It's been a month now...

...since I've posted here. What's new? Well, I've been sick this week - on top of fatigue and exhaustion from work. I haven't been getting much done lately, and have barely written 2 pages on my novel.

Yes, I have been reading comics, and wondering if DC has noticed a slip in the quality of their print. The main titles barely stick to schedules, and the side titles are very average at best. I'm put off from Batman thanks to that Grotesk storyline and confedential fels very cookie-cutter and I dislike the art in it. Manhunter's been recanceled, Green Lantern and Wonder Woman might come out in a month. Where's Action Comics? Is Legends of the Dark Knight really ending?

Spawn wasn't too great this past week either, retconning in a craptastic reason why Al can't go home after remaking the world at his command.

Don't even get me started on Marvel...

Maybe I'm just in a bad mood, but seriously, things are not looking too bright this year. There's possible hope for Cassandra Cain, but with some of the choices DC's made recently have not reflected too well.

Finally a return to reviewing comics

Figures my 100th post would be something as mundane as this, but I have a (new) idea as to get myself to review comics more often (as in, weekly). Three for one! Three shortish reviews of those I felt were good this week, and one I felt wasn't so good. Here goes nothing...

1) Justice Society of America #1
Figures this would be listed in any case, but from my pull I liked it the most. I've waited a while for this thing, and I have to say I really enjoyed this first issue. From this point on I think there is a lot of potential goodness, and I just hope things get carried through in that way.

Mr. America felt like a curveball. To me he looks like Gomez Addams, but wow does he not act like him. I like the little mustache he has, but I'm more wondering where his story will go. Of all the side stories that tie in together, his was the most loose.

I got a kick out of the new Red Tornado and think she'll be fun in that innocent fangirlish way. However, I have a feeling something bad will happen to her - that's just how those characters usually end up. I hope differently though.

The new Starman also was a fun bit to read, but I think my affection for the character is for the same reason I like Bizarro. Not exactly a good thing for a hero to be connected with, but time will tell.
9.5/10

2) Detective Comics #826
This issue was a fun quick read. Quick, because it flowed so well off the paper. Fun, because the Joker goes on a killing spree trying to call the cops to report his hit and runs while he is trying to get to a fastfood place for an eggnog shake. I mean, come on. This is the kind of issue I bet Chris Sims would love to read. I know I did.

Besides, Batman doesn't appear till the very end. It is all Robin and Joker action, and the kid defeats the Joker in a classic move...
9/10

3) Manhunter #26
About time Manhunter returned to the shelves. There is a lot of flashing forward and backward to tie it directly into the "last" issue, but it does work in the end. This is a pretty good setup to what I can pretty well imagine will be only a miniseries of sorts, to check how the sales go for the title. Here's hoping that this issue, tied in with the graphic novel collection of issues 1-5, will make DC think about keeping this thing being printed.

I was really close to sticking Nightwing #127 in this spot, but I felt Manhunter had the small advantage due to my excitement of having it available again. Nightwing was really good this issue around, but the last few issues have all been quality (finally), so there wasn't so much new there. Manhunter had plot and action, and development of the whole story, and besides - her title technically shouldn't be as popular as it is making it all the more great of a comic to be published.
8/10

?) 52 Week Thirty-One
It may just be me, but I think the edge is slowly becoming dull with 52. Maybe they just are not following the arches I like in this issue, but for the first time I found it a little hard to read this issue. I don't really know much about the Captain Comet arch, but his whole story in this issue felt like it was ripped right out of Chronicles of Riddick. I'm sorry, but as one of the few people that enjoyed that movie I have to say this: to rip of that movie in a title as "important" as this comic is degrading to the title.
3/10

Comics - Aug 2006, week 3!

Figured I should go back to talking about comics at some point, and I'm a little off track from the last few weeks.

Catwoman #58 - Check out that cover. They went from an awesome Lone Wolf and Cub homage to this sexed-up Wheel of Fortune mess. I'm fairly impartial to Zatanna - I don't mind her in a story, but usually she seems very much like a background character. That cover puts her up front, and her costume looks several sizes too small. After a string of great covers, this one is such a miss.

Enough about the cover. The story is a good cap to the recent plot arch. Zatanna still feels like a background character despite her importance to the issue, but it is probably her reluctance to do anything seriously dangerous to fulfill Selina's request. I like how Angle Man retells his past, and how it shows how he has slipped into a low rate villain. Also, Black Mask is dead according to this comic, and not alive as shown in the Man-Bat miniseries (guess which one I am thinking is canon).

The best part, in my opinion, is the way Film Freak 'confesses' his crimes. Not how he interprets the command as crimes against cinema, but the freaking amazing Psycho homage. That made my week. 8.5/10

Street Fighter Legends: Sakura #1 - This came out of nowhere, but it did do for my fix of Street Fighter this month as I wait anxiously for the title to catch up on its release dates.

Firstly, Sakura isn't my favorite character from the series. Despite that, I do know she has the ability to be a fun connection to multiple characters in the franchise - as shown in this issue. She's an upbeat character, and always has been. This issue is fun.

If that isn't enough: This issue has Dan Hibiki and Rainbow Mika. Zangief also towers over everything he's around, but is relegated to comic relief. It also is stuffed with inside jokes and game references. The only thing that set me off a little in this issue was the hyperness of Sakura. I can't blame the writer for that, it's in character. I eagerly look forward to the next issue. 9/10

Manhunter #25 - I'm so glad this isn't the last of Manhunter, but we have to wait till December for more. I wonder if it will just come back as a group of miniseries to be sold whenever. I hope not, but whatever happens happens.

I was really curious as to how they were going to wrap up the Sweeny Todd story line. They built him up to be overly powerful, but they was he was taken out makes comic book sense. Things seemed to wrap up nicely in this issue, and could have easily been accepted as an ending to the title. I especially liked the twist at the very end. 7.5/10

Nightwing #123 - I was surprised with this issue. With the load of crap that has been released recently, this issue was rather decent. Relatively decent, of course. There were still many moments where it was rough, such as my dislike of the two brothers. Speaking of which, why did one of them suddenly develop a temper? Oh well, Dan Didio said things will turn around starting with #125.

What I did like seeing in this issue was Dick finally talking about what happened between him and Barbara way back when he broke things off with her. I thought that little moment of angst was handled well, all things considered. 5.5/10

Shadowpact #4 - Stand alone issue with Blue Devil? I'm game, and it read well. I really lied the two demons speaking in a way to make themselves sound superior, and them taking care of the dragon thing for Blue. 7/10

Poor Booster. He deserved better, but at least he went out with a bang.

Li'l Update

Small update, becuase this week is Hell week for me. I'm in crash mode working on my portfolio to try to complete it to a good point to show off. I'm in average shape right now, but my eyes are starting to bother me from looking at the paper and glancing around as people purposfully distract me.

Anyway, I took a little time out the other day and read an issue of Manhunter. Long story short, curiosity set in last Wed and I stole an issue out of someone's subscription lot. The shop only gets enough issues in to fill subscriptions, and I arrived in time before they were completely filled.

How did I like the issue? Well, I should say first that not only did I pick up the newest issue, but also picked up the few random issues they had laying around unpurchased. I figured I should grab any issues I had available to catch up on the character. I'll circle back to the original question. I'm not really sure what was going on, but it did feel like a solid issue. I hope the rest of the title reads like that issue, because I'm a reader for now.

I may not get around to reading much of this Wed pull and likely won't post about any of them, but I will try to provide Con coverage - and try to take photos.