Maybe I’m just in a better mood than I have been in awhile? Maybe I’ve refined my comic purchases to only the best and brightest? Either way, this was an enjoyable week in comics all-told. Let’s get to the reviewin’ while I have a hot minute.
Countdown #1
What is left to say about Countdown that hasn’t already been said about the War in Iraq?
‘Nuff said.
*
Birds of Prey #117
An open letter to Sean McKeever: Please stay on this title.
I know it’s too late, but that’s my vote.
You made your choice to back Teen Titans, and I can only hope you’re right. So far, I have enjoyed your run on BoP significantly more than your Titans work. Plus you said you had long term plans for BoP in public, whereas I’ve heard no such plans for Titans.
If dropping one means the other will improve than I find it hard to deny you—I was just in a similar position and it hurts either way—but I’m sad to say I’m only an issue away from dropping Titans and Bedard did not impress me in his last outing on BoP.
This however was laugh-out-loud awesome:
“All of Barb’s emotional abuse finally pays off!”
The framing here is really inspired while acting as the requisite rock’n’roll moment. Truly this is a great pay-off in so many ways. If you insist on staying on Titans, can you have a few of these sooner than later?
“Then I’ma join a totalitarian version of the
Teen Titans and help Luthor rule the world!”
I’m just saying.
(sigh).
Checkmate #25
Wow.
Amazingly awestacular series finale! That’s right, the last issue ever.
Shame this underappreciated series dedicated to delivering kidney-punching rawesome (raw+awesome) has to come to an end at all. But there it is; as endings go, this one was pretty great.
Do yourself a favor and do not spoil this issue for yourself. It is perhaps the most shocking ending I have ever read. Yeah, ever. That’s what I said.
It’s a little slice of comics genius and I’m sad it’s all over.
Forever and ever.
(sigh).
Fucking Bruce Jones.
Death of the New Gods #8
AKA:
Even Superman is sad Checkmate is over.
This issue was pretty much awful.
I blame that on being robbed of the dignity of its ending and pushing that duty to the completely lackluster Countdown. Leaving too many pages to fill sans payoff: It’s an entire issue of Kirby-babble, over-the-top (to the point of incomprehensible) action and Superman getting knocked unconscious… a LOT.
“So this is what it feels like to be Hal Jordan.”
Seriously guys, I would mind less that you’re naming yourselves executors of DC-Kirby’s Last Will and Testament if you at least gave him a true memorial.
Instead it’s like I have to leave the memorial to go to a wake thrown by some High-School Kids who never met the man.
(sigh).
Justice League of America #20
Finally, an issue of JLA that rivaled an issue of JLU.
Wow, if only McDuffie was allowed to just write the JLA. We’d get more cool issues like this.
Too bad McDuffie will be drug into more crossover nonsense, like, immediately.
(sigh).
Well, we’ll always have Rosedale Arch:
“He then suggested Bart.”
“Jesus.”
Mighty Avengers #12
Best moment herein?
Nick Fury’s meeting with Maria Hill. I’m really hoping that gets called back. Maria really deserves a rock’n’roll moment.
“One of these days someone is gonna find your off button, Stark.
And when they do, I’m turning your pacemaker into my coffee machine.
Marty’s Pick of the Week
Wolverine: First Class
Wait a second… did Marty actually buy a book with Wolverine in it?
That advertised it had Wolverine in it?!
Where Wolverine featured in the title?
And it was the best book he read this week?!
Actually, it was the best two books I read this week—I caught up with issue one and two at the same time. I actually feel bad for the poor chumps who buy this book thinking it’s about Wolverine.
To dust off my best Claremontian pun: It’s all a matter of Pryde, people.
“You sure? I could be possessed by your demon-possessed ninja master, cut my hair and you could chase me around Japan?”
It’s unbe-frickin-lievably adorable and really takes me back. Remember when I was saying there was a time when Wolverine was almost a believable character? Yeah, it takes me back to then.
And it’s great.
“B-but, we have cake… and hats.”
(SIGH!)
*Alright, I got one thing to say: It’s worth mentioning that of the team with hubris enough to assign themselves as Monitor monitors: Donna is the only one of them who has a case to be there. That arguably has been her job this whole time. Am I seriously the only one who knows who Donna Troy is?
That’s my comics story and I’m sticking to it.
