I really had jack squat for today. I was going to review a bunch of comics, and put up a music video and that's about it. Then sure enough I got hit with a ton of stuff to write about and some news to share. Fortunately, I had time to type it all.
COMIX!!
Let's get the ball rolling with BATGIRL #16. Bryan Q. Miller has really hit his stride with this book. I'm loving Dustin Nguyen on pencils. This book is a ton of fun. Our Steph has been framed for murder and has a pretty hefty amount of the GCPD hunting her. Plenty of action to be had here as the "Grass Before the Scythe" two-parter concludes. This book is one of my "TV sit-com" books. It has fun characters that I like and I look forward to it every month, but it doesn't require me to ponder every last detail of everything. Its light, and you've got to have some light, fun book to read. Otherwise, the grim and gritty overtakes your soul. Nobody wants that.Moving onto another fun book TINY TITANS/LITTLE ARCHIE AND HIS PALS #3 in which the long standing funny book tradition is up held. If characters from two different companies ever appear in the same book there must be a competition to see which is superior. In this case its Cyborg versus Jughead in burger eating contest! What I'm really digging is that they keep bringing in more characters from the Archie side to play with. last month it was Josie and the Pussycats. This month it's Sabrina the Grade-school Witch! Great stuff from Art Baltazar and Franco. This book is consistently a treat.
The fun doesn't end there! KNIGHT AND SQUIRE #3 was on the stands so Paul Cornell could let us know that England is a very weird place. This go-a-round Britain's Dynamic Duo are up against the clone of King Richard III, who is eeeeeeevil. Obviously there's a battle and the turning point comes with online social media? Its a hoot and half to go along with a bit of knuckle dusting and it seems there's a bit of romance in the works was both Cyril and Beryl seem to have prospective love interests. It adds just the right amount of 'cute' to the weirdness. Although I still need a translation for a good portion of the slang.
Thus ends the light fun as we move onto RED ROBIN #18. I'm giving this book a try because I like Fabian Nicieza. He writes good Tim Drake. He also writes good stories that don't easily break down into black and white/good and evil bits. Done wrong, stories like this end up with the hero being less than heroic, the action seeming forced, and the readers left a bit unsatisfied. Nicieza puts Tim firmly in a bad spot in which he has to take on a friend and ally who he's not to sure about anymore in Red Star. This issue puts up a ton of questions as to who is really the good guy here, and Tim is stuck in the middle trying to make heads or tails of things. Fortunately, this is one of the top detectives in the DCU we're talking about being a written by a very competent journeyman. This is part one of what looks like the beginning of a very good story, so I'm giving it my "read of the week" stamp.
Meanwhile, out in space, R.E.B.E.L.S. #23 wraps up a story about two rookie Green Lanterns getting caught up in Vril Dox's propaganda push and this brings in John Stewart. As GL's go, I like him. You always know where you stand with him. He's got some great scene's with Adam Strange in this issue. Its a very weird issue in that our "heroes" are very nearly the villains of the story. We know Dox is a world class jerk and manipulator, but there's always been a positive spin on his schemes and ploys. People have benefited from them. This time around it was just to push his own agenda, which is completely in character for him, but it was odd reading "his" title and not being in his corner. That said, Bedard handles Green Lanterns very well, so if you're a GL fan and not reading this title, its a good story to introduce you to the book, and hopefully you'll stick around because this book is consistently awesome.
Wrapping up my reads this week is 41 #1 from my buddy Bob Frantz AKA Bobby Fresh and Pablo Peppino AKA ... um... "Peppy"? OK, Peppino doesn't have an AKA yet, but with work like this he'll probably get one soon. The art is pretty sharp, and will no doubt improve as the series continues. This is Frantz's freshman effort as a comic author, and for a freshman effort, this is one hell of an ambitious project. World building with an ensemble cast is a giant pain in the ass. So much can go wrong and turn things into a confusing mess. Frantz side steps a lot of this by giving the reader just enough information about the world of 41 for them to hit the page running and meet the cast. The cast in question are a group of mercenaries in a post-apocalypse world that do what needs doing. We follow team leader Tex Hernandez and his men as they take on a job and meet some nasty resistance along the way. Lots of action, and a fair amount of humor as well. It certainly has the best "F-bomb" I've seen in a while. Knowing Bob is what got me to pick up the book. It being good is what is going to keep me around for issue two.
BUH-BYE... sorta..
Got some breaking news for ya.December 9th, 2010 – Los Angeles, CA – It is with a heavy heart but also with great warmth and fondness that BOOM! Studios bids adieu to one of its own: effective immediately, Mark Waid is stepping down from the responsibility of Chief Creative Officer at BOOM! Studios. Waid will continue his run on IRREDEEMABLE and INCORRUPTIBLE and his brand new break-out hit collaboration with Stan Lee, THE TRAVELER.
"Mark was key in BOOM!'s transition from a promising upstart to top tier publisher," Ross Richie, the Chief Executive Officer of BOOM! Studios remarked. "Now that we've reached this stage, Mark's made it clear to me that he's ready to take on new challenges. And we wish him the best!"
"I learned a lot in my time at BOOM! about the ever-evolving job of publishing comics in the 21st century, and it’s been an invaluable experience," Waid said. "But now that BOOM! is in a strong place with its best foothold ever in the market, it’s time for me to refocus my energies on writing and on creating. And maybe take one of these ‘vacation’ things that people are always talking about.”
At Comic-Con International in 2007, BOOM! Studios shocked the industry with the appointment of Mark Waid as Editor-in-Chief of BOOM! Studios. After three years as Editor-in-Chief, and writer of some of the bestselling BOOM! Studios titles like IRREDEEMABLE, INCORRUPTIBLE and most recently THE TRAVELER, Waid was promoted to Chief Creative Officer in the summer of 2010. Today, after a little over three years at the company, Waid leaves BOOM! Studios firmly entrenched as one of the top comic book companies in North America.
"Working day-to-day with a creator of Mark's caliber is an experience I'll never forget," said recently-minted Editor-in-Chief Matt Gagnon. "Thankfully, with IRREDEEMABLE, INCORRUPTIBLE, and THE TRAVELER going strong on the stands, I still get the pleasure of working day-in-and-day-out with Mark. He's one of the greats and I wish him the best in the next chapter of his influential career."
"Mark's such a phenomenal talent, but also a phenomenally good sport." Chip Mosher, Marketing Director added. "I'd like to publicly apologize that the tagline 'Mark Waid is Evil' will follow him the rest of his days! While Mark's presence on the BOOM! team will be missed, I look forward to reading what is next on all the BOOM! books he will continue to concentrate on."
While Mark Waid exits the executive team at BOOM! Studios, Waid will continue writing all three of his current BOOM! Studios titles. This December sees the release of IRREDEEMABLE #20 and INCORRUPTIBLE #13, in what continues to be one of the most successful launches of a new series in the past five years in the Direct Market. The success of the single issues for both series have been surpassed only by the massive trade paperback sales, with December also seeing blockbuster pre-orders for IRREDEEMABLE VOL. 5 and INCORRUPTIBLE VOL. 3 TPBs, that will be hitting store shelves later this month. Waid's collaboration with Stan Lee, THE TRAVELER #2, also tearing up the sales charts, hits store shelves later this month.
As much as I joke about Mark Waid, let me be clear: I love the guy. I'm a huge fan of his, and wish him nothing but the best. BOOM! will be in perfectly capable hands and I'm looking forward to seeing what's next for Waid.
TALKING WITH PEOPLE: part 1
Was chatting with the guy behind the counter while getting my tire fixed. He was telling me about his daughter who is a Sargent in the armed force (I forgot to ask which branch), and while trying to instruct her troops that she was training and of course there was one guy who wasn't listening and talking when he shouldn't be. She told the guy repeatedly to stop talking and pay attention. That didn't phase him, but her yelling at him "HEY! SHUT THE @#$% UP!" did.
"When I'm talking, you keep your trap shut and listen to what I have to say! You think you know more than me? You see these ribbons? I got these for being in combat in Iraq! You ain't got squat on your uniform! You're nothing but a @#$%ing slick!"
And at this point, the guy was on the verge of crying. "Y-you can't talk to me like that! I'll tell the First Sargent!"
"FINE! Let's go talk to the First Sargent! On the way, we can stop by the parking lot so I can beat your ass!"
So off they go to the First Sargent who listens to the guy's story and then approaches the woman. "Sargent, did you really threaten to 'beat his ass'."
"Yes sir."
"Why?"
"I'm trying to save his life by teaching him things that'll hopefully keep him from getting killed should he ever see action. He doesn't want to listen so I'll make him listen."
"Keep doing what you're doing, Sargent. Just next time, when you threaten someone, don't do it in front of other people."
Freakin' awesome.
CONVERSATIONS WITH PEOPLE: part 2
"So, how's it goin'?"
"Not bad. How's things up top?"
*Thump*
"OK, as long as the wind isn't blowin'. When the sun's on you its actually kinda comfortable. I actually broke a sweat up there."*Thump*
"I can't believe how Mikey hangs over the edge to get that metal in like he does."
"Well, its a pretty tall building, so if he falls off I have time to wave at him on his way down."
*Thump*
"Very nice of you."
"Thanks. But really, its not so bad. It could be a lot worse."
"You mean like being stuck in a port-o-shitter with two guys leaning on the door so you can't get out?"
*Thump*
"Exactly."
MUSIC!!
I had Plant on here and then Page. Time for the combo.
Alright, continue on with your Foxtrot and I'll see y'all Sunday.
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