Author Archives: Phil

About Phil

With 40 years of experience in comic reading, collecting and reviewing, English Professor Phil Mateer has an encyclopedic mind for comics. Feel free to ask Phil about storylines, characters, artists or for that matter, any comic book trivia. He will post your questions and answers on the AABC blog. His knowledge is unparalleled! He is also our warehouse manager, so if you are looking for that hard to find comic book, ask Phil!

Phil’s Reviews — Stuff I Bought #175

Scott Pilgrim’s Finest Hour — Writer/Artist: Bryan Lee O’Malley Yes, it’s a satisfying conclusion, and a cultural phenomenon, and about to be a movie — but don’t read this volume if you’ve never heard of it until now: it’s the sixth and last book of a series. Go get Scott Pilgrim #1, start there, and work up to the end. That way, you’ll get to see O’Malley develop over the six years it took to create this story (there’s a noticeable leap in storytelling ability with each of the first five books), and you’ll get to know and care for … Continue reading

Posted in New Comics, Reviews | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

It Came From the Back Room #1

So, as Dan mentioned last week, we’re changing up some of the columns here at AABC.  Mostly, the whole “Stuff I Read and Put Back” deal was, after three years, getting old — too many mediocre comics, without much to say about them. Better to have one set of “new” reviews each week, and concentrate on the good stuff, while saving the mockery for just the two or three books bad enough to deserve it. That only accounts for one column a week, though. What to do for another? Well, as most of you know, my function at the store … Continue reading

Posted in Comics History, News and Events, Reviews | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

Phil’s Reviews — Stuff I Bought #174

Lots and lots of books worth buying this week, kids, so don’t expect more than a sentence or two each on the later ones — and let’s get started: Casanova #1 — Writer: Matt Fraction;  Art: Gabriel Ba (plus a back-up story by Fabio Moon) The lead story’s four years old, but it was originally a 16-page, monocolored comic; now it’s been remastered (meaning recolored and relettered), with a backup story by Moon added, making it worthwhile even if you’re one of the few people who have the originals. It’s a superspy romp with tons of narrative tricks (Fraction lists … Continue reading

Posted in New Comics, Reviews | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Phil’s Reviews — Stuff I Read and Put Back #174

Shadowland #1 (of 5) — Writer: Andy Diggle;  Pencils: Billy Tan;  Inks: Batt This is the kickoff to yet another crossover event, one stretching over the next five months, although the only regular titles involved seem to be Daredevil and Thunderbolts (depressingly, there will be 18 “extra” books with “Shadowland” in the title that readers will be expected to buy too). It looks like a “Dark DD” riff, sort of like DC’s Arsenal (but, sadly, without any dead-cat weapons or heroin use), involving DD, who’s now the leader of the Hand (don’t ask) against most of the NYC heroes, like … Continue reading

Posted in New Comics, Reviews | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Phil’s Reviews — Stuff I Bought #173

Batman: The Return of Bruce Wayne #3 (of 6) — Writer: Grant Morrison;  Pencils: Yanick Paquette;  Inks: Michel Lacombe Joe the Barbarian #6 ( of 8 ) — Writer: Grant Morrison;  Art: Sean Murphy Two from Morrison this week: B:ROBW, after what felt like a shaky beginning, has been getting better and better, as Our Hero time-hops closer and closer to the present, but his eventual revival may be part of a Darkseid uber-plot. Little of that’s covered this issue, though; instead, we get pirates, including Blackbeard and DC’s own Black Pirate. Yarrr!  Morrison’s clearly having fun with it, while … Continue reading

Posted in New Comics, Reviews | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment