Joe Rice Media Review 10/5/05

[Joe Rice]

Been a while since I've done one of these, huh? Well, I've got some spare time so I thought I'd type a bit about the comics I've read in the past week. Aside from a couple books, they're all Marvel and DC, which is rare for me. I also ended up liking a lot of books I wouldn't expect myself to like, so who knows what's up. Let's get to it.

The indie comics are still my absolute favorites for the week. I couldn't afford the major ticket items I wanted like Push Man, but I did pick up the most recent issue of Johnny Ryan's Angry Youth Comix, along with issue seven. Johnny Ryan's stuff makes me laugh like crazy. From uber-condensed retelling of Blankets in issue 7 to the issue-length constant digression of issue 9, it just kills me. If you're easily offended, do please avoid this book. But if you find the idea of Retarded Hitler screaming "EXTERMINATE THE JUICE" hilarious, then you are in for a treat. You are also a superior person to the previously mentioned stick-in-the-mud.

Green Lantern Corps: Recharge wasn't awful. Pretty art from Gleason helps along. While I haven't liked Gibbons' work on Rann/Thanagar, this book seemed like a bit less of a editorially-mandated cluster. Some of the pointless noodling details are still around, but there's still a sense of fun hidden in here somewhere. Maybe I just want to like the book? It was OK, and that was better than I had expected.

The Punisher looks to be one of the most depressing arcs yet. The forced prostitution and slavery going on in the world today is the focus of the arc, and it's an issue that kills me. I must admit, it will feel really good to see Frank fuck with these assholes.

And, wonders never cease, I still like Superman/Shazam: First Thunder. It's REALLY helped along by GORGEOUS art from Josh Middleton. Holy crap, the guy can draw. The plot moves along and isn't really the point. The wise-cracks are decent and don't get in the way. This is the only Judd Winnick comic I've ever not hated, let alone liked. Nothing wrong with this superhero spiel.

The Captain America House of M issue seemed like a pointless exercise. It had some neat scenes, and Brubaker is clearly a hell of a writer, but there wasn't much point to it, if you ask me. Oh, well.

Speaking of inconsequential, Marvel Team-Up is no Walking Dead. It's no Invincible either. But it's fun enough to exist on its own, I guess. The question is, "Is good enough good enough?" I wrestle with the idea. This comic has its moments but, you know what? Good enough isn't good enough. I want great. I want excellence. This title has another issue to blow me away and then it's gone.

If you don't enjoy the Hulk fighting Devil Dinosaur you're lost to the world anyway. There's nothing I can do to fix you, you pathetic waste of flesh. Eric Powell, I love you.

And Karl Kesel and Carmine Di Giandomenico's Vegas arc gets a good start in Amazing Fantasy. Tight writing, a nice concept, and nice, unique art. This is more than good enough, it's intriguing, different, and has potential. The Captain Universe back up was awful, though. Jeez, the pages would have been more interesting if they were ads. But Kesel has always been able to tell a solid story, and Vegas is different enough to hold my attention. Try it.

Fantastic Four/Iron Man: Big in Japan frickin' rocks. Hell, there wouldn't have to be a story at all and it would be worht the price just for Seth Fisher's amazing artwork. It's really that good. Wow, I can't stop looking at it. He's getting almost to Quitely-quality in my mind. Not quite there, but getting closer. The story is fun and the jokes are funny and it never takes itself too seriously. This is my number two choice for the week, after Angry Youth. Buy it or commit seppuku.

[cactusmaac]

I thought Big in Japan was another pointless mini.

I'll check it out.

[Joe Rice]

I thought Big in Japan was another pointless mini.

I'll check it out.

What point does it need? Great art and a fun story. Is it going to "ROCK THE UNIVERSE" or "LEAVE EVERYTHING CHANGED?!?" No, thank shit.

[cactusmaac]

By pointless I meant uninspired, by-the-numbers and forgettable :)

[Joe Rice]

By pointless I meant uninspired, by-the-numbers and forgettable :)

Oops! Looks like I was crankier than I realized.

[Brian Cronin]

I liked Recharge, but yeah, I agree, I might totally be overrating it due to it not sucking, like the other Green Lantern title.

And I blame all the noodling details on Johns. ;)

-Brian

[Joe Rice]

And I blame all the noodling details on Johns. ;)

-Brian

Hey, that water is kind of wet.

[Brian Cronin]

Hey, that water is kind of wet.

"Batman and Lanterns don't get along."

I think I vomited in my mouth.

-Brian

[Joe Rice]

"Batman and Lanterns don't get along."

I think I vomited in my mouth.

-Brian

Just a little bit. A barflette.

[Brian Cronin]

Did you see the bit in last week's Batman where Winick explained how Jason was able to take the hubcaps off the Batmobile way back when?

He literally took a page to give this extremely convoluted reason why Jason was able to do it, "We put on those new tires, but I hadn't finished redesigning the hub caps.." "Leaving the lug nuts exposed. Oh, and the car's sensors were still down from the electrical surge you had last night...no alarms."

I didn't know whether to laugh or cry.

A little leftover Johns effect from splitting off from the Johnuckanick hive mind.

-Brian

[Tadhg Adams]

Did you see the bit in last week's Batman where Winick explained how Jason was able to take the hubcaps off the Batmobile way back when?

To be fair, I think I may have actually complained about that in one of my drunken comic rants.

[cactusmaac]

"Batman and Lanterns don't get along."

I think I vomited in my mouth.

-Brian

Can you still do that after your head exploded? :)

[Adam Crocker]

Did you see the bit in last week's Batman where Winick explained how Jason was able to take the hubcaps off the Batmobile way back when?

He actually bothered to do that? Wow, that's just staggering in its fussy attention to pointless detail.

[Brian Cronin]

To be fair, I think I may have actually complained about that in one of my drunken comic rants.

It's perfectly normal to say, "He stole the hubcaps off the Batmobile? That makes no sense."

It's NOT normal to spend the time to explain it 19 years later.

-Brian

[Brian Cronin]

Can you still do that after your head exploded? :)

You can imagine how messy it is.

-Brian

[Joe Rice]

It's perfectly normal to say, "He stole the hubcaps off the Batmobile? That makes no sense."

It's NOT normal to spend the time to explain it 19 years later.

-Brian

OH THAT IS HOW IT HAPPENED MYSTERY SOLVED! WHEW! HAL'S WHITE HAIR AND NOW THE HUBCAPS FINALLY EXPLAINED! MY LIFE HAS MEANING.

[Michael P]

Jesus Christ. And I thought I had OCD.

[Tadhg Adams]

It's NOT normal to spend the time to explain it 19 years later.


Is it the 19 years later thing? Would it be okay if I wrote fanfic explaining tedious details and discrepancies as long as the story is less than 5 years old?

[Lex]

Whoa! I didn't expect to see this here again.

Green Lantern Corps: Recharge wasn't awful. Pretty art from Gleason helps along. While I haven't liked Gibbons' work on Rann/Thanagar, this book seemed like a bit less of a editorially-mandated cluster. Some of the pointless noodling details are still around, but there's still a sense of fun hidden in here somewhere. Maybe I just want to like the book? It was OK, and that was better than I had expected.I enjoyed this book. It was better than I expected and gives me hope that it'll eventually be good. I heard that after this mini Gibbons will be writing the GLC ongoing by himself. That should be a lot better.

And, wonders never cease, I still like Superman/Shazam: First Thunder. It's REALLY helped along by GORGEOUS art from Josh Middleton. Holy crap, the guy can draw. The plot moves along and isn't really the point. The wise-cracks are decent and don't get in the way. This is the only Judd Winnick comic I've ever not hated, let alone liked. Nothing wrong with this superhero spiel.I'm as surprised as you are, Joe. I especially enjoyed the fight at the beginning with the trolls. Captain Marvel and Superman worked pretty well together.

Speaking of inconsequential, Marvel Team-Up is no Walking Dead. It's no Invincible either. But it's fun enough to exist on its own, I guess. The question is, "Is good enough good enough?" I wrestle with the idea. This comic has its moments but, you know what? Good enough isn't good enough. I want great. I want excellence. This title has another issue to blow me away and then it's gone.I thought the early issues were a huge ammount of fun. It really slipped lately, but hopefully the next story arc will be good (Kirkman says he's raiding Marvel's under used character vault and polishing up some gems).

If you don't enjoy the Hulk fighting Devil Dinosaur you're lost to the world anyway. There's nothing I can do to fix you, you pathetic waste of flesh. Eric Powell, I love you.This was a whole lot of fun! And one of the funnest parts was the Celestial stuff. I knew Marvel's Monster Month would be full of awesomeness! My only complaint is that I wish the back-up feature was one of Kirby's Devil Dinosaur stories. The weird furry Hulk thingy was kinda cool though.

Fantastic Four/Iron Man: Big in Japan frickin' rocks. Hell, there wouldn't have to be a story at all and it would be worht the price just for Seth Fisher's amazing artwork. It's really that good. Wow, I can't stop looking at it. He's getting almost to Quitely-quality in my mind. Not quite there, but getting closer. The story is fun and the jokes are funny and it never takes itself too seriously. This is my number two choice for the week, after Angry Youth. Buy it or commit seppuku.I didn't think this would turn out to be a fun comic. I avoided this in the store, but now I think I'll check it out. I can always count on Joe for recommending fun comics.

[Joe Rice]

I didn't think this would turn out to be a fun comic. I avoided this in the store, but now I think I'll check it out. I can always count on Joe for recommending fun comics.

And for being a hot-ass model (http://rocketshipstore.blogspot.com/2005/10/rocketwear.html).

I think the problem is more writing fan-fic that explains something that bothers you, but actually putting it in a comic.

[Brian Cronin]

Is it the 19 years later thing? Would it be okay if I wrote fanfic explaining tedious details and discrepancies as long as the story is less than 5 years old?

Five years, no.

A couple of months later? I can live with that, as it would seem slightly natural.

-Brian

[JeffreyWKramer]

Did you see the bit in last week's Batman where Winick explained how Jason was able to take the hubcaps off the Batmobile way back when?

I await the story where Johns or Winnick spends pages explaining how Selena's boobs defied gravity in all those Jim Balent issues of CATWOMAN.

[Sir Tim Drake]

It's perfectly normal to say, "He stole the hubcaps off the Batmobile? That makes no sense."

It's NOT normal to spend the time to explain it 19 years later.

-Brian

Wow. That's as bad as the Marvel Comics Presents story about the little kid from Amazing Fantasy #15. To refresh your memory, there is one panel in the first Spider-Man story in which a little kid sees Peter climbing a building, and mentions it to his mother. She replies, "That's the last horror movie I take you to, young man!" "Along Came a Child" from Marvel Comics Presents #120 features the same kid, now grown up, as its protagonist.

Actually, the hubcaps thing is worse, because it's even more nitpicky and doesn't even have the potential to be funny.

[cactusmaac]

I don't really mind the hubcaps thing.

If you're going to spend an issue devoted to Jason Todd's career ar Robin, why not flesh out the circumstances of his first meeting with Bats?

Death In The Family was a fairly important historical thing for the current Batman and it's not like events like his own origin and his meeting with Dick Grayson haven't gone through multiple retellings.

[TitoJones]

"Batman and Lanterns don't get along."

I think I vomited in my mouth.

-Brian

Please tell me that it wasn't Batman who said that.

Even if it was, just tell me it wasn't Batman.

[JadeDragon]

If you don't enjoy the Hulk fighting Devil Dinosaur you're lost to the world anyway. There's nothing I can do to fix you, you pathetic waste of flesh. Eric Powell, I love you.

BY THE LOVE OF ALL THAT IS WHOLE AND HOLY IN THIS TRANSCENDENTAL UNIVERSE, EXPLAIN THIS BETTER!!!

You caught my attention, and yet you never mentioned the name of this book, who made it (im guessing Eric P?), is it a one shot, or ongoing or mini....

Hulk fights Devil Dinosaur??? Good lord, this better be worth my time because now its all I can think about.

You bastard. Thanks!~~~~Patrick :)

[howyadoin]

Did you see the bit in last week's Batman where Winick explained how Jason was able to take the hubcaps off the Batmobile way back when?

He literally took a page to give this extremely convoluted reason why Jason was able to do it, "We put on those new tires, but I hadn't finished redesigning the hub caps.." "Leaving the lug nuts exposed. Oh, and the car's sensors were still down from the electrical surge you had last night...no alarms.I love it when people who know jack shit about cars try to explain something technical.

[Joe Rice]

BY THE LOVE OF ALL THAT IS WHOLE AND HOLY IN THIS TRANSCENDENTAL UNIVERSE, EXPLAIN THIS BETTER!!!

You caught my attention, and yet you never mentioned the name of this book, who made it (im guessing Eric P?), is it a one shot, or ongoing or mini....

Hulk fights Devil Dinosaur??? Good lord, this better be worth my time because now its all I can think about.

You bastard. Thanks!~~~~Patrick :)

Hey, I bolded the title even! It's called Devil Dinosaur and it's part of Marvel's Monster Group thing this month. Powell does the covers for all of them and the interiors of this one. It is fun.

[Joe Rice]

I love it when people who know jack shit about cars try to explain something technical.

Sounds to me like the muffler is discharging into the fuel line improperly. Better get a new fan belt.

[K'Nort]

Please tell me that it wasn't Batman who said that.

Even if it was, just tell me it wasn't Batman.


*crosses fingers behind back*

Okay, it wasn't Batman.

[Lone Ranger]

If you don't enjoy the Hulk fighting Devil Dinosaur you're lost to the world anyway. There's nothing I can do to fix you, you pathetic waste of flesh. Eric Powell, I love you.


I saw this on the racks at The Beguiling yesterday - I meant to flip through it and maybe buy it but I was distracted by cheap EC reprints. I was also wearing a suit and it was unseasonable warm, so my wits weren't about me.

I'll have to remember to check it out next time.