Phil's Reviews — Stuff I Bought #33

Batman #668 — Writer: Grant Morrison; Artist: J. H. Williams III
The script is serviceable, with the typical Morrison quirks, but the real star here is Williams, from the hypnotically surreal cover to the variety of artistic styles he employs inside. I was going to complain that some of his layouts are confusing, but then I realized that they all occur at chaotic points in the narrative, so Williams probably wanted them to seem fragmented; he’s just, simply, that brainy and careful as an artist, and his work here is a pleasure.

Amelia Rules #18 — Story & Art: Jimmy Gownley
Gownley’s not afraid to tackle big topics — divorce, death, loss — and yet they’re almost always integrated fully into his characters’ world, instead of feeling imposed from above. This story, involving the father of one of the minor characters being sent to Iraq, skates closer to “Afterschool Special” territory than most (it even has a lesson plan and questions for discussion afterward, so that it can be used in an elementary or middle school class), but the main plot — a banquet/school dance attended by most of its ten-year-olds — leavens the sadness with humor, spot-on characterization, and lovely art and coloring; the general quality of the proceedings is so high that it never descends into cheap sentiment or easy answers, and it becomes another excellent issue of a comic that’s had a long string of them.

Wolverine #56 — Writer: Jason Aaron; Artist: Howard Chaykin
It’s got the Chaykin art working for it, and it’s a one-issue story with a clear plot, a refreshing change from that drawn-out, hallucinatory Loeb arc (can anyone explain what really happened there? They’re all descended from wolves? The wolves who founded Rome?). I’m a little annoyed at Marvel charging an extra buck without asking us first, but it’s got 36 pages of art (including three splashes), so there’s definite value added for the money, and if you feel like you need to buy at least one Wolverine comic this year, this would be a good choice.

Tank Girl: The Gifting #3 (of 4) — Writer: Alan Martin; Art: Ashley Wood
The Jamie Hewlett cover’s nice (it’s the pimple that makes it Tank Girl), and the interior art’s worth looking at, too — Wood’s always at least interesting, and a couple of his panels here, like the one introducing Camp Koala, are memorable. Martin’s plotting, as usual, sucks; one story just throws up its hands and confesses to being a dream, and the other devolves into a not-particularly-good pun. Of course, it’s the attitude, not the linear storytelling, that readers remember about this book. That’s largely intact, and offers enough nostalgiac charge to make up for the holes in the storytelling.

Amazing Spider-Man #543 — Writer: J. Michael Straczynski; Penciller: Ron Garney; Inker: Bill Reinhold
Consumer alert: the cover, with Grieving Spidey pulling a sheet over a body, is a cheat; nobody actually dies, so if that’s your only reason for buying the book, forget it. There isn’t that much reason to buy this book, come to think of it — it’s mostly Peter angsting over how he’s crossed the line and broken serious laws by assaulting a cop, blah blah blah, as though in his long career he’s never done similar things before (go ahead, page through an Essentials volume or two, and you’ll see that he’s done stuff like that all the time). I bought this book because I’ve bought every issue of it off the stands since #78, but I won’t think less of you if you pass it up; this morose Back in Black stuff feels like it’s been going on forever.

Black Summer #2 — Writer: Warren Ellis; Artist: Juan Jose Ryp
Mostly world-building this issue, as we get to know more about the various characters, their powers and their history together, even as the U.S. military tries to blow them all away (the fact that one of their members just assassinated the President seems to have agitated the government). Good art, lots of action, and overall it’s a… well, not “fun,” exactly, because it’s too grim for that, but certainly an entertaining and exciting book.

Astonishing X-Men #22 — Writer: Joss Whedon; Artist: John Cassaday
The usual quality from this creative team. Possible big events happen, but with two issues still to go in the story it’s too soon to know what will stick, and what’s just a tease. Otherwise, at this late stage of the run I doubt that any readers need consumer advice from me; they’ve long ago decided whether they’re buying this book.

Superman #666 — Writer: Kurt Busiek; Artist: Walt Simonson
As with Marvel’s Wolverine this week, DC, for no apparent reason, has upped the story-page count of this issue to 36, while adding a buck to the cost (what, #666 is considered an anniversary issue now? Does the Catholic League know about this?). Fortunately, since it’s Simonson art (over a Busiek script involving a Kryptonian demon, the Phantom Stranger and Zatanna, and Superman’s dreams), it’s well worth the extra money, especially since it’s a stand-alone story requiring no knowledge of Countdowns, Atlantean sorcerers, super-powered sidekicks or slow-writing movie directors. Even if you don’t normally collect this title, this is a good issue to check out.

Immortal Iron Fist #8 — Writers: Matt Fraction & Ed Brubaker; Artist: David Aja (with 7 pages by Ray Allan Martinez)
The original Dragonball series has kind of spoiled me for world-champion martial-arts contest stories like this, just because it set such a high standard for character interaction, variety of powers and fighting strategies, and combinations of humor and suspense. Still, if you’re going to do a K’un-Lun story it’s a logical way to go, and it’s well-told so far; anyone who grew up playing Street Fighter and its imitators should appreciate the story structure, and have fun reading it.

Spirit #9 — By Darwyn Cooke, J. Bone and Dave Stewart (and no other breakdown of the credits given)
An attempt to set up a formidable new adversary (or, rather, a retcon on an older one) for the Spirit, this is worth reading, although the news of Cooke’s leaving soon somehow makes the book feel like it’s winding down. Still, the design elements, especially the coloring and page layouts, remain remarkably high-end; they’re so attractive that they justify getting this comic just so you can admire them.
Phil Mateer