Tag Archives: Casanova

Phil’s reviews — Stuff I Bought #205

Lots of books this week, kids, so let’s do short reviews on each one. Before we get to all those DC first issues, though, there are a few other comics that deserve your attention: Casanova: Avaritia #1 (of 6) — Writer: Matt Fraction;  Art: Gabriel Ba Marvel’s Icon imprint having re-presented the earlier issues of this, Fraction’s indy manifesto, we now get the first new story, in color. Cutting-edge in both the visuals and the plotting, with freeze-frames, multiversal dimensional destruction, and lots of intriguing pretty people, this makes more sense if you’re already familiar with the characters, but if … Continue reading

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Phil’s Reviews: Stuff I Bought #194

Journey Into Mystery #622 — Writer: Kieron Gillen;  Pencils: Dougie Braithwaite;  Colorist: Ulises Arreola This title takes over the numbering of the old Thor, since series writer Matt Fraction is leaving to helm the new Thor the Mighty (you’d think some sort of media event starring the Asgardian Avenger was coming…). Gillen handled a few Thor stories last year, and did a good job, and here delivers a young-Loki tale that’s layered, lyrical and actually makes you like the complicated little trickster; it’s a sign that, with a crossover mini-series and a movie all throwing a big spotlight on the … Continue reading

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Phil’s Reviews: Stuff I Bought #192

Bad Dog #4 — Writer: Joe Kelly;  Art: Lucia Diego This hasn’t been out for awhile, but Kelly’s tale of a werewolf bounty hunter cursed by past sins and existential angst (but, in the best hard-boiled detective tradition, still determined to do the right thing) is worth waiting for. This issue, Lou and his partner, the cheerfully scatological, sexually deviant but religiously fanatic midget Wendell, get their Hunter S. Thompson on and travel to Las Vegas for fun and debauchery, although of course complications ensue. Diego’s art is always fun to look at, especially on the two leads (Lou’s massive … Continue reading

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Phil’s Reviews — Stuff I Bought #180

Casanova #3 — Writer: Matt Fraction;  Art: Gabriel Ba Even though this is still reprinting previous issues, very few of you saw the originals, so it’s worth getting into now (especially with new stories promised after the repeats finish). Fraction’s in Michael Moorcock/Jerry Cornelius mode here, with time travel, flashy narrative techniques, suave spy stuff and hallucinogenic head games, and Ba’s one of the few artists able to keep up with him and make it all sing. Great stuff, and made even better by Fraction’s essays in each issue — this one, especially, where he gets very personal, practically pays … Continue reading

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Phil’s Reviews — Stuff I Bought #176

Hellboy: The Storm #2 (of 3) — Writer: Mike Mignola;  Art: Duncan Fegredo Hellboy continues to punch his way to a big climax, as this mini, and the one to follow, complete an over-three-year story that began with Darkness Calls. Each issue works alone, though; you don’t have to know everything that’s going on to appreciate Fegredo’s moody, mystic and action-filled art, or to smile at Mignola’s laconic, stubbornly-regular-guy demon (at the end, he looks out a window to see that he’s surrounded by an army of undead, rotting English knights, and mutters, simply, “Crap.” Couldn’t have said it better … Continue reading

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