Yeah, they basically change with whatever I’m into at the moment, and I’ll admit I don’t usually review things unless for something else (ahem, WILDsound those eons ago), but god damn it, it’s new comics.
AND I LOVE ME SOME NEW COMICS.
Might do some more movie/television/book reviews. Like always, read this blog with a grain of salt. Except for what’s below. Follow it to the letter.
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Every Wednesday in North America, in comic book stores everywhere, is comics release day. Like how movies are usually released on Fridays, comics have a particular day that publishers send their books out to stores to go on sale.
This Wednesday, out of the dozen or so comics that DC Comics released, I only got three (but now I definitely plan to get more). I’ll just cut to the chase. DC is re-launching 52 of their comic books this September with all-new Issue Ones.
Some big names released today, but I went on the fringes and got some that I always wanted to get into—which is the real point of this entire initiative.
BATGIRL #1
One of the two Batman titles releasing today, I decided to pick this one up because I’ve always wanted to see Gail Simone’s work on other titles like pre-launch Secret Six.
I never got around to it, which I regret, but the re-launch gives me a chance to sample some of her writing, which I’ll admit doesn’t astound me like it’s hyped up to be given what I see on forums, but it’s definitely up there on quality.
The internal dialogue is a big hitter with this one.
If you get comics and read them frequently, you realize how important internal dialogue is to characterization, especially in a solo title. Gail knows how to write women, and I don’t think it’s solely because she’s one of the rare lead writers that is female, I just think she gets the character of Batgirl. ‘Getting’ a character is a loaded term, but it’s a necessity for a writer to engage with the story they’re telling. And that’s happening in this one.
Barbara Gordon, aka. Batgirl, has been paralyzed for three years, as the continuity regarding her wheelchair escapades has been kept. Controversy prior to launch day regarding how her miraculous recovery has swept the web, and the big question—probably the final say on whether this issue one is worth it, is how Simone writes it (or ignores it) in the book.
I want you to read it for yourself, but if you’re a new reader, you need not worry, the information of her past is front and centre, and well composed into her characterization, visually and narratively. The best part is, if you’re familiar with Barbara Gordon, it’s even better. Really intuitive way to keep her grounded in who she is, combined with essentially a completey new identity with his relaunch.
It was a good taste for me into Barbara Gordon as a character. She was done right in this issue. On the fence for a monthly pick-up, but a good start. And Simone leaves nothing under the table, which is expected of a writer of her capacity.
Check it out.
Forgot all about art; I’m writing this on a whim. Ardian Syaf makes it action-packed, poppy, and clean. Easy on the eyes, like it should be.
SWAMP THING #1
Been following this one closely since it was announced, and pretty hyped. The comics master/completely senile old man that is Alan Moore gave the green giant comic book fame, and the decision to re-launch him with Supes, Bats, and the rest, is a respectable decision (one Moore is cranky as usual about). Gives me a chance to finally get into Swamp Thing; again—something I’ve always wanted to do, that this re-launch lets me do.
I won’t summarize it for you, but basically it revolves around a botanist who died developing a flora-saving compound, and resurrected as a creature composed of plant matter with sentient thought, and the memories of this man. That was before this rewriting of origins. What struck me is that this starts off with Alec Holland, the man instead of the creature, and focuses on him in detail. The decision to bring Holland back to Swamp Thing stories (he was absent for most runs of prelaunch Swamp Thing) was a nice turn. It represents a true retracing of steps back to the core of the comic character and its mythology.
This is a comic that’s dialogue-heavy, but has a nice cameo interaction that, I think, connects it closely to the entire new DC Universe within these 52 comics. Really nice to see that Swamp Thing’s importance is represented in these interactions with big name characters.
This is all thanks to Scott Snyder, responsible for American Vampire—an award-winning series. In interviews he’s cited Moore’s run on the comic as a big influence, and if I read Alan Moore’s run (sadface), I bet I’d agree. The dialogue, while heavy, gives a lot of presence to Holland as a character, plus its exposition was a treat, since I never really understand what’s behind Swamp Thing—that’s a new reader standpoint.
From the art, I can gather the ‘dark’ side of the new DC pretty well from Yanick Paquette’s artwork. To me, I get a sense of the range of artistic styles throughout all these artists working on the 52 books. The villain reveal is a real treat, I can say its definitely dark, and quite literally, twisted visuals. It balances out with clean and bright colours, but when it does go deep into the supernatural, it delivers.
Not really any negatives, since I’m treading new territory, and it’s engaged me on a level that makes me really want to see where Alec Holland and his troubles with chlorokinesis go. Snyder immerses me with the dialogue, and Paquette drags me into the world with those swell visuals. Could definitely be a monthly pick-up.
Check it out.
ANIMAL MAN #1
Animal Man is one the other ‘Dark’ line of titles coming out of the new DC. And damn, did it hook me on this line. Probably the most hyped ‘fringe’-style book on the web, it did not disappoint anywhere, I don’t think.
Jeff Lemire is some new talent, coming straight out of Toronto for one thing, and his Sweet Tooth project, I hear is worth the endless reads. When it comes to Animal Man, shot from C-list status into the DC front-line by writer superstar Grant Morrison in the 80's, I had a feeling from the news and previews that Lemire was going to take this book to some crazy places, much like many think of the prelaunch Buddy Baker and his numerous adventures.
Within the first three pages, I was seeing some quality writing, and some striking, unique artwork by Travel Foreman. The way it starts out too, is unconventional to say the least, but for an Animal Man new reader, it worked very well. I’ll let you read for yourself when you pick it up, but it perfectly summarizes what I need to know in order to get with this book, and it did it in a way that seamlessly blends into the narrative. It engaged me right off the bat, and I got to know this character in one page.
From there, it’s easy pickings for Lemire. He knows Buddy Baker, and his writing shows it. It was naturalistic dialogue coming into my head easily, and by the time the action starts, the artwork by Foreman signifies a narrative change that the writing almost has to catch up with—like the naturalistic feel is leaving Buddy Baker’s life at that moment, and he as to deal with something pretty unnatural by the middle of the issue. You can clearly see it in the intricacies and technical details of Foreman’s art.
By far, this is my favourite of the three. If not only that it’s unlike any other superhero comic I’ve read in a while, it combines generic elements from horror and fantasy and just crazy stuff that’s even outside a cape comic’s norms—and that’s saying a lot—but it’s what you’d expect from the 'Dark’ titles of the New DC.
And that villain reveal, it gave me chills. Foreman’s artwork shines most here. Lemire’s carried the character the whole way, and plops him right in front of some twisted shit that puts the cherry on top. And the ending is like putting another cherry on top.
That’s two cherries. It caught me from the start, and dragged me into a story that I don’t think I can get out of. You start feeling a little of what Buddy Baker might be, and it gave me goosebumps. I hope it gives you some too. This is alternative/counter-culture/’contemporary-style’ comics given a new spotlight. Morrison should shake Jeff Lemire’s hand, because this comic is in good hands.
Definitely going to be following this awesome comic book. Check it out.
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Alright, that’s it for now. Three comics that were definitely worth picking up, which is a good thing because it lessens the blow of the cash I freely give to the comic book overlords. Not an addiction people, creative resource.
If I had bad reviews on a comic, then I’d regret buying them. And that sucks. So they’ll probably be good reviews. Sorry for the lack of variety.
Go to your local comic book store and ask about DC’s The New 52. Hell, ask about what’s happening with Marvel if you feel so inclined. And guess what, you can buy them online, and read them on your computer. No creepy fat guys accosting you.
Just buy some damn comics—the ones above, or any others that catch your eye.
Happy hunting.
[no, there probably won’t be posts about not-comics for a while.]
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