Friday, March 09, 2007

What I Got - 3.7.07

A couple quick points before the (re)views:

  • The horror, the horror....Why is it, now that I'm entering year two of the life of my second child that I am still amazed at the disgusting things that can issue forth from their bowels? I don't want to gross you out, but I think I saw a boot in there.
  • The death of Capatain America: like most of the western world, I didn't get a copy. I'm not sure if I'll pick up one next time I'm in the shop. It depends upon what my load is like when they finally hit the stands. As for the actual story itself. From what I can peice together, it was good. I trust Brubaker quite a bit and his handling of Cap has always been good. I'm getting the trade, no doubt about it. also, I think I'm going to pick up a Kirby Cap trade over the weekend. Any recommendations?
  • Last word on Cap, check this out:


Shazam: The Monster Society of Evil #2

More excellence from Jeff Smith. Billy Batson/Captain Marvel goes to the Circus. Once there, he teams up with a tiger and issues a beatdown to some Alligators that have a taste for children. This book practically screams classic at every turn. I can't wait to this in hardcover and share it with my kids.

It's not just that it's fun and simple (in a good way) that makes it great for kids. It's also got that strong undercurrent of sadness that all great children's literature has. It's like when you look at the Harry Potter books and realize how horrible everything is in those stories. It's the same way for Billy and his sister Mary. They've rarely experienced kindness, but now an old wizard and a kindly talking tiger (and Captain Marvel too) have come to help them. You just want to hug these kids. If you are not reading this book, you are a bad person.

52: Week 44

So this pretty much follows up on last week. Black Adam and Isis find out about Osiris's fate and battle the Four Horsemen. Good for what it is, but I would've liked to see more movement in the rest of the stories. ***spoilers*** I'm sure this is because they wanted to give Isis's death a proper page-count, but after it was over I still wanted to know more about Ralph's last wish, or what Buddy was up to.

We did get Montoya officially being given the mantle of the Question. I really want to see her in her own book again. I really do hope there's a new Question book spun out of all of this. DC really needs a street-level crime book (and I REALLY miss Gotham Central).


Criminal #5

Speaking of Gotham Central and Ed Brubaker, he's got another book out today. Criminal has been a damn fine series, and this issue brings to a close the first arc. Leo has finally had the last straw and reveals what he's really been afraid of the whole time. I had Ennio Morricone's score for the Untouchables going through my head the whole time I read this issue. I really hope Marvel puts some effort into getting the word out to the crime fiction fans. This would have a lot of appeal to fans or Donald Westlake's work and the like.

There's also been some great backmatter in these books. This one has a round table discussion of the finer points of 60's and 70's noir films. Matt Fraction, Patton Oswalt and Warren Ellis all check in, along with some other guests. Some great films are talked about and I hit my Netflix queue as soon as I got home to add some.

Detective Comics #829

Since it was a light week (no trades), I picked up the latest issue of Detective. Since Dini started writing it, I've picked up some random issues, but I'm mostly waiting for trade on this one. Stuart Moore is putting in a guest two-parter starting this issue and it's got some good stuff. Bruce is mediating a diplomatic crisis at Wayne Tower when the building is hit by a terrorist bomber. Fortunately, Robin is in the building to help out. It's a pretty standard Bruce is stuck in a crowd so he can't change into Batman situation, but it's done perfectly. I suppose I'll have to pick up the next issue when it comes out-luckily in only two weeks.

4 comments:

tavella said...

If you are not reading this book, you are a bad person.

Hee. So true. SMSOE fills me with joy at every page. I'm praying that it is selling well, so that Jeff Smith and DC will be convinced to do more.

Jason said...

It's funny you mentioned a sequel. I was paging throught he first issue on my way into work this morning and I started thinking about what they could do next. Something with mummys and Black Adam would be really cool. I'd love to see Jeff Smith draw mummys.

Spencer Carnage said...

You know, I couldn't get into the first issue of Shazam. I wanted to. Really bad. I think it was TOO all ages for me. Like.......kind of hokey, I guess. And Jeff Smith's work just didn't impress me. I don't know. Are they going to kick me off the internet for saying this?

Jason said...

Spencer, if anything this ups your standing in the internet community, because you are now officially dead inside.