This morning's post is a long(ish) one about new(ish) comics. Two weeks ago, I went to a comic mart in the spooky Panopticon Music Hall, a name that has added connotations for Dr. Who fans. My friend David Steel was manning a stall and had picked up some FCBD freebies for me in May.
Spider-Man Season One: I get great amusement out of the name Cullen Bunn since it sounds like "currant bun". The writer appears to be on the verge of big things in comics. This movie-friendly sampler retells the origin of Spider-Man but is there really anyone in the world who doesn't know it by now? Neil Edwards' Peter Parker does actually look like a kid but nothing like Andrew Garfield. I do like the spindly Spidey on the cover but it all seems tired and tame and this "season" nonsense, out of the context of tv, is pretentious and irritating.
Avengers: Age of Ultron: this of course, is a reprint of last year's Point One issue, which was an out-of-sequence sequel to Moon Knight. Bryan Hitch's pencils are moody and cinematic but the "nose" on Wolverine's mask is hilarious. The villains seem a bit out of character (Bendis!) but there's a cameo of a Spaceknight from Rom. However, yet again, a superheroine is victimised (Bendis!!)
Superman Family Adventures/Green Lantern/Young Justice: This was fun: it was a treat to see the old 70s logo again and the Baltazar/Franco team caught the essential Supes in five pages.They almost made me like the Jim Lee super-suit. I was delighted to see Silver Age villain Myrwhydden and I'd now give Young Justice a try.
The New 52: this promotional pamplet felt very 90s and inaccessible to newcomers.. It opens with a vignette featuring the Trinity of Sin: Pandora,a version of the Question and the Phantom Stranger whom, it's implied, is Judas Iscariot (!) The USP is a fold-out centrespread highlighting The Trinity War, featuring characters from last year's promotional artwork: Mera, Deadman, Hawkman, Atom and the new Element Woman. Is Shazam wearing Black Adam's costume? Has Firestorm been replaced by Vibe?!
The other books I bought in town were:
Action: a mundane story derived from The Most Dangerous Game aka The Hounds of Zaroff. The plot revolves around the super-hunter Nimrod attempting to assassinate Superman, which enables Clark Kent to stage his own "death". There is a subplot, of all things, featuring a hooded villain I don't recognise and a reference to Gregory Reed, the Earth-1 actor who plays Superman in the movies (in 70s Superman comics).
Batman Inc: the first issue of the second "season" (ha!) also features a gunsight motif-cover and a killer based on a Bill Hicks riff. How very contemporary. I blow hot and cold over this series. Sometimes, it's incoherent; other times, very entertaining. This issue is sensationalist with gratuitous imagery of cannibalism and features a dumb joke about Bat-Cow. Morrison also restores the Outsiders' Batcave West and references his Zarov/Nimrod. The question is: would an OBE really kill off a child (another Robin, a character recognised worldwide) just to thrill his jaded adult audience?
Justice League : I wish I enjoyed this book's main feature but as is often the case, Johns' writing is gloomy and sadistic. I am intrigued by the Shazam back-up however. The League's line-up is close to one I want to read about but I'd lose Aquaman and Cyborg for August General in Iron and Batwoman or Knight and Squire. I'm surprised to say I'd like Starman Mikaal and Congorilla back.
Wolverine & the X-Men: Nick Bradshaw gives an appealing "comic-booky" look to an issue which is full of cameos of the Avengers and the X-Men. I do like Logan's mission statement: " I ain't the guy who kills kids. I'm the guy who saves them." Making him headmaster was a touch of genius.
New Avengers: Another beautiful issue tying the Phoenix into Iron Fist's home, K'un-Lun and guest-starring Leonardo Da Vinci. Seriously short on actual Avenging, this could be a Danny Rand comic.
Avengers: A cartoony, cosmic issue in which Thor fights the Phoenix but gain, rather light on story. I'm getting the impression that Protector (the former Marvel Boy) is a Red Shirt in this storyline. Simonson draws Captain Britain in about half a dozen panels; I wish he drew every issue.
One of a Legion of Fantastic Byrne covers...
Trio: the second issue of John Byrne's super-hero title is ,again, an entertaining vanilla book with a strong sense of deja vu. The monsters and spaceships recall Namor and Doom Patrol but I suppose that's what we're buying it for.
David Steel also recommended issue 2 of Earth-2. It opens with the recently-cancelled Mr. Terrific ( I suppose not enough people want to read about a hyper-intelligent black man). He has an ominous encounter with Terry Sloan (maybe the new Thinker?). Meanwhile, Jay Garrick is imbued with speed by a dying god, gets a fussy new costume and is confronted by a new Hawkgirl.
We also revisit big gay Alan Scott, the "controversial" character and his fey boyfriend who I expect will be killed in the train accident that creates The Green Lantern. I've said before I don't think a superhero's "sexuality" is of any significance but I also don't think it's very daring to make this "statement" with a minor character who's on a parallel Earth, written by a straight, married writer. It's really about as progressive as Gerry Conway's Women's Libbers Power Girl and Ms. Marvel thirty-five years ago.
Sorry David, I'm not that keen so far. I'd have preferred a JSA title featuring the more unique characters, rather than the counterparts: Dr. Fate, Wildcat, Stargirl, Huntress, etc. However, a cameo boxing bout between Grant and Montez might foreshadow the return of Yolanda Montez, the female Wildcat. I rather hope so.
Next: When Stargrave Strikes
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