| Dave's Capsules for January 2015 [message #283257] |
Sat, 31 January 2015 17:31 |
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Dave's Comicbook Capsules Et Cetera
Intermittent Picks and Pans of Comics and Related Media
Standard Disclaimers: Please set appropriate followups. Recommendation does
not factor in price. Not all books will have arrived in your area this week.
An archive can be found on my homepage, http://www.eyrie.org/~dvandom/Rants
Getting my gall bladder removed over spring break. Yay.
Items of Note (strongly recommended or otherwise worthy): SHIELD #2
In this installment: Blink So Far TPB, Super Zombie Girl Stories, Q2:
the Return of Quantum & Woody #4 (of 5), Gold Digger #217-8, The Multiversity
Guidebook, Astro City #19, Deadpool's Art of War #4 (of 4), The Unbeatable
Squirrel Girl #1, Spider-Man 2099 #7-8, SHIELD #1-2, Transformers #37, My
Little Pony Friendship Forever #13, My Little Pony #27.
(Due to a combination of "almost no one ships the last week of December"
and picking up SHIELD #1 late, I have a bunch of double-ups this month.)
"Other Media" Capsules:
Things that are comics-related but not necessarily comics (i.e.
comics-based movies like Iron Man or Hulk), or that aren't going to be
available via comic shops (like comic pack-ins with DVDs) will go in this
section when I have any to mention. They may not be as timely as comic
reviews, especially if I decide to review novels that take me a week or two
(or ten) to get around to.
Nothing this time. I decided not to bother with the Aquaman nu52
animated movie, the commentary I was seeing from people who got it was not
promising.
Digital Content:
Unless I find a really compelling reason to do so, I won't be turning
this into a webcomic review column. Rather, stuff in this section will be
full books available for reading online or for download, usually for pay. I
will often be reading these things on my iPhone if it's at all possible.
Nothing this time. Having a convenient, reliable store does tend to cut
into my digital-only buying. Note, Atomic Robo is shifting to digital-first,
with new material starting up in May.
Trades:
Trade paperbacks, collections, graphic novels, pocket manga, whatever.
If it's bigger than a "floppy" it goes here.
Blink: So Far: Point Media - This is actually a few years old. I backed
the crowdfunding that launched this, and reviewed the Wonka Wonka Kochalka
story that I got from that, but the actual trade coming out coincided with my
unemployment, so it kinda fell off my radar. But when Max Ink did the
IndieGoGo campaign for Super Zombie Girl (see below), I pitched in at the
level that also got me a copy of Blink, so I could catch up.
Blink is a slice of life thing, a series of vignettes featuring a group
of friends in Columbus OH. The title character is an aspiring webcomic
artist who hasn't quit her day job, so writing what you know and all that.
Others in the circle are more into music or other arts. The tales are
generally fairly light in this volume, despite two of the main characters
being homeless, looking for small moments of friendship or beauty.
His site, MaxInkComix.com, is a bit on the un-updated side, but you can
also find him posting somewhat darker "artist's struggle with himself" comics
at thinklingscomic on Tumblr.
Recommended. $10.00 cover price.
Floppies:
No, I don't have any particular disdain for the monthlies, but they
*are* floppy, yes?
Super Zombie Girl Stories: Ribbit In Peace Press - Sort of a Blink
spin-off, and the conceit is that it was written and drawn by Blink herself,
although it was actualy written by Max Ink and drawn by Liz Valasco. The
IndieGoGo campaign around this was a "rent is due" thing...Max had printed up
a bunch of these in anticipation of slowly making his money back at cons and
stuff, but Life Happens. (In case you're wondering, it made goal and then
some.)
The bulk of this magazine-page-sized black and white comic involves the
title character helping a ghost try to find peace, your basic "creepy cute"
kidlit story. Then there's four sketchbook pages introduced by Blink, but
finally the fourth wall falls and there's a profile page for Max and Liz.
I think I'll pass this on to my nieces, I expect they'll enjoy it.
Recommended for younger readers, $5. (Although probably sold out now, thanks
to the IndieGoGo.)
Q2: The Return of Quantum & Woody #4 (of 5): Valiant - Well, Bright's
art gets a bit worse this issue, and his refusal to draw Woody 2 as anything
but a young version of Quantum 2 tends to make some of the flashbacks more
confusing than they need to be. (Mind you, the colorist shares some of the
blame, could've at least given the two different hair colors.) If #3 was
about things falling apart, #4 is about cover stories falling apart. But
while it has some good bits, it really doesn't read as well on its own as the
previous parts (the script was written as a GN, the fact that it could be
split into five issues without totally falling apart is a sign of good
writing, but this is one place where it's not enough). Mildly recommended.
$3.99
Gold Digger #217: Antarctic Press - And thus, the latest Ace vs. Roxy
duel comes to an end, an end never really in doubt. Where this issue gets
its dramatic tension is from Trixie, Roxy's big sister. Gold Digger has been
following the usual anime trope of "former enemies eventually become allies"
(something we're reminded of in #218), but Trixie seems set on subverting
that trope. Where last issue it was still kind of up in the air if she'd
really make a face turn, it's made QUITE clear that she's faking it. A face
turn is not out of the question down the road, but it's certainly not in the
cards in the short term. Recommended. $3.99
Gold Digger #218: Antarctic Press - And with the Honeymoon in Venice arc
over, it's time for a done-in-one (which nonetheless has ties to #217). At
first blush, this feels like Perry had an idea for messing with some C-lister
supporting characters, so went ahead with it without any firm plans for it
making a difference down the road. :) Of course, as often happens in this
title, the plot twist is spoilered by the cover. Mildly recommended. $3.99
The Multiversity Guidebook #1: DC - Okay, I'm a sucker for guidebooks.
I'm a bit annoyed that the big mappa mundi splashpage is messed up by sloppy
production values (misaligned pages, so the halves are offset and some
content is lost in the fold). There's also a storyline in here, so only
about half the pages are actual guidebook. My main impression from this,
though, is that DC is almost definitely going to be rebooting soon. Only 7
of the 52 Earths are left undefined, and a lot of them are one-off Elseworlds
or even parodies (like the one that's a riff on Image and Supreme). Why such
a rush to fill in all the potential worlds that could be used later? While
some have suggested DC is just letting Grant Morrison do whatever he feels
like because he's Grant Morrison, I still think it's a sign that they're no
longer worried how things get damaged, because a reboot is coming. (And
probably a half-assed reboot that once again preserves a bunch of stuff while
erasing others and making it unclear for a while what can be trusted.)
Otherwise, it's an interesting read, in "detailed examaination of the
train wreck" way. And I am amused that where Yale Stewart got a C&D for
"Little League," a nearly identical concept here uses the name. Mildly
recommended, $7.99.
Astro City #19: DC/Vertigo - Quarrel's backstory continues, from her
debut as a costumed vigilante up through an important turning point in both
that career and her relationship with Crackerjack. There was one bit that
invoked time travel, but I kinda wish it hadn't...because the alternative
would have been to give her cirminal father a bit more depth. Still, despite
occasionally lapsing into excessive narration, it does a good job of
establishing why Quarrel puts up with Crackerjack. Recommended. $3.99
Deadpool's Art of War #4 (of 4): Marvel - And things wrap up, ending
with a jab at the publishing industry (well, another one), and an indication
that this might have been planned as a GN rather than a miniseries. Or maybe
it'll just be a GN in the Earth-616 version. Fun and educational, if a bit
bloody. Recommended. $3.99
The Unbeatable Squirrel Girl #1: Marvel - I like Squirrel Girl. I like
other stuff by Ryan North. But this comic didn't really click for me. I
suppose part of it is that North rushes to wallow in superhero cliches like
"I need to get a secret identity!" which I've seen done quite a lot over the
decades. It's not that there's no humor potential there, just that it's been
kinda wrung out for me. And while the footnotes were a nice touch, could
they please be in slightly darker colors? This isn't hovertext I can make
more readable by cursoring over it, it's tiny type in light brown on white
gutters. Mildly recommended. $3.99
Spider-Man 2099 #7-8: Marvel - These I'll clump together, because
they're an extended Spider-Verse crossover bit. Spider-Verse has so
thoroughly displaced this book's own plots that one subplot had to be
exported to X-Factor. Basically, while other Spider totems are running
around fighting and fleeing and stuff, Spider-Man 2099 and Lady Spider are in
2099 (which shouldn't exist because of the time travel reasons that brought
Mig to the present in the first place, oh well) doing science. Well, they go
back to her home reality for more science in #8, so they're doing science
across realities. Unfortunately, since this is a crossover tie-in, the
results of all this science will be seen elsewhere, and at most get some
flashback panels in this book. Mildly recommended. $3.99 each.
SHIELD #1: Marvel - While a straight adaptation of the SHIELD TV show
wouldn't fit into the Earth-616 version, Mark Waid puts together the next
best thing, focusing on Coulson and many of the show regulars. Right off the
bat, it establishes that Coulson's strategic role is that of OverGeek,
knowing everything about every super, so as to better call in the best
possible reinforcements, etc. Nice big gollywhomper battle against darkness,
and Coulson engineering victory by being smarter than the bad guys.
Recommended. $4.99 (oversized issue).
SHIELD #2: Marvel - No issue of Ms. Marvel this month, but having her in
SHIELD is the next best thing. Geek-off with Coulson! Also, Humberto Ramos
paired with Waid. The only downside is that Coulson doesn't really strike me
as the kind to use textspeak. He'd have made sure his phone expands things
into proper words. Strongly recommended. $3.99
Transformers #37: IDW - I'm starting to agree with the "enough with
Prowl whipsawing back and forth" sentiment. When Galvatron's claims seem to
have validity, you know you're in trouble. The good part of the issue,
though, was showing that Arcee can go toe-to-toe with Galvatron and fight him
to a standstill. Otherwise, it's ticking forward to the start of the
Combiner Wars, doing a competent but not brilliant job. Mildly recommended.
$3.99
My Little Pony Friends Forever #13: IDW - Rarity and Babs Seed. Whitley
and Garbowska spend most of the issue having Rarity being her usual somewhat
oblivious self, trying to show Babs the world of high fashion and how
wonderful it is, before learning that it can't be a one-way street, etc. A
few good sight gags, but otherwise a pretty weak story. Very mildly
recommended. $3.99
My Little Pony Friendship is Magic #27: IDW - Another two-parter from
Cook and Price. The Everfree Forest is invading again, but this time it's
not the marauder vines, just regular flora and fauna. By the end of the
issue it's pretty firmly in Lorax territory, with Cook pushing the modern end
of the elements used in Equestria (which is normally more Victorian in the
cities and Mythical Small Town America of the same era out in the sticks). I
suppose there's precedent in canon for minotaurs (who are involved here)
being closer to modern humans in their outlook and social structures. In the
middle, I am amazed Cook resisted the temptation to make explicit an implied
heart/hart pun. That's a lot of self-control, there. (Deer in the Everfree
are very much Tolkein-style elves, including their architecture that feels
cribbed out of Lord of the Rings Online's Caras Galadhel.) Recommended.
$3.99
Dave Van Domelen, "The things kids do for MONEY these days, right? When
I was a boy, I sold GRIT." "What's Grit?" "A newspaper. For farmers."
"How OLD are you?" - Agent Coulson and Ms. Marvel, SHIELD #2
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