New Comics

Booster Gold #1 — Writers: Geoff Johns & Jeff Katz; Layouts: Dan Jurgens; Finishes: Norm Rapmund It’s interesting how the “feel” of this book is a lot like the early issues of the ’80s version — that’s definitely the influence of Jurgens, who was both writer and artist of that first incarnation. The concept itself, though, has been flipped — instead of the flashy newcomer who uses modern marketing techniques to make himself famous, Booster now works in the shadows; he’s a time cop, charged with protecting the multiverse from evil forces trying to manipulate history. It’s a solid concept … Continue reading →

Sub-Mariner #3 (of 6) — Writers: Matt Cherniss & Peter Johnson; Artist: Phil Briones The Wolverine-Subby battle on the cover only lasts four pages (Xavier shows up to tell them to quit screwing around), but there’s also a fight with a villain (an exceedingly overexposed one right now, too), so at least there’s action. However, the “shocking” last-page development has been done at least twice before (and is, oddly, ignored on the preview of the next issue’s cover), and the plot is just kind of sitting there, hoping you’ll ignore it as you admire all the punching. Worse, Namor spends … Continue reading →

New Avengers #33 — Writer: Brian Michael Bendis; Artist: Leimil Yu No actual Skrulls (well, ones that we know of, anyway), but lots of Skrull-induced paranoia, some of which looks to be throwing a wrench into the Luke-Jessica relationship. Oh, and a subplot in which Marvel attempts to make the Hood into a villain that you might, you know, actually care about. Yu’s art seems to be delivering more good moments and fewer annoying ones (maybe because it’s familiar now), so that helps, and there’s more than enough soap-opera compulsion (What will happen to these characters next?) to keep me … Continue reading →

Batman Confidential #8 — Writer: Michael Green; Penciller: Denys Cowan; Inker: John Floyd This is the second of a multi-part story involving Batman against The Guy Who Will Eventually Become The Joker, and it also, unfortunately, is one boring comic. Batman fails to stop crimes. Batman talks to Officer Gordon. Batman beats up thugs, trying to get information. Batman — well, Bruce Wayne — sleeps with the spunky girl you’ve never heard of, which means she’s gonna die next issue. Nothing actually happens. Oh, and the art isn’t by Denys Cowan version A, who’s careful and competent and a good … Continue reading →

Crecy — Writer: Warren Ellis; Artwork: Raulo Caceres This actually came out last week, but I put off reading it, thinking that a historical/Cartoon History of the Universe-type treatment of an English military victory over the French in 1346 would be heavy going. I was wrong — it’s an assured look at life 650 years ago, well-researched and human, narrated by one of the Suffolk longbowmen who helped to slaughter the heart of the French aristocracy and usher in the era of long-distance modern warfare. It’s too bad that all the realistic violence and swearing will keep this out of … Continue reading →