|
UNTIL YOUR HEART STOPS v28.1
by Brian Domingos
Quite Houses
February 18th, 2009
I say this every month, but it’s always the same: my “to be read” pile shrinks to barely anything and then a big week arrives and I’m back behind a mountain of new things to read. I’ve got some cool things to talk about next week, but in the meantime, here’s some new first issues to cover:
Two new series, a mini and a new direction
 BAD DOG #1
Writer: Joe Kelly
Artist: Diego Greco
Letterer: Thomas Mauer
Format: Ongoing
Publisher: Image Comics
Price: $3.99
Joe Kelly’s been on my radar since his work on X-MEN and even DAREDEVIL – whichever came first. I like his wry sense of humor and how he manages to mix the jokes with the serious. He’s been out of the comics scene for a while (making those Tall Action Figure Dollars with BEN 10) and his work is slowly making its way back on the shelves. I covered his new historical fiction book FOUR EYES a couple of months back (a real winner) and here’s his next ongoing book, BAD DOG. It was described as a buddy book - a werewolf named Lou and his gutter-mouthed ex-preacher partner, Wendell. They’re bounty hunters. It’s a dialogue heavy book, which is ideal for Kelly – the weight of the story falls on the characters and their interactions, and it’s properly serviced by his strengths. A big part of his dialogue is the delivery and artist Diego Greco is a perfect fit. His handles the entire illustrations, coloring his pencils and giving the book an organic look and his storytelling is flawless. The character’s personalities seep off of the page, whether it’s a bawdy joke or the introspective pull of responsibility. I mean, he can make a smiling werewolf believable… The only criticism I have is the lettering font. It’s lowercase, which is not necessarily a bad thing, but it’s just a tad bit too small, which is distracting. The cover price is $3.99 with 36 full color, glossy pages of art and no ads. In this day and age? That’s a deal.
 BANG! TANGO #1 (of 6)
Writer: Joe Kelly
Artists: Adrian Sibar (p), Rodney Ramos (i)
Colorist: Tanya and Richard Horie
Letterer: Sean Konot
Format: Miniseries
Publisher: Vertigo/DC Comics
Price: $2.99
Now BANG! TANGO? This one I didn’t like as much. It’s a Joe Kelly’s new Vertigo miniseries and it stumbles out of the gate. It’s a former mobster-turned-tango-dancer and it attempts to avoid the miscast mobster clichés while ending up in a-whole-nother set of them. Kelly says in his essay for “On the Ledge” that this wasn’t his original idea. His other idea, which was passed on, was something about a mobster-turned-singer. He describes the book and he says, “…On the run and forced to reinvent himself, he turns to the road not traveled and makes his way as a singer, nighthawking across the country in jazz bars and smoky clubs in relative peace until his past comes back to haunt him in the form of a woman, of course. The woman who threw him off balance all those years before... and that was about when I got bored. I'd seen this before.” My issue with this is that it’s pretty much exactly what he wanted to avoid, except with tango dancing, which really, doesn’t translate too well into comics. The art is by Adrian Sibar and Rodney Ramos, and Sibar is the one whom brought ‘tango’ to the table. I know it’s only one issue so far, but I’m trying to see how this is not the same thing. I read the issue before reading the essay and it was strange to have the author sum up my feelings so well. Now, a big part of my not liking BANG! TANGO was the art. I remember Sibar’s art from Dylan Horrocks’ BATGIRL a bunch of years ago (and Rod Ramos has been around forever). Sibar’s art here – it’s cluttered and a little messy. Tango is about form and flawless movement – this is a little sloppy. And the color’s by the Hories and I’ve found that their stuff either looks terrific (THE UN-MEN) or not-so-hot. This was latter. The opening dance scene is bathed in this reddish-pink light that just washes all the art out, making all of the panels bleed together. Throw some pink & blue song lyric text over it and it is muddled and unattractive. Howard Chaykin does a cool cover and I can’t help thinking how great he would have been on a book like that. I won’t be picking up any more of this.
 SECRET WARRIORS #1
Writers: Brian Michael Bendis (plot) & Jonathan Hickman (plot/script)
Artist: Stefano Caselli
Colorist: Daniele Rudoni
Letterer: ArtMonket’s Dave Lanphear
Format: Ongoing Series
Publisher: Marvel Comics
Price: $3.99
There’s just something cool about Nick Fury. It’s a bad-ass superspy thing. I’m always interested in what he next situation is: how’s it all going to work out? How’s Nick going to come out on top? This brings me to SECRET WARRIORS. This issue has the Secret Warriors doing recon at a S.H.I.E.L.D. facility and running from a fight with the Dark Avengers and the terrorist group Hydra. This was, of course, all according to Plan. We get a flashback of Fury infiltrating a secure S.H.I.E.L.D. data-hub and doing cool spy stuff. Then we learn a deep, dark secret at the end of the book – about the true operators of S.H.I.E.L.D. It’s not a bad idea, but there’s a small problem with it. Until “Secret Invasion”, Tony Stark – aided by the Extremis suit – was literally tapped into S.H.I.E.L.D.’s systems: the databases, the satellites, the friggin’ closed-circuit TVs on the service entrances. How did he not know this secret? How was this kept out of his knowledge when he was S.H.I.E.L.D.? Other than that, it’s a strong idea that has a lot of conspiracy angles to cover. The plot comes from Brian Michael Bendis and Jonathan (THE NIGHTLY NEWS) Hickman and Bendis has said that it’s mostly Hickman’s show. Hickman supplies 12 pages of back-matter: computer interfaces and menus that chart top secret S.H.I.E.L.D. info. It’s a very cool aspect of Hickman’s talent – making these awesome flowcharts – I hope that sticks around. I’m a little annoyed that the characters first appeared in MIGHTY AVENGERS and there’s no reintroduction here. I don’t read MIGHTY AVENGERS so I’m left in the dark. I was expecting that this new book, focused on them would cover the backstory but that didn’t happen. There’s barely an introduction of these new characters. I can piece it together based on some internet searching but that’s a lot of work I’m not exactly looking for. What I do want is more Nick Fury and spectacular action scenes. This had one, but I want more. The art’s by Stefano Caselli and colorist Daniel Rudoni. It’s a cartoony, pastel style that isn’t what I expected. I don’t really think it fits well, either. That said, I think this book has some potential, and, the way artists move around these days, we could have someone whom is a better fit in a year.
 MS. MARVEL #35
Writer: Brian Reed
Artists: Patrick Olliffe (p), Serge LaPointe (i) & Kris Justice (i)
Colorist: Chris Sotomayor
Letterer: Dave Sharpe
Format: Ongoing Series
Publisher: Marvel Comics
Price: $2.99
I’ve never read a MS. MARVEL book before, but I like her as a character. I liked her as the best friend in ALIAS and I grew to really enjoy her character in the “Marvel Alliance” video game. For some reason, I never got into the comic. I tried the “Dark Reign” issue and I kind of liked it. The character is at one of those status quo crossroads – Norman Osborn has recast Ms. Marvel with the former Thunderbolt, Moonstone, and now Carol Danvers is effectively out of the job and on the run. She gets a new identity, with the help of previously established characters, is on her own. She suffers from some delusion regarding the recently returned Captain Marvel (she seems to be the only one that doesn’t know he was a Skrull). She has a run in with Marvel Boy, the new Capt. Marvel and he schools her a bit. The issue felt like writer Brian Reed wasn’t sure what to do with it. He begins establishing the new direction and gets sucked into this Capt. Marvel suicide cult plot. To me, it was the less interesting plot line. I liked the art, though. I’ve really turned into a Patrick Olliffe fan over the last couple of years. I loved his 52 work and that 52 AFTERMATCH book, “The Four Horsemen” looked great. This stuff is good, too, and, although his Ms. Marvel is not as beefy as she was at the beginning of the book, it’s a solid representation. I think Reed’s on to something here and I’ll probably check out the trade paperback later this year.
Not a bad bunch. I’ve got a few others that can wait a couple of weeks.
As for this week’s new books, it’s an average-sized haul, compared to last week’s on-the-large size listing.
Upcoming…
Books and items shipping Wednesday, February 18th, 2009
NOV084102 A G SUPER EROTIC ANTHOLOGY #98 (A) $4.99
JAN093921 AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #568 ON LINE EXC ROSS VAR CGC 9.8 PI
DEC088074 AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #583 OBAMA 5TH PTG VAR $3.99
DEC082356 AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #587 $2.99
DEC082357 AMAZING SPIDER-MAN FAMILY #4 $4.99
DEC082236 AMBER ATOMS #1 $3.50
DEC084103 ANGEL SMILE TIME #2 $3.99
DEC083758 ARCHIE DOUBLE DIGEST #196 $3.69
NOV080173 BATMAN AND THE OUTSIDERS THE SNARE TP $14.99
NOV083936 BATTLESTAR GALACTICA CYLON WAR #1 (OF 4) SEGOVIA FOIL CVR PI
DEC083922 BATTLESTAR GALACTICA CYLON WAR #2 (OF 4) $3.99
DEC083759 BETTY & VERONICA #240 $2.25
JAN093955 BEYOND SCANDALOUS SEIRYO UNIVERSITY GN VOL 03 $10.99
DEC080120 BIRDS OF PREY #127 (ORIGINS) $2.99
DEC080126 BLACK LIGHTNING YEAR ONE #4 (OF 6) $2.99
OCT080046 BLOOD PLUS GN VOL 05 $10.95
DEC080123 BRAVE AND THE BOLD #22 $2.99
- DEC082448 CAPTAIN BRITAIN AND MI 13: SECRET INVASION, VOL. 1 TPB DIRECT MARKET EDITION $15.99
DEC082447 CAPTAIN BRITAIN AND MI 13: SECRET INVASION, VOL. 1 TPB
Marvel Comics
$15.99
Word on the street is that this current CAPTAIN BRITAIN series is actually good. I’m a little tired of the “Dracula Vs Doom on the Moon” message board signatures. Yeah. I get it. This first volume is the first four issues – at 16 bucks, that’s not much of a deal.OCT082322 CYBLADE #3 MAYS CVR A $2.99
OCT082323 CYBLADE #3 SEJIC CVR B $2.99
DEC082314 DARK AVENGERS #2 CHOI VAR DKR $3.99
DEC082313 DARK AVENGERS #2 DKR $3.99
DEC082333 DARK TOWER SORCERER POSTER $8.99
DEC083835 DAYBREAK GN VOL 02 (O/A) $10.00
DEC083834 DAYBREAK GN VOL 03 $10.00
DEC083911 DEATH DEFYING DEVIL #3 $3.50
NOV080189 DIANA PRINCE WONDER WOMAN TP VOL 04 $19.99
NOV080244 DOROTHEA VOL 04 (MR) $12.99
JAN094498 DRAGON DRIVE TP VOL 12 $7.99
NOV082254 DYNAMO 5 #0 $0.99
OCT080047 EDEN TP VOL 11 IT’S AN ENDLESS WORLD (MR) $12.95
DEC082464 ESSENTIAL CLASSIC X-MEN TP VOL 03 $16.99
JAN094500 EYESHIELD 21 TP VOL 24 $7.99
OCT083943 FALL OF CTHULHU GODWAR TP $15.99
JUN082257 FIREBREATHER SERIES #4 $2.99
- AUG082252 FOUR EYES #2
Image Comics
$3.50
I can’t believe the second part of FOUR EYES hasn’t come out yet. It’s a cool concept with great art.
 DEC083916 GARTH ENNIS’ BATTLEFIELDS: NIGHT WITCHES, VOL. 1 TPB
Dynamite Entertainment
$12.99
I love that cover and Ennis’ war comics are always fun.DEC082371 GHOST RIDER #32 $2.99
DEC084106 GHOST WHISPERER THE MUSE #3 $3.99
DEC084079 GI JOE ORIGINS #1 $3.99
JUN082259 GODLAND #26 $2.99
NOV083748 GOLD DIGGER #103 $2.99
OCT082290 GOLLY #4 (MR) $3.50
- DEC082228 GREAT UNKNOWN #1 (OF 5)
Image Comics
$3.50
Duncan Rouleau’s new miniseries. After THE METAL MEN, I’m curious to see what he’s up to next.DEC088018 GREEN LANTERN #36 2ND PTG $2.99
- NOV080062 GRENDEL: DEVIL’S REIGN TPB
Dark Horse Books
$19.95
Always love more GRENDEL.DEC082393 GUARDIANS OF GALAXY #10 $2.99
NOV084334 HAPPY HAPPY CLOVER GN VOL 01 $7.99
DEC084231 HE IS MY MASTER GN VOL 05 (MR) $9.99
DEC080216 HELLBLAZER #252 (MR) $2.99
- OCT083945 HIGH ROLLERS TPB
Boom! Studios
$15.99
I’ve enjoyed most of Gary Phillips’ crime comics and have been waiting for HIGH ROLLERS for a while. I can’t wait for his Vertigo Crime book, either.DEC083928 HIGHLANDER ORIGINS KURGAN #2 (OF 2) $4.99
DEC082264 INVINCIBLE #59 $2.99
DEC088027 INVINCIBLE IRON MAN #9 2ND PTG VAR $2.99
MAY080297 JLI SER 1 BATMAN ACTION FIGURE PI
OCT084391 JOHNNY BOO HC VOL 02 TWINKLE POWER $9.95
DEC082275 JOHNNY MONSTER #1 (OF 3) $3.50
NOV083945 JUNGLE GIRL SEASON 2 #3 $3.50
- DEC080132 JUSTICE LEAGUE OF AMERICA #30
DC Comics
$2.99
What is going on in this book? It’s sort of been a mess for a while now. This is supposed to be the first post-FINAL CRISIS issue.DEC082412 KABUKI REFLECTIONS #12 (MR) $5.99
OCT083824 KADE RISING SUN #1 (OF 4) CVR A BILLY TUCCI $3.95
NOV084341 KEKKAISHI GN VOL 16 $9.99
NOV083954 LONE RANGER COVER ART OF JOHN CASSADAY $19.99
NOV080208 LOST BOYS REIGN OF FROGS TP (MR) $12.99
NOV088016 MAN WITH NO NAME #1 LTD ED CVR (PP #849) $3.50
DEC082378 MARVEL ADVENTURES AVENGERS #33 $2.99
DEC082437 MARVEL ADVENTURES AVENGERS TP VOL 08 DIGEST $9.99
DEC082467 MARVEL ADVENTURES TWO-IN-ONE #20 $4.99
DEC082384 MOON KNIGHT #27 $2.99
DEC082429 MOON KNIGHT PREM HC VOL 04 DEATH OF MARC SPECTOR $24.99
DEC080184 MYSTERIUS THE UNFATHOMABLE #2 (OF 6) $2.99
NOV084306 NAOKI URASAWA 20TH CENTURY BOYS GN VOL 01 $12.99
DEC082405 NEW EXILES #18 $2.99
AUG082261 NOBLE CAUSES #39 $3.50
NOV084323 NORA LAST CHRONICLE OF DEVILDOM GN VOL 03 $7.99
DEC082386 NYX NO WAY HOME #6 (OF 6) $3.99
- DEC080115 THE OUTSIDERS #15
DC Comics
$2.99
I liked last week’s SPECIAL by Peter Tomasi. I want to see what he does with Lee Garbett; could be the new must read book.NOV080246 PALETTE OF 12 SECRET COLORS VOL 05 $9.99
NOV084297 PANTOMIME TP SCAD SEQUENTIAL ART ANTHOLOGY (MR) $9.95
NOV084307 PLUTO URASAWA X TEZUKA GN VOL 01 $12.99
DEC082410 PUNISHER FRANK CASTLE MAX #67 (MR) $3.99
DEC082428 PUNISHER WAR JOURNAL PREM HC VOL 05 SECRET INVASION $19.99
DEC083920 RED SONJA SHE DEVIL WITH A SWORD ANNUAL #2 $3.99
OCT080073 REELART BUCK ROGERS STATUE $189.00
JUL080086 REELART FRAZETTA SUN GODDESS STATUE $189.00
DEC080064 REX MUNDI DH ED #16 $2.99
- DEC080114 ROBIN #183
DC Comics
$2.99
ROBIN
hits its final issue. Sort of sad – it’s been good since Fabian Nicieza took over.DEC083767 SABRINA VOL 2 #100 $2.25
NOV084063 SANCTUARY 3 PK $7.95
DEC080180 SCOOBY DOO #141 $2.50
DEC082440 SECRET INVASION TP FRONT LINE $14.99
DEC082442 SECRET INVASION TP INCREDIBLE HERCULES $14.99
DEC082444 SECRET INVASION TP THUNDERBOLTS $19.99
NOV084332 SHOJO BEAT MAR 09 $5.99
DEC084205 SHRAPNEL #2 (OF 5) A CVR SUYDAM (NOTE PRICE) $2.99
DEC084206 SHRAPNEL #2 (OF 5) B CVR MOSZI (NOTE PRICE) $2.99
DEC083837 SIMPSONS COMICS #151 $2.99
DEC083838 SIMPSONS COMICS TREASURE TROVE #3 $3.99
NOV080054 SOLOMON KANE #5 (OF 5) $2.99
DEC084120 SPARROW JIM MAHFOOD HC $11.99
DEC082352 SPIDER-MAN NOIR #3 (OF 4) $3.99
DEC082353 SPIDER-MAN NOIR #3 (OF 4) CALERO VAR $3.99
DEC082387 SQUADRON SUPREME 2 #8 $2.99
DEC082310 STAND AMERICAN NIGHTMARES POSTER $8.99
DEC084107 STAR TREK LAST GENERATION #4 $3.99
DEC080068 STAR WARS KNIGHTS OF OLD REPUBLIC #38 FAITHFUL EXECUTION $2.99
- DEC080181 STORMWATCH: P.H.D. #19
Wildstorm/DC Comics
$2.99
I love love love this book. #19 sees the end of the crossover with THE AUTHORITY as well as the end of the Tao back-up – which has been telling, to say the least.DEC084297 STREET FIGHTER IV #1 (OF 4) NG CVR B $3.95
DEC084296 STREET FIGHTER IV #1 (OF 4) TSNAG CVR A $3.95
DEC080118 SUPERGIRL #38 (ORIGINS) $2.99
OCT080140 SUPERMAN BATMAN #55 $2.99
NOV080182 SUPERMAN CHRONICLES TP VOL 06 $14.99
DEC080147 TANGENT SUPERMANS REIGN #12 (OF 12) $2.99
DEC088026 THUNDERBOLTS #128 2ND PTG VAR $2.99
DEC080174 TINY TITANS #13 $2.50
DEC084088 TRANSFORMERS ALL HAIL MEGATRON TP $19.99
DEC084089 TRANSFORMERS MAXIMUM DINOBOTS #3 $3.99
DEC084093 TRANSFORMERS REVENGE FALLEN MOVIE PREQ ALLIANCE #3 $3.99
DEC080103 TRINITY #38 $2.99
DEC082344 ULTIMATE FANTASTIC FOUR #60 $3.99
DEC082422 ULTIMATE SPIDER-MAN HC VOL 10 $39.99
DEC082349 ULTIMATE WOLVERINE VS HULK NEW PTG #2 $2.99
DEC082466 ULTIMATUM BY DAVID FINCH POSTER $15.99
OCT083765 UNCANNY X-MEN #503 PX LAND SKETCH CVR CGC 9.8 PI
DEC082396 UNCANNY X-MEN #506 $2.99
DEC080148 VIGILANTE #3 $2.99
DEC088028 WAR MACHINE #1 2ND PTG MANCO VAR $2.99
DEC083953 WARRIORS OFFICIAL MOVIE ADAPTATION #1 (OF 5) PX CVR (MR) $3.99
DEC083952 WARRIORS OFFICIAL MOVIE ADAPTATION #1 (OF 5) REG CVR (MR) $3.99
AUG080247 WATCHMEN MOVIE RORSCHACH GUN & MASK PROP SET $295.00
DEC084083 WHATMEN (ONE SHOT) $3.99
DEC083693 WIZARD ANIME INSIDER #66 D GRAY MAN CVR $4.99
DEC083702 WIZARD WORLD CONVENTION EXC CGC 9.8 3 PACK PI
NOV088143 WOLVERINE #70 2ND PTG MCNIVEN VAR (PP #852) $2.99
DEC080191 WORLD OF WARCRAFT #16 $2.99
DEC082399 X-FACTOR #40 $2.99
DEC080192 X-FILES #4 (OF 6) $3.50
DEC082392 X-MEN KINGBREAKER #3 (OF 4) $3.99
DEC082397 X-MEN LEGACY #221 $2.99
NOV088142 X-MEN NOIR #2 (OF 4) 2ND PTG CALERO VAR (PP #852) $3.99
DEC082400 YOUNG X-MEN #11 $2.99
DEC083844 ZOMBIE TALES #11 $3.99
 - DEC083882 ZOMBIES THAT ATE THE WORLD #1
Devil’s Due Publishing
$3.50
Guy Davis + zombies = A good Time.
Next week I’ll take a look at the cool new books I got recently. See you then. 
Brian Domingos is the Editor-in-Chief at Popimage.com. Questions? Comments? Love Notes? Email him via brian@popimage.com. To submit a comic for review, please email him at the email link. We're always interested to see what people have to offer.
PopImage
Forum - Discuss this message at the PopImage forum.
Industrial
Archive - Read past Industrial articles
|
