Comics of the Week - For Better or Worse

Sometimes, I can't be so positive about what I read. Two books this week were not to my liking and I think one is getting cut off my list. But I guess that's balanced out by the fact that most of the other books I read were outstanding.

I'll get the bad out of the way, first. I loved the first couple of issues of Action Comics after the reboot. It really felt to me like Morrison was making Superman relevant by going back to the Golden Age version of the character. It was a down to earth Superman who wasn't the big hero and still learning the ropes. However, the series slowly started getting into areas that were losing me. So the last few issues, I've just been giving them a chance because, well, it's Morrison, and I know you usually have to give him time to cook. But I think I've completely lost interest in the meal at this point. I don't know whether or not I can say this was a bad issue. I'm sure for fans of the Legion this wasn't as convoluted as it seemed to me. It's not even that I had a hard time following what was happening, as much as that I just wasn't engaged enough to care. Although, the concept of having Superman's enemies create a tesseract inside Superman's brain so they can hide where he'd never find them is not only pure Morrison, it's just awesome. But crazy concepts aren't enough to keep me reading, so I think I'm out.

I've sung many praises about Rick Remender on Uncanny X-Force. And I will likely sing many more. But the current arc will likely not be included in those ballads. Interestingly, this arc is also focused on some crazy concepts, this time involving Otherworld, which I guess is an in between dimension in which the Captain Britain Corps police reality? That's the thing. I think the success of the previous issues is that Remender was able to use existing history and ideas without alienating readers who may not be familiar with them. But this time, it's distancing. I know there's a lot of fighting going on, but I'm not entirely sure who's who. Not helping in this case, is the art by Greg Tocchini. I can get behind non-traditional comic art, but maybe because it's combined with a story that isn't working for me, in this case, the art made the story that much harder to follow. It's interesting to read comments on the Internets on this issue because Tocchini's art is clearly a love it or hate it deal. As usual, I can't land on either side of an extreme like or dislike of it, but I do know it's not working for me on this book. What kept me reading, though, was the characterizations by Remender. He knows how to write these characters and that is why I will stick around. They can't all be winners.

A few months ago, I was considering dropping Invincible. Not because it was bad. I just thought maybe I had read all I needed to read about Mark and company. I could always come back to it and catch up in a few years, instead of reading month to month. But then, last month, Kirkman pulled me back in. This issue went further and now I'm hooked all over again. One thing about Kirkman's books is that nothing is ever to be taken for granted. Not in Walking Dead and not in Invincible. The stakes are always high because anything can happen. Hell, he disintegrated Las Vegas a few issues back, with no fanfare. It was just something that happened in an issue. Something like that happens over at DC or Marvel and it's a two year event with 600 issues of everyone's point of view. But anyway, here we have Allen the Alien coming to wipe out the Viltrumites in hiding on Earth with a virus that may or may not kill all the humans as well. The stand off leads to unexpected alliances and a confrontation that leads to a possible deadly fate for Mark. I could've been more vague, I guess. As usual, Ryan Ottley makes all of this seem like it's being born on the page, all by itself, in beautifully intricate lines. I'm not going anywhere, Invincible. How could I?

Some quick hits:

Animal Man brought us an issue that took a break from the main story without coming off like fill in. We get to watch Tights, the independent movie Buddy Baker stared in a few years ago. Well, we get to see most of it before the batteries on Cliff's phone run out. I was sucked into the movie and hope Lemire comes back to it at some point.

The last issue of Corrina Bechko and Gabriel Harman's Betrayal of the Planet of the Apes was right on. It really served to set up and expand on the world and characters of the original movies, right before Taylor crashes back to Earth. I am more than a little excited for their next Apes mini-series and wonder if it will pick up from here or if it will be a new story. In either case, more, please.

I've been enjoying Swamp Thing, but this is by far, the best issue yet. The action was ramped up here and it really feels like we are now in the middle of some high stakes stuff. Snyder does his usual great work with Marco Rudy on art for this issue. As in past issues, I love that the layouts are part of the tone of the story, working like vines and sort of winding into each other.

Comics of the Week - Snyder and Lemire: Literary Man Crushes

This week, I'm doing something a little different, although it should come as no surprise.

Scott Snyder and Jeff Lemire each had two books come out this week. Each had a DCU book out and a Vertigo book. Each of their DCU books were once Vertigo books. Each one of them, with these four books, demonstrate a sophistication in story telling that I believe is at an all time high in comics. Sure, back in the 80's Alan Moore's Watchmen and Millers Dark Knight Returns, and yada yada yada. . . I love those books, too. They are important. But this is different. This is not about turning the genre on it's head or changing the medium. This is not a revolution of any sort, unless you consider the craft of storytelling, well done, to be revolutionary. And maybe you do. And maybe you should. I'm not suggesting there aren't other great writers working right now, because there are. But I see a difference in approach and execution from Lemire and Snyder. I think Literary would be the best word to describe it.

Snyder's American Vampire, in many ways, plays out like a great novel. This weeks issue is interesting in that it is the back story of Skinner Sweet and James Book, but within this back story we go further back to the story of the first American Vampire. Under normal circumstances, a flashback in a flashback could be jarring and leave you shaking your head wondering where you are in the story. In the commentary track for Reservoir Dogs, Quentin Tarantino addresses the issue of flashbacks in his movies by pointing that novels go back and forth in time and no one calls them flashbacks. He goes on to say "I'll tell you when it's a fucking flashback." I think the same applies here. While comics are not exactly like a novel, I think Snyder can get away with this because the over all story is being told in such a literary way. He clearly knows where he is going and is merely taking his time to get there, letting us take in all the details. He uses a lot of words, but it's never out of place or cumbersome. The same is true of what he is doing in Swamp Thing. 

With Swamp Thing, Snyder is just starting the story so much of what he is doing is about character. Opening with a new character, a child, stuck in a bubble and then going to our hero, Alec Holland, connects the two in a way that goes beyond what the connection is revealed to be. In many ways, the emotion of that opening scene is a reflection of what Alec Holland is feeling. He feels trapped but is about to realize what he is capable of. But it's not just a character study he's doing here. He uses character to move the plot and action forward. Nothing is wasted in Snyder's work and I doubt anything happens by accident. He knows what he's doing at every step of the way and has thought this through well in advance for both of these books. American Vampire has developed over 20 issues and a mini series going back and forth in time and focusing on several different characters along the way. Yet, at no point has this felt anything other than focused. It comes as no surprise to me that he teaches writing.

Lemire's Animal Man and Sweet Tooth have more than a little in common. Here are two books about people being connected to animals, myths and mysticism. Both books are anchored by rich characters and connections to children and family. And yet, they are very different. Animal Man is currently working more with outright horror elements and the fear is palpable. Yet, in the midst of all this, Lemire sprinkles humor in unexpected places. Overall, however, although this issue has big action and high concept, it's Lemire's seemingly effortless characterization that makes it work. In his previous work, Essex County, the characters felt like they would drip from the page in a crying heap. There was a heaviness to them that was undeniable, and you couldn't help but feel their beautiful sadness. Animal Man is not about sad characters, but in this issue in particular, when they are afraid, you know it. These are things that could be attributed to the art, and Lemire was the artist on Essex County. Here, however, although Travel Foreman is amazing, I think the characters work because they've been built up to work. We've seen them interact in real ways that made them relatable to the point that we understand the fear of this issue on a primal level. I think I know what Ellen's screams sound like by reading this.

Meanwhile, in Sweet Tooth, Lemire has built a world from scratch that is magical and real and haunting. Like American Vampire, he's giving us the back story of where the sickness came from. And like American Vampire, the back story takes place in a back story. In this case, however, the characters are more closely connected and maybe that is why the emotional connections between them are played up more. I wasn't sure where this was going as I read it, even though I kind of suspected. But at a certain point, it didn't matter because I was taken in by these people and regardless of where they were taking me, I wanted to know more about them. Although the plot was still moving forward, this did feel closer to Essex County in terms of character work. I could see that Lemire put a lot of thought into who these people are and what would motivate them and it all makes sense. Understanding this makes the revelation of the end that much more impactful. It's not just some guy that unleashed Armageddon on the world. Now we know him and understand him and his motivations. We can't just dismiss his actions. Clearly, Lemire doesn't want us to. He wants us to think about that. And to think about what this means to the overall story. Again, nothing is wasted. Nothing is by accident.

I understand that comics is a visual medium and I don't want to shortchange the artists on these books. In each case, these writers have been lucky to work with not just talented, but amazing artists, who are master storytellers themselves. Travel Foreman brings mood and uneasiness to Animal Man with his use of angles, but also his figures, which in this issue are downright creepy. Yanick Paquette and Victor Ibanez's layouts in Swamp Thing are like organically grown extensions of the story itself. Panels seem to creep into each other like vines. Matt Kindt, guest artist on Sweet Tooth, which Lemire normally draws himself, is perfect for this arc. His rough style is almost the equivalent of black and white grainy footage in a film to show a different time, only much more subtle. It also serves to reflect the roughness of the environment. And yet, in spite of this roughness, the simplicity of the figures makes the characters that much more relatable. Jordi Bernet's work on this arc of American Vampire is classic comics. There are panels that could easily pass for old western comics from the 40's. It's the exact mood that this tale of the Indian Wars needs.

If you've been reading my posts before, you've seen me praise Lemire and Snyder repeatedly for their work. This week really solidified for me what it is about them that I am responding to. It's not surprising that these two are also close friends. I would love to be a fly on the wall when they talk shop.

Comics of the Week - Why Comic Shops Are Great

It's not easy to creep me out with a comic book. I'm not talking about shock, that's easy and, ultimately, passing. To be creeped out means the image, situation, etc, really gets under your skin and unnerves you in some way. It's powerful and lingers after you've put the book down. That's Animal Man #2. Jeff Lemire and Travel Foreman take what they set up in the first issue and pick right up where they left off. Buddy's daughter has brought dead animals to life and Buddy now has a bloody map tattooed on his face and chest. Foreman's art puts you on edge for every frame. His figures are not conventional, which is only heightened by his odd angles, and while that may be something that turns people off in some cases, it could not be more appropriate for this story where something is not right. We're in a world where there are things unseen under the surface, but apparently not hidden. What's great about this is that it's horror that manages to be surreal and yet very much grounded in character and real life. We can go from absolutely insane moments where a little girl plays with dead animals and jump to her little brother filming it with his iPhone because it's so cool. Lemire is striking a perfect balance here to make this my favorite book of the relaunch so far.

Last week's Superman #1 was interminable. There were about 12 billion words in it, most of them narrations of exactly what we were seeing in the panels. You can call that a throwback, but I call it redundant. And in a world where we have Action Comics written by Grant Morrison, it's hard to imagine any other Superman title not being redundant. Issue #2 is actually stronger than #1 was, picking up after Superman has been captured by the government and is being experimented on by Luthor. One of the tings that makes this great is that we get to see more of what makes Luthor tick and by the end of it, we aren't even sure anymore. Is he really as anti-alien as he is making himself out to be or is he just power hungry or both? Is he just a pawn? And then we have the development of Superman himself. I like how he was just biding his time, recovering and studying his captors before making his escape. And since his powers aren't fully developed, the escape is not as simple as you'd think. This title takes place about 5-6 years before the other books in the DCnU, but really, it doesn't matter that we know Superman will eventually be in the Justice League and all that. Here, it's so fresh and new and filled with possibility, that it feels open. I kind of wish this was the only Superman in the DCU right now. Let the character develop naturally, over time.

Once in a while I pick up a book based on a recommendation on the spot from my buddy Ben at Florida Supercomics. A couple of these were Demon Knights and Aquaman. So, you see, he's got a good record with me. So when he told me yesterday that Huntress #1, by Paul Levitz was good, I picked it up. I've always liked Huntress, at least in theory, even though I haven't necessarily read every story, so this wasn't a hard sale for me. And at the end of the day, Ben was right again. This was a really solid book.Very straightforward, but well told with great art by Marcus To. It's a basic Huntress story, where she goes to Italy to investigate some mysterious shipments that are being sent to Gotham. She uncovers a gun running and sex trafficking ring and goes after them with a mix of undercover work and just plain ass kicking that doesn't get bogged down in any continuity issues and makes you forget the reboot all together. It's just fun comics. What's more, it's a female action hero that's not half naked, a big plus after all the recent controversy. I'm happy I got this and will be picking up the rest of this 6 issue mini-series. And while I'm curious as to how it will fit in the continuity of the new DCnU, I may be happier if it's never even addressed.

Comics of the Week

One good thing about the DC reboot is that, at least this week, it was a great week for comics. That's not to say everything was a winner, but it was interesting and varied with a good chance that something would stick. Fresh takes and good set ups.

The thing about Grant Morrison is that while he can go to really trippy, surreal and nearly impossible to understand places, he can also get to the heart of what makes a character tick in a mythological sense. With Action Comics #1, he is going to the roots of Superman and doing what no one has been able to do in who knows how long now. For years I've heard (and often said) that Superman was irrelevant, too powerful, outdated, boring, etc. Something had to be done to make the character interesting again. Many attempts have been made to make him hip and relevant, but they all just tried to modernize him and mostly missed the point entirely. Morrison goes back to the forgotten roots here, giving us a Superman on the streets, without all his god-like powers yet, living on the edge in a world that fears him. From the pieced together costume to the attitude, I think this is the right way to develop the character into something that can once again be a character we can relate to. As expected, this is one of my favorite #1's and I will definitely be reading this each month.

Speaking of Morrison, his run on Animal Man in the 80's is a prime example of how a creator can take a character you normally may not be interested in and hook you. But now it's Jeff Lemire's turn and he not only brings it, he brings it to another level. This was easily my favorite of the #1's this week, and as the internets can attest, I'm not alone. Lemire is one of the best writers working today and this is a perfect example of what he does. It's a superhero story, it's a family drama, it's a horror tale, it's all of that and more. Right from the opening prose section that gives us a background on the character in a way that doesn't feel forced, it's clear Lemire is bringing a little piece of the meta aspects of Morrison's run, but making it his own. By the last page, it's something else entirely that had me say out loud "Yeah, I'm in." The art by Travel Forman is also a standout. It's clean and odd and beautiful. It makes you uneasy and captivates you all at once, which is perfect for this material. I almost didn't pick this up, because although I like Lemire, I'm not a huge Animal Man guy, but now, I can't wait for the next issue.

When the reboot titles and creative teams were announced, my biggest disappointment was probably that Scott Snyder was off Detective Comics and moved to Batman. As I've said, his run on Detective is legendary already. Instead, we get Tony Daniels, writing and drawing Detective Comics and based on his work on the Batman title before the reboot, I was not excited. I have to say, this issue was better than that. His art was never the issue, and here it is good as always, if not better. It's clear, however, that he either is getting better at the storytelling or his editors have stepped up to address some of the previous problems. The story itself is a basic Joker vs. Batman affair, with the Joker in his serial killer persona. That's all well and good. The last image is what is apparently setting something up that really could be interesting even if we have no idea at this point what it could be. Overall, though, this issue is definitely geared for the new reader. Some of the dialogue, for those of us who know Batman and have read him for years, comes off a little hokey. To someone who's never read Batman, though, I could see it working. I can't fault Daniels for that, but this may not be my Batman book. Still, I want to see where he's going with the Joker here.

Here's a book I only read because of the creator, and almost didn't. Scott Snyder's Swamp Thing may or may not hook me on the character, but that doesn't mean I won't be reading this book. At this point, if Snyder publishes a grocery list, I will consider reading it. I can't even really put my finger on exactly what makes his work excellent, but I think it's a combination of elements. Some writers you can say they are really good at this one thing, whether it's overall emotion, character, a specific genre, action, etc. With Snyder, it's a complete package type of thing that just stands out somehow. His work is somehow character driven and plot driven at the same time. It's brimming with mood and emotion and things happen organically. It doesn't hurt that he's paired with great artists who can tell a visual story with all the elements, like Yanick Paquette does in this issue. Like Animal Man, this is a horror story, but it is more than that. The word is that this will actually cross over with Animal Man and the idea of Lemire and Snyder working together on a big story boggles my mind. I'm on board with this.