Glamourpuss #7 — Writer/Artist: Dave Sim
I’m not sure why I keep buying this — and it’s impossible to describe — but Sim is one of the great wild talents of comics, and watching him draw high-fashion models crossed with super-hero origin parodies (including, off all things, Steve Ditko’s Mr. A reimagined as “Ms. A”), interspersed with learned discourses on the evolution of realism in comic/newspaper strip cartooning, with namechecks on Caniff, Raymond, Craig Flessel and Lou Fine, just seems like an essential piece of comics scholarship and entertainment.
Wolverine #72 — Writer: Mark Millar; Penciller: Steve McNiven; Inkers: Dexter Vines and Jay Leisten
Speaking of entertainment… this, against all odds, has it; although the plot developments keep making me roll my eyes, the last-page cliffhanger still, somehow works. No, it’s not over — the conclusion is going to be in an upcoming “Giant-Sized Special” (you know, the thing they dump the story into when no one has any-damn-idea when the creative team is going to finish it), and I’m sure that it’ll be predictable and make me roll my eyes some more, and that I’ll still enjoy it, too.
Crossed #5 (of 9) — Writer: Garth Ennis; Art: Jacen Burrows
A very quiet issue — no gross-outs, and in fact no bad guys at all, as the team of refugees makes it to the Rockies and the book reaches its half-way point. It works very well as a midpoint pause, and the last scene even provides a small moment of grace before the inevitable horrible carnage (I don’t hold out much hope for any of these characters) that’s sure to come in the final four issues.
Uncanny X-Men #224 — Writer: Mike Carey; Pencils: Scott Eaton; Inks: Andrew Hennessy
Kudos to Carey for providing something rare for the X-books: an actual happy ending (however temporary, soap-opera superhero books being what they are). That’s not much of a spoiler, either, since the cover gives it away — so if you’re a fan of the Rogue/Gambit relationship (I’m assuming that no one cares about Professor X/Danger), and you’ve despaired of Marvel ever giving those two crazy kids a few moments of happiness, this is worth a look.
Amazing Spider-Man #595 — Writer: Joe Kelly; Penciler: Phil Jimenez; Inker: Andy Lanning
The first of a five-part Spidey/Norman Osborn Dark Reign story, leading up to issue #600. Decent, although it takes a while to get all the retconned bits straight (oh, right: Norman now doesn’t know Peter’s costumed identity, and Pete and Harry have always been best friends). Kelly and Jimenez make a good team, and a dinner with JJJ, his dad, Aunt May, Peter, Harry and Norman features lots of good snarky dialogue; there’s also yet another Spidey speech about how he isn’t going to let Normie get away with anything ever again — followed, of course, but Normie getting away with something yet again — but for a Chapter One, it’s not a bad start to the story.
New Avengers #53 — Writer: Brian Michael Bendis; Pencils: Billy Tan; Inks: Matt Banning
Dr. Strange and the Avengers go to New Orleans to fight The Hood and Madame Masque over who gets to be the next Sorcerer Supreme. Damion Hellstrom is there, but then the other mystic who lives in the Big Easy pops up at the end (with a weird accent from Bendis, too, one of those things that makes some sense, but has never been used with the characer before — come to think of it, the Son of Satan has kind of a weird spin on his dialogue, too; this kind of Bendification of characters’ speaking voices can be annoying, but there’s enough obvious thought put into it that you can’t help but go along with it). As always, there are just enough plot twists/character bits to keep the average superhero fan turning the pages.
Stuff I read and liked enough to buy, but don’t have much to say about, so read previous reviews in the archives if you’re interested:
The Sword #17 — Writers/Artists: Joshua and Jonathan Luna
Battlefields: The Tankies #2 (of 3) — Writer: Garth Ennis; Pencils: Carlos Ezquerra; Inks: Hector Ezquerra
Usagi Yojimbo #120 — Writer/Artist: Stan Sakai
The Literals #2 (of 4) — Writers: Bill Willingham and Matthew Sturges; Pencils: Mark Buckingham; Inks: Andrew Pepoy
Justice League of America #33 — Writer: Dwayne McDuffie; Pencils: Rags Morales; Inks: John Dell
Green Lantern #41 — Writer: Geoff Johns; Pencils: Philip Tan and Eddy Burrows; Inks: Jonathan Glapion, Ruy Jose and Julio Ferreira
Phil Mateer
