New Comics

Phil’s Reviews: Stuff I Bought #199

Posted on June 26, 2011 by Phil

Ultimate Spider-Man #160 — Writer: Brian Michael Bendis;  Pencils: Mark Bagley; Inkers: Andy Lanning with Andrew Hennessy This comes in a bag, but considering the title it’s probably not a spoiler to say that, yes, there’s a death scene with the main character (of course, there was one in Superman #75, too, and we all know how that turned out, so…). Bendis and Bagley, who’ve worked on the title for eleven years (straight, for Bendis) do a good job with it; it’s an affecting end to the story, and one true to the themes that the book has covered since … Continue reading →

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Phil’s Reviews: Stuff I Bought #198

Posted on June 12, 2011 by Phil

15 Love #1 (of 3) — Writer: Andi Watson;  Art: Tommy Ohtsuka As the title implies, this is a comic about tennis — and, as hinted by the artist’s last name, it’s done in a very straight-ahead, clean manga style. Watson’s a dependably quirky and entertaining writer, very good at getting the small nooks and crannies of everyday life right, and this tale of a young female protagonist who’s good at tennis, but not good enough — and the rumpled coach who tries to help her — is a comfortably familiar story that’s capable of going off in unexpected directions. … Continue reading →

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Phil’s Reviews: Stuff I Bought #197

Posted on May 29, 2011 by Phil

Uncanny X-Men #537 — Writer: Kieron Gillen;  Pencils: Terry Dodson;  Inks: Rachel Dodson The two main X-books are in good hands right now: here, Gillen is in the middle of a sequel to Joss Whedon’s “Breakworld” story, and it’s the point in the narrative where things are going very badly for… well, everyone, but especially for Kitty, who’s the focus of this issue. Solid characterization, with clear motives even for the bad guy, and the Dodsons’ art is both pretty and expressive enough to make Kitty’s wordless attempts to get help poignant and clear. Lots of good bits (Wolverine to … Continue reading →

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Phil’s Reviews: Stuff I Bought #196

Posted on May 15, 2011 by Phil

Hellboy: Being Human #1 (of 1) — Writer: Mike Mignola;  Art: Richard Corben A Hellboy story by the Mignola/Corben team is always cause for celebration, and this one-shot is no exception: it doesn’t have the over-the-top backwoods craziness of their The Crooked Man, from a few years ago, but there’s enough Southern gothic atmosphere, with crumbling mansions and various decayed corpses (as an old woman, scorned and unjustly institutionalized, enacts occult revenge against long-dead adversaries) to remind everyone of why Corben’s always had such a fine reputation for horror work — and to show that, even in his seventies, he … Continue reading →

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Phil’s Reviews: Stuff I Bought #195

Posted on May 1, 2011 by Phil

Hate Annual #9 — Creator: Peter Bagge This doesn’t come out that often, but it’s always a pleasure to read, and a comfort to know that Bagge is still out there, chronicling the continuing adventures of Buddy and Lisa and their respective families (and that they’re all just as screwed-up and oddly compelling as always). Unlike a few of the recent issues, this one focuses almost all of its time on the key characters, making it even more of a find; as a link to the best of the ’80s and ’90s indy scene, and a reminder of just how … Continue reading →

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