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Comic Picks for week ending 12 Jun 1999
I've been out of the comic book reading business for a while now. With all the other mundane necessities and distractions of life somehow I just could no longer justify all the problems that came with collecting comics. Like excessive cost, poor quality, a glut of merchandise. Click here to find out how I got dragged back into the life. Click here to hear the story of the Comic book Mafia. Now, time to check out these picks and pans of comics probably still in your local comic store. I received eleven books last week from my subscription service. It says a lot about the state of comics, that out of that eleven there were only three that I thought were worth the money, and those three winners were written by English writers. I wonder what that says about the state of American Comics, when our best writers have to be imported.
nine books that struck out were:
Stars and Stripes #0- Co-Written by the usually satisfactory James Robinson this latest book in the new JSA craze is the least enjoyable. A basically empty filler story with an annoying lead character, and uninspired art. At 2.95 I honestly felt robbed. Heck at 50 cents I would have felt robbed. A very strong thumbs down. Definitely one to avoid. Scene of the Crime #3-
This Vertigo mini-series probably all together is a good book but I couldn't tell it by
this issue. I was lost in Resurrection Man #26- This was my first time checking this book out and all I can say is thank goodness its my last. Not even worth taking the time to review. If someone offers you one of these books run don't walk to the nearest baseball bat an beat them to death. At 2.50 someone should have paid me to review this book. Puts the B in bad. Legends of the DC Universe #18- At 1.99 the price is a little better, but still needs to be reduced by 75 cents. But even 75 cents cheaper the story is still immediately forgettable. Mark this one L for Loser. Nightwing #33-
has somehow become a cult fave
of fans.
Only one Marvel Book came in this week, and that was one too many. Captain America #19-
Seeing that Waid, the guy who brought me back to comics, is the writer on this book and
Andy Kubert as artist, might just be doing the best work of his career, I really wanted to
like this book. I only have a couple of problems, I hate what they've done with Captain
America. Putting Captain America in a galactic storyline is like putting Batman in one, it is a waste of a great character. It plays away from the inherent strengths of the character. Like putting James Bond in a war movie, while interesting it ultimately obscures the strengths of the character. And like every other book, at 1.99 this one is too expensive, and hey Marvel what happened to the gate-fold cover you used to justify the increased cover price. You guys don't miss a con. All the adds in this book you know you can give this to the readers for 80 cents cheaper, and still make a profit. Greed will be the downfall of this medium. From ONI PRESS comes VOLCANIC REVOLVER #1. The title really interested me, and the blurb seemed interesting. But the actual comic was about as interesting as watching ink dry. It was a really bad, very long foreign movie distilled to the comic page. At 2.95 its a huge waste of time. Thumbs down. Okay enough with the losers, onto those few who earned my vote for Must Reads of the Month.
Always when I think I've got Alan Moore's subversion down pact he twist it in upon itself, and it becomes something else. Something large and strange and infinitely fascinating. This issue of TOM STRONG gets a solid B+. The highest praise I can give is to say that ten years ago Alan Moore was the best writer in comics, and ten years later Alan Moore is still the best writer. Damn don't you just hate it. But no Alan, if your reading this, keep up the excellent work, you'll get that lifetime achievement award eventually. But as far as this site goes I'm done with you, we have to let other writers get noticed you know. Now without further ado, onto our next book which just so happens to be... aww no man, don't tell me..
I've never really been a big fan of Supreme, cheap fascist Superman ripoff that he is. But I have got to tell you under Moore's direction Supreme has become more interesting than Superman has been since, heck I can't remember the last time a Superman comic was interesting. You would probably have to go all the way back to the seventies. In SUPREME: THE RETURN Alan Moore writes, Chris Sprouse pencils (beautifully, I might add. His artwork here, as in Tom Strong, has a clean, open, crisp golden age feel that perfectly captures the sensibilities of the characters and actions portrayed) and Al Gordon inks, and together they weave a book that is a true joy to read. Alan Moore writes a very funny book, that shows off a firm mastery of the medium. I still don't like Supreme, but as long as Alan can continue writing such engaging stories for Supreme, I'll continue reading. A-.
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