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milk114
02-23-2005, 03:54 PM
New Today is Solo #3: Paul Pope (http://www.dccomics.com/comics/?cm=2682)

Solo #1: Tim Sale (page not up anymore)
Solo #2: Richard Corben (http://www.dccomics.com/comics/?cm=2210)
Solo #4: Howard Chaykin (http://www.dccomics.com/comics/?cm=2869)

at $5 a pop, and consistantly coming out every two months like clockwork, I'm really enjoying DC's experiment of an artist-driven anthology of shorts. It's fun to see different takes on DC superheroes, most often Batman, but I especially enjoy the non-superhero-related stories.

In Paul Pope's solo I enjoyed his Theseus story as it was a great melding of art and storytelling that brought a new light to a tired tale. The ghost story is also great because I'd bet almost every long-time comic reader has had one similar experience... hopefully two at most.

I'd recommend dropping the $5 for each issue of Solo to anyone because:
a) I doubt DC will collect the series
b) there is some damn fine artistry going on (especially colors)
c) good to great short stories that explore beyond comics' normal field but are easily accessable.
d) I have no idea, and maybe some else will, but I don't think this is a high-selling item, and if DC is to continue with it beyond #4 (rumor is John Cassaday will be doing a future issue) we the readers need to give them economic incentive.

If the artists have carte blanche as to their subject matter, this series makes for an interesting companion to their other works. In this writer-centric age of comics we need to support artists' efforts... so pick this up, let me know what you think, and may Solo last for a looooong time!

Jaye
02-23-2005, 03:56 PM
e) no ads!

Mon-el
02-26-2005, 06:29 PM
I am not enjoying this series as much as I thought I would after 3 issues. I was hoping it would be a building block to more anthology series that would compare to Adventure Comics, Showcase Comics, More Fun Comics, Brave and the Bold, Dc Comics Presents. So far I have found few stories that I have enjoyed of those would be Tim Sale's Supergirl short, Paul Pope's Tribute to Kirby of OMAC, and Paul Pope's Dick Grayson story.

I am giving it one more shot at Issue #4 before I decide if it finally fades from my Pull list.

atoningunifex
02-27-2005, 08:39 AM
I skipped the first two- I'm not really a big fan of Corben or Sale- but I picked up issue 3 because I kinda dig Paul Pope's work. I liked all the stories in the book- especially "En Esta Esquina". I also really liked the OMAC story.

I'll pick it up in the future if there are artists whose work I like. I don't feel any need to buy every issue.

milk114
05-06-2005, 11:55 PM
did anyone out there pick up howard chaykin's solo last week? ive recently moved and not found a comic shop yet nor can i find reviews. how is it? and who's next up? thanks.

ratzo
05-07-2005, 07:59 PM
Not bad. If I'm not mistaken, I think this was the first one that didn't have any DCU stories; they were all genre tales, including an autobiographical one at the end that has given me a new appreciation of Howard Chaykin. It looked like some, if not all of the stories, were pencils only, which was a bit of a disappointment. I'd have preferred them to be fully rendered.

Darwyn Cooke is on deck (woo hoo!).

amphetamine
05-07-2005, 08:05 PM
I'm so in for Darwyn Cooke. If the others are as good as I've heard, I'll drop coin on them, too.

The Xenos
05-07-2005, 11:10 PM
I got the Sale and Pope ones. Both were excellent. Wasn't a big Pope fan, but now I am. That OMAC story, as well as the others, were amazing. Can't wait for Cooke's.

-Xenos