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Well, here it is. My first month of blind pick reviews. Before I actually get to the reviews, I do feel the need to explain exactly what my goal is with this column and these reviews. Over the past year or so most of the enjoyment I've found in comics has come from trying out new books that I hadn't considered in the past. While my reviews here obviously have influence (be it a great deal or virtually none), my goal is less to influence people and more to share what I thought about these books. Publishing something in a public forum means that a person should consider the fact that they are potentially influencing the views of others, and correspondingly I want to be as fair as possible in my reviews of these books.
Part of my reason for trying to spell out what I'm doing comes from the fact that many people who post reviews on the Internet seem more interested in giving their opinion, and far less interested in any sort of responsibility for what they say. A recent review bothered me severely, as the reviewer read the first 12 pages of a comic book, then proceeded to declare the book "a waste of her time." On top of this, she proceeded to recommend the book to a very narrow group of buyers, when she had missed some very major points that took place in the following 36 pages. Sure she made it clear that she only read a portion of the book, but if you are only going to read a portion of the book and then dismiss it why bother to even write a review of it? I can't promise that every review that I write will be completely objective and I can't promise that every review will be based on the total sum of a story. (As can be seen in the Incredible Hulk review below) When biases or discrepencies show up I'll do my best to let you know about them, and I'm goind to do everything I can to give every book as fair of a chance as possible.
Courtney Crumrin and the Night Things #1: Written and Drawn by Ted Naifeh. Published by Oni Press.
This comic was certainly the best of the four blind picks I made for the month of March. Naifeh's story introduces a young girl Courtney whose yuppie parents have run out of money and in turn have to move in with their creepy uncle Aloysius. There is something creepy going on in Aloysius's mansion, but through much of the story Courtney only catches glimpses of it.
While the supernatural aspect of the book gives it a feeling of the fantastic, the real world situations are what truly hook you into Courtney's world. Nearly every character, with the exception of Courtney, is obsessed with money or social class. Courtney is something of an outsider, but when you see how she interacts with those around her you can't help but feel that's partially her own fault. I hesitate to say this book is perfect for young adults because it really is perfect for readers of any age. But as a future instructor I can see how this book would be very effective as a classroom tool. If you can get your hands on a copy of this book then definitely give it a shot.
The Incredible Hulk #38: Written by Bruce Jones, Art by John Romita Jr. and Tom Palmer. Published by Marvel Comics.
During the recent online sparring between Marvel Editor-in-Chief Joe Quesada and writer Peter David, Quesada made the statement that every issue of a Marvel Comic should be friendly to new readers. This issue of the Hulk was my first look in several years, and to say that this was accessible would be fairly inaccurate. Most of the core elements of the story are fairly clear, Bruce Banner is being pursued by various operatives of unkown allegiances. While stopped in a small cafe, Banner is confronted not only by these agents, but also by Doc Samson. Being somewhat familiar with Marvel history, the appearance of Doc Samson didn't throw me off too badly, but for those who are completely unfamiliar with the character the effect of his appearance wouldn't be very strong. At the point in which several people who had been shot in the head were still walking around I felt completely lost, or at least that I had missed something very important.
Really it's not necessarily fair to judge Bruce Jones' story on this one issue, seeing as it takes place in the middle of an ongoing story-arc. While some aspects of the story seemed interesting, I'm not sure that there was enough in this one issue to draw me in again. From an artistic standpoint, I was severely impressed by the work of Romita Jr. and Palmer here. Coupled with the work of Studio F colors, the team paints a vivid portrait of a small Kansas town that is very impressive to look at. They also draw one of the most menacing interpretation of the Hulk in years.
Again, I feel the need to emphasize that this review is very skewed by the fact that it's more or less judging the middle of a story. Down the line I'd really like to give this book another try when it is starting a new story arc or when Marvel releases a trade paperback collection of this story. And on one last note, Kaare Andrews is doing some truly beautiful cover work for this series. Hopefully Marvel has plans of some sort to release some of these covers in poster format.
Sugar Buzz #8: By Ian Carney and Woodrow Phoenix. Published by Slave Labor Graphics.
Carney and Phoenix were the creative team of the mini-series Where's it At, Sugar Kat, one of my favorite comic discoveries of the past year. Apparently that series was spun off from their ongoing variety book Sugar Buzz, which made it an obvious choice for a blind pick. This issue features a story titled "The Lovely Land of Love," basically an irreverant parody/homage to every bad 1980's children's cartoon. Be it the Gummy Bears, the Wuzzles, the Smurfs, the Care Bears, or any similar show, this book will strike a chord with anyone who grew up during that era.
As a one-time joke this issue succeeds pretty well. The book is so lovey dovey and happy about the only words that I can describe it with are sweet and nauseating. You will feel like you have cottonmouth after reading this book. But that's why it's so funny. This is definitely the sort of thing you can show to friends who don't read comics but could do with a good laugh. Carney and Phoenix have a very goofy sense of humor and I'll be back again in the future for any further issues of Sugar Buzz.
King David: By Kyle Baker. Published by Vertigo/DC Comics.
Having grown up in a non-religious environment most Biblical tales are pretty much lost on me. Last year I was actually chided by a professor who found out I was unfamiliar with the tale of David and Bathsheba. Seeing as I'm not a big fan of historical tales in the first place, a graphic novel telling the story of King David might seem like the last thing I would try. But seeing as Kyle Baker is the man behind it there is no way I would pass it up. Baker, who has also created such gems as Why I Hate Saturn and The Cowboy Wally Show, possesses one of the most skilled and unique voices in the comic industry. Seeing his name on a book is a guarantee of a certain degree of quality, ranging anywhere from good to amazing.
From an artistic perspective, Baker hits a grand slam with his presentation of this book. His style is a bit more cartoony than some of his previous works, giving it a feeling of a Disney film that was actually hip. The light-hearted moments of the book look very comic, and some of the action sequences are appropriately gruesome. As far as writing goes, Baker does a pretty good job of encapsulating the King David story in a manner that presents all of the major events, yet never gives the feeling that too much material is being included. By including more modern style of dialogue, Baker adds a bit of fun to the book that makes it more accessible than it might have been if written in a more traditional tone. While I wasn't as impressed with this book as I have been by some of Kyle Baker's previous material, it does come recommended to those who are already fans of his work or those looking for a traditional tale presented in a comic book form.
Batman/Deathblow: After the Fire #1: Written by Brian Azzarello, art by Lee Bermejo and Tim Bradstreet. Published by Wildstorm/DC Comics.
To be completely fair, I have to point out that Lee is a good friend of mine that I have known for many years. That makes it tough to give a completely objective review of this book, but regardless of personal bias I would have to recommend this book very highly. The creative team has taken a comic cliche that is all too often formulaic, that of the crossover between heroes, and they have tossed the cliche on its ear. Batman and Deathblow might be the lead characters of this book, but at no point do they meet and interact. Deathblow died several years ago and all of his scenes in this book take place in flashbacks 10 years prior to present day. This first issue presents the start of a mysterious mission that Deathblow never completed, a mission that has now fallen into the lap of Batman.
Brian Azzarello's script is really well done here, with each character given a fairly equal amount of screen time. Rather than present the entiriety of the case that both of these characters have been involved with, Azzarello gives hints and small clues as to what is going on, yet challenges the reader to follow events from the perspective of Batman, who is also slowly becoming embroiled in the case. The largest strength of this book lies in Azzarello's interpretation of Batman. While many recent comics have been toying with the idea of Bruce Wayne as an identity for Batman, this story presents a Bruce Wayne who is equal parts Bruce and Batman. We only see Batman in costume for a few brief pages, with much of the rest of the book involving Bruce doing undercover and intelligence work to get an idea as to what is happening. The nuances of Batman's operating methods that the creative team show serve to give a fairly intriguing look at how the world's greatest detective approaches a case.
From an artistic perspective I can't praise this book highly enough. Bermejo, Bradstreet and colorist Grant Goaleash have created a visual style that combines traditional comic book style with modern film noir, resulting in a comic that looks like it was directed by David (Fight Club) Fincher. Their Gotham City looks like a true industrial metropolis, their people look like real people, and Batman looks like a frightening urban boogeyman while still looking very realistic. Again, my opinion here is not completely objective, and because of this I can only suggest you flip through the book at your local comic shop, or check out the mini-site that DC Comics has put together for this title at their website. The creative team has put together a very unique and stylish look at the characters of Batman and Deathblow, and hopefully this series will avoid any stigma of being a "crossover" book and will gain the recognition it deserves.
To finish off this month, I need to ask for some help from our readers. Many of my fellow classmates who are moving into High School teaching have shown a great deal of interest in utilizing comicbooks as a classroom tool. I'm currently trying to put together a presentation to show them how this can be done, but the biggest stumbling block is finding material that is high school appropriate, not mired in years of superhero continuity, and would hold the interest of this age of students. While I have a few ideas, any suggestions or recommendations would be greatly appreciated.
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