a nerve if Cass really is crazy.

Green Arrow 62
Spoiler: Ollie beats the crap out of Deathstroke tactically, and calls in the national guard to arrest him. Very very fun to read.

Man-Bat 2
Issue 1 had my curiosity with the wiping of the history the character had. Now with issue 2 I have to say I'm a bit disappointed. The plot didn't advance at all, and the little it did became more twisted. My biggest disappointment? Black Mask is alive, having admitted to surviving Catwoman's point-blank shooting. They don't explain it, but he is alive and has no real point in the series aside from exposition.

Conan 28
Retelling an alternate view to a previous adventure, as a nice homage to Robert E Howard. The art didn't seem quite up to par with the rest of the series to this point, but it was a nice read.

Now, for the lengthy look at Shadowpact #1.

First of all, Day of Vengence was probably the most enjoyable of the preCrisis miniseries. I'm a fan of disfunctional groups who try to act heroic, when pulled off well. The group that gathered in DoV was great, and I wholely enjoyed their antics. Out of the miniseries I have to say I liked Blue Devil and Nightshade. Blue Devil seems to be a lot like Hellboy in action, and Nightshade is just really interesting to me. The showstealer, however, was Detective Chimp. When I read that the group was getting its own ongoing series I was happy - more disfunctional magical adventure!

Reading the first issue I have to admit it didn't have the bite I thought it would have. It opens one year ago for the setup with Superman, who apparently isn't bothered at all by Infinite Crisis which should be going on (becuase, well, after IC there is no Superman and the Shadowpact formed on the brink of IC). The pact themselves seem kinda bland, almost very accepting of each other. Teamwork is one thing, but where is the spice that made them so fun before?

Another thing - the villains are basically the anti-Shadowpact. Same powers, different colors and clothes, and they are evil. Hopefully there will be some good witty banter in the next issue then the groups finally fully enounter each other. I still have hope for the series, but it isn't off to a great start.

Comic Batch, part 1: Not-DC

Well, my comic haul today was larger than normal and hit me in my pocket a bit harder than usual. On the plus side, good stuff came out for the most part. Problem is that I'm a bit of a slow reader since I like looking at the art and analyzing it (can't help it, I'm an artist afterall). Instead of talking about everything after I finished reading, I thought I'd comment a little on the few things I've read. I'll start out with the titles I get outside the DC lineup.

Transformers: Infiltration #1 (IDW)
From the setup in #0 I was looking forward to this series as a potentially excellent story. Past series in the Transformers line have always been about the robots, with a few humans tossed in for the ride. The premise they have set up focuses more on the human element, which I'm willing to accept as something unique to the comic storyline.

The catch is, a human story in the Transformers universe is a tough act to perform, and will rely heavily on good writing. A heavier use of angles in the art to help portray scale will help, but the writing would be far more important. Issue 1 of this series, writing wise, is bland at best. The art is fairly good over all, not nearly as good as the Dreamwave run, but that is a hard act to follow.

I really want to like this comic, but so far it is pretty average. I like the limited cast, and predict it will help make the introduction of other important characters have that much more of an impact. Probably what bothers me the most about this series is that, through the writing it sets up that stuff has happened before, but the story begins as something entirely new. As an "old school" fan of the Transformers franchise I know the premise, I know the history, and I know the characters - and this is set up like a brand new franchise for those who have never encountered these robots in disguise before.

I just hope they limit the number of variant covers as the titles progresses, becuase four covers for the standard run with (I think) three incintives is a bit too many. Still, out of curiosity I'm on for the ride for this series, so here's hoping they pull something good off for all the hype they've built up.


Conan #24 (Darkhorse)
This will probably be the most controversial issue in a while for this series. The cover originally had a full nude woman on the front (which was "adjusted" for the "domestic" release, meaning they added a clothes). There was also a few panels of bare breasts. They were handled well (artistically speaking, in my opinion), so to all you feminists please don't fuss. I expect parent groups to cry foul, and the comic book defense league summoned on a few minor cases, however, thanks to the parents unaware that the comic isn't for kids (hence the occasional full disembowlment and decapitation scenes, aside from the whole "bloody" thing).

Story wise, it's a pretty standard story following the same thief-Conan arch from the last few story arches. Solid writing and art as much of what came before, though I've posted a while ago that this team (Busiek and Nord) won't be part of this title for much longer. This issue feels like filler, though it is a multi-issue story. This is how filler should be handled, since filler issues in Conan can be easily mistaken for real plot.

Comic shop didn't have the limited print nude cover, but they had a small order on the way. I put in my request for it, given that I have a thing for variant covers and that this comic is awesome.


Tomorrow I'll post my comments on the DC chunk of my gathering. I've read part of it so far, but it's just easier to lump publishers together. Downside, by the time I post about them, others would have already posted on them. Still, I have my own opinions, if anyone actually wanders through and reads them...stay tuned.

Comics and thoughts

Ok, here are my thoughts and comments about what came out last week. No particular order, except as how they were pulled from my folder...

Justice #3
The first two issues were really building an interesting premise, and this issue seems to be on the same track. I really like how most of the dialogue is still internal, and obviously I still love artwork. I'm not big on spoiling, but I'll say there are major events happening. It's annoying that Justice is bimonthly, but I guess that's the price of the realism in the art.

Infinite Crisis #3
Wow. The buildup is over and the real fireworks are begining. As frustrated I have become with the Batman side of the DCU, I love what he's doing in this line. Also, crazy stuff going on in the rest of the universe - I can almost hear people saying "I told you so" in one particular instance.

Batman: Journey into Knight #5
Originally I thought they were simply recycling the Contagion plot from way back, as more issues have come out it really feels like they are churning out a half-way original story. Batman in this series is one of the most human versions I've read in a long time - he talks a normal amount and gets in real harm's way to escape halfway by a knowledge of physics (even if they are a little skewed). Also, this miniseries seems well written, or at least a good amount of time has been spent on it. I'm really enjoying this series, thanks in part to the main titles feeling shoddy.

Batman: Gotham Knights #72
Finally a decent story in the main Batman titles. It's a single shot story that barely has an appearence of the caped crusader, mostly flashback and character drama. I enjoyed how it came across, though I do have a fondness for Batman - I don't know if everyone would enjoy it since the most action was Bruce getting slapped by an old woman.

I'm still new to the Green Lantern side of the DCU, so you can take these opinions with as little weight as you want. Much of what I know has been told by Kalinara, so you can imagine how that could be a little slanted. Still, I'm sure at least she is a little curious.

Green Lantern: Recharge #3
About time this showed up, could use a better cover too - Guy's face looks like a tomato and Kyle has huge teeth. Aside from those petty details the story is shaping up well. You can tell who are going to be the major players, and who will be teamed with who, and I think they are good match ups for now.

Green Lantern #3
Great how the gremlins are really aliens, and that German is an alien tongue (and Egyption). Didn't feel like a whole lot happened aside from the fight, though if anything important occured in the flashbacks I didn't catch it. Next issue may be more interesting, since this one flowed as more of an inbetween chunk of story. Also found it funny how everyone seemed to know who Hal was.

Okay, that's it for the DC chunk. I also pick up Darkhorse titles from time to time, and I regularly read Conan. I'm a sucker for sword and scorcery when it is well written and well illustrated - so here's my review of Conan #23...

Looks like Nord took a break from this issue, but the sketched art is still there with Ruth's own style - I don't know if Nord will return though. The afterward also said that Busiek will be leaving as script writer, who has given the series a strong narritive. I hope the comic doesn't suffer.

Essencially the entire issue is a massive flashback, with a flashback inside the flashback. Part of the story of Conan as a child, and is pretty straight forward in content. What really drives the story, and why I love the title, is the art. The comic is absolutely raw in its portrayal and energy.

The next issue's cover was previewed in Demons of Khitai #3 by accident, and I'll quickly touch on it simply becuase it is in my mind at the time. The cover featured full frontal nudity, which I hope is kept simply beucase it was a good work of art (and yes I consider it art, thanks to the context) - but I am afraid and sure it will no doubt be censored but cloth of some type. It will be sad to see if it is, but if they didn't I'm pretty sure comic shops and the publishers will get yelled at if it is put on the shelves that way.

Also worth noting, the Green Lantern: Rebirth graphic novel came out in hardback. That's it for (last) week's comics, in another few days I'll repeat this all over again...and maybe something of other interest will come around.