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

The best comics can sometimes seem to be all over the place. Invincible #80 picks up where the last issue left off and by the time the last page comes, it feels like you've read 3 issues. And that's not a bad thing. The story organically flows between being personal, funny, tense, meta and heavy on action, ending in a world shaking moment that you don't see coming. It really feels like you get your money's worth out of this issue, as with most issues of Invincible. What's always made this book great is that because it takes place in it's own universe, anything can and does happen. Continuity, a topic that has been hot this past couple of weeks, doesn't bog anything down here. And yet, it flows through the book at the same time. Kirkman even takes the time to poke fun at the rebooting of comics directly as well as the not very well thought out motivations of super villains. The humor in this book is refreshing and what's great is that Kirkman can use it without giving up the right to get serious. 

Another book that brought loads of humor and fun this week was Batgirl #22. This issue has Stephanie Brown being called to London by Batman where she takes a detour with Squire, the British equivalent of Robin. They stumble upon a case and hilarity ensues. It's just good times, and interestingly ends with a promise that it will be continued in the pages of Batman, Inc. A lot has been written about the DC reboot and particularly the fact that Stephanie won't be Batgirl anymore. But, if her story continues in the Batman, Inc book, then maybe Steph will have a place in the new DC continuity after all.  As for Bryan Q. Miller, I don't remember seeing his name on the list of writers and that's the real crime because he's been delivering a consistently fun book here.

And then, there's Grodd. . . This book was over the top, violent and really, just crazy fun. For a one shot, event tie in book, Flashpoint: Grodd of War managed to tie into the main book and actually build towards a confrontation that I want to see explored in the pages of the other Flashpoint books. Gorilla Grodd has managed to take over the entire continent of Africa but he's grown bored. He bemoans that the world doesn't even know his name even though he's slaughtered more than Aquaman and Wonder Woman combined. By far, the best part of the book involves a group of would be assassins, which Grodd easily defeats. But he spares the life of one, setting up a future confrontation that would be on par with Kill Bill, when the Bride makes that speech to Vernita Green's daughter, only Grodd takes it to a whole other level. By the end of the book, Grodd has decided to go after Europe, which means Aquaman and Wonder Woman. I wish this was more than a one shot.

Comic of the Week - Invincible #79

Invincible has grown up. This was a fun issue that also managed to hold tension before getting heavy at the end. And all along, it made sense. It didn't feel at all like the tone shifted out of nowhere. Rather, it just came accross as real life with ups and downs and truths revealed. I won't say more, since it really wouldn't be fair to spoil anything.

One thing we always get in Invincible is a clear line between actions and consequences. Everything that happens affects something else. And just when you think it was forgotten, it comes back and the consequences are real. It's been that way since issue one and it continues to be that way. It's what makes this series stand out. Nothing is forgotten and nothing is irrelevant. For a book that covers so much ground, that's quite an impressive feat. And as the series goes on, and the characters we met as kids grow up (which is also rare in comics, where nobody ages) the stakes get bigger and bigger in real ways. It's one thing to save the world or the universe itself, but it's the every day, human situations that will break you down.

Manga for the Comics Guy - Gantz Volume 10

When reading a long form story, told by the same author, there's a critical point that will eventually come along that will determine how you really feel about the story and the author himself. At that critical moment, you have to decide whether or not you are invested in the material and, more importantly, whether or not you trust the author. How soon this inevitable moment comes in the story depends on the author's mastery of his material. If it's too early, there may not have been enough time to build the relationship with the reader to suddenly do something that changes the script. However, if you wait too long, you risk having bored the reader with the status quo. Story may be about surprising the reader, but long form storytelling is also about making the reader comfortable. There must be balance that is appropriate to the story.

This volume Gantz was a great test of trust and one that I think is successful. We pick up right where Volume 9 left off, in the middle of the stand off with the alien in the real world. Once Kei kills the alien, things get a little weird. Kei has a new girlfriend, who looks a little young to me, and their relationship gets a little strange. But the strangest part of this volume is that it goes into a whole other story about another kid, seemingly unrelated to the Gantz world. Although, because the trust has been built, I am sure it will all make sense down the line.

This other kid has been bullied (bullied is an understatement, if this is what bullies do in Japan) and attempted to kill himself, when a mysterious stranger reached out to him and taught him how to unlock some strange powers. At this point, I don't know how this will come back to the Gantz story. Eventually, the bullied kid kills his bullies with his new found powers and then we suddenly switch gears again. Now, we are following this bizarre, fighter looking guy who is traveling between different schools asking for the strongest fighters so he can defeat them. Just as you think this is completely out of left field, he arrives at a school where he's told Kei is the strongest fighter. Kei defeats him, thanks to the Gantz suit, and then you get a hint that all is not what it seems.

Interestingly, the issue of trust is reflected in the story itself, which brings me to believe that Hiroya Oku is aware of the fact that he is testing his reader's trust. This makes the whole thing that much better, in that now you have a piece of literature that is commenting on what it's doing as it does it. He's basically acknowledging that he's throwing us for a loop right now, but to hold on and trust him.

So is his girlfriend real? Did anything we saw in the last few chapters actually happen? Is he in the Gantz world? Is the Gantz world re-writing the real world? It's all up in the air and that's a good thing.  Hiroya Oku has my trust, much like Robert Kirkman has it. And out today is Invincible #79, which also happens to be a big turning point. So this will be a good week.

Manga for the Comics Guy - Gantz Vols. 7 - 8

There have been many epic battles in comics. Superman vs. Doomsday comes to mind. That lasted four full issues of nothing but battle. Invincible # 60 did almost the opposite by having an entire crossover event contained in one slobberknocking issue. Right now, though, I hold up Gantz as the king of epic battles. This fight started in Chapter 61 and went all the way to Chapter 93, with nothing but bloodbath throughout the whole thing. Here, Kei sums up what reading Gantz does to your brain.

It's become clear now that there is no safety in this series. This appears to be a theme with the things I like to read (see Walking Dead). The Gantz world may have virtual reality undertones, but the stakes are all real. People died in this issue in rapid succession, in bloody ways, and each character death was increasingly important. The thing is, it would be easy to dismiss the mayhem as gratuitous, if not for the great character moments peppered throughout. I think my favorite was the Pretty Boy and the girl that was stalking him. When we first met them, before they entered the Gantz room, he was constantly trying to get away from her and she was always just out of view, hair draped over her face. It was kind of funny, actually, how nobody noticed her most of the time. During this battle, little by little, you realize, along with the Pretty Boy, that he actually cared about her, possibly because she was the only connection he had to his "real" life. These characters were not just filler. They had depth. You want to know more.

Although Kei has been the hero up until now, here, he winds up in a position of needing the others. Lucky for him, they rise to the occasion. Just when you think all is lost, it gets turned around. And just when you think it's turned around, all is lost. There is so much back and forth with the tide of this battle that it's hard to keep from panicking as you read it. I think I was sweating the whole time.

I have to say, Gantz has taken it's place among the best things I'm reading, and possibly the best things I will have read when I'm done. I have a feeling I'll be caught up with it very soon as I am growing more and more anxious about what is going to happen next with each chapter. I'm not sure how my mind will be blown further by it, but I'm pretty sure it will. And speaking of mindblowing, but in a different way, today is new comics day and out is Axe Cop Bad Guy Earth #2, by Malachai and Ethan Nicolle. This is a crazy fun comic, written by 6 year old Malachai and drawn by his 30 year old brother. The first issue was among the most imaginative things I've ever read. It's just out there fun and I highly recommend it.

Walking Dead: Anything Can Happen

When a comic makes you shout "Oh shit!!" as you read it, you pretty much have to blog about it. The problem is, I don't want to spoil it and it's almost impossible to talk about it without spoiling it. But I'll try. There will however, be spoilers of things that have happened before this issue, so be warned.

Just when you think nothing more can shock you in this book or that Kirkman is going to stop torturing Rick, you turn a page and any semblance of safety you had goes out the window. Way back, during the prison escape, it was clear that this book was something different. I remember the shock of seeing Rick's wife and baby killed. Up until that point characters had come and gone, but you just didn't expect for the family to be hit. They were the core of the book. But it happened and it wasn't just for shock value. It drove the development of the characters forward. It also took the tension that had already been established and amped it up, because the danger was real and no one was safe. In many ways, that moment leads directly to this issue. It's because of that moment, more than anything, that Rick is so focused on the survival of his son above anything else. He will literally do ANYTHING to ensure that survival. That is reality. So once that idea is driven home, what happens next is at once unexpected (to say the least) and if we trust een Kirkman as a writer who knows what he's doing (he absolutely does), then it's actually what needs to happen. Story is, after all, about conflict. You set up a character and then you challenge that character. Rick has had more than his share of these "challenges," and that's what makes the book move forward. But what makes the book great, beyond just being well crafted storytelling, is that Kirkman is also a master of character. Invincible is the same way. The characters are so clear they are real. You know each one. There's no mistaking who these people are. Their actions are always true. To do that consistently, for 83 issues, while at the same time developing them further, is really genius.